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Weather and Climate: The Report (1975)

Chapter: SUMMARY

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Suggested Citation:"SUMMARY." National Research Council. 1975. Weather and Climate: The Report. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18685.
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Page 23
Suggested Citation:"SUMMARY." National Research Council. 1975. Weather and Climate: The Report. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18685.
×
Page 24
Suggested Citation:"SUMMARY." National Research Council. 1975. Weather and Climate: The Report. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18685.
×
Page 25
Suggested Citation:"SUMMARY." National Research Council. 1975. Weather and Climate: The Report. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18685.
×
Page 26
Suggested Citation:"SUMMARY." National Research Council. 1975. Weather and Climate: The Report. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18685.
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Page 27

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SUMMARY Many of the important recommendations made in the l967-68 Summer Study on Space Applications* have been implemented and have become or are now becoming integral parts of the U.S. meteorology program. Other recommended developments have not yet reached maturity. They are still in the research and development (R§D) phase, although the outlook is promising that they will be incorporated into the next generation of operational satellite systems. The emergence of an international program, the Global Atmospheric Research Program (GARP), with specific observational requirements has helped to stimulate and accelerate much of this development. The First GARP Global Experiment (FGGE) will provide in l978-79 an intensive programmatic test of the applicability of these systems to specific research and to prototype operational needs on a global basis. New needs are now apparent that are much broader than the GARP observa- tional experiments and also encompass a much broader range of users than the weather-forecasting community. The Panel on Weather and Climate has specific recommendations in the following areas: PRESENT-WEATHER DISPLAY Current and projected satellite systems provide the possibility of supply- ing timely, nearly instantaneous monitoring of small to medium weather systems whose occurrence impacts diverse industrial, commercial, and agricultural communities, as well as the general public. The projected three-axis-stabilized geostationary satellite with high-resolution imaging and sounding capability will be a central observational tool for such applications. The information from this system will be greatly enhanced in value if coupled with economical equipment for direct ground readout and processing and with means of automatic dissemination of a variety of products to end users. The Panel recommends R&D of such a capability for public information distribution. *National Research Council. Useful Applications of Earth-Oriented Satellites: Report of the Panel on Meteorology (Panel 4). National Academy of Sciences, Washington, D.C., l969. 23

SHORT-RANGE FORECASTS (2 to l2 HOURS) The advanced geostationary-satellite system could be used in conjunction with land-based systems to identify and develop very short-range forecasts of severe storms and weather systems that produce floods, heavy snows, and other events of important impact. SYNOPTIC FORECASTS (l to 7 DAYS) The First GARP Global Experiment (FGGE), scheduled in l978-79, is designated to study the synoptic range of weather systems (systems of l to 7 days in duration). Projected performance of sensor systems for that period indicates that the FGGE requirements will be met only marginally. The Panel recommends continued E&D efforts on remote-sensing techniques to assure that FGGE require- ments will be met. LONG-RANGE WEATHER AND CLIMATE PREDICTION Long-range weather and climate prediction is an important area of activity which is now receiving much attention and is ripe for scientific investigation. Satellite systems will make it possible to observe and monitor on a long-term basis many of the physical factors thought to be critical to establishing the mean or statistical state of the atmosphere for seasons, years, or decades. Many of these factors are manifested in their effects on the radiation budget of the land-air-ocean system. Hence, critical attention must be paid to calibra- tion, intercomparison, and periodic in situ recalibration of radiation sensors on spacecraft. The Panel recommends initiation of observation of a number of these climatic factors; an intensive program to investigate the time and space sampling needed to produce meaningful average values for large regions, as well as for the entire globe; and the development of comparison and in-flight recalibration procedures that will make it possible to identify secular changes that may be related to climatic trends or variations. Among such important long- term climatic factors are the incoming and outgoing radiation; the planetary albedo; the heat content of the mixed layer in the oceans; the distribution of clouds at low, middle, and high levels; and any significant changes in surface features such as vegetation, land use, and snow and ice cover. OTHER USES OF WEATHER DATA Much of the information gathered by satellites for meteorological forecast- ing use can also be processed for use by other groups. Moreover, there are additional parameters that could be obtained that would be of great use in agri- culture and hydrology, to name but two fields. The Panel recommends that addi- tional user groups be brought into the decision-making process of setting priorities for the development of new observing techniques and for the processing and storing of meteorological data, so that as wide as possible a spectrum of user groups can benefit from the space-based meteorological satellite systems of the future. 24

INTERFACE WITH SPACE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM The Panel believes that the space shuttle and spacelab can contribute uniquely to solution of the radiation calibration problem by permitting secondary and (in the future) even primary standards to be used for in-flight calibration of satellite sensor systems. Spacelab can also be used for accelerating R§D sensor system development. The space shuttle is expected to have adequate performance for emplacement, servicing, and replacement of operational low-altitude weather satellites. Tug service is required for emplacement of geostationary weather satellites. These services will be viable only if means can be provided to share the shuttle and tug payload-space and costs so that the services are affordable. 25

SPACE APPLICATIONS BOARD Allen E. Puckett (Chairman) Executive Vice President Hughes Aircraft Company Culver City, California Daniel J. Fink (Vice Chairman) Vice President, Space Division General Electric Company Philadelphia, Pennsylvania A. R. Baldwin Vice President Cargi1l, Incorporated Minneapolis, Minnesota 0. C. Boileau President Boeing Aerospace Company Seattle, Washington Jack M. Campbell President Federation of Rocky Mountain States Denver, Colorado John F. Collins Professor of Urban Affairs Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge, Massachusetts Leonard H. Goldenson Chairman of the Board American Broadcasting Companies New York, New York Peter C. Goldmark President Goldmark Communications Corporation Stamford, Connecticut Bryce N. Harlow Vice President for National Government Relations Procter and Gamble Company Washington, D.C. William B. Heroy Vice President and Treasurer Southern Methodist University Dallas, Texas Martin L. Johnson Secretary Agency for Environmental Conservation Montpelier, Vermont Thomas F. Malone Director Holcomb Research Institute Butler University Indianapolis, Indiana William A. Nierenberg Director Scripps Institution of Oceanography La Jolla, California J. Edward White Professor of Geophysics University of Texas at El Paso El Paso, Texas STAFF Clotaire Wood, Executive Secretary Laurence F. Gilchrist, Professional Associate R. Alfred Whiting, Professional Assistant Carolyn Andrews, Administrative Assistant Mary Basiliko, Secretary Betty S. Brown, Secretary Joan P. Spade, Report Typist

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