AMSU Product ResearchCooperative Institute for Research in the AtmosphereResearch Benefits to NOAA: ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Introduction

The Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit (AMSU) is a significant advance in our ability to observe the atmosphere. The 20 channels—both imaging and sounding channels—make possible measurements which have never before been made from the same instrument.

CIRA’s research with the AMSU data has concentrated mainly on analysis of tropical cyclones, tropical rainfall, and development and distribution of AMSU products to forecasters.

Tropical Cyclone Intensity

With AMSU data, temperature soundings can be made through clouds. Thus tropical cyclone properties can be sensed below the central dense overcast.

Tropical Rainfall Potential

Using microwave rain rate observations and track forecasts, forecasts of the potential rainfall from tropical cyclones can be made.

PublicationsDeMaria, M., J. A. Knaff, S. Q. Kidder, and M. D. Goldberg, 2000: Tropical cyclone wind retrievals using AMSU-A data from NOAA-15. 10th Conference on Satellite Meteorology and Oceanography, American Meteorological Society, Boston, 149-152.

Johnsen, K.-P., and S. Q. Kidder, 2002: Water vapor over Europe obtained from remote sensors and compared with a hydrostatic NWP model. Physics and Chemistry of the Earth, 27, 371-375.

Kidder, S. Q., M. D. Goldberg, R. M. Zehr, M. DeMaria, J. F. W. Purdom, C. S. Velden, N. C. Grody, and S. J. Kusselson, 2000: Satellite analysis of tropical cyclones using the Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit (AMSU). Bulletin of the American Meteorological Sociey, 81, 1241-1259.

Kidder, S. Q., A. S. Jones, J. F. W. Purdom, and T. J. Greenwald, 1998: First local area products from the NOAA-15 Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit (AMSU). Proceedings: Battlespace Atmospheric and Cloud Impacts on Military Operations Conference, Air Force Research Laboratory, Hanscom Air Force Base, MA, 1-3 December, 447-451.

Kidder, S. Q., M. D. Goldberg, R. M. Zehr, M. DeMaria, J. F. W. Purdom, C. S. Velden, N. C. Grody, and S. J. Kusselson, 2000: Tropical cyclone analysis using AMSU data. 10th Conference on Satellite Meteorology and Oceanography, American Meteorological Society, Boston, 185-188.

Kidder, S. Q., J. A. Knaff and S. J. Kusselson, 2001: Using AMSU data to forecast precipitation from landfalling hurricanes. Symposium on Precipitation Extremes: Prediction, Impacts, and Responses, American Meteorological Society, Boston, 344-347.

Kidder, S. Q., S. J. Kusselson, J. A. Knaff, and R. J. Kuligowski, 2001: Improvements to the experimental tropical rainfall potential (TRaP) technique. 11 th Conference on Satellite Meteorology and Oceanography, American Meteorological Society, Boston, 375-378.

Knaff, J. A., R. M. Zehr, M. D. Goldberg, and S. Q. Kidder, 2000: An example of temperature structure differences in two cyclone systems derived from the Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit. Weather and Forecasting, 15, 476-483.

Vonder Haar, T. H., K. R. Dean, J. M. Forsythe, T. J. Greenwald, and S. Q. Kidder, 2001: Comparison of satellite and ground-based measurements of cloud liquid water in several climate zones. International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium (IGARSS), Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Sydney, Australia, 9-13 July 2001, 3 pp.

McKague, D. S., R. J. Engelen, J. M. Forsythe, S. Q. Kidder, and T. H. Vonder Haar, 2001: An optimal-estimation algorithm for water vapor profiling using AMSU. 11 th Conference on Satellite Meteorology and Oceanography, American Meteorological Society, Boston, 633-636.

Forecaster Products

The following AMSU products are mapped to Mercator and Polar Stereographic projections and distributed to NWS and SAB forecasters in real time:

Total precipitable waterRain rateLimb-adjusted 54.9 GHz brightness temperatureCloud liquid waterSea ice concentrationSnow cover89 GHz brightness temperature150 GHz brightness temperature1000-500 hPa thickness

NOAA 15, 16, and 17

ChannelFrequency

(GHz)Resolution

(km)Use

1 23.8 48 TPW/CLW/Sea Ice2 31.4 48 TPW/CLW/Sea Ice3 50.3 48 Temp. sounding4 52.8 48 Temp. sounding5 53.6 48 Temp. sounding6 54.4 48 Temp. sounding7 54.9 48 Temp. sounding8 55.5 48 Temp. sounding9 57.2 48 Temp. sounding

10 57.29±.217 48 Temp. sounding11 57.29±.322±.048 48 Temp. sounding12 57.29±.322±.022 48 Temp. sounding13 57.29±.322±.010 48 Temp. sounding14 57.29±.322±.0045 48 Temp. sounding15 89 48 Temp. sounding16 89 16 Rain Rate/IWP/Snow Cover17 150 16 Rain Rate/IWP/Snow Cover18 183.3±1 16 Moisture sounding19 183.3±3 16 Moisture sounding20 183.3±7 16 Moisture sounding

AMSU Channels and Their Principal Uses

Collaborators NOAA/NESDIS/ORA

NOAA/NESDIS/SAB

NOAA/NESDIS/RAMM Team

NOAA/National Weather Service

AMSU-A Temperature Weighting Functions

Cross Section of Temperature

Anomalies Through

Hurricane Bonnie

200 hPa Temperature Anomalies in Hurricane Floyd

Using Temperature Anomalies to

Estimate Intensity

NOAA-16 AMSU-B rain rates for Tropical Storm Allison at 0812 UTC on 5 June 2001.

Track of TC Allison

The 24-h TRaP for the period ending 1200 UTC on 6 June 2001. The peak 24-h rain amount is 12+ inches.

Stage III rain gauge-adjusted radar rainfall estimates for the 24-h period ending 12 UTC 6 June 2001. Note that a NWS employee measured 12 inches at his home in Galveston County, Texas.

ETA forecast of 24-hour precipitation for the period ending 12 UTC 6 June 2001. The maximum is 3+ inches.

“Lake Houston” formed by TC Allison.

Stanley Q. Kidder Andrew JonesNOAA Measurement Themes:CIRA Research Themes/Priorities

(Preview of Poster)

Leave this area blank

Leave this area blank