NOAA’s Quantitative Observing System Assessment Program (QOSAP) activities in Support of the Next Generation LEO and GEO Satellites and the Commercial Weather Program

As new satellite architectures for Earth systems modeling applications are proposed, a rigorous evaluation of their potential impact on numerical weather prediction systems is necessary. This allows for the development of a cost-benefit analysis for better planning and decision making.

The Quantitative Observing System Assessment Program (QOSAP) evaluates and optimizes the impact of current and proposed observations for Earth systems analysis and forecasting. Since the U.S. Congress began funding QOSAP in 2014, the program has greatly expanded its capabilities in conducting quantitative assessments. Today, QOSAP maintains and improves infrastructure to conduct assessments. Furthermore, the program evaluates and optimizes the use of in-situ and remotely sensed observations, provides information on the impact of proposed changes to the observing system, quantifies expected impact of emerging observing technologies, investigates trade-off studies to optimize observing system configuration, and improves data assimilation strategies for better use of observations.

During this presentation, an overview of the QOSAP program, ongoing efforts in support of the LEO and GEO satellites, and relevant results from the evaluation of data from the Commercial Data Program will be discussed.