The Weather

CIMSS generally uses the infrared part of the electromagnetic spectrum to produce meteorological measurements and forecasting products. An example of this research is work conducted with GOES satellite sounder infrared radiances. These radiances can be used to calculate convective stability indices such as lifted index (LI) and convective available potential energy (CAPE) which are used for thunderstorm forecasting. A ground-based higher spectral resolution instrument called the Atmospheric Emitted Radiance Interferometer (AERI) measures downwelling infrared radiation which can be used to calculate temperature and moisture profiles within the first three kilometers of the atmosphere at ten minute time resolution. Realtime spacebased GOES sounder and groundbased AERI weather products are provided by CIMSS to the forecasting community to give meteorological tendency information not available with radiosonde launches at twelve hour intervals and spaced 500 kilometers apart.

This research has lead to the development of new spaceborne instrument technology. The Geostationary Imaging Fourier Transform Spectrometer and NPOESS Atmospheric Sounding Testbed - Interferometer are high spectral and time resolution interferometers being developed for geostationary and polar orbits. These "next generation" instruments will provide an order of magnitude leap in infrared remote sensing to what is currently available in space orbit. The high resolution radiances from this instrumentation will provide higher vertical and spatial resolution atmospheric profiling capabilities. The end result of this information is better numerical weather prediction model forecasts and nowcasting of significant severe weather events. CIMSS realtime weather products and current weather data are available on the CIMSS Weather homepage.