Future Needs for Near Real-time LEO Satellite Data in the Arctic

The Arctic is warming several times faster than the global average, resulting in a broad range of impacts that extend well beyond the northern latitudes. Expectations of a shrinking arctic ice pack have spawned plans for projects that range from mitigating adverse effects to launching new ventures in transportation and commerce. Increased Arctic activity has also raised concerns about the protection of national security interests. As more people and equipment operate in the Arctic, there will be an increased need for improved weather services and hazard monitoring. The harsh environment and continually moving sea ice make establishing and maintaining surface-based observation platforms difficult. Remote sensing from space can help fill this data void but only Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites in polar trajectories can view the highest latitudes. Existing products are continually improving, and coverage will increase as new satellites are added to the constellation, however low latency data is essential for early warning of potentially hazardous conditions.

The Geographic Information Network of Alaska (GINA) at the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) receives LEO satellite data via Direct Broadcast (DB). GINA generates and distributes LEO products in near real-time (NRT) that help monitor evolving short-fused natural hazards affecting Alaskan residents, such as storms, floods, fires, volcanoes, and shifting sea ice. The latest Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS) NOAA-21 satellite, launched on 10 November 2022, is already providing high-quality data that GINA distributes to stakeholders in high latitudes. New LEO satellites, such as the EUMETSAT MetOp-SG series, scheduled for launch in early 2025, will increase coverage when available for access by GINA’s DB antennas.

This presentation will review some of the specialized LEO satellite products currently available for Arctic regions to address rapid changes in sea ice, ocean winds, temperatures, atmospheric stability, clouds, and precipitation. GINA’s DB infrastructure and distribution outlets provide an ideal proving ground for evaluating improvements to existing products and testing new algorithms. For example, developers at the NOAA Center for Satellite Applications and Research (STAR) and the Cooperative Institute for Satellite Earth Systems Studies (CISESS) produce microwave Snowfall Rate estimates on GINA servers that extend from Alaska to the North Pole. GINA also partners with the Cooperative Institute for Research of the Atmosphere (CIRA) to promote new LEO RGB products for the cryosphere such as the Snowmelt RGB. With a changing climate, GINA is continually assessing the impact of future activities in arctic waters and looking for potential polar satellite solutions to new data demands and challenges.