Tropical Cyclone Intensity and Imagery Products from the TROPICS Smallsat Satellite Constellation

The Time-Resolved Observations of Precipitation structure and storm Intensity with a Constellation of Smallsats (TROPICS) mission began in 2021 with the launch of the TROPICS Pathfinder satellite on Jun 30^th. The follow-on primary mission launched in May of 2023 with two separate launches completing the constellation of four satellites. The inclined orbit of 33 degrees for the constellation permits rapid updated microwave imagery with a median refresh time of 60 minutes over Tropical Cyclones (TC). The TROPICS radiometer uses seven channels in the 118 GHz oxygen absorption line, three channels in the 183 GHz absorption line, a single channel near 90 GHz and a single unique channel at 205 GHz that is more sensitive to precipitation-sized ice particles and low-level moisture. The TROPICS temperature sounder sensing in the ~118 GHz range is capable of sampling the Tropical Cyclone (TC) warm core which can be used to estimate storm intensity. Intensity algorithms that use these temperature channels have been developed by the Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies (CIMSS) and the Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere (CIRA). An update on the CIMSS algorithm called the Tropical Cyclone Intensity Estimation (TCIE) algorithm will be presented including validation of TC intensity estimates from the 2023 season. Data latency from TROPICS is currently around 12 hours however efforts have been made to decrease product data latency to provide TC forecasters with critical storm information in a timely manner. This talk will discuss the efforts to produce low-latency near real-time TROPICS imagery and derived products including storm intensity, automated center location and structure information produced by CIMSS.

Figure 1. CIMSS TROPICS imagery matrix for Super Typhoon Mawar (02W) 2023 displaying select TROPICS temperature and moisture sounding channels.