On the Cost/Benefit of Meteorological Satellite Systems

Accurate and reliable numerical weather prediction depends on a continuous supply of observational data from the entire globe. For many if not most types of observations, the only practical means of achieving this is via space-base observing systems which are costly to develop, deploy and operate. However, the very substantial socioeconomic benefits associated with accurate weather forecasts make this a sound investment from an overall societal perspective. In this presentation we will describe ongoing efforts of the World Meteorological Organization aimed at assessing the overall costs involved in running the Global Observing System as well as the monetary value of the societal benefits that accrue due to their utilization for generating weather forecast products and services. This work can also be useful for the valuation of satellite observing systems and satellite data, especially for those systems and data used to support numerical weather prediction.