Global satellite images for aviation operations

Flight planning and flight following dispatch operations require information on potential flight hazards. Hazards such as thunderstorms, turbulence, icing, fog, volcanic ash, etc. are potential problems which are not always forecast adequately by numerical models. Satellite images are used to monitor the weather conditions causing existing flight hazards, as well as being used to identify the development of new hazards. Geostationary weather satellite data are available around the world from the US (GOES-east and GOES-west), Japan (MTSAT), China (FY-2C, D, and E), and the European EUMETSAT (Meteosat and Meteosat Second Generation (MSG)). While individual satellite images for specific locations are easily available from web sites or in digital form, global aviation flights frequently pass from one satellite area of coverage to another. Satellite image products derived from a mosaic of satellite images are generally required for global aviation interests. In response to these requirements, some aviation oriented organizations have generated global mosaics of satellite images such as the Aviation Weather Center web site at http://aviationweather.gov/obs/sat/intl/. However, the existing global mosaics are generally available only for infrared images. Image products such as Water Vapor, Visible, Nighttime Fog, Volcanic Ash, Thunderstorm Detection, etc. have been developed by a number of satellite producers, but are generally available only over a limited area of the globe. The intent of this effort has been to develop an operational processing system that would make these other satellite products available for the entire globe. The initial product suite has been an infrared product, a day/night visible/fog product, a thunderstorm detection product, a thunderstorm top height product, a water vapor product, and a volcanic ash product at a 4 km, 30 minute resolution for the globe, along with 1-2 km, 15 minute resolution regional products over the US and Europe. Two versions of the product suite are running. The version running at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) uses only publically available digital satellite products. The biggest problem with the publically available satellite products is the distribution restrictions placed on the EUMETSAT data, which limits MSG and Meteosat Indian Ocean data to only 6 hours intervals. The Chinese satellite data can be used for coverage of the Asia regions through the Middle East with 30 minute coverage, but European and African regions are limited to 6 hourly intervals. The second version of the product suite is running at Telvent DTN which has full access to the EUMETSAT data, and will provide the entire product suite to its commercial subscribers. Figure 1. An example of the global day/night visible/fog image. The blue clouds are above 500mb. The visible portion of the image extends from India to the central US. The fog nighttime portion of the image extends from the central US westward to Asia. The image has been reduced in size by a factor of 9 to fit the page.