This presentation describes a proposed collaboration between the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the Federal Aviation Administration's Aviation Weather Research Program (FAA AWRP) to enhance and extend the use of satellite data sets for applications in aviation weather. The ASAP initiative will feature collaboration between NASA and the FAA AWRP through involvement of the University of Wisconsin Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies (UW-CIMSS), and the AWRP Product Development Teams (PDTs). The collaborative effort represents an opportunity, through NASA sponsorship, to assist the AWRP PDTs in making better use of existing satellite data sets. It will also be used to facilitate an early involvement of the AWRP PDTs in the development process for the next generation of satellite sensors and speed the use and incorporation of these new technologies into the Nation's aviation safety programs.

Specific to this collaboration will be the direct assistance in testing and evaluation of existing satellite algorithms that have been developed or are proposed by AWRP team members, the introduction of new techniques and data sets to the PDTs from the satellite community, and giving PDT members access to satellite data sets for research and development available through UW-CIMSS. As part of ASAP, UW-CIMSS scientists will have the opportunity to transfer proven ideas into operations, and directly interact with AWRP scientists seeking to maximize their use of satellite technologies.

The proposed collaboration would occur in two phases. The first ("Phase I" from late 2002 through 2005) will focus on enhancing the AWRP PDTs use of current satellite data and processing techniques to address various aviation problems (current includes new platforms to be launched in the next year or two). The second, "Phase II" of ASAP (from late 2005 through 2012), will focus on taking advantage of the dramatic improvements in remote sensing technologies that will be possible with the next generation of high-spectral and spatial resolution satellites and identifying the opportunities that these satellites will provide for improving aviation weather products. These new satellite technologies will include the Geosyncronous Imaging Fourier Transform Spectroradiometer (GIFTS) hyperspectral instrument.

The presentation will highlight first ASAP research, as well as highlight several key areas of new research in the areas of diagnosing and nowcasting turbulence, clouds, convection and in-flight icing through the inclusion of value-added satellite information.