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Post by numerouno on Oct 8, 2011 10:05:55 GMT
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Post by jimcripwell on Oct 8, 2011 13:11:32 GMT
What has happened to Cryosat2? I thought this was supposed to be the all singing, all dancing super dooper satellite, which measured ice extent AND ice thickness, so as to tell us all we need to know about sea ice. All I have seen to date is one single map. Anyone know?
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Post by astroposer777 on Oct 8, 2011 18:46:56 GMT
This is an enormous issue for the monitoring of global sea ice. Fortunately there are a couple of agencies which still rely on SSMIS data and will still be able to report, until the others can make adjustments. The end result is lower resolution products will have to suffice in the near future. NSIDC and DMI still have current extent available (based on 30%). I have not found where either of these sites offer daily numerical values for extent, perhaps someone else knows if it is available, and how to access this information.
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Post by throttleup on Oct 8, 2011 19:56:39 GMT
AMSR-E Ends 9+ Years of Global Observations October 4th, 2011 by Roy W. Spencer, Ph. D. The Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer for the Earth Observing System (AMSR-E) was automatically spun down to its designed 4 rpm safe condition last night after recent increases in the amount of power required to keep it spinning at its nominal 40 rpm were beginning to cause noticeable jitter in NASA’s Aqua satellite. The instrument has over 480 pounds of spinning mass, and the lubricant in the bearing assembly gradually deteriorates over time. This deterioration has been monitored, and automatic shutdown procedures have been in place for years if the amount of torque required to keep AMSR-E spinning exceeded a certain threshold. Starting about October 1, AMSR-E was causing yaw vibrations in the Aqua satellite attitude which were increasingly exceeding the +/- 25 arcsecond limits that are required by other instruments on the spacecraft. Last night, the 4.5 Newton-meter torque limit was apparently exceeded, and the instrument was automatically spun down to 4 rpm. At this point it appears that this event likely ends the useful life of AMSR-E, which has been continuously gathering global data on a variety of parameters from sea ice to precipitation to sea surface temperature. It’s 9+ year lifetime exceeded its 6 year design life. AMSR-E was provided to NASA by Japan’s Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), and was built by Mitsubishi Electric Company. It was launched aboard the Aqua satellite from Vandenberg AFB on May 2, 2002. It has been an extremely successful experiment, and has gathered a huge quantity of data that will be revealing secrets of weather and climate as scientific research with the archived data continues in the coming years. As the U.S. Science Team Leader for AMSR-E, I would like to congratulate and thank all of those who made AMSR-E such a success: JAXA, MELCO, NASA, the University of Alabama in Huntsville, the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) in Boulder, and the U.S. and Japanese Science Teams who developed the algorithms that turned the raw data collected by AMSR-E into so many useful products. The good news is that AMSR2, a slightly modified and improved version of AMSR-E, will be launched early next year on Japan’s GCOM-W satellite, and will join Aqua and the other satellites in NASA’s A-Train constellation of Earth observation satellites in their twice-daily, 1:30 a.m./p.m. sun-synchronous polar orbit. It is my understanding that those data will be shared in near-real time with U.S. agencies. We had hoped that AMSR-E would provide at least one year over data overlap with the new AMSR2 instrument. It remains to be determined – and is only speculation on my part – whether there might be an attempt to gather some additional data from AMSR-E later to help fulfill this cross-calibration activity with AMSR2. [The Aqua satellite can easily accommodate the extra torque imparted to the spacecraft, and last night's spin-down of AMSR-E was mostly to eliminate the very slight chance of sudden failure of the AMSR-E bearing assembly which could have caused the Aqua satellite to go into an uncontrolled and unrecoverable tumble.] Again, I want to thank and congratulate all of those who made AMSR-E such a huge success! UPDATE #1: As of early this morning, the torque required to keep AMSR-E spinning at 4 rpm was too large for its own momentum compensation mechanism to handle, with excessive amounts of momentum being dumped to the spacecraft. As a result, the instrument has now been spun down to 0 rpm. The satellite has shed the excessive momentum, and is operating normally, as are the other instruments aboard the spacecraft (MODIS, CERES, and AIRS). Source: www.drroyspencer.com/2011/10/amsr-e-ends-9-years-of-global-observations/---------------- Which brings up an interesting question.
"If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?"
Oops, wrong question!
"If the ice melts in the Summer and no one is around to measure it, does it result in an Arctic death spiral?"Look, I just ask the questions...
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Post by icefisher on Oct 8, 2011 21:02:41 GMT
If the ice melts in the Summer and no one is around to measure it, does it result in an Arctic death spiral?
Maybe a better question is without a satellite providing reassurance the ice is still there will the lemmings run off the cliff enmass?
I guess we should be thankful that we have other ways of assuring that. . . .I think. . . .
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Post by astroposer777 on Oct 8, 2011 21:28:45 GMT
Hmm. I would assume that having a continuous satellite record would be important to either side of the discussion, and that the interruption in the continuity of said record would be problematic. As it stands, all agencies which report sea ice data, at the very least have one less tool for verification, and in many cases have no data at all.
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Post by thingychambers69 on Oct 8, 2011 23:01:18 GMT
Convenient.
Are there no more satellites that can perform the same task?
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Post by astroposer777 on Oct 9, 2011 0:18:44 GMT
Convenient. Are there no more satellites that can perform the same task? I do not know, I would guess that the polar orbiting satellites are somewhat unique, as there would be little commercial value associated with their orbit, and it would seem that funding has taken its toll on deployment of replacement systems. I don't think there is a back up for the system.
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Post by magellan on Oct 9, 2011 1:21:45 GMT
If the ice melts in the Summer and no one is around to measure it, does it result in an Arctic death spiral?Maybe a better question is without a satellite providing reassurance the ice is still there will the lemmings run off the cliff enmass? I guess we should be thankful that we have other ways of assuring that. . . .I think. . . . Maybe a better question is without a satellite providing reassurance the ice is still there will the lemmings run off the cliff enmass? What do you think?
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Post by throttleup on Oct 11, 2011 18:20:15 GMT
Forum members may find this of interest:Launch Date: 27 Oct 2011 Launch Vehicle: Delta 2 Mission: NPP Launch window: 0948:01-0957:11 GMT (5:48:01-5:57:11 a.m. EDT) Launch site: SLC-2W, Vandenberg Air Force Base, California The United Launch Alliance Delta 2 rocket will launch NPOESS Preparatory Project (NPP) mission for NOAA and NASA. The rocket will fly in the 7920-10 configuration. NPP will collect data on atmospheric and sea surface temperatures, humidity, land and ocean biological activity, and cloud and aerosol properties. Source: www.spaceflightnow.com/tracking/index.html.......... The NPOESS Preparatory Project (NPP) is a joint mission to extend key measurements in support of long-term monitoring of climate trends and of global biological productivity. It extends the measurement series being initiated with EOS Terra and AQUA by providing a bridge between NASA's EOS missions and the National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS) of the Integrated Program Office (IPO). The NPP mission will provide operational agencies early access to the next generation of operational sensors, thereby greatly reducing the risks incurred during the transition. This will permit testing of the advanced ground operations facilities and validation of sensors and algorithms while the current operational systems are still in place. This new system will provide nearly an order of magnitude more data than the current operational system. NPOESS will provide long-term systematic measurements of key environmental variables beginning about 2009. In preparation for this system, NPP will provide risk reduction for this future operational system and it will maintain continuity of certain environmental data sets that were initiated with NASA's Terra and Aqua satellites. These measurements will be taken by three different sensors; Visible Infrared Imaging spectroRadiometer Suite (VIIRS), Crosstrack Infrared Sounder (CrIS), and Advanced Technology Microwave Sounder (ATMS). These sensors will collect data on atmospheric and sea surface temperatures, humidity soundings, land and ocean biological productivity, and cloud and aerosol properties. This data will be used for long-term climate and global change studies. Source: science.nasa.gov/missions/npoess-preparatory-project-npp/..................... The NPOESS satellite will carry sensors to obtain precise atmosphere and surface measurements to support the operational user and the science communities. The first launch, the NPOESS Preparatory Project, will carry five state-of-the art sensors to observe the oceans, land cover, snow and ice cover, and the atmosphere. Many of these sensors trace their science legacy to the NASA Earth Observing System. Source: npoess.noaa.gov/index.php...................... Over the last decade NASA launched a series of satellites that offer an unparalleled view of Earth from space. That series, known collectively as NASA's Earth Observing System (EOS), has provided striking new insights into many aspects of Earth, including its clouds, oceans, vegetation, ice, and atmosphere. However, as the EOS satellites age, a new generation of Earth-observing satellites are poised to take over. The NPOESS Preparatory Project (NPP) represents a critical first step in building this next-generation satellite system. Goddard Space Flight Center is leading NASA's effort to launch a satellite that will carry the first of the new sensors developed for this next-generation system, previously called the National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS) and now the Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS). NPP will orbit the Earth about 14 times each day and observe nearly the entire surface. The NPP satellite continues key data records that are critical for climate change science. Spacecraft and Instruments NPP will carry a diverse payload of scientific instruments to monitor the planet. The 4,600-pound (2,100 kilogram) spacecraft, which is about the size of a small school bus, will cross the equator each afternoon at about 1:30 p.m. local time. It will carry five key instruments: the Advanced Technology Microwave Sounder (ATMS), the Cross-track Infrared Sounder (CrIS), the Ozone Mapping and Profiler Suite (OMPS), the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS), and Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES). Scientists will use ATMS, a 22-channel passive microwave radiometer, to create global models of temperature and moisture profiles that meteorologists will enter into weather forecasting models. CrIS, a Michelson interferometer, will monitor characteristics of the atmosphere, such as moisture and pressure that will be used to produce improvements in both short-and-long term weather forecasting. OMPS, a suite of hyperspectral-imaging spectrometers, will measure Earth's ozone levels, particularly near the poles where ozone levels fluctuate the most. VIIRS, a 22-band radiometer similar to the MODIS instrument, will collect visible and infrared views of Earth's dynamic surface processes, such as wildfires, land changes, and ice movement. VIIRS will also measure atmospheric and oceanic properties, including clouds and sea surface temperature. Finally, CERES, a 3-channel radiometer measuring reflected solar radiation, emitted terrestrial radiation, and total radiation, will monitor the natural and anthropogenic effects on the Earth's total thermal radiation budget. Source: jointmission.gsfc.nasa.gov/index.htmlThe polar bear on the logo is a nice touch...
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Post by throttleup on Oct 26, 2011 18:35:27 GMT
Forum members may find this of interest (or not):Launch Date: 28 Oct 2011 (was 27 Oct) Launch Vehicle: Delta 2 Mission: NPP Launch window: 0948:01-0957:11 GMT (5:48:01-5:57:11 a.m. EDT) Launch site: SLC-2W, Vandenberg Air Force Base, California Related sites: www.spaceflightnow.com/delta/d357/111026npoess/www.spaceref.com/news/viewpr.html?pid=34940jointmission.gsfc.nasa.gov/Summary from NASA: The NPP mission collects and distributes remotely-sensed land, ocean, and atmospheric data to the meteorological and global climate change communities as the responsibility for these measurements transitions from existing Earth-observing missions such as Aqua, Terra and Aura, to the NPOESS. It will provide atmospheric and sea surface temperatures, humidity sounding, land and ocean biological productivity, and cloud and aerosol properties.
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Post by icefisher on Oct 26, 2011 19:11:43 GMT
AMSR-E going out of commission has caused no update on the Discovery SST site since the day it went down.
I suppose there will be an issue of comparative global temperatures with the lack of an overlapping program.
Do we have to rely on navy buckets overside? Or worse GISS extrapolations from the inland stations to offshore?
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Post by walterdnes on Oct 27, 2011 3:56:13 GMT
AMSR-E going out of commission has caused no update on the Discovery SST site since the day it went down. I suppose there will be an issue of comparative global temperatures with the lack of an overlapping program. Do we have to rely on navy buckets overside? Or worse GISS extrapolations from the inland stations to offshore? Fortunately, there is an alternate site. There's a hard way and an easy way to get the data for Nino3.4, or any other rectangular ocean surface... First the hard way... 1) Goto nomad3.ncep.noaa.gov/cgi-bin/pdisp_sst.sh2) Select "Control file:" "Oiv2.ctl Oiv2 Weekly SST (1990 onward, Weeks centered on Wednesday) " 3) Select "Options:" "Include variable definitions and units" 4) Select "Plot type:" "Time series" 5) Click on "Next Page" 6) Select "Field" "Ssta * Oiv2 SST weekly anomaly (C) Rel to 1971-2000 7) "Level" "1" 8) "averaging:" "(None)" 9) "scaling:" "(None)" 10) Leave dates at default; Initial Time 03 jan 1990" "Final Time" At whatever "Latitude: From -5 to 5 Longitude: From -170 to -120 Click on "Plot". It may take a minute or so to plot/download Click on "Download data file for -clm.2+(t-273.15) (Text)" The easy way What the above does is to construct a honking big URL, containing the parameters you've fed in. You can simply save the URL, and tweak the dates, and save it as a bookmark. E.g. to get all the data to the end of 2011 goto nomad3.ncep.noaa.gov/cgi-bin/pdisp_sst.sh?ctlfile=oiv2.ctl&ptype=ts&var=ssta&level=1&op1=none&op2=none&day=03&month=jan&year=1990&fday=28&fmonth=dec&fyear=2011&lat0=-5&lat1=5&lon0=-170&lon1=-120&plotsize=800x600&title=&dir=Click on "Download data file for -clm.2+(t-273.15) (Text)" I did say it was a honking big URL. ;D As of January 1st, you'll have to change the "2011" in the URL to "2012". The first data point is at 1990.008 1990-Jan-03 and the second is at 1990.027 1990-Jan-10 etc, etc, etc. Notes: 1) The data is updated Mondays sometime around 10:30 AM Eastern Time 2) For weeks in the future, it gives values of "9.999e+20" 3) You have to provide the X-axis points yourself I'll upload a spreadsheet with the data so far, and with X-axis points to the end of 2012. Give me a few minutes to get it ready.
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Post by walterdnes on Oct 27, 2011 5:04:58 GMT
I'll upload a spreadsheet with the data so far, and with X-axis points to the end of 2012. Give me a few minutes to get it ready. Actually, I had a date file up to the end of 2020 kicking around, so why not. File-attached is enso34.zip, which contains an Excel 2000 spreadsheet. I run Linux at home, so I do it in Gnumeric. I exported to Excel 2000 format for maximum compatability. The spreadsheet has 3 tabs - ENSO34_data
- Column A is the date in decimal format
- Column B is the date in serial number (since 1900) displayed in date format
- Column C is the ENSO34 reported value
- Column E (from cell E810 downwards) the correlation coefficient for ENSO34 for the period 2005.474 (2005-Jun-22) to present, versus itself for the period 1993.496 (1993-Jun-30) to 12 years ago
- Column F (from cell F1 to F22) has instructions for downloading the ENSO34 data
- ENSO34_weekly_graph Graph X-axis = Column A of ENSO34_data and Y-axis = Column C of ENSO34_data. The graph is sized for my 1920x1080 monitor. You may have to resize if your monitor is smaller.
- ENSO34_weekly_overlay Same as the previous tab, but includes a second line which is the data pushed back 12 years to emphasize the 12-year "echo"
I've noticed that there seems to be a 12-year "echo" with ENSO34 from about mid-2005 following the pattern from mid-1993 onwards. Maybe it's a fluke. If it's for real, we'll be in the depths of La Nina as of January 2012.
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Post by walterdnes on Oct 27, 2011 5:11:43 GMT
File-attached is enso34.zip, which contains an Excel 2000 spreadsheet. Did the file upload work???
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