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C.J. Donlon
associated with the use of TIR data for accurate retrieval of SST. In Section 13.4
impact of the Group for High Resolution SST (GHRSST, Donlon et al., 2007) will
be reviewed. Finally, conclusions are presented and a forward perspective for the
coming decade is provided.
13.2 Key TIR Satellite Sensors Since 2000
Development in the definition, availability, future planning and service provision
of TIR satellite sensors and data has matured significantly in the last 10 years.
According to the Committee for Earth Observation Satellites (CEOS) on-line
database (CEOS, 2008, 2009) over 20 satellite missions capable of measuring SST
in a variety of orbits (polar, low inclination and geostationary) have been launched
since 1999. The tables reported in Appendix list the main TIR sensors and their
basic characteristics for missions operating from 2000 and up to 2020. It is interesting to note the transition of the (A)ATSR instrument series to the Sea and Land
Surface Temperature Radiometer (SLSTR) carried by the Sentinel-3 operational
mission. The NOAA AVHRR/3 series, a traditional workhorse TIR sensor, will end
with NOAA-19, to be replaced with the new NPOESS/NPP VIIRS with enhanced
capability. New geostationary imager capability has emerged in the last 10 years in
Europe, with the MSG SEVIRI instrument now providing high quality operational
SST. Also, the development of new capability in China through the FY-satellite
series is noteworthy.
The accuracy that can be obtained for SST derived from TIR data is now at the
limit of the capability of available operational in-situ infrastructure (~0.1–0.2 K).
Comparisons between the AATSR and drifting-buoy measurements made by the
UK Met Office have shown that AATSR is capable of achieving biases in Global
SST which typically <0.15 K (O’Carroll et al., 2008). Such error analyses show
clearly that AATSR SST data can act as a “benchmark” of accuracy, against which
data from other sources can be bias-corrected. This approach has been adopted at
operational centres (e.g. Stark et al., 2007).
In summary, Appendix shows that TIR satellite sensors have matured (research
instruments are now flown on operational missions), advanced (Sentinel-3 SLSTR
has a much wider swath, ~1,400 km, compared to the ENVISAT 512 km swath of
AATSR) and both polar and geostationary missions are being sustained until 2020.
This is considerable progress since the Oceans From Space meeting in 2000.
13.3 On-Going Challenges and Issues
13.3.1 Data Access
Wide and open access in near real time to many TIR satellite SST data products has
been established in an operational-like manner using existing data user-driven distribution protocols, tools and services coordinated by the GHRSST project (Donlon
et al., 2007). This is a significant development since Oceans From Space in 2000
C.J. Donlon
associated with the use of TIR data for accurate retrieval of SST. In Section 13.4
impact of the Group for High Resolution SST (GHRSST, Donlon et al., 2007) will
be reviewed. Finally, conclusions are presented and a forward perspective for the
coming decade is provided.
13.2 Key TIR Satellite Sensors Since 2000
Development in the definition, availability, future planning and service provision
of TIR satellite sensors and data has matured significantly in the last 10 years.
According to the Committee for Earth Observation Satellites (CEOS) on-line
database (CEOS, 2008, 2009) over 20 satellite missions capable of measuring SST
in a variety of orbits (polar, low inclination and geostationary) have been launched
since 1999. The tables reported in Appendix list the main TIR sensors and their
basic characteristics for missions operating from 2000 and up to 2020. It is interesting to note the transition of the (A)ATSR instrument series to the Sea and Land
Surface Temperature Radiometer (SLSTR) carried by the Sentinel-3 operational
mission. The NOAA AVHRR/3 series, a traditional workhorse TIR sensor, will end
with NOAA-19, to be replaced with the new NPOESS/NPP VIIRS with enhanced
capability. New geostationary imager capability has emerged in the last 10 years in
Europe, with the MSG SEVIRI instrument now providing high quality operational
SST. Also, the development of new capability in China through the FY-satellite
series is noteworthy.
The accuracy that can be obtained for SST derived from TIR data is now at the
limit of the capability of available operational in-situ infrastructure (~0.1–0.2 K).
Comparisons between the AATSR and drifting-buoy measurements made by the
UK Met Office have shown that AATSR is capable of achieving biases in Global
SST which typically <0.15 K (O’Carroll et al., 2008). Such error analyses show
clearly that AATSR SST data can act as a “benchmark” of accuracy, against which
data from other sources can be bias-corrected. This approach has been adopted at
operational centres (e.g. Stark et al., 2007).
In summary, Appendix shows that TIR satellite sensors have matured (research
instruments are now flown on operational missions), advanced (Sentinel-3 SLSTR
has a much wider swath, ~1,400 km, compared to the ENVISAT 512 km swath of
AATSR) and both polar and geostationary missions are being sustained until 2020.
This is considerable progress since the Oceans From Space meeting in 2000.
13.3 On-Going Challenges and Issues
13.3.1 Data Access
Wide and open access in near real time to many TIR satellite SST data products has
been established in an operational-like manner using existing data user-driven distribution protocols, tools and services coordinated by the GHRSST project (Donlon
et al., 2007). This is a significant development since Oceans From Space in 2000