Weekly Report for the Week Ending March 13, 2009
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GSFC Laboratory for Atmospheres, Code 613
Noteworthy science achievements/awards
- Goddard Cloud Library – W.-K Tao (613.1)
A major goal of Code 613.1’s Goddard Mesoscale Dynamics and Modeling group is to generate and make available multi-dimensional cloud datasets (i.e., a cloud data library) to TRMM and GPM rainfall/snowfall retrieval algorithm developers and to the global modeling community to help improve the representation and performance of moist processes in climate models and to improve our understanding of cloud processes globally. These cloud datasets include GCE-, WRF- and Goddard MMF-simulated clouds and cloud systems from different geographic locations in the Tropics and midlatitudes, winter storms, shallow convection/stratocumulus and those observed at TRMM and GPM super sites (MC3E). The Goddard Data Assimilation System (GDAS-MERRA) is also used to provide large-scale advective forcing to simulate clouds and cloud systems for specific regions that are un-represented in the cloud database. The software tools needed to produce cloud statistics and to identify various types of clouds and cloud systems from both high-resolution satellite and model data are still being developed jointly. Since the 7th of December 2008, the cloud library has received a total of 3694 web inquiries. The amount of data that have been accessed has increased to 716.63 GB. More information on the Goddard multi-scale modeling system and its simulated datasets (or cloud library) can be found at http://atmospheres.gsfc.nasa.gov/cloud_modeling/.
Noteworthy personnel awards and staff changes
Projects/missions
Significant planned events
Proposals
Highlights of inter-Directorate teaming
External interactions (HQ, universities, other Gov't organizations, etc.)
- David Whiteman (613.1) attended the first Implementation Meeting for the GCOS Reference Upper Air Network (GRUAN) held in Norman, OK March 2-4. Dr. Whiteman attended as the NASA contact for the upper air activities at the Howard University Beltsville Campus which is one of the initially invited GRUAN sites. Among the goals of the meeting was to establish a uniform radiosonde launch protocol so that the upper air soundings from GRUAN can begin to form a high quality dataset for climate monitoring purposes.
- Scott Braun (613.1) gave an invited seminar at Penn State University entitled "Improving our understanding of Atlantic hurricanes through knowledge of the Saharan Air Layer: Hope or hype?"
Accepted papers
- Crow (USDA/ARS), W.T., G.J. Huffman (SSAI; 613.1), R. Bindlish (SSAI; USDA/ARS), T.J. Jackson (USDA/ARS), 2009: Improving Satellite-based Rainfall Estimates over Land Using Spaceborne Surface Soil Moisture Retrievals. J. Hydrometeor., 10(1), 199-212.
- Accurate satellite-derived estimates of the tropospheric ozone impact on the global radiation budget, J. Joiner (613.3), M. R. Schoeberl (610), A. P. Vasilkov, L. Oreopoulos (613.2), S. Platnick (613.2), N.J. Livesey, and P. F. Levelt, Atmos. Chem. Phys. Discuss., 9, 5505-5547, 2009
- Liu, H. (SAIC/610.1), J. H. Crawford, D. B. Considine, S. Platnick (613.2), P. M. Norris (UMBC/610.1), B. N. Duncan (613.3), R. B. Pierce, G. Chen, and R. M. Yantosca, 2009: Sensitivity of photolysis frequencies and key tropospheric oxidants in a global model to cloud vertical distributions and optical properties, J. Geophys. Res., (In press).
- Gautam, R. (UMBC/613.2), N. C. Hsu (613.2), K. M. Lau (613.0), S. C. Tsay (613.2), M. Kafatos, 2009, Enhanced Pre-Monsoon Warming over the Himalayan-Gangetic Region from 1979 to 2007, Geophys. Res. Lett., (In press).
Noteworthy talks/presentations
- Scott Braun (613.1) and Gerald Heymsfield (613.1) attended the 63rd Interdepartmental Hurricane Conference in St. Petersburg, FL, during March 2-4. Dr. Braun served as a panelist on during a panel discussion on "Identifying Tropical Cyclone Research Needs, Progress, and Gaps". He also presented a poster titled "Hurricanes Helene (2006) and Irene (2005): Prime Examples of SAL Influence?" Dr. Heymsfield gave an oral presentation entitled "Status of the HIWRAP and URAD Concial Scan Radars for Wind Measurements." These activities were important because the panel discussion presented the work of the multi-agency (OFCM) Working Group on Tropical Cyclone Research to the hurricane community and the poster and oral presentations informed the community of hurricane-related activities within NASA.
- Ralph Kahn (613.2) and Lorraine Remer (613.2) are participating in the ACE Science Working Group meeting in Oxnard, CA. The purpose is to define the Tier 2 Decadal Mission Survey ACE mission. Lorraine leads the aerosol component of this effort, and will be presenting the current status of the Aerosol Science Traceability Matrix, March 9-13, 2009.
- Zhibo Zhang (UMBC/GEST/613.2) will discuss "Influence of ice particle microphysical model on ice cloud optical thickness retrieval" at the AeroCenter Seminar Series, March 10, 2009.
- Robert Simmon (SSAI/613.2), designer and lead visualizer of the Earth Observatory, will discuss "Visualization Techniques from Design and Cartography" at the Education and Public Outreach Colloquium on March 11, 2009.
Major events in the coming week
Education and Outreach
Issues and Concerns
Status of any major actions
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