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A versatile system for processing geostationary satellite data with run-time visualization capabilityTo better predict global climate change, scientists are developing climate models that require interdisciplinary and collaborative efforts in their building. We are currently involved in several such projects but will briefly discuss activities in support of two such complementary projects: the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) program of the Department of Energy and Sequoia 2000, a joint venture of the University of California, the private sector, and government agencies. Our contribution to the ARM program is to investigate the role of clouds on the top of the atmosphere and on surface radiance fields through the data analysis of surface and satellite observations and complex modeling of the interaction of radiation with clouds. One of our first ARM research activities involves the computation of the broadband shortwave surface irradiance from satellite observations. Geostationary satellite images centered over the first ARM observation site are received hourly over the Internet network and processed in real time to compute hourly and daily composite shortwave irradiance fields. The images and the results are transferred via a high-speed network to the Sequoia 2000 storage facility in Berkeley, where they are archived These satellite-derived results are compared with the surface observations to evaluate the accuracy of the satellite estimate and the spatial representation of the surface observations. In developing the software involved in calculating the surface shortwave irradiance, we have produced an environment whereby we can easily modify and monitor the data processing as required. Through the principles of modular programming, we have developed software that is easily modified as new algorithms for computation are developed or input data availability changes. In addition, the software was designed so that it could be run from an interactive, icon-driven, graphical interface, TCL-TK, developed by Sequoia 2000 participants. In this way, the data flow can be interactively assessed and altered as needed. In this environment, the intermediate data processing 'images' can be viewed, enabling the investigator to easily monitor the various data processing steps as they progress. Additionally, this environment allows the rapid testing of new processing modules and allows their effects to be visually compared with previous results.
Document ID
19960022585
Acquisition Source
Headquarters
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Landsfeld, M.
(California Univ. Santa Barbara, CA United States)
Gautier, C.
(California Univ. Santa Barbara, CA United States)
Figel, T.
(California Univ. Santa Barbara, CA United States)
Date Acquired
August 17, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 1995
Publication Information
Publication: Visualization techniques in space and atmospheric sciences
Subject Category
Documentation And Information Science
Accession Number
96N25529
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: DE-FG03-90ER-61062
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.
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