Extended Abstract (2.3M)6.6
(Formerly Paper 6.4) WMO Satellite Activities and Perspectives (Invited Presentation)
Donald E. Hinsman, WMO, Geneva, Switzerland
The main purpose of the WMO Satellite Activities Programme is to coordinate environmental satellite matters and activities throughout all WMO programmes and to provide guidance on the potentialities of remote-sensing techniques in meteorology, hydrology, related disciplines and their applications. The foundation upon which WMO Members depend for remotely sensed data is the space-based component of the Global Observing System (GOS). This paper discusses two initiatives within the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) related towards improving and expanding the GOS.
Firstly, the WMO Executive Council has agreed to the establishment of Consultative Meetings on High-Level Policy on Satellite Matters. The Council recognized that in the opening decade of the new millennium, a major opportunity to support and enhance WMO Programmes could be obtained through existing and planned satellite programmes. At the same time, there was a need to demonstrate the value of those satellite programmes to all concerned and to ensure that future plans took into account WMO needs. Within the above context, the satellite operators and WMO proposed that regular consultative meetings to discuss high-level policy matters would be beneficial to all parties concerned. Such meetings would build on the good relationship that exists today between satellite operators and WMO, and would enhance the working relations already in place through existing mechanisms. The meetings would promote the achievement of further efficiencies in the satellite observing system and would ensure a common understanding of objectives and lead to better harmonization of programmes, requirements, usage of satellite data products and services, and high-level policy matters. The First Consultative Meeting was held 22-23 January 2001 and the paper will discuss its important recommendations as they relate to the space-based component of the GOS.
Secondly, the Commission for Basic System (CBS) recognized the need to review and update the GOS. Specifically, it has tasked its Open Programme Area Group on Integrated Observing Systems (OPAG IOS) to assess the capabilities of new or improvements to existing observing systems; in particular with a view to reducing deficiencies in the existing GOS and to study hypothetical changes to the GOS, as well as to prepare a prioritized list of proposals which are both practicable and amenable to testing and suggest mechanisms for testing them. Furthermore, the Commission for Basic System has agreed upon the Rolling Review of Requirements (RRR) process with which to guide its redesign activities. The RRR process has four distinct steps: a compilation and review of observational requirements resulting in a consolidated set of observational requirements unique to an application area, development of expected performances for both in situ and satellite-based observing systems, an objective comparison of how well the requirements are met by the observing systems, and a Statement of Guidance that is an evaluation of the objective comparison by experts in the various application areas. This paper discusses the RRR process and results from the Statements of Guidance prepared to date.
Session 6, Future Activities
Thursday, 18 October 2001, 1:30 PM-5:00 PM
Previous paper Next paper