Sounding Science
Atmospheric Sounding at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration provides technical, scientific and programmatic support to the Earth atmospheric sounding community. Atmospheric sounding for Earth consists of measuring temperature, water vapor and atmospheric constituents in Earth’s atmosphere.
Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP) agencies worldwide, including the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), depend on satellite based atmospheric sounding to provide accurate forecast and severe weather alerts. Scientists regularly use this data when studying processes that affect weather and climate.
NASA recognizes the importance of these measurements and sponsors the development and operations of IR sounding instruments and algorithms, and also the distribution of geophysical data products to NOAA and the scientific community. NASA also sponsors research to improve our understanding and modeling of the atmosphere, weather and climate.
Two projects at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) support the atmospheric sounding community. They are the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) Project, and the Sounder Science Investigator-led Processing Systems (SIPS) Project. These two projects work together to provide a complete set of science quality data products from both the AIRS/AMSU and CrIS/ATMS instruments.
JPL works directly with NASA ROSES Sounder Science Team members to provide foundational data products that are processed and distributed by the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Earth Sciences Data and Information Services Center (GES DISC).
The AIRS Project provides:
- Operation and maintenance of the AIRS, AMSU and HSB instruments on Aqua
- Instrument calibration and development of Level 1B Radiance and Brightness Temperature Products
- Integration of Algorithms for use with AIRS and AMSU on Aqua from NASA ROSES Sounder Science Team Members into software to produce data products for use by operational agencies, for scientific research and practical applications
- Testing and validation of geophysical data products using in-situ measurements and other satellites
- Preparation of User Guides, Algorithm Theoretical Basis Documents (ATBDs), and Test Reports
- Community engagement through annual AIRS meeting and NASA Sounder Science Team meetings.
The Sounder SIPS Project provides:
- Integration of Algorithms for use with CrIS and ATMS on SNPP and JPSS from the NASA ROSES Sounder Science Members into software to produce data products for use by operational agencies, for scientific research and practical applications
- Testing and validation of geophysical data products using in-situ measurements and other satellites
- Preparation of User Guides, Algorithm Theoretical Basis Documents (ATBDs), and Test Reports
The two projects are currently working together with the NASA Sounder Science Team to develop products from both sets of instruments that use common retrieval algorithms, are tested with common methods, and use common processing rules for data production. We are also working towards a common website and user guides for future releases of NASA sounding products.
