Monitor Tropical Cyclone Energetics Using EOSDIS Data

The energy driving a tropical cyclone’s development depends on the temperature of the ocean over which the storm is passing. The effects of sea surface temperature on a storm are seen in the strength of its winds, and in the intensity and spatial distribution of its precipitation. Recently deployed satellite sensors permit improved measurements of these key parameters related to storm energetics, which are available in products distributed by the EOS Data and Information System (EOSDIS). Used synergistically, the data can lead to a better understanding of tropical cyclone dynamics. EOSDIS data products are available from the Distributed Active Archive Center (DAAC) Alliance and from the EOS Data Gateway (EDG) unless otherwise noted.

Terra MISR. Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer (MISR) cloud heights are derived from stereoscopic observations. This method has the advantage of not needing assumptions about atmospheric temperature profiles required for previous (e.g., GOES) cloud height retrievals. The visible radiance image is included for visual reference only. Cloud top heights are depicted in shades ranging from blue (low, 1–2 km) to red (high, 12–14 km). Cloud top winds at ~70-km resolution are determined for high and low clouds using an automatic feature-tracking algorithm. Arrows indicate the wind direction, with longer arrows for higher wind speeds. Cloud top heights, wind speeds, and wind directions are found in the MISR Cloud Stereo Product (MIL2TCST). Data are available from the LaRC DAAC.

This preview product is available at http://eosweb.larc.nasa.gov/PRODOCS/misr/table_misr.html.
Data Set: MISR Level 2 TOA/Cloud Stereo Data
Data Granule ID: MISR_AM1_TC_STEREO_P226_O003600_02.zip
MISR cloud data after February 15, 2001, are available through the EDG.
QuikSCAT SeaWinds. Microwave scatterometers can retrieve oceanic vector winds through cloud cover, adding data obtained at the surface to vector winds measured at various cloud heights by MISR and GOES. The SeaWinds surface wind vectors are produced at 25-km resolution. The wind overlay image was produced by William Daffer of JPL. Higher velocities are shown ranging from green to yellow to red. The SeaWinds overpass (~0900 Z) was within 5 hours of the MISR observations (~1345 Z). Data are available from the JPL DAAC.

Data Set: QuikSCAT Level 2B Ocean Wind Vectors in 25 Km Swath Grid
Date Range: August 18–22, 2000
Data Granule ID: 108.QSCAT_L2B_0815
TRMM TMI – Precipitation. The Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) Microwave Imager (TMI) measures the intensity and spatial distributions (vertical and horizontal) of different types of precipitation. Rain bands are clearly shown in the surface rainfall image. Vertical distributions of precipitating ice and liquid water along a portion of the TMI swath are shown with the same intensity scale. Such measurements are important since precipitation involves the vertical transfer of latent heat within a storm. The TSDIS Orbit Viewer used to make the precipitation images is available for a variety of platforms from http://tsdis.gsfc.nasa.gov/orbitviewer.html. Data are available from the GSFC DAAC.

This product is available at http://lake.nascom.nasa.gov/data/dataset/TRMM/01_Data_Products/01_Orbital/05_Tmi_Prof_2A_12/index.html.
Data Set: 2A12: Hydrometeor Profile (TMI)
Data Granule ID: 2A12.000822.15739.5.HDF
TRMM TMI – Sea Surface Temperature (SST). TMI also can measure SST, adding critical data from cloud-covered areas to forecast models. TMI SST data are included in an ocean product (with cloud liquid water, water vapor, precipitation rates, and wind speeds) produced by Remote Sensing Systems (RSS). The TMI 3-day-averaged SST map includes data from the four granules listed below. Data are available from the GHRC.

Data Set: TRMM Microwave Imager (TMI) Wentz Ocean Products
Date Range: August 24–26, 1998
Data Granule IDs: tmiwop_1998.235_daily, tmiwop_1998.236_daily, tmiwop_1998.237_daily, and tmiwop_1998.238_daily
Reynolds Weekly SST. This blended product of AVHRR IR retrievals and buoy SSTs, commonly used to initialize weather and climate models, has a spatial resolution of 1 degree. The three images at the bottom of the poster are adapted from the RSS hurricane Web page at http://www.ssmi.com/hurricanes.html. Data are available from the JPL DAAC.

Data Set: NCEP Reynolds Optimally Interpolated Sea Surface Temperature Data Sets
Data Set Granule ID: 119.OISSTWEEKLY1981-NOW

To search and order data available from the EDG, see http://eos.nasa.gov/imswelcome
For information about the data centers of the DAAC Alliance, see http://nasadaacs.eos.nasa.gov
For an online version of this poster and for other EOSDIS outreach materials and resources, see http://eos.nasa.gov/outreach
For information about NASA’s EOS missions and instruments, see http://eos.nasa.gov