Atmospheric infrared sounder assimilation experiments using NCEP's GFS

In May 2002, the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) along with the Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit (AMSU) and the Humidity Sounder for Brazil (HSPB) were launched on the Aqua satellite of the Earth Observing System (EOS). AIRS is the first infrared spectrometer/radiometer to provide routine data in the 3.7-15.4 micrometer spectral range with hyperspectral resolution. In collaboration with NASA, NOAA/NESDIS, and NCEP, the JCSDA (Joint Center for Satellite Data Assimilation) has been conducting radiance assimilation experiments with AIRS using NCEP's Global Forecast System (GFS).

A series of experiments that have been performed using the full spatial resolution AIRS data with a revised thinning selection criteria. The experiments have shown significant improvements in the anomaly correlations in both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. This positive impact is shown even when including the full complement of other satellite and non-satellite based observations.