D. T. Llewellyn-Jones

The Global Ocean Data Assimilation Experiment High-resolution Sea Surface Temperature Pilot Project

A new generation of integrated sea surface temperature (SST) data products are being provided by the Global Ocean Data Assimilation Experiment (GODAE) High-Resolution SST Pilot Project (GHRSST-PP). These combine in near-real time various SST data products from several different satellite sensors and in situ observations and maintain the fine spatial and temporal resolution needed by SST inputs to operational models. The practical realization of such an approach is complicated by the characteristic differences that exist between measurements of SST obtained from subsurface in-water sensors, and satellite microwave and satellite infrared radiometer systems. Furthermore, diurnal variability of SST within a 24-h period, manifested as both warm-layer and cool-skin deviations, introduces additional uncertainty for direct intercomparison between data sources and the implementation of data-merging strategies. The GHRSST-PP has developed and now operates an internationally distributed system that provides operatio...

The Geostationary Earth Radiation Budget Project

This paper reports on a new satellite sensor, the Geostationary Earth Radiation Budget (GERB) experiment. GERB is designed to make the first measurements of the Earths radiation budget from geostationary orbit. Measurements at high absolute accuracy of the reflected sunlight from the Earth, and the thermal radiation emitted by the Earth are made every 15 min, with a spatial resolution at the subsatellite point of 44.6 km (north–south) by 39.3 km (east–west). With knowledge of the incoming solar constant, this gives the primary forcing and response components of the top-of-atmosphere radiation. The first GERB instrument is an instrument of opportunity on Meteosat-8, a new spin-stabilized spacecraft platform also carrying the Spinning Enhanced Visible and Infrared (SEVIRI) sensor, which is currently positioned over the equator at 3.5°W. This overview of the project includes a description of the instrument design and its preflight and in-flight calibration. An evaluation of the instrument performance after ...

A radiative transfer model for sea surface temperature retrieval for the along‐track scanning radiometer

The measurements made by the along-track scanning radiometer are now converted routinely into sea surface temperature (SST). The details of the atmospheric model which had been used for deriving the SST algorithms are given, together with tables of the coefficients in the algorithms for the different SST products. The accuracy of the retrieval under normal conditions and the effect of errors in the model on the retrieved SST are briefly discussed.

Sea surface temperature measurements by the along-track scanning radiometer on the ERS 1 satellite: Early results

The along-track scanning radiometer (ATSR) was launched in July 1991 on the European Space Agencys first remote sensing satellite, ERS 1. An initial analysis of ATSR data demonstrates that the sea surface temperature (SST) can be measured from space with very high accuracy. Comparison of simultaneous measurements of SST made from ATSR and from a ship-borne radiometer show that they agree to within 0.3°C. To assess data consistency, a complementary analysis of SST data from ATSR was also carried out. The ATSR global SST field was compared on a daily basis with daily SST analysis of the United Kingdom Meteorological Office (UKMO). The ATSR global field is consistently within 1.0°C of the UKMO analysis. Also, to demonstrate the benefits of along-track scanning SST determination, the ATSR SST data were compared with high-quality bulk temperature observations from drifting buoys. The likely causes of the differences between ATSR and the bulk temperature data are briefly discussed. These results provide early confidence in the quantitative benefit of ATSRs two-angle view of the Earth and its high radiometric performance and show a significant advance on the data obtained from other spaceborne sensors. It should be noted that these measurements were made at a time when the atmosphere was severely contaminated with volcanic aerosol particles, which degrade infrared measurements of the Earths surface made from space.

The along track scanning radiometer for ERS-1-scan geometry and data simulation

The first European remote-sensing satellite (ERS-1) will carry the along track scanning radiometer (ATSR). which has been specifically designed to give accurate satellite measurements of sea surface temperature (SST). Details of the novel scanning technique used by the ATSR are given, and data from the NOAA-9 AVHRR instrument are used to simulate raw ATSR imagery. Because of the high precision of the onboard blackbodies, the active cooling of the detectors, 12-b digitization, and dual-angle capability, the ATSR promises to achieve higher-accuracy satellite-derived SSTs than are currently available. >

A 20 year independent record of sea surface temperature for climate from Along Track Scanning Radiometers

A new record of sea surface temperature (SST) for climate applications is described. This record provides independent corroboration of global variations estimated from SST measurements made in situ. Infra-red imagery from Along-Track Scanning Radiometers (ATSRs) is used to create a 20 year time series of SST at 0.1deg latitude- longitude resolution, in the ATSR Reprocessing for Climate (ARC) project. A very high degree of independence of in situ measurements is achieved via physics-based techniques. Skin SST and SST estimated for 20 cm depth are provided, with grid cell uncertainty estimates. Comparison with in situ datasets establishes that ARC SSTs generally have bias of order 0.1 K or smaller. The precision of the ARC SSTs is 0.14 K during 2003 to 2009, from three-way error analysis. Over the period 1994 to 2010, ARC SSTs are stable, with better than 95% confidence, to within 0.005 K/yr (demonstrated for tropical regions). The dataset appears useful for cleanly quantifying inter-annual variability in SST and major SST anomalies. The ARC SST global anomaly time series is compared to the in situ-based Hadley Centre SST dataset version 3 (HadSST3). Within known uncertainties in bias adjustments applied to in situ measurements, the independent ARC record and HadSST3 present the same variations in global marine temperature since 1996. Since the in situ observing system evolved significantly in its mix of measurement platforms and techniques over this period, ARC SSTs provide an important corroboration that HadSST3 accurately represents recent variability and change in this essential climate variable.

Cloud Clearing over the Ocean in the Processing of Data from the Along-Track Scanning Radiometer (ATSR)

Abstract Infrared radiometric measurements of surface parameters are prone to error if clouds are present in the observation path. The along-track scanning radiometer (ATSR) with its novel dual-view feature is able to correct for absorption effects in the clear atmosphere more precisely than previous instruments; hence, it is especially important in this case for the retrieved surface temperatures not to be cloud contaminated. The algorithms used for identifying cloud in the routine processing of the ATSR data are described. These tests rely heavily on the previous experience gained by using data from the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR). Modifications to the original AVHRR tests, and the new tests developed, are given in detail.

The Global Trend in Sea Surface Temperature from 20 Years of Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer Data

The trend in sea surface temperature has been determined from 20 yr of Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer Pathfinder data (version 5). The data span the period from January 1985 to December 2004, inclusive. The linear trends were calculated to be 0.18° 0.04° and 0.17° 0.05°C decade 1 from daytime and nighttime data, respectively. However, the measured trends were found to be somewhat smaller if version 4.1 of the Pathfinder data was used, or if the time series of data ended earlier. The influence of El Nino on global temperatures can be seen clearly in the data. However, it was not found to affect the trend measurements significantly. Evidence of cool temperatures after the eruption of Mount Pinatubo in 1991 was also observed.

Observations of sea-surface temperature for climate research.

The measurement of global sea-surface temperature (s.s.t.) from space, with high absolute accuracy, is one of the important requirements of the World Climate Research Programme (W.C.R.P.). This paper considers the definition of measurement aims based on considerations of specific types of scientific problem, and gives as examples discussion of two particular problems, first the possible influence of Pacific s.s.t. on the lower stratosphere, and second the role of s.s.t. in the cloud-climate feedback process. Following this, a brief review is presented on current status in satellite measurements of s.s.t. with both infrared and microwave techniques, and the paper concludes with a description of a future s.s.t.-measuring instrument, the Along-Track Scanning Radiometer (ATSR).

Control of tropical instability waves in the Pacific

Westward-propagating waves with periods of 20–30 days and wavelengths of ∼ 1,100km are a prominent feature of sea-surface temperatures (SSTs) in the equatorial Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. They have been attributed to instabilities due to current shear. We compare SST observations from the spaceborne Along Track Scanning Radiometer (ATSR) and TOGA-TAO moored buoys with SSTs from a model of the tropical Pacific forced with observed daily windstress data. The phases of the strongest “Tropical Instability Waves” (TIWs) in the model are in closer correspondence with those observed than we would expect if these waves simply developed from infinitesimal disturbances (in which case their phases would be arbitrary). If we filter out the intraseasonal component of the windstress, all phase-correspondence is lost. We conclude that the phases of these waves are not arbitrary, but partially determined by the intraseasonal winds. The subsurface evolution of the model suggests a possible control mechanism is through interaction with remotely-forced subsurface Kelvin and Rossby waves. This is supported by an experiment which shows how zonal wind bursts in the west Pacific can modify the TIW field, but other mechanisms, such as local feedbacks, are also possible.