Simulation of Microwave Radiance Observations for the TROPICS Mission

The upcoming TROPICS Mission comprises six small satellites, which will gather microwave radiance data with frequencies in the range from 90 to 205 GHz. With superior coverage and low latency, these new instruments should improve our ability to analyze and forecast tropical cyclones. The TROPICS mission is supported by ongoing global Observing System Simulation Experiments (OSSEs). The purpose of the OSSEs discussed here is to estimate the potential impact of the TROPICS satellites on forecast skill, for both tropical cyclones and global weather prediction. This presentation focuses on the first component of the OSSE project: the simulation of TROPICS microwave radiance observations from the GEOS-5 Nature Run (G5NR). The simulation of radiance observations is accomplished with the Community Radiative Transfer Model (CRTM). The CRTM is a fast radiative transfer model that maps states of the Earth atmosphere, oceans, and land to radiance observations from satellites. The G5NR provides atmospheric profiles and some surface properties at the place of observation. The Earth surface type and surface properties that do not change quickly at the place of observation are taken from available databases. It is shown that the simulated microwave radiance observations are realistic, consistent, and useful for OSSEs.

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