Session Keynote by John LeMarshall: Recent advances at the joint center for satellite data assimilation
Australia is sited in what was previously the data sparse Southern Hemisphere. Before the advent of satellite remote sensing, forecasts and warnings and short-term climate prediction were based on analysis fields containing large data voids. This, of course, resulted in reduced predictive power. Determining the state of the atmosphere over the Southern Hemisphere now involves the use of the Global Observing System which includes over 30 satellite instruments and has resulted in a Southern Hemisphere forecast quality close to that of the Northern Hemisphere. Here, we will discuss the challenges faced in terms of using the 50 satellite instruments which will become available this decade for atmospheric analysis and also the challenge faced in terms of coping with a five orders of magnitude increase in data volume.
It will be shown that satellite data has already extended the length of useful Southern Hemisphere forecasts by a factor of two and has significantly improved the accuracy of warnings for events such as tropical cyclones. This has clear and significant economic benefits.
It will be shown that prediction of atmospheric state in the Southern Hemisphere has benefited from the international satellite system. It will be shown that many developments, such as the billion dollar development, production and deployment of current and the next generation of hyperspectral infrared sounders, will provide greatest benefit in the Southern Hemisphere.
As a result, Australia is and will be well served by international meteorological remote sensing efforts and will gain great benefit from these significant international investments. The degree of economic benefit gained will be determined by local investment in infrastructure and technological development to take advantage of these systems.