Next-generation satellite data from MTG and EPS-SG by the OSI SAF

  • EUMETSAT User Days were held in Darmstadt at the EUMETSAT headquarters, 31 May - 2 June 2022. The User Days were targeted at preparing the future 5 year phase of EUMETSAT activities with a Future Focus on Meteosat Third Generation (MTG) and EUMETSAT Polar System-Second Generation (EPS-SG).

    Each Satellite Application Facility was invited to present activities related to, or anticipating, the use of next-generation satellite data from MTG and EPS-SG. This story presents of few key points of what these future mission will allow for OSI SAF products.

    • User Days Organizing Comitee User Days Organizing Comitee
  • EUMETSAT User Days with specific focus on future satellite mission permitted to connect with users and present upcoming developments. It allowed to exchange with different communities and discuss user needs regarding this next phase. Ad Stoffelen and Anton Verhoef, Sea Surface Winds experts at Dutch Meteorological Institute KNMI.

  • MTG and EPS-SG use at OSI-SAF

    The following instruments are of particular interest for OSI-SAF applications.

  • MTG in orbit MTG in orbit

    MTG-I

    • The Flexible Combined Imager (FCI), on the MTG-I satellite, will continue the very successful operation of the Spinning Enhanced Visible and Infrared Imager (SEVIRI) on Meteosat Second Generation (MSG).
  • EPS-SG

    • METimage, a multi-spectral (visible and IR) imaging passive radiometer, will provide continuity to the AVHRR (Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer) series on board the EPS and NOAA satellites, and VIIRS on board NOAA satellites. 
    • The scatterometer, SCA, real aperture, side-looking radar, emitting microwave radiation towards the Earth's surface and measuring the energy scattered back.
    • MWI, the Micro-Wave Imager, providing multi-purpose imagery focusing on precipitation, with temperature/humidity sounding channels.

    You can find more information on MTG and EPS-SG satellite missions in the following short videos edited by EUMETSAT : https://www.eumetsat.int/watch-learn-more-about-mtg-and-eps-sg

  • Sea Surface Winds

    Two central elements of future wind processing at OSI SAF concern :

    • Coastal processing
      • Users require high resolution and coastal processing, which we develop for ASCAT now in anticipation of increased SCA accuracy and finer SCA footprints. 
    • Measuring extreme winds
      • SCA  will be part  of  the growing OSVW constellation, bettering extremes with crosspolarization (VH) and with improved spatial resolution.

     

     

  • Coastal processing of Sea Surface Winds Coastal processing of Sea Surface Winds

    Developing coastal processing

    ASCAT wind divergence is associated with moist convective updrafts and downdrafts, as verified with MSG rain products. In the SCA and MTG era, MWI and synergies with other sensor complements will aid the further understanding of sub-mesoscale processes.

  • Sea Surface Temperature

    • Higher resolution SST products
      • As the complexity of the ocean’s surface physical processes is being understood, there is a need for higher resolution SST products. METimage and FCI can answer some of these needs.
  • Sea Surface Temperature From MetOp-B Sea Surface Temperature From MetOp-B
    • Metop-SG / METimage will have the ability to provide full coverage of SST globally twice-daily at 500m resolution (L2P in satellite projection) and a global regridded product will also be available at 0.025° of resolution.
    • FCI on-board MTG-I satellites will enable SST monitoring at fine temporal scales with an acquisition every 10 minutes and also at fine spatial scale with one of its infrared channels being at 1km resolution. It will therefore be possible to monitor dynamic places, such as strong tidal coastal areas or river plumes, with precision.
  • Sea Ice Parameters

    • Continuity of climate Monitoring
      • EPS-SG with the METimage, MWI and SCA instruments will ensure the continuation of all the OSI SAF sea ice products.
    • Contribute to the new sea ice index product
      • EPS-SG MWI will contribute to the new sea ice index product, currently available as demo product. This is a climate indicator product, derived from the sea ice concentration products. The indicator is both global and regional.
  • Sea Ice Concentration Satellites Sea Ice Concentration Satellites

    The 40+ years data record of passive microwave missions has been the work-horse for the monitoring of the polar regions and especially the sea-ice cover. The last of such missions from the United States of America are ageing. EUMETSAT’s MicroWaveImager (MWI) mission will extend this time series and allow continuity of the climate monitoring. In parallel, Japan and China have operated similar missions making the constellation a true international endeavour. From the 2030s, the  Copernicus Imaging Microwave Radiometer (CIMR) mission will introduce higher fidelity and higher spatial resolution to the constellation.

  • Roundtable Marine and Sea Ice

     A roundtable was held around Marine and Sea Ice product to discuss requirements from the new missions; how to exploit the data; uncertainty and validation; CDRs and what we want for the future; as well as to provide a perspective on combined and new products.

    • EUMETSAT User Days - Future Focus EUMETSAT User Days - Future Focus
  • Recommendations that emerge from the roundtable discussions

    • Data availability through cloud and WMS layers is needed across all product streams.
    • Fitness for purpose framework needs developing along with communication of these for different products/under relevant thematics. Particularly relevant for CDRs and any ‘long time series’ products.
    • Tool to maintain constant interactions with users for ideas/changes needed would be useful. Need to continue the dialogue and take it further with the user community and to formulate a process for capturing future dialogues, analysing and responding to the feedback and creating change.
       
  • Participating to the EUMETSAT User Days allowed to reconnect with EUMETSAT community after two years of reduced in person meetings. It was a great opportunity to discuss the preparation and future launch of MTG and EPS-SG Mission. Hervé Roquet, OSI SAF Scientific Coordinator.

  • The OSI SAF Poster presented at the 2022 EUMETSAT User Days is available here.

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