Who is using OSI SAF products?

In the last months, you may have noticed us looking for users feedback, and you may even have answered our survey. Indeed, to know whether our production and distribution means are used at the best, we need to know which of our products are used, and what for. Let us here thank all of you that did answer our survey and our questions. Their answers are precious, and gives us valuable information. We here want to give you to an overview of what our data are used for.

Key information for weather prediction

EUMETSAT primary mission is to produce reliable satellite data for meteorological purpose of its Member States. We've consequently been looking for usages related to how our data help meteorological forecasters.

One main usage of our products is the assimilation in Numerical Weather Prediction models : an important part of our products are low level (less processed satellite data). These data require more skills to use, but are of better spatio-temporal resolution, and are then better input for Numerical Weather Prediction models.

Our data are also integrated in forecasting display tools within several meteorological services of our member states. They are in particular regularly used to monitor cyclones.

They are using our near real time products for forecasting

We are just a step toward more elaborate satellite products

One major usage of our products is to integrate them in more complex datasets. Our data are compiled with others satellite and/or in situ data, and with model data to fill the gaps, in order to make more complex products. These higher levels products are more easy to use.  Most of the times these products assimilate a large number of differents satellite products, each have a reason. You might then be using data based on our production without to know it !

Our products are extensively used in the Copernicus Marine Service and Climate Change Service catalogues. For example, our data are assimilated in all of the scatterometer wind products, in the OSTIA SST analysis, the ODYSSEA SST multisensorobservation, the 4D Barents and Norkyst ROMS, in the TOPAZ model, the SST TAC and many more.

Our products are as well assimilate into products to find in ESA Climate Change Initiative and CryoTEMPO catalogues, for products such as the Sea State, Summer Sea Ice, or Sea Thickness

Longer term data production

Meteorological uses require data as recent as possible. In consequence, processing meteorological data is doing the best possible compromise between processing time and data reliability. Our data are then very often re-processed to constitute data record, in particular for climate studies purposes.

Aside the data reccords we reprocess on our own, our datasets are used to produce somme destributed by the Cimate Monitoring SAF, by Copernicus Marine Service and Climate Change Service, and by the Alfred Wegener Institute.

A key tool for research

Our data are extensively used for research purpose. They are key information for used by specialists of atmosperical sciences, remote sensing, meteorological studies, climate studies, oceanography, but as well biodiversity studies. An overview of the variety of uses and research field can be seen in our publication section.

If you are using our data for reseach purpose, don't hesitate to share references of your work that would cite it, and we will add it in our publication list !

Other uses

Our survey allowed us to get aware about other uses we didn't expected. Our products are, for instance use for sailing and navigation planning by numerous small estates. Individuals are as well using the sea-ice products to follow the sea-ice extent and its situation.