 8. Impact on Society and NOAA Goals
SMCD, through the satellite-based products and data sets it develops and
generates, and its science, contributes to most of NOAA's strategic goals.
This section summarizes how SMCD helps NOAA meet many of the objectives
under these goals. The column labeled Role of SMCD Science/Technology in
Meeting Objective includes a generic one sentence description of the SMCD
contribution followed by a list of the SMCD projects, along with their
numbers as listed in chapter 4, contributing to the Objective.
Goal:
Understand Climate Variability and Change to Enhance
Society's Ability to Plan and Respond
| Goal Objective |
Role of SMCD Science/Technology in Meeting Objective |
| Describe and understand the state of the climate system through
integrated observations, analysis, and data stewardship |
Develop satellite-based products and generate long-term data
sets of climate system variables
- (1) Active Remote Sensors
- (2) Aerosol Remote Sensing from Operational Satellites
- (6) GOES Surface Ultraviolet Radiation
- (7) Instrument Calibration
- (8) Ozone
- (10) Radiance Products and Atmospheric Soundings from Advanced
Infrared and Microwave Sensors for Weather and Climate Applications
- (12) Snow Cover
- (15) Earth Radiation Budget
|
| Improve climate predictive capability from weeks to decades, with
an increased range of applicability for management and policy decisions |
Develop products needed for initialization and boundary conditions
of climate prediction models.
- (12) Snow Cover
- (13) Vegetation
|
| Reduce uncertainty in climate projections through timely information
on the forcing and feedbacks contributing to changes in the Earth's
climate |
Develop algorithms and generate long-term satellite-based data
sets of climate forcing and feedback variables such as aerosols,
carbon dioxide, ozone, clouds, and surface snow and ice cover
- (2) Aerosol Remote Sensing from Operational Satellites
- (8) Ozone
- (12) Snow Cover
- (13) Vegetation
- (15) Earth Radiation Budget
|
| Increase number and use of climate products and services to
enhance public and private sector decision-making |
Generate key data sets for decision making, e.g., ozone
depletion and the Antarctic ozone hole, and the expected
recovery of the ozone layer as a result of the phase-out of
CFCs, and atmospheric temperature, for monitoring global
climate change
|
Goal:
Serve Society's Needs for Weather and Water Information
| Goal Objective |
Role of SMCD Science/Technology in Meeting Objective |
| Increase lead time and accuracy for weather and water warnings
and forecasts |
Over 90% of the data now used in numerical weather prediction
models comes from satellite observations. SMCD is constantly improving
current products and developing new ones for assimilation into the models
- (1) Active Remote Sensors
- (5) Community Radiative Transfer Model
- (7) Instrument Calibration
- (8) Ozone
- (9) Precipitation and Floods
- (10) Radiance Products and Atmospheric Soundings from Advanced
Infrared and Microwave Sensors for Weather and Climate Applications
- (11) Satellite Data Assimilation (JCSDA)
- (12) Snow Cover
- (13) Vegetation
- (14) Winds
- (16) GOES Sounder Products
- (17) POES Sounder Products
|
| Improve predictability of the onset, duration, and impact of hazardous and
severe weather and water events |
Develop satellite-based heavy precipitation estimates for flash flood
warnings, and air quality products
- (2) Aerosol Remote Sensing from Operational Satellites
- (3) Air Quality Applications of Satellite Data
- (6) GOES Surface Ultraviolet Radiation
- (8) Ozone
- (9) Precipitation and Floods
|
| Increase application and accessibility of weather and water
information as the foundation for creating and leveraging public
(i.e., Federal, state, local, tribal), private and academic partnerships. |
SMCD was instrumental in the establishment of the NOAA-NASA-DoD Joint
Center for Satellite Data Assimilation (JCSDA) and is now a major
science contributor
- (11) Satellite Data Assimilation (JCSDA)
|
| Increase development, application, and transition of advanced
science and technology to operations and services |
SMCD is streamlining transition of its algorithms and science to NESDIS Satellite
Data Processing and, through the JCSDA, to the NWS forecast models
- (11) Satellite Data Assimilation (JCSDA)
- (16) GOES Sounder Products
- (17) POES Sounder Products
|
Goal:
Support the Nation's Commerce with Information for Safe, Efficient, and Environmentally
Sound Transportation
| Goal Objective |
Role of SMCD Science/Technology in Meeting Objective |
| Reduce weather-related transportation crashes and delays |
SMCD is developing satellite based aircraft icing, fog/low visibility
and volcanic ash products to increase air transportation safety
|
Goal:
Provide Critical Support for NOAA's Mission
| Goal Objective |
Role of SMCD Science/Technology in Meeting Objective |
| Increase quantity, quality, and accuracy of satellite data that are
processed and distributed within targeted time |
SMCD's major responsibility is improving the quantity, quality, and
accuracy of satellite data and information products
- (1) Active Remote Sensors
- (2) Aerosol Remote Sensing from Operational Satellites
- (3) Air Quality Applications of Satellite Data
- (4) Aviation Hazards
- (5) Community Radiative Transfer Model
- (6) GOES Surface Ultraviolet Radiation
- (7) Instrument Calibration
- (8) Ozone
- (9) Precipitation and Floods
- (10) Radiance Products and Atmospheric Soundings from Advanced
Infrared and Microwave Sensors for Weather and Climate Applications
- (11) Satellite Data Assimilation (JCSDA)
- (12) Snow Cover
- (13) Vegetation
- (14) Winds
- (15) Earth Radiation Budget
- (16) GOES Sounder Products
- (17) POES Sounder Products
|
|
Dept. of Commerce • NOAA • NESDIS • STAR • Last revised: June 15, 2010