Microwave Integrated Retrieval System (MIRS) - Simulated Performance

This section contains results for results obtained within the MIRS system using simulated brightness temperatures. The simulation results produced here, which are reproduced each day with the latest version of the MIRS system, have two main advantages: (1) it permits the assessment of expected MIRS performances in the case when the "true" atmospheric and surface conditions are known exactly, and without the complication of errors introduced from forward model uncertainties and biases, and (2) it provides a tool for determining the impacts of any updates to the MIRS system on simulated performances since each day's results are compared to the previous day's results with the MIRS Team being alerted automatically if any difference are detected. Two different sets of simulation results are presented, corresponding to two different sets of validation data.

Simulated Performance Using ECMWF60

Results in this section are produced by running MIRS on the standard "ECMWF-60" data set. This is a data set produced at ECMWF with the goal of providing a realistic distribution of atmospheric and surface conditions, accounting for seasonality, as well as geographic location. In the results here, we use only profiles located over ocean, which amounts to nearly 6000 profiles. Performances are simulated using both clear and cloudy profiles, with results stratified accordingly. Results are presented for temperature and water vapor profiles, as well as certain surface parameters.

Simulated Performance Using ECMWF Analysis

Results in this section are produced using a complete set of ECMWF gridded analyses (valid on 2009-02-15) along with footprint-matched SDRs from NOAA-18 for the same day. Using the complete global NWP fields, allows for the production not only of global atmospheric performance statistics, but also a stratification of estimated performance by surface type and geographic location, including the production of global maps. This can facilitate the highlighting of particular areas where performances can be improved. Results are presented for temperature and water vapor performance, with results stratified by surface type (land,ocean) and atmospheric conditions (clear, cloudy).