Assessments of CubeSat MicroMas-2 and CIRAS Impacts on NWP through Global OSSE

Through Global Observational System Simulation Experiment (OSSE), the expected impact of adding the CubeSat Micro-sized Microwave Atmospheric Satellite (MicroMAS-2) and CubeSat InfraRed Atmospheric Sounder (CIRAS) on numerical weather prediction models can be assessed prior to the launch of the satellites. An overview of the simulation, validation, and assimilation of the MicroMas-2 and CIRAS observations and their analysis and forecast impacts on the NCEP Global Data Assimilation System (GDAS) and Global Forecast System (GFS) using multiple metrics will be presented. The observations by the new instruments are simulated with the Community Radiative Transfer Model (CRTM) using the NASA GEOS-5 Nature Run (G5NR) on low Earth-orbiting platforms with different constellation. These new proposed observations are assimilated into GDAS 3DEnVar Hybrid system at T670 resolutions with the ensemble at T254 resolutions. Impacts are assessed for the two sets of experiments: a control scenario (all operational observations at 2014) and a data-gap scenario (with no afternoon orbiting satellites). The addition of these new CubeSats observations shows improvement on both the analysis and forecast.