An update on the NOAA MSU/AMSU/SSU CDR development and its applications

NOAA/NESDIS has been developing consistent, SNO (simultaneous nadir overpass) inter-calibrated radiance fundamental climate data record (FCDR) and upper air temperature thematic climate data records (TCDR) from MSU/AMSU/SSU observations for climate applications. In this presentation, we will provide an update on the status of the MSU/AMSU/SSU reprocessing/recalibration activities and its application. These include: a) release of the SNO re-calibrated, 28-year (1978-2006) MSU-only radiance FCDR and its resulting three-layers of upper air temperature TCDR which include mid-troposphere, upper-troposphere, and lower-stratosphere; b) Performance of inter-calibrated radiance FCDR for the AMSU-A atmospheric temperature channels onboard NOAA-15 through NOAA-18 and MetOp-A; c) Release of Version 2.0, 31-year (1979-2009) merged MSU/AMSU upper air temperature TCDR; d) data assimilation of the re-calibrated MSU radiance FCDR in the new-generations of NCEP CFSR and NASA MERRA reanalyses; e) MSU trend analysis and its relationship with sea ice melting; f) a briefing on the workshop recently held at Washington DC on Climate Data Records from Satellite Microwave Radiometry. Issues and recommendations on the MSU/AMSU/SSU reprocessing from the workshop will be discussed.