SOCD Status Brief

1. SOCD Status Brief August/September 2005

2. Outline • Personnel • Performance & Activities • Budget • Grants • Proposals • Safety • Publications

3. Personnel

4. Current & Projected FTE Personnel • FY05 • Cheney retirement: Hired Miller 6/05 • Turner resignation: Stephanie Williams hired; began 08/22/05 • VanWoert resignation: Package approved by STAR; submitted to HR • Miller promotion: Initial PD drafted • Lavoi promotion: PD being developed; requires ORA-CSC LOA update; 1-year vacancy • FY06 • Strong retirement: Expected 01/03/06; PD requires development • Clark retirement: Expected 01/03/06; PD requires development

5. Personnel Notes • FTE • Maureen Chiarizia: Extended medical issue • Medical documentation received • Submitted application for disability retirement • Supervisor statement submitted • Walter Smith: Pending formal NOS request for 1-year detail to NOAA @ UNH • Stephanie Williams hired as support staff 8/22/05 • Postdoc / Visiting Scientists • MetOp SST CIRA postdoc • Offer declined • Position reannounced • Ocean Color NRC postdoc • Funded • Awaiting NRC applicant processing • SST NRC postdoc • Candidate withdrew • Contractors • ESDIM GOES SST: Wen Meng hired • Coral Reef Watch: Felipe Arzayus departs 08/22/05; hired as NOS fed • WindSat: Wanshu Wang departs 08/22/05; hired as NIC contractor

6. Travel / Leave

7. Activities & Performance

8. External Milestones

9. STAR Milestones

10. SOCD Performance Measures SUSTAIN (master) • On an annual basis, sustain the determination, documentation, and correction of the quality of NOAA operational satellite ocean remote sensing products through regular calibration and validation activities, maintaining current assessments and adjustments to 100% of NOAA’s operational satellite ocean remote sensing data streams. • Status:TBD • On an annual basis, sustain 90% locally-controllable availability of experimental and selected non-NOAA satellite ocean remote sensing products for community use and evaluation. • Status: TBD BETTER (improve) • On an annual basis, implement improvements in the methodology and/or quality of one to three NOAA operational and/or experimental algorithms and products. • Status: Completed retracked altimetry data, improving marine gravity field; completed preliminary validation of QuikScat high wind speed model function; completed MOBY data reprocessing • On an annual basis, improve the outreach, technology transfer, and education to/of users of satellite ocean remote sensing, as measured by a trend of increasing unique user and new education modules made available. • Status: Established China CoastWatch and 2 OceanWatch nodes; Completed coral education module NEW (create) • On an annual basis, develop one unique new (or new improvement to) operational or experimental technique, algorithm, product, or service for satellite ocean remote sensing. • Status: Completed development of blended GOES-POES SST FIRST (invest) • On an annual basis, be the first to provide one new satellite ocean remote sensing algorithm, product, or service. • Status: Completed transition of OSCAR ocean surface currents to operations

11. CoastWatch / OceanWatch Milestones • Add blended GOES/POES to distributed CoastWatch product suite – Work delayed due to late delivery of code from science contractor– Operational validation initiated • NOAA specific EOS product processing system operational – Expected completion July 2005 • Add limited South Pacific coverage to OceanWatch distributed product suite - Completed • OceanWatch Pacific Basin – Established at Central Pacific Node (OceanWatch Node) Completed • Establish Gulf of Mexico as OceanWatch demonstration – Project on hold • Establish one additional OceanWatch demonstrations – Completed • Establish preliminary climate observational capability within NOAA OceanWatch (Ocean Carbon Watch collaboration with AOML and PMEL) – Ocean Carbon Dioxide Watch established with AOML

12. CoastWatch / OceanWatch Performance Measures • Performance Measure 1:Maintain and improve CoastWatch/OceanWatch readiness • Completed • Performance Measure 2:Increase numbers of new validated products • Add blended GOES/POES to distributed CoastWatch product suite – Work delayed due to late delivery of code from science contractor – Rescheduled for 06/06. • NOAA specific EOS product processing system preoperational - Completed • Performance Measure 3:Increase areal coverage of NOAA OceanWatch • Completed for FY05 - North Atlantic and Equatorial Atlantic added in August 05 • Performance Measure 4:Improve customer access and utilization opportunities • Establish Gulf of Mexico as OceanWatch demonstration – Project on hold • Establish one additional OceanWatch demonstration – Established in Pacific, HI, CA. • Establish preliminary climate observational capability within OceanWatch (Ocean Carbon Watch collaboration with AOML and PMEL); Ocean Carbon Dioxide Watch established with AOML — In progress

13. Sea Ice

14. Sea Ice Performance Measures • Tasks 1 and 3 - Sea Ice Product and Research Development and National Ice Center Polar Research. Products are evaluated using model, buoy data and observations using NOAA as well as other ships and aircraft resources of opportunity. Product evaluation and feedback by present and new users is sought after. The number of new and updated experimental products, transitioned products, and new users will be followed. In addition, where appropriate skill scores will be developed to determine product performance. • Status: Increasing number of active users and products under both tasks including USCG (for iceberg monitoring under task 1) and the NWS (for customized AWIPS sea ice edge products under task 3) • Task 2 - Sea Ice Altimetry Research. For altimetry Cal/Val, a decrease in the amplitude of error in estimated sea-ice freeboard from approximately 1.0 m to 15 cm by 2006 along CryoSat ground tracks and wavelength of freeboard error to 0.5 km. For altimetry climate - establish first year of sea-ice mass time series (monthly intervals) by end 2007. • Status: Delayed CAL/VAL activities continue into 2006 as CryoSAT launch delays and problems with aircraft access were experienced.

15. Sea Surface Temperature

16. SST Performance Measures Indicator = satellite SST product algorithm validation results • These project performance measures refer to algorithmic maximization of the instrument (not instrument design or specs) and apply to all project task objectives. • Accuracy/precision • Target = 0.1K instantaneous • Metric = systematic (mean) and random (std) error relative to ground truth • Indicator = statistics determined from ground truth matchups • Baseline = 0.5K rms random; <0.1K systematic • Status: TBD • Stability • Target = 100% up time • Metric = up time / year • Indicator = operational log history • Baseline = 95% up time • Status: TBD

17. Sea Surface Height

18. Sea Surface Height Task 1: Altimeter Data Sets Improve GFO GDR sea surface height accuracy from 5 cm in FY04 to 4 cm in FY06 using Topex/Poseidon and Jason-1 as the standard. • Status: In progress Task 2: Ocean Dynamics. Increase percentage of ocean area covered by OSCAR analysis from ~20% (tropical Pacific) in FY04 to ~50% (all tropical oceans) by FY06, to ~80% (all mid to low latitude oceans) by FY08. • Status: Oscar-2 contract to be awarded end of FY05 Decrease turn-around time for OSCAR product from 10 days in FY04 to 1 week in FY06. • Status: In progress Task 3: Marine Gravity & Bathymetry. Decrease error in marine gravity from 7 mGal in FY05 to 5 mGal in FY08. • Status: Completed Improve global G&B resolution from 30 km in FY05 to 20 km in FY08. • Status: In progress Task 4: Climate. Increase confidence in historical global sea level rise value from +/- 0.5 mm/yr in FY04 to +/- 0.3 mm/yr in FY08. • Status: In progress

19. Ocean Surface Winds

20. Ocean Surface Winds Performance Measures Task 1: Scatterometry • Full utilization of QuikSCAT scatterometer data by the operational weather community. • Status: • Implementation of an improved high wind speed model function for QuikSCAT based on aircraft experiment data. • Status: • Quantification of rain impacts on scatterometer wind vector retrievals • Status: • Validation and implementation of a reduced landmask to allow use of QuikSCAT winds closer to the coast • Status: • Full readiness to support operationally utilization of ASCAT, which is currently scheduled for a December 2005 launch. • Status: Task 2: Radiometry • A full evaluation of the capabilities and limitations of ocean vector wind retrievals from WindSat • Status: • A comparison of WindSat and QuikSCAT wind vector retrievals • Status: Task 3: Applications • An operational demonstration of a global ocean upwelling index product running in near real-time. • Status:

21. Ocean Color

22. Ocean Color Performance Measures • Task 1. Performance will be tracked by the continuous climate-quality data record of spectral water-leaving radiances at the MOBY site. MOBY has maintained a continuous, traceable, time series calibration record of LWN for the past seven years. Performance will be measured by the continuation of this cal/val record and by meeting the IPO objective to measure operational, ocean water-leaving radiance values with a threshold precision of 5% and a goal of 2% and reprocessed science quality data with a threshold of 2% and a goal of 1%. The metric for this subtask is the continued vicarious calibration of SeaWiFS and MODIS sensors and the ocean color sensors of the NPOESS and GOES-R eras. • Status: • Task 2. Separate metrics. MOCE cruise performance will be tracked by the number of validation match up points in the benchmark data set. • Status: • Subtask 3. The performance metric for this subtask will be the implementation of the MQABI quality assurance system by the end of FY05 and the continued validation of the forward data stream ocean color products with in situ match-ups. • Status: • Task 4. The ultimate MOCE project performance measurement will be to implement all our bio-optical product algorithms into operational production at NOAA with measurements meeting the IORD goals to measure operational chlorophyll concentrations with accuracy of 20% and operational inherent optical properties with an accuracy of 30%. Another performance measurement will be to produce science quality chlorophyll concentrations with an accuracy of 10% and science quality inherent optical properties with an accuracy of 20%. • Status: • Task 5. The performance metric for this subtask is the testing and utility assessment of the optical water mass classification capability by the end of FY06. • Status:

23. Sea Surface Roughness

24. Sea Surface Roughness • Increase the number of other nation's synthetic aperture radar (SAR) observation platforms which have been used in applications demonstrations to meet user observation requirements from 1 to 3 by 2008. • Status: • Increase the number of synthetic aperture radar user observation requirements met within applications demonstrations from 1 to 3 by 2008. • Status: 3. Increase the number of new research findings and progress toward their implementation in applications demonstrations by completing at least two papers or technical reports per year on research findings in SAR applications. • Status: 4. Improve ship detection algorithm and data processing techniques to yield a 60% or greater detection performance in FY 2006. • Status:

25. Key Projects • Status • SOCD S&T Roadmap Final Draft Submitted • Division Status Brief • Concept slides generated • Monthly reports being produced • Roadmap reviews • Review one dimension each month on rotating basis. • Functional Areas • Science Teams • Strategic Priorities • CIOSS Science Interchange (8-9 Sep @ CIOSS)

26. Operational Transitions • GOES-POES blended SST • Code completed transition to SOCD: March 05 • Validation match-up data base commenced June 05 • Initial validation expected by Sep 05 • NASA – NOAA Research to OPS • R2O: Grants still not issued • R2O: Some contracts pending • Pending FY05 end-of-year status reports

27. Significant Pending Actions • SOCD S&T Roadmap • Final Draft due 2nd September: Submitted, Completed • Division Status Brief • Finalize briefing format: Completed • PPBES • FY05 • Close out expenditures • FY06 • Develop budgets and spend plans • FY08 • Programming • Mission Goal 3/Coasts, Estuaries & Oceans/Ocean Remote Sensing • Mission Goal 1/Coral Reef Conservation Program • Mission Goal 5/Satellite Services • R2O • Joint NOAA – NASA transition implementation plans • Altimetry • Scatterometry • Ocean color • Annual Performance Reviews • Input interviews during September: In progress • Rating levelings • Feedback sessions during Oct/Nov

28. Budget

30. Variances • ORS Total • Total vs Obligated - 49.7% $1,819,916 • Total vs Committed - 1.1%$40,666 Obligated  Committed  • Contracts: - 39.5% + 0.6% • Grants: - 62.9% - 13.3% • Equipment: +125.7% +199.6% • Travel: - 18.7% 0.6% • Supplies: - 17.5% - 43.5%

31. Grants

32. Grants Status • ORS competitive grant process • FY05 continuation awards processed Feb 05 • ORS FY06 AO for the NOAA omnibus submitted May 05 • NOAA omnibus AO published 30 June 05 • ORS call for proposals closes 23 Sep 05 • CIOSS • Year-3 award processed Apr 05 • Year-3 R2O supplemental processed May 05 • Year-3 GOES-R COAST supplemental processed Jun 05 • Directed research • CIMSS • Year-3 split processed (due to CIMSS renewal) • CIMSS Year-3 proposal submitted • CICS • Year-3 CICS omnibus ORS component submitted • Pass-throughs • MISST NOPP • CICOR grant processed Jun 05

33. Proposals

34. Proposals • AOs • EPA Global Change Research Program: Non-linear responses to global change in linked aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems and effects of multiple factors on terrestrial ecosystems. • Proposals due: 29 Sep 05 • LOI • None pending • Proposals • Submitted to NASA: Menghua Wang “Ocean Color Remote Sensing in the Coastal Regions”

35. Safety

36. Safety Status • NOAA Safety Inspection of WWB held August 30; awaiting results • Monthly inspection report • August SOCD WWB: completed • September SOCD WWB: Status? • Discrepancy correction status • NESDIS WWB monthly • 4 listed discrepancies • Wiring in WWB102 computer room: being investigated • Possible inoperable smoke detector in WWB102: being investigated • Removal of EXIT sign in WWB105: pending, inquiring • Power strip plugged into power strip in WWB105: being investigated

37. Publications

38. Publications • Pending • Internal review • Degradation of GRACE Monthly Geopotentials in 2004: Explained • “ABYSS-Lite” Concept paper for NRC Decadal Survey study panel • 2500 m Isobath from Satellite Bathymetry: Accuracy assessment in light of IHO S-44 standards • Sea surface topography in the Arctic Ocean from ICESat • The NOAA/NESDIS/ORA WindSat Calibration/Validation Collocation Database • Ocean wind field mapping from synthetic aperture radar and its application to research and applied problems; Johns Hopkins University Technical Digest • A review of coral d18O and delta 14C proxy records • External review • Published • AGU Paper No (2005GL022917): “Estimation of Ocean Contribution at the MODIS Near-Infared Wavelengths along the East Coast of the U.S.” by Menghua Wang. • AMS (Journal of Physical Oceanography): “25-Day Period Large-Scale Oscillations in the Argentine Basin Revisited” by Chang-Kou Tai and Lee-Lueng Fu. • NOAA Technical Report NESDIS 118: Simultaneous Nadir Overpasses for NOAA-6 to NOAA-17 Satellites from 1980 to 2003 for the Intersatellite Calibration of Radiometers. Changyong Cao, Mitch Goldberg, Fuzhong Weng, and Cheng-Zhi Zou. • IEEE Journal on Oceanic Engineering: “Sythetic Aperture Radar Imaging of Axial Convergence Fronts in Cook Inlet, Alaska” by Xiaofeng Li, Chunyan Li, William G. Pichel, Pablo Clemente-Colon, and Karen S. Friedman.