Browsing by Author "McGrath-Spangler, Erica L."
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Item Using OSSEs to Evaluate GXS Impact in the Context of International Coordination(AMS, 2024-02-22) McGrath-Spangler, Erica L.; Privé, N. C.; Karpowicz, Bryan M.; Moradi, Isaac; Heidinger, Andrew K.The Geostationary eXtended Observations (GeoXO) program plans to include a hyperspectral infrared (IR) sounder on its central satellite, expected to launch in the mid-2030s. As part of the follow-on to the GOES program, the NOAA/NASA GeoXO Sounder (GXS) instrument will join several international counterparts in a geostationary orbit. In preparation, the NASA Global Modeling and Assimilation Office (GMAO) assessed the potential effectiveness of GXS both as a single GEO IR sounder and as part of a global ring that includes international partners. Using a global observing system simulation experiment (OSSE) framework, GXS was assessed from a numerical weather prediction (NWP) perspective. Evaluation of the ability of GXS, both alone and as part of a global ring ofGEOsounders, to improveweather prediction of thermodynamic variables was performed globally and regionally. GXS dominated regional analysis and forecast improvements, and contributed significantly to global increases in forecast skill relative to a Control. However, more sustained global improvements, on the order of 4 days, relied on international partnerships. Additionally, GXS showed the capability to improve hurricane forecast track errors on the timescales necessary for evacuation warnings. The FSOI metric over CONUS showed that the GXS observations provided the largest radiance impact on the moist energy error norm reduction. The high temporal resolution atmospheric profile information over much of the western hemisphere from GXS provides an opportunity to improve the representation of weather systems and their forecasts.Item Using OSSEs to Evaluate the Impacts of Geostationary Infrared Sounders(AMS, 2022-08-29) McGrath-Spangler, Erica L.; McCarty, Will; Privé, N. C.; Moradi, Isaac; Karpowicz, Bryan M.; McCorkel, JoelAn observing system simulation experiment (OSSE) was performed to assess the impact of assimilating hyperspectral infrared (IR) radiances from geostationary orbit on numerical weather prediction, with a focus on the proposed sounder onboard the Geostationary eXtended Observations (GeoXO) program’s central satellite. Infrared sounders on a geostationary platform would fill several gaps left by IR sounders on polar orbiting satellites, and the increased temporal resolution would allow the observation of weather phenomena evolution. The framework for this OSSE was the Global Modeling and Assimilation Office (GMAO) OSSE system, which includes a full suite of meteorological observations. The experiment additionally assimilated four identical IR sounders from geostationary orbit to create a “ring” of vertical profiling observations. Based on the experimentation, assimilation of the IR sounders provided a beneficial impact on the analyzed mass and wind fields, particularly in the tropics, and produced an error reduction in the initial 24-48 hours of the subsequent forecasts. Specific attention was paid to the impact of the GeoXO Sounder (GXS) over the contiguous United States (CONUS) as this is a region that is well-observed and as such difficult to improve. The forecast sensitivity to observation impact (FSOI) metric, computed across all four synoptic times over the CONUS, reveals that the GXS had the largest impact on the 24-hour forecast error of the assimilated hyperspectral infrared satellite radiances as measured using a moist energy error norm. Based on this analysis, the proposed GXS has the potential to improve numerical weather prediction globally and over the CONUS.