GeoIPSTM: Next Generation Environmental Data Processing

The Geo-located Information Processing System (GeoIPS^TM) is a python-based environmental data processing capability that will soon be released as an open source package for the scientific community. GeoIPS^TMhas been conceived, developed, and used at the Naval Research Laboratory - Marine Meteorology Division (NRL-MMD) and is currently in use at the Colorado State University - Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere (CIRA). The system provides a portable, modular, reusable, object-oriented framework for applying advanced processing algorithms to a wide variety of environmental datasets including, but not limited to, geostationary and low earth orbit sensors, numerical weather prediction (NWP) model output, and in-situ observations (e.g. Unmanned Aerial Systems).

Current real-time capabilities include ingest and processing of several geostationary imagers (GOES-16 ABI, Himawari-8 AHI, MSG SEVIRI), several polar orbiting sensors (S-NPP VIIRS, GCOM W1, AMSR2, GPM GMI, Meghatropiques SAPHIR, SSMIS), and data fields from multiple NWP models. Imagery is produced from each of these data sources for environmental characterization in both real-time operations and scientific research. Extending GeoIPS^TM to handle additional data sources is simplified by the modularity of the package; the GeoIPS^TM team is currently working to add new sensors, models, and conventional observations.

Individual tasks within GeoIPS^TM (e.g. data ingest, geographic mapping, graphical plotting, processing scientific-oriented algorithms, etc.) are performed by individual packages, each of which can be readily updated by future technology or customized to meet research and development (R&D) and operational requirements. Modularity allows GeoIPS^TM to be flexible in how its base functions operate and for adding new data processing algorithms. Recent developments include contour plotting, stitched data from multiple sensors, overlays of NWP output, and full disk imagery. Production of quantitative products is currently under development.

GeoIPS^TM is being developed free of proprietary software and file formats and is scalable to conform to future needs. Lack of proprietary software within the system will allow it to be released as an open-source package in the near future. GeoIPS^TM allows for more rapid R&D prototyping with an efficient transition path from R&D to operations, while providing the ability to incorporate future growth and technological advancement. Furthermore, the open source aspect provides an effortless transition path to NRL-MMD’s partners (e.g. NOAA, NASA, FNMOC). The system is easily portable to non-R&D systems and could potentially be deployed at operational centers or remote platforms (e.g. Navy vessels), providing a “push-forward” rather than “reach-back” capability that allows data to be accessible for mission planning and implementation.