Translate Data Into Meaning: integration of meteorology and geomatics to generate meaningful information for decision makers

A variety of actors at all scales and acting in different domains such as emergency management, agriculture, sports and leisure and commercial activities, are becoming more aware of the challenges and opportunities that meteorological data analysis poses for their operational goals. The increasing availability of meteorological data coupled with a rapid improvement in technology led to the widespread dissemination of the weather information to a variety of users on a regular basis. Particularly through the internet and mobile application all users, despite their varied background, can access to big amount of data with a high potential to gather essential input that can significantly help their decisions. At the same time, simply creating and disseminating information without context does not necessarily offer an added value to sèecific users. One of the main issues is related to the scientific approach of weather analysis and to the representation of results, which are hardly understandable for non-technical users and therefore not easily usable to make decisions. As a result, there are several researches aiming at finding new ways of supporting decision making by supplying easy to use information. The main objective of this thesis is therefore to provide guidance on how to identify and characterize the needs for meaningful and usable information among various users of meteorology, including members of the public, emergency managers, other government decision makers, and private-sector entities, both direct users and intermediaries. In particular a methodology for the integration of meteorological data and GIS capabilities is investigated and applied to three different end users having similarities and differences. Scientific analysis, results and cartographic products are adapted to specific requirements, experience and perceptions of the three different users

Evaluation of the Harmful Algal Bloom Mapping System (HABMapS) and Bulletin

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB) Mapping System and Bulletin provide a Web-based geographic information system (GIS) and an e-mail alert system that allow the detection, monitoring, and tracking of HABs in the Gulf of Mexico. NASA Earth Science data that potentially support HABMapS/Bulletin requirements include ocean color, sea surface temperature (SST), salinity, wind fields, precipitation, water surface elevation, and ocean currents. Modeling contributions include ocean circulation, wave/currents, along-shore current regimes, and chlorophyll modeling (coupled to imagery). The most immediately useful NASA contributions appear to be the 1-km Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MODIS) chlorophyll and SST products and the (presently used) SeaWinds wind vector data. MODIS pigment concentration and SST data are sufficiently mature to replace imagery currently used in NOAA HAB applications. The large file size of MODIS data is an impediment to NOAA use and modified processing schemes would aid in NOAA adoption of these products for operational HAB forecasting

The FLASH project: using lightning data to better understand and predict flash floods

The FLASH project was implemented from 2006 to 2010 underthe EU FP6 framework. The project focused on using lightning observations to better understand and predict convective storms that result in flash floods. As part of the project 23 case studies of flash floods in the Mediterranean region were examined. For the analysis of these storms lightning data from the ZEUS network were used together with satellite derived rainfall estimates in orderto understand the storm development and electrification. In addition, these case studies were simulated using mesoscale meteorological models to better understand the meteorological and synoptic conditions leading up to these intense storms. As part of this project tools for short term predictions (nowcasts) of intenseconvection across the Mediterranean and Europe, and long term forecasts (a few days) of the likelihood of intense convection were developed. The project also focused on educationaloutreach through our website http://flashproject.orgsupplying real time lightning observations, real time experimental nowcasts, forecasts and educational materials. While flash floods and intense thunderstorms cannot be preventedas the climate changes, long-range regional lightning networks can supply valuable data, in realtime, for warningend-users and stakeholders of imminent intense rainfall and possible flash floods

Empleo de técnicas de teledetección con diferentes niveles de resolución para la mejora de la gestión del riego

Currently there is a growing interest in improving water management in Mediterranean agriculture due to the foreseeable results of climate change and to the competition with other sectors such as the environmental. For this reason different methodologies have been evaluated in this thesis to increase water use efficiency in Andalusian agriculture by means of the improvement in the estimation of crop irrigation water requirements, using different remote sensing techniques and spatial analysis. In this work the two main parameters involved in crop evapotranspiration determination were addressed: reference evapotranspiration (Chapters 1 and 2) and crop coefficient (Chapters 3 and 4). More specifically, in Chapter 1, different interpolation methods were applied to meteorological data and results were assessed in order to determine which of them provided the most accurate reference evapotranspiration (ETo) estimates. The ETo estimates obtained from the interpolation methods were compared with the ETo values provided by the Land Surface Analysis Satellite Application Facility (LSA SAF), based on the daily solar radiation derived from Meteosat Second Generation (MSG) and air temperature at 2 m forecasts provided by European Center for Medium-range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF). Additionally, new techniques were proposed for ETo estimation improvement in areas without a nearby weather station, which were based on the analysis of the spatial location of the weather stations and the temporal evolution of ETo. Also related to ETo estimation and its practical application for irrigation management, Chapter 2 presents an innovative methodology for performing irrigation schedules easily usable by farmers and technicians, using weather forecasts provided by the National Meteorological Agency (AEMET) and by ECMWF for ETo estimation. In addition, the effect that the different methods for ETo estimation has on the crop water requirements and on the crop yield simulated using the AquaCrop model was also assessed. Once accurate ETo values were determined by means of the methodologies developed in Chapters 1 and 2, it is necessary to determine crop coefficient values for the correct estimation of the crop water demands. This issue was addressed in Chapter 3, where different atmospheric corrections were applied to Landsat 7 satellite images, with the aim of eliminating the effect that the atmosphere causes during the image acquisition process. In this way, it was possible to obtain much more accurate surface temperature measurements, in order to assess the effect of the different atmospheric corrections on the determination of the olive crop coefficient. However, the effect that atmosphere has on the satellite images acquisition process analyzed in Chapter 3 is not the only issue to be taken into account when using remote sensing techniques. Thus, spatial resolution is also a key factor for the application of these techniques in irrigation management. Therefore, in Chapter 4 the influence of spatial resolution on the different energy balance components estimated by the METRIC energy balance model was evaluated, paying special attention to crop evapotranspiration.Actualmente existe un interés creciente por la mejora de la gestión del agua en la agricultura mediterránea debido a las previsibles consecuencias del cambio climático y a la competencia con otros sectores como el medioambiental. Por este motivo en esta tesis se han evaluado diferentes metodologías para incrementar la eficiencia en el uso del agua en la agricultura andaluza por medio de la mejora en la estimación de las necesidades de riego de los cultivos, empleando diferentes técnicas de teledetección y análisis espacial. De este modo, en este trabajo se abordó el estudio de los dos principales parámetros involucrados en la determinación de la evapotranspiración de cultivo: la evapotranspiración de referencia (Capítulos 1 y 2) y el coeficiente de cultivo (Capítulos 3 y 4). Más específicamente, en el Capítulo 1 se evaluaron diferentes métodos de interpolación de información obtenida desde estaciones meteorológicas para determinar cuál de ellos proporcionaba unas estimaciones de evapotranspiración de referencia (ETo) más precisas. Las estimaciones de ETo obtenidas con dichos métodos de interpolación se compararon con los valores de ETo proporcionados por Land Surface Analysis Satellite Application Facility (LSA SAF), a partir de la radiación solar diaria derivada de Meteosat Second Generation (MSG) y de las prediciones de la temperatura del aire a 2 m proporcionadas por European Centre for Medium-range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF). Adicionalmente, se propusieron técnicas para la mejora en la estimación de la ETo en zonas sin estación meteorológica cercana, basadas en el análisis de localización espacial de las estaciones meteorológicas y en la evolución temporal de ETo en las mismas. Relacionado también con la estimación de la ETo y su aplicación práctica para la gestión del riego, en el Capítulo 2 se presenta una innovadora metodología para la realización de calendarios de riego fácilmente utilizable por agricultores y técnicos, utilizando predicciones meteorológicas para la estimación de ETo proporcionadas por la Agencia Estatal de Meteorología (AEMET) y por el ECMWF. Además, se analizó el efecto de la consideración de diferentes métodos para la estimación de la ETo sobre las necesidades de riego y sobre el rendimiento del cultivo simulado utilizando el modelo AquaCrop. Una vez determinados valores fiables de ETo mediante las metodologías desarrolladas en los Capítulos 1 y 2, para la correcta estimación de las necesidades de riego de los cultivos, es preciso obtener valores de coeficiente de cultivo ajustados al estado de los mismos. Esta cuestión se trató en el Capítulo 3, donde se aplicaron diferentes correcciones atmosféricas sobre imágenes del satélite Landsat 7, con el objetivo de eliminar el efecto que la atmósfera causa durante el proceso de adquisición de las mismas. De este modo, se consiguió obtener unas medidas de temperatura superficial mucho más precisas, para finalmente conocer el efecto de las diferentes correcciones atmosféricas sobre la determinación del coeficiente de cultivo del olivar. Sin embargo, el efecto de la atmósfera en el proceso de adquisición de imágenes de satélite analizado en el Capítulo 3 no es el único aspecto a tener en cuenta al emplear técnicas de teledetección. Así, la resolución espacial también es un factor clave para la correcta aplicación de estas técnicas en la gestión del riego. Es por ello que en el Capítulo 4 se evaluó la influencia de la resolución espacial sobre los diferentes componentes de balance de energía estimados mediante el modelo de balance de energía METRIC, prestando especial atención a la evapotranspiración del cultivo

Climate and Land Degradation

On the occasion of the Seventh session of the Conference of Parties, The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has prepared this brochure which explains the role of different climatic factors in land degradation and WMO's contribution in addressing this important subject. Educational levels: Undergraduate lower division, Undergraduate upper division, Graduate or professional, Informal education, General public

Analysis of Precipitable Water Vapour in Angola Using GNSS Observations

For accurate weather predictions and analysis of extreme events, a good estimate of the amount of water content in the atmosphere is essential. This information is provided by several techniques like radiosondes that measure this parameter at various heights. However, most of them are very limited spatially and temporarily or suffer from measurement specific constraints. To complement these techniques, Precipitable Water Vapor (PWV) can be measured with GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) at CORS (Continuously Operating Reference Stations) networks. when the temperature and pressure are also known at the station location. PWV can be derived from the delay in the GNSS signal when it passes through the troposphere. In the framework of SUGGEST-AFRICA, it is being implemented a system to use the national GNSS stations for the automatic computation of PWV in Angola. Thus, this dissertation intends to describe the necessary steps to develop a system to be used for supporting meteorological and climate applications in Angola. SUGGEST-AFRICA also funded the installation of 5 weather stations, collocated with GNSS stations in Angola namely: Benguela, Cabinda, Cuito, Luanda and Namibe, in order to obtain pressure and temperature which is necessary to obtain the PWV estimates. When there are no nearby meteorological stations, the potential alternative is to use values from global/regional models. Methodologies have been optimized to passive and actively access the GNSS data; the PWV estimations are computed using PPP (Precise Point Positioning), which permits the estimation of each station separately; solutions have been validated using internal values. In addition, analyses are presented to evaluate the reliability of the network. This work presents preliminary results for the variation of the ZTD data available all around the territory in Angola and how they relate to the seasonal variations in water vapour. Also, presents preliminary results for the time-series variation of PWV in the Luanda station (collocated by the SEGAL group). This study is supported by SUGGEST-AFRICA, funded by Fundação Aga Khan and FCT. It uses computational resources provided by C4G – Collaboratory for Geosciences (PINFRA/22151/2016). It is also supported by project FCT/UIDB/50019/2020 – IDL funded by FCT.Para precisão da previsão do tempo e análise de eventos extremos é fundamental uma boa estimativa do vapor da água na atmosfera. O vapor da água na atmosfera é fornecido por várias técnicas como radio sondagem que mede este parâmetro em várias alturas. No entanto, muito dessas técnicas são limitadas devido a resolução espacial e temporal ou sofrem restrições específicas de medição. Para completar estas limitações encontrado nas demais técnicas, o vapor da água precipitável (PWV) pode ser medido pelo GNSS (Sistemas de navegação global por satélite) CORS (Rede nacional de estações de referência de operação continua). PWV pode ser obtido a partir do atraso do sinal de GNSS através da troposfera, quando a temperatura e a pressão também são conhecidas derivado da localização duma estação meteorológica. No âmbito da SUGGEST-ÁFRICA, esta ser implementado um sistema de modo a calcular o PWV de uma maneira automática em Angola. Assim, nesta dissertação pretende descrever os passos necessários para desenvolver tal sistema a ser utilizado para apoiar aplicações meteorológicas e climáticas em Angola. SUGGEST-ÁFRICA também financiou a instalação de 5 estações meteorológicas, colocada com estações GNSS em Angola, nomeadamente: Benguela, Cabinda, Cuito, Luanda e Namibe, a fim de obter a pressão e a temperatura necessárias para obter as estimativas PWV. Aconselha-se o uso dos modelos globais/regionais para aquisição de valores de pressão e temperatura quando não existe dados nas estações meteorológicas adjacentes. As metodologias foram otimizadas para o acesso passivo e ativo dos dados GNSS; a estimação do vapor de água precipitável é calculada usando a técnica PPP (Posicionamento do ponto preciso), que permite a determinação de cada estação individualmente e separadamente; as soluções foram validadas usando valor interno. Além disso, são apresentadas análises para avaliar a fiabilidade da rede. Este trabalho, também apresenta resultados preliminares para a variação de todo dados do ZTD disponível em Angola e a forma como se relacionam com as variações sazonais do vapor de água. Também, apresenta variação da série temporal do PWV na estação meteorológica de Luanda (instalado pela SEGAL). Este estudo é suportado pela SUGGEST-ÁFRICA, financiado pela fundação Aga Khan e FCT. Utiliza recurso computacional fornecido pela C4G – Colaboração de Geociências (PINFRA/ 22151/2016). Também é apoiado pelo projecto FCT/UIDB/50019/2020 – IDL financiado pela FCT