Simulation of Visible/Infrared Imager/Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) Observations for Application to Mesoscale Analysis and Forecasting

The next generation U.S. polar-orbiting satellite system (NPOESS) will contain an advanced imager (VIIRS) with increased horizontal resolution and new spectral bands. To prepare for this new capability, synthetic VIIRS imagery is being created using a numerical cloud model coupled with a radiative transfer model. The emphasis of this work is on potential applications of VIIRS to mesoscale analysis and forecasting, so the first simulations are of a severe thunderstorm. Observations from MODIS in the bands that are similar to the proposed VIIRS bands are also being collected for severe weather cases. The simulation method and applications of the MODIS and synthetic VIIRS imagery will be summarized.