Chapter 1
An Introduction to Satellite-Based Applications
and Research for Understanding Climate
Change
Alfred M. Powell Jr., John J. Qu, and Mannava V.K. Sivakumar
Abstract The use of satellite data in applications has changed as the environmental
community has become more sophisticated deriving products from the remotely
sensed measurements. This introduction summarizes the changes from the first
satellites where the images were used to improve cloud forecasts to the international
coordination groups that have formed to improve collaboration and data sharing of
satellite observations. This introduction also addresses some of the key challenges
associated with using satellite data for both weather and climate; the challenges
include calibration, derived products, trend uncertainty, and measurement quality.
A short discussion of subsequent future issues is briefly discussed as satellite measurement calibration reaches maturity.
Keywords Satellite • Applications • Research • Calibration • Collaboration •
Climate • Trend • Uncertainty
A.M. Powell Jr. (*)
Center for Satellite Applications and Research (STAR) in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA) located at the NOAA Center for Weather and Climate Prediction
(NCWCP), 5830 University Research Court, College Park, MD 20746, USA
e-mail: Al.Powell@noaa.gov
J.J. Qu
Department of GGS/College Of Science (COS), Environmental Science and Technology Center
(ESTC), George Mason University (GMU), MS 6A2, Fairfax, VA 22030, USA
M.V.K. Sivakumar
Climate Prediction and Adaptation Branch (CLPA), Climate and Water Department (CLW),
World Meteorological Organization, 7 bis Avenue de la Paix, Case Postale No. 2300,
Geneva 2 CH-1211, Switzerland
J.J. Qu et al. (eds.), Satellite-based Applications on Climate Change,
DOI 10.1007/978-94-007-5872-8_1, # Springer (outside the USA) 2013
1
An Introduction to Satellite-Based Applications
and Research for Understanding Climate
Change
Alfred M. Powell Jr., John J. Qu, and Mannava V.K. Sivakumar
Abstract The use of satellite data in applications has changed as the environmental
community has become more sophisticated deriving products from the remotely
sensed measurements. This introduction summarizes the changes from the first
satellites where the images were used to improve cloud forecasts to the international
coordination groups that have formed to improve collaboration and data sharing of
satellite observations. This introduction also addresses some of the key challenges
associated with using satellite data for both weather and climate; the challenges
include calibration, derived products, trend uncertainty, and measurement quality.
A short discussion of subsequent future issues is briefly discussed as satellite measurement calibration reaches maturity.
Keywords Satellite • Applications • Research • Calibration • Collaboration •
Climate • Trend • Uncertainty
A.M. Powell Jr. (*)
Center for Satellite Applications and Research (STAR) in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA) located at the NOAA Center for Weather and Climate Prediction
(NCWCP), 5830 University Research Court, College Park, MD 20746, USA
e-mail: Al.Powell@noaa.gov
J.J. Qu
Department of GGS/College Of Science (COS), Environmental Science and Technology Center
(ESTC), George Mason University (GMU), MS 6A2, Fairfax, VA 22030, USA
M.V.K. Sivakumar
Climate Prediction and Adaptation Branch (CLPA), Climate and Water Department (CLW),
World Meteorological Organization, 7 bis Avenue de la Paix, Case Postale No. 2300,
Geneva 2 CH-1211, Switzerland
J.J. Qu et al. (eds.), Satellite-based Applications on Climate Change,
DOI 10.1007/978-94-007-5872-8_1, # Springer (outside the USA) 2013
1