Architecture vision and technologies for post-NPOESS weather prediction system: two-way interactive observing and modeling
Michael W. Kalb, Glenn J. Higgins, Robert L. Mahoney, Robert Lutz, Robin Y. Mauk, Michael S. Seablom, Stephen J. Talabac · Proceedings of SPIE, the International Society for Optical Engineering/Proceedings of SPIE · 2005
A recently completed two-year NASA-sponsored study on Advanced Weather Forecasting Technologies envisions that given the opportunity to realize key technological advances over the next quarter century, and with judicious infrastructure and technology investments, it may be possible to significantly extend the skill range of model based weather forecasting via real-time two-way feedbacks between computer forecast models and highly networked, intelligent observing systems (Sensor Webs). Through this linkage, the observing system will have access to information about the present and evolving state of the atmosphere and, most importantly, have the intelligence to act on information about the future states of the atmosphere derived from the forecast model. An ultimate aim is full dynamic situation-driven observing system reconfigurability. The system is conceived to enable operational expression of optimized targeted observing. Ideas are presented on how the entire system might be designed and operated from the perspectives of the underlying science, technology evolution, and system engineering in order to provide the needed coordination between and among space- and ground-based observing and forecast model operations. The greatest challenges lay with the development of the large scale deep infrastructure on which the more advanced proposed forecast system functionality depends.