Welcome to the
Joint Center for Satellite Data Assimilation (JCSDA)

Benefits of JCSDA

Effective environmental prediction requires several elements. One of these is accurate, well-distributed observations of the Earth's environment, for which satellite sensors are the largest source. Numerical models that embody the physical and chemical laws governing the behavior of the Earth's land surface, oceans, and atmosphere are another element, as are powerful computing systems to run these models rapidly to provide timely forecasts.

The science of data assimilation is the mortar that binds these elements into successful prediction systems for weather, oceans, climatology, and ecosystems. The Joint Center for Satellite Data Assimilation (JCSDA) is dedicated to developing and improving the ability to exploit satellite data more effectively in the United States. The JCSDA is a distributed collaborative effort that allows the work required to use the billions of satellite observations available daily to be shared several operational agencies in the United States.

This activity is best accomplished with a coordinated multi-agency basis as the common development work necessary to assimilate these many thousands of millions of satellite observations each day would otherwise be duplicated across the agencies.

JCSDA Vision:

A weather, climate and environmental analysis and prediction community empowered to effectively assimilate increasing amounts of advanced satellite observations from the evolving Global Earth Observing System of Systems (GEOSS).

JCSDA Mission:

To accelerate and improve the quantitative use of research and operational satellite data in weather, ocean, climate and environmental analysis and prediction systems. This is a substantial undertaking given the hundred-thousand fold increase in satellite data this decade from nearly fifty new instruments.

JCSDA Goals:

• Reduce from two years to one year the average time for operational implementation of new satellite technology
• Increase uses of current satellite data in NWP models
• Advance the common NWP models and data assimilation infrastructure
• Assess the impacts of data from advanced satellite sensors on weather and climate predictions

Dr. Lidia Cucurull Named NOAA Team Member of the Month for November 2007

Dr. Lidia Cucurull was named NOAA Team Member of the Month for November 2007, for the excellence of her recent work on the COSMIC project.

Dr. Lidia Cucurull led the effort at the Joint Center for Satellite Data Assimilation in conducting testing and exploitation of Constellation Observing System for Meteorology, the Ionosphere and Climate (COSMIC) data in the Global Forecast System, following its launch in April 2006. By December 2006, Dr. Cucurull and her colleagues demonstrated the benefits of COSMIC data on numerical weather prediction forecasts, and its implementation was scheduled for the next operational upgrade of the Global Forecast System, in the third quarter FY07. Due to Dr. Cucurull's exemplary efforts, five-day global upper air forecasts improved by three percent, and this new satellite data was ready for operational use in models less than one year after launch. This is extremely fast for a significantly new technology to be made useful to operations.

Read more about Dr. Cucurull's work.

The Joint Center for Satellite Data Assimilation: A Progress Report

JCSDA Director Lars Peter Riishojgaard presented a JCSDA Progress Report on October 24, 2007 at the JCSDA seminar series. In the talk, he noted that the JCSDA plays a key role both in terms of maximizing the impact of some of the advanced instruments launched in recent years and in terms of preparing to assimilate data not yet used in operations. See the presentation here.

JCSDA Satellite Instrument Database

The JCSDA Satellite Instrument Database (PDF, 102KB, 11/1/2007) details current and future satellite instruments and the information that will be made available from these instruments. This list, which will be maintained with regular updates, is intended to help the JCSDA plan the assimilation of future environmental data streams.

Comments regarding this list should be addressed to Ken Carey.