CM SAF Week 2012

The Satellite Application Facility on Climate Monitoring (CM SAF) provides high-quality, satellite-based data sets for use in climate monitoring and analysis. The current suite of data covers the main components of the atmospheric energy and water cycle. This year a CM SAF Event Week takes place from 25 – 29 June 2012 in collaboration with EUMETSAT and EUMeTrain. This is an online training for those already using or interested in using the CM SAF products. The main focus of the week are the fundamentals of the retrieval algorithms used to derive the Essential Climate Variables provided by CM SAF and real world application examples. The presentations will be given by experts from the CM SAF team. We plan to have up to three online presentations of about 1 hours plus discussions each day. Agenda:

Detailed Agenda: Monday, 25 June 2012 8:00 UTC – 8:45 UTC: CM SAF Overview This presentation will give a general overview on the duties of CM SAF and the data and services it provides. 9:15 UTC – 10:00 UTC: Introduction to Software Tools This presentation is an introduction on the software tools cdo and R that are well suited to handle CM SAF data. Both tools are freeware and can be installed under Windows and Unix environments. Scripts for cdo and R for basic operations on CM SAF products are providedand will be explained in this presentation. Time to install cdo and R and to order CM SAF data via the web user interface (WUI) 14:00 UTC – 15:00 UTC: Feedback Loop for Technical Issues This will be a life Centra session giving participants the chance to rise questions concerning the software tool cdo and R as well as questions concerning the data ordering process. Tuesday, 26 June 2012 8:00 UTC – 8:45 UTC: Cloud Retrieval In this presentation the basic principles of the cloud retrieval methods in the CM SAF are explained. 9:15 UTC – 10:00 UTC: The AVHRR Global Climate Dataset of Clouds and Radiation The so called Global Area Coverage (GAC) climate dataset, derived from AVHRR data, provides information on cloud and radiation parameters from 1982 – 2009 covering the entire globe. This presentation gives an overview on the GAC dataset ranging from technical information, such as spatial resolution, time resolution, sensors used, climate variables covered by the dataset, accuracy of the data to some real world application examples. 12:00 UTC – 12:45 UTC: Top of the Atmosphere Radiation Parameters Radiation parameters at the top of the atmosphere are especially important for atmospheric modelling. To derive information on radiation conditions at the top of the atmosphere satellites are the only data source. This presentation will cover the basic retrieval principals, technical information on the data as well as application examples. Time to work through the provided exercises and / or to work on your own project using CM SAF data. Support will be provided via online discussion fora. Wednesday, 27 June 2012 8:00 UTC – 8:45 UTC: Surface Radiation Retrieval In this presentation the basic principles of the surface radiation retrieval methods used in the CM SAF are explained. 9:15 UTC – 10:00 UTC: Surface Radiation Climate Dataset from Meteosat CM SAF provides a surface radiation climate dataset derived from Meteosat satellites covering the period 1983 – 2005 and the area seen by the Meteosat satellite located at 0° longitude and 0° latitude. This presentation gives an overview on the dataset ranging from technical information, such as spatial resolution, time resolution, radiation variables covered by the dataset, accuracy of the data to some real world application examples. 12:00 UTC – 12:45 UTC: Operational Products on Clouds and Radiation In addition to the climate datasets covering time periods of 2 decades or more, CM SAF also provides operational products. While the climate datasets need several years to be available, the operational products are available within 8 weeks. The operational products available at CM SAF are introduced together with the most important technical details and some application examples. Time to work through the provided exercises and / or to work on your own project using CM SAF data. Support will be provided via online discussion fora. Thursday, 28 June 2012 8:00 UTC – 8:45 UTC: The Ocean Climate Dataset HOAPS The Hamburg Ocean Atmosphere Parameters and Fluxes from Satellite Data (HOAPS) climatology provides information on various atmospheric and oceanic parameters for the period 1987 – 2006 covering the global ice-free oceans. This presentation gives an overview on the HOAPS climate dataset ranging from technical information, such as spatial resolution, time resolution, sensors used, climate variables covered by the dataset, accuracy of the data to some real world application examples. 9:15 UTC – 10:00 UTC: Global Moisture and Temperature operational Product In addition to the HOAPS climate dataset that provides data over the ice free ocean, CM SAF also provides operational global products on water vapour and temperature for different layers of the atmosphere. Those operational products are available from 2004 until present with a maximum delay of 8 weeks between the measurement and the availability of the products. The temperature and humidity products are introduced together with the most important technical details and some application examples.Time to work through the provided exercises and / or to work on your own project using CM SAF data. Support will be provided via online discussion fora. Friday, 29 June 2012 8:00 UTC – 8:45 UTC: CM SAF Future Plans This presentation provides an outlook on what is to be expected from the CM SAF within the next five years. Final quiz A final quiz on the content of the online presentation will be available to test your knowledge gained during the week. The Event Week will not just be a passive experience; participants are invited to work on their own through the prepared exercises. An introduction on the use of the climate data operators (cdo) and the statistical software R to visualize and analyse CM SAF data will be given. Software scripts and other tools to work with CM SAF data will be provided in advance to the online Event Week. Participants are encouraged to rise questions and share ideas via online fora in parallel to the Event Week. Each participant will have the chance to test his or her knowledge in a final quiz at the end of the week and will receive a certificate.

The CM SAF training team

March2013