Satellite Meteorology and Climatology Division
Mission Statement
SMCD conducts research and develops new satellite products to improve
and expand the use of satellite data for monitoring global
meteorological, environmental and climatological conditions. The
Division conducts an end-to-end program ranging from planning new
satellite instruments to developing new satellite products and
applications and transitioning these developments to operations in
NOAA's weather, climate, and environmental monitoring and prediction
systems. Most of the Division's research and development falls in the
following discipline areas:
- Atmospheric variables - temperature, humidity, winds
- Land surface variables - vegetation, snow and ice cover
- Hydrological Cycle variables - precipitation, clouds, water vapor
- Environmental hazards - aviation hazards, air quality, fires, heavy rainfall and flash floods, drought
- Climate variables - ozone, Earth radiation budget, aerosols, greenhouse gases
In addition to developing new and improved products, we conduct the following crosscutting activities:
- Calibrating satellite instruments
- Transitioning research products to operational production
- Developing radiative transfer models for the National Weather Service (NWS) Numerical Weather
- Prediction (NWP) satellite data assimilation systems
- Developing and analyzing long-term satellite data sets for studying and assessing climate change
- Planning and preparing for new satellite instruments
To execute its activities, SMCD has an active visiting scientist
program, an extensive task order contract support system, and access to
Cooperative Institutes via grants, which provides scientists and
software specialists to support the SMCD investigators. Its scientists
also collaborate with colleagues both nationally and
internationally.
Satellite Meteorology and
Climatology Division (SMCD)
2010 Annual Report
Download SMCD's FY2010 Annual Report, (PDF, 2.63 MB, 4/26/2011)
Message from Mitch Goldberg
Chief, Satellite Meteorology & Climatology Division
On behalf of the Satellite Meteorology and Climatology Division
(SMCD), it is my pleasure to present the Fiscal Year 2010 Report. This
report summarizes the major activities and accomplishments within my
division throughout the year.
As an organization focused on the research and development of new
satellite products, SMCD is actively engaged and committed to improve
and expand the use of satellite data for monitoring global
meteorological, environmental and climatological conditions.
I am very proud to share this report on our accomplishments, which
include the Division’s completed tasks, highlights from workshops and
meetings attended, published papers, and training provided during the
Fiscal Year.
We contributed to the Center for Satellite Applications and Research
(STAR) mission through the following outcomes:
- Ensuring high quality calibrated observations and products:
- Characteristics Of AMSU Instrument Errors
- NOAA's Newest GOES Sounder
- The Stratospheric Temperature Climate Record
- Improved utilization of satellite observations
- The Community Radiative Transfer Model
- Malaria Tracking
- Soil Saturation
- Transition to Operations: Products
below were transitioned to NESDIS Office of Satellite
Data Processing and Distribution (OSDPD)
- NOAA-19 Green Vegetation Fraction (GVF) Production
- METOP AVHRR Polar Winds
- Microwave Integrated Retrieval System (MIRS)
- Leadership and Development of new Algorithms and Applications for
Future Operational Satellite Observing Systems (JPSS and GOES-R)
- The Joint Polar Satellite Systems (JPSS) Data Products and Algorithms Group (DPAG)
- Ensuring Monitoring of the Antarctic Ozone Hole far into the Future
- National and International Collaborations:
- NESDIS – India Ministry of Earth Sciences Arrangement
- CEOS Dome C Inter-comparison Project
- Flash Flood Workshop in Black Sea Region
- NOAA Workshop On Climate Data Records From Satellite Microwave Radiometers
- Education, Outreach and Training:
- Virtual Institute for Satellite Integration Training (VISIT) program
In December we said a fond farewell to Hank Drahos, my branch chief of
twelve years. He will be greatly missed. I wish him a long and happy
retirement, and I particularly want to thank him for his support in
operating the Division. His help and support to me as Chief has been
invaluable.
Please join me in welcoming Laurie Rokke who joined us earlier this
year. "Who we are" gives more details. Dr. Rokke's experience will
bring new insight and expertise to our team, and complement our
existing strengths.
I hope you enjoy reading our accomplishments. Although these are a
representative sample of my Division’s scientific activities in FY10,
they demonstrate the dedication of the hard-working staff in SMCD. I
am confident that our highly talented staff and our commitment to
investment in research and development will continue to support
further progress in the year ahead. I look forward to working closely
with our team and partners for many years to come.
Dept. of Commerce • NOAA • NESDIS • STAR • Last revised: April 13, 2011