Thriving on Our Changing Planet A Decadal Strategy for Earth Observation from Space (2018) / Chapter Skim
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4 Agency Programmatic Context
4 Agency Programmatic Context
Pages 166-219
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From page 166... ...
Achieving such an understanding requires programs that translate Earth observation data into applications that meet user needs -- the subject of the first part of this chapter. The "programmatic context" in which research at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
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. These recent reports and studies suggest a need to consider the appropriate level of investment in Earth observations and suggest that the most cost-effective approach would be a much higher level of investment than current national and international levels.
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Methodology to Value Earth Science Satellite Data Value of Information Methodology Earth Science Satellite Data Use Price- and cost-based Weather data for weather insurance (Osgood and Shirley, 2012) Drought and land-use information for index insurance (Skees et al., 2007)
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They may be used directly to initialize models for numerical weather forecasting, for example. But remote sensing data products can also be used as part of an operational program without necessarily being used for parameter estimation.
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In nonoperational realms, much of the difficulty stems from resources, and from not appreciating the many different ways in which Earth system measurements might be applied. In addition, the technical requirements for accessing and analyzing remote sensing data can still be overwhelming to many user communities, because they require technical skills that are not often widespread.
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The final missing piece of applications research in the agencies is the very initial phase of creating applications -- supporting studies that have an idea about how an application might work, and then attempting to create a community for it, and demonstrate its utility. To expand the potential applications of Earth observations, it would be beneficial to support "proof-of-concept" application studies.
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scales increases the importance of resolving couplings within the Earth system. Increasing use of satellite data in NWP has improved weather forecast quality, and satellite observations provide critical data for the verification and improvement of ESMs.
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, realizing the NGGPS vision requires strong commitment and funding support by NOAA and other agencies. Data Assimilation Data assimilation systems associated with NWP models now weave multiple threads of global satellite and in situ observations into the best available estimate of the detailed state of the Earth system for prediction and analysis.
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together with observations of the ocean, land, biosphere, and cryosphere will be critical for development of physically based coupling of the components of the Earth system. The resolution and scope of ESMs will also continue to increase, resulting in more explicit representation of important Earth system processes and more effective coupled assimilation of a wide range of satellite data.
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, and sea-ice concentration using a physically based data assimilation system referred to as the 20th Century Reanalysis (20CR) (Compo et al., 2011)
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Finding 4.2: The integration of satellite data with models provides significant opportunities to advance scientific understanding, prediction skill, and applications. A key factor contributing to the success of global weather prediction over the last two decades is data assimilation systems that optimize the impact of satellite data in NWP models.
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Data access that previously took 3+ years to complete now requires only a few days. Cost recovery strategies in the longer run are unclear, as is whether or not there would be a similar increase in usage if larger amounts of satellite data were to be made available or whether other types of data were available (e.g., ocean)
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These observations are used for a variety of purposes: (1) complementing space-based measurements within model data assimilation, (2)
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On land ice, these data have proved to be invaluable to our understanding of icesheet mass balance and ice dynamics, resulting in more robust constraints for ice-sheet models that predict ice-sheet contributions to sea-level rise, and have led to improved bedrock maps, grounding line positions, and so on, providing critical information for improving estimates of Antarctica's ice discharge. For sea ice, the radar data provide essential information for interpreting the satellite altimetry signals, which require knowledge of the overlying snow cover.
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A substantial amount of science reliant on the ITRF is at risk if the ITRF is not properly maintained and advanced. Recommendation 4.4: NASA should complete planned improvements to its Global Geodetic Observing System sites during the first half of the decadal survey period as part of its contribution to the establishment and maintenance of the International Terrestrial Reference Frame.
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, whose members include Japan, China, Russia, India, the European Meteorological Satellite Organization and the World Meteorological Organization.6 NOAA and the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT) , in particular, have long maintained a strategic collaboration in the field of operational meteorological satellite observations that has delivered full, free, and open data sharing essential to meeting NOAA's commitment to protecting lives and property in the United States.
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Finding 4.3: NASA, NOAA, and USGS have successfully relied on international partnerships to enhance their programs. Partnerships potentially lower the overall cost to the United States of space-based observations and enable more of this decadal survey's priorities than could otherwise be achieved.
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is distributing FY-3 data via its EUMETCast and both the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) and the UK Met Office are using them, policy issues have precluded access to Chinese satellite data (discussed elsewhere)
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SST = all-weather sea-surface temperature; Sea Ice and Snow = sea ice and snow-on-land cover; Atmosphere = rain rate, columnar water vapor, cloud liquid water, and wind speed over ocean.
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From page 185... ...
Technology innovation promises the potential to drive down costs of sensors, platforms, and accessibility to space and in turn to change the way we currently think about Earth observations. Much of the current discussion about technology innovation of spaceborne systems seems to revolve around discussion of cubesat capabilities (NASEM, 2016b)
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In the coming decade it is expected that each of these critical Earth observing systems will move toward further use of commercial systems and data opportunities, while the importance and benefit of federal investment in space technology will continue to increase. NASA PROGRAMMATIC CONTEXT NASA's contextual issues range from programmatic balance to technology innovation.
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In recent years, the ratio of flight to nonflight expenditures has been about 60 to 40 percent. The number of beneficial Earth observations that NASA ESD can make has expanded, but the purchasing power of its budget has declined.
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budget devoted to Science Research, Systematic Missions, Earth System Science Pathfinder missions (includes Venture) , Multi-Mission Operations, Technology, and Applied Sciences from 2007 to 2017.
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-led and Venture class missions that is frequent enough to sustain a culture of innovation and creativity among the Earth observations from the space community. Balance Between Mission Investment and Science Investment As stated previously, a balanced NASA program requires a strong scientific research and applications program to plan and utilize remote sensing measurements of Earth.
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The Applications program at NASA ESD is designed to translate NASA Earth observations and science to the benefit of communities and businesses. In a balanced program, measurements of Earth from space are translated into human benefit.
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Higher levels of risk are expected to be acceptable, for example, within the Venture Program than in the Designated program element. ESAS 2017's recommended program includes a variety of program elements that serve to enable active consideration of the balance between cost, performance, and risk while providing flexibility throughout the decade to evolve as new opportunities emerge, technologies are developed, scientific discoveries are made, and the international contributions to the Program of Record evolve.
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Balance Between Continuity of Existing and Novel Measurements Some satellite data records have been established for which continuation (continuity) of the record in time carries significant scientific and practical benefits (Box 4.7)
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are included in the Designated program element specifically to ensure continuity; several of the Targeted Observables listed in Table 3.6 (Greenhouse Gases, Ozone and Trace Gases, and others) are recommended for competition in the Earth System Explorer program element in part to provide continuity; and others may be addressed via the recommended Venture-Continuity competition strand described in Chapter 3.
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2002 -- SCIAMACHY NOTE: Not in any priority order. These examples, and others not included in this sample, should undergo formal review, as described in the report Continuity of NASA Earth Observations from Space: A Value Framework (NASEM, 2015)
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The flight program provides observations that the research and analysis program draws on to perform scientific exploration, the applied sciences program transforms the science into real-world benefits, and the technology program accelerates the inclusion of technology advances in flight programs. The current balance across these four program elements is largely appropriate, enabling a robust and resilient Earth science program, and can be effectively maintained using decision rules such as recommended in this report.
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are better understood, a cost-benefit analysis of the EV investments would help inform the amount and distribution of future investments in the program. Finding 4.6: The Earth Venture program has provided increased opportunities for innovation in scientific Earth observations.
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However, because the highest overarching priority is a balanced portfolio, it is important that no one aspect of the portfolio be reduced excessively, to keep others intact. As a result, in managing potential budget reductions that impact the scope or cadence of the new measurements of this decadal survey: • Reductions should first be accommodated by delaying the large missions.
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NOAA PROGRAMMATIC CONTEXT This section provides guidance for NOAA's observing system priorities, in accordance with the committee's statement of task, which specified primary tasks to include "(1) how new technology may enhance current operations, and (2)
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NASA (in particular, the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center) also plays a complex and evolving role in NOAA system devel opment, recently including both JPSS and GOES-R, which face ongoing challenges such as potential coverage gaps.
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Appendix D of Earth Science and Applications from Space: A Midterm Assessment of NASA's Implementation of the Decadal Survey (NRC, 2012) has an abbreviated history.
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Ocean Surface Vector Winds Medium -- Coverage is likely to be less than desired, with Ocean Surface Winds and Currents high-volume coverage presently costly. Global Atmospheric Soundings Medium -- Expect future systems to have more soundings Planetary Boundary Layer of at least moderate precision/accuracy levels as compared to today, but high-precision/accuracy IR and microwave soundings may be lacking.
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In general, users need help accessing satellite data and turning them into useful BOX 4.8 OCEAN SURFACE WIND MODELING FOR MARITIME OPERATIONS The Meteorological Operational Satellite Program (MetOp) 50 km advanced scatterometer (ASCAT)
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information, combining them with in situ observations, and applying a combined product to meet a particular need -- whether answering a societally relevant research question or feeding into an operational environmental forecast. The origin of this issue is an institutional framework within NOAA that systematically acquires, processes, and distributes satellite data from its own and foreign-partner satellites in support of NWS operational weather forecasting needs, which provides a degree of vertical integration.
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to (1) recognize the breadth of the potential user base beyond the National Weather Service that would benefit from improved access to satellite data products; and (2)
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demonstrate resulting benefits through broadened collaboration with the NASA Applications and similar programs. Commercial and Other Nongovernmental Sources NOAA, to its credit, has recognized the potential benefit of commercial satellite data and is proceeding with projects to explore the opportunities.
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spatial resolution. Formations of three sequential spacecraft in one or multiple orbit planes could provide global 3D horizontal vector wind retrievals.
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. One option is to exploit the proven capabilities offered by the NASA Earth Science Technology Office (ESTO)
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program element, intended to reduce the risk of new technologies in future Earth science missions, is incubating many of these satellites -- for example, CubeSat Radiometer Radio Frequency Interference Technology Validation (CubeRRT) ; Compact Infrared Radiometer in Space (CIRiS)
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M and NASA (e.g., ESTO and ASP) as well as established joint mechanisms such as Joint Center for Satellite Data Assimilation (JCSDA)
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USGS responsibility for managing the Landsat archive has taken many forms over the years of the Landsat missions. Early technological limitations on downloads from the satellites, augmented by a failure of a recorder on a later mission, meant that in practice, much of the global archive of Landsat data was BOX 4.10 LANDSLIDE MAPPING TO SAVE LIVES AND PROPERTY Volcanic activity, earthquakes, intense or long-duration rainfall or snowmelt, fire, progressive hillslope steepening by canyon cutting rivers, and anthropogenic disturbance (e.g., road construction, deforestation)
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government's commitment to a Sustainable Land Imaging (SLI) capability, USGS's responsibilities for Landsat data evolved as well.
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These "harmonized" data will move land surface research and applications to 30-60 m from the current 500-1000 m spatial resolution of the Moderate-Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS)
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government to be the second-most valuable satellite data source, behind only GPS. Much of this usage is in the public sector, so direct economic estimates of utility are difficult.
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It is essential for understanding how data should be processed, enhanced, archived, and distributed, and how the observing system should evolve to meet user needs. Recommendation 4.13: USGS should ensure that its process for understanding user needs is continued and enhanced throughout the life of the Sustainable Land Imaging (SLI)
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USGS should ensure budget growth is minimal, to avoid strain on the overall USGS budget. Challenge 3 -- Technological Evolution and Relationships with the Private Sector The advent of cloud computing, and the ability of companies like Google or Amazon to ingest the entire Landsat archive and make data quickly available for free, has created valuable new opportunities for the use of large satellite data sets.
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2017. Sea ice data assimilation.
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Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society 139:573-584. IRT (Independent Review Team, NOAA NESDIS)
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2015. Continuity of NASA Earth Observations from Space: A Value Framework.
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2016. Ocean data assimilation in support of climate applications: Status and perspectives.
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