Steven Miller - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Steven Miller

Within 2 months of its launch in April 2006 as part of the Earth Observing System A-Train satelli... more Within 2 months of its launch in April 2006 as part of the Earth Observing System A-Train satellite constellation, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Earth System Science Pathfinder (ESSP) CloudSat mission began making significant contributions toward broadening the understanding of detailed cloud vertical structures around the earth. Realizing the potential benefit of CloudSat to both the research objectives and operational requirements of the U.S. Navy, the Naval Research Laboratory coordinated early on with the CloudSat Data Processing Center to receive and process first-look 94-GHz Cloud Profiling Radar datasets in near-real time (4-8 h latency), thereby making the observations more relevant to the operational community. Applications leveraging these unique data, described herein, include 1) analysis/ validation of cloud structure and properties derived from conventional passive radiometers, 2) tropical cyclone vertical structure analysis, 3) support of research field programs, 4) validation of numerical weather prediction model cloud fields, and 5) quantitative precipitation estimation in light rainfall regimes.

Atmosphere

Atmospheric gravity waves (AGWs) are among the important energy and momentum transfer mechanisms ... more Atmospheric gravity waves (AGWs) are among the important energy and momentum transfer mechanisms from the troposphere to the middle and upper atmosphere. Despite their understood importance in governing the structure and dynamics of these regions, mesospheric AGWs remain poorly measured globally, and largely unconstrained in numerical models. Since late 2011, the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (NPP) Visible/Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) day–night band (DNB) has observed global AGWs near the mesopause by virtue of its sensitivity to weak emissions of the OH* Meinel bands. The wave features, detectable at 0.75 km spatial resolution across its 3000 km imagery swath, are often confused by the upwelling emission of city lights and clouds reflecting downwelling nightglow. The Ionosphere, Mesosphere, upper Atmosphere and Plasmasphere (IMAP)/ Visible and near-Infrared Spectral Imager (VISI) O2 band, an independent measure of the AGW structures in nightglow based on th...

Atmospheric Measurement Techniques

Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres

parameters are identified using space/time-dependent backgrounds as reference, reducing false ala... more parameters are identified using space/time-dependent backgrounds as reference, reducing false alarms in detection. 2. A confidence factor, based on the composite of multiple tests, serves as a quantitative mask and index for producing value-added imagery. 3. Application to lofted dust detection and display illustrates the utility of the technique in facilitating scene interpretation.

Atmospheric Measurement Techniques Discussions

Lofted mineral dust over data-sparse regions presents considerable challenges to satellite-based ... more Lofted mineral dust over data-sparse regions presents considerable challenges to satellite-based remote sensing methods and numerical weather prediction alike. The Southwest Asia domain is replete with such examples, with its diverse array of dust sources, dust mineralogy, and meteorologically-driven lofting mechanisms on multiple spatial and temporal scales. A microcosm of these challenges occurred over 3-4 August 2016 when two dust plumes, one lofted within an inland dry air mass and another embedded within a moist air mass, met over the Southern Arabian Peninsula. Whereas conventional infrared-based techniques readily detected the dry air mass dust plume, they experienced marked difficulties in detecting the moist air mass dust plume, which only became apparent when visible reflectance revealed it crossing over an adjacent dark water background. In combining information from numerical modelling, multi-satellite/multi-sensor observations of lofted dust and moisture profiles, and idealized radiative transfer simulations, we develop a better understanding of the environmental controls of this event, characterizing the sensitivity of infrared-based dust detection to column water vapor, dust vertical extent, and dust optical properties. Differences in assumptions of dust complex refractive index translate to variations in the sign and magnitude of the split-window brightness temperature difference commonly used for detecting mineral dust. A multi-sensor technique for mitigating the radiative masking effects of water vapor via modulation of the split-window dust-detection threshold, predicated on idealized simulations tied to these driving factors, is proposed and demonstrated. The new technique, indexed to independent-sensor description of the surface-to-500 mb atmospheric column moisture, reveals parts of the missing dust plume embedded in the moist air mass, with best performance over land surfaces. 1 Introduction Mineral dust poses unique and significant challenges to U.S. Navy operations in terms of its effects on visibility, electronics performance, and electro-optical signal propagation. The coastal (littoral) zones represent a unique challenge for analyzing and predicting the evolution of aerosol distributions and properties. The land/sea interface (surface and air mass

Many low Earth-orbiting environmental remote sensing satellite platforms have passive microwave (... more Many low Earth-orbiting environmental remote sensing satellite platforms have passive microwave (PMW) sensors with operating frequencies sensitive to precipitation. Active range-resolved rain radar systems were first available with the launch of the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) 13.8- GHz Precipitation Radar (PR) in 1997, augmented by the recently launched 94-GHz radar onboard the CloudSat satellite in 2006. Overall, these platforms

Imaging and Applied Optics Technical Papers, 2012

Applications with Weather Satellites II, 2005

This paper summarizes design, performance estimates and applications of the National Polar-orbiti... more This paper summarizes design, performance estimates and applications of the National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS) Visible Infrared Imager Radiometer Suite (VIIRS). VIIRS is approaching Engineering Development Unit (EDU) integration and flight model assembly for delivery in late 2005 for launch on the National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS) Preparatory Project (NPP) satellite in 2006. Applications of VIIRS

On a dark winter's night in 1995 a merchant vessel traveling off the coast of Somalia encountered... more On a dark winter's night in 1995 a merchant vessel traveling off the coast of Somalia encountered massive expanse of brightly glowing waters similar to those reported for centuries by other mariners traversing the waters of the northwestern Arabian Sea. Archived low-light visible imagery from the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program's Operational Linescan system found a match between the ship's position and an anomalous light source that spanned a surface area of 15,400 square km and was observed to rotate counterclockwise over the course of four consecutive nights in a way consistent with local sea surface currents. The findings represent the first remote-sensing corroboration of the legendary "Milky Sea," a rare and poorly understood phenomenon scientists believe is linked to population explosions of luminous bacteria. This paper details the unusual circumstances and implications surrounding this discovery, foremost among them being the potential for improved detection by the nextgeneration low-light sensors to be flown on the future National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS) constellation and potentially follow on members of MetOp.

Algorithms and Technologies For Multispectral, Hyperspectral, and Ultraspectral Imagery Xvii, 2011

The Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI) on GOES-R will help NOAA's objective of engaging and educating... more The Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI) on GOES-R will help NOAA's objective of engaging and educating the public on environmental issues by providing near real-time imagery of the earth-atmosphere system. True color satellite images are beneficial to the public, as well as to scientists, who use these images as an important "decision aid" and visualization tool. Unfortunately, ABI only has two visible bands (cyan and red) and does not directly produce the three bands (blue, green, and red) used to create true color imagery. We have developed an algorithm that will produce quantitative true color imagery from ABI. Our algorithm estimates the three tristimulus values of the international standard CIE 1931 XYZ colorspace for each pixel of the ABI image, and thus is compatible with a wide range of software packages and hardware devices. Our algorithm is based on a non-linear statistical regression framework that incorporate both classification and local multispectral regression using training data. We have used training data from the hyper-spectral imager Hyperion. Our algorithm to produce true color images from the ABI is not specific to ABI and may be applicable to other satellites which, like the ABI, do not have the ability to directly produce RGB imagery.

SSM/I & WindSat 37 GHz TC Views WindSat's superb 37 GHz H pol Tb resolution is highlighted via ne... more SSM/I & WindSat 37 GHz TC Views WindSat's superb 37 GHz H pol Tb resolution is highlighted via near coincident comparisons with poorer resolution SSM/I 37 GHz H and similar resolution SSM/I 85 GHz products for four TCs. Top row (SSM/I 37 GHz H), middle row (WindSat 37 GHz H), bottom row (SSM/I 85 GHz H). WindSat identifies Sarika's (column 1) circulation center better than SSM/I products, captures the double eyewall configurations in Songda (column 2), Rita (column 3) & Wilma (column 4) that are not evident in SSM/I 37 GHz data, but are viewed in 85 GHz. WindSat's lack of 85 GHz data is partially mitigated by high resolution 37 GHz Tbs that enhance the mapping of TC structural characteristics which help infer intensity changes. updates are provided by the National Hurricane Center (Miami, FL) and the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC, Pearl Harbor, HI). Special thanks to NRL-DC (Peter Gaiser) for releasing WindSat SDR for TC web use, FNMOC for WindSat, SSM/I and SSMIS data, NASA/TSDIS for TMI/PR, NESDIS for AMSU-B and MHS data, the NOAA-NASA Near Real Time Processing Effort (NRTPE) for AMSR-E and MODIS data, and FNMOC/AFWA for MTSAT-1R (GMS-6), Meteosat-5, 7, 8. http://www.nrlmry.navy.mil/tc_pages/tc_home.html Sample TC page view with Hurricane Wilma display on 24 October, 2005. ATCF track graphic, GOES-EAST visible image and multi-colored passive microwave product buttons indicating data timeliness [<6 hours old (green), 6-12 hours (yellow),> 12 hours (red). Active storms (91B, 92W, and 25L Alpha currently cover three basins. All products updated automatically upon receipt of new digital data sets.

Earth Observing Systems XVI, 2011

Weather and Forecasting, 2007

Dust storms are a significant weather phenomenon in the Iraq region in winter and spring. Real-ti... more Dust storms are a significant weather phenomenon in the Iraq region in winter and spring. Real-time dust forecasting using the U.S. Navy’s Coupled Ocean–Atmospheric Mesoscale Prediction System (COAMPS) with an in-line dust aerosol model was conducted for Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) in March and April 2003. Daily forecasts of dust mass concentration, visibility, and optical depth were produced out to 72 h on nested grids of 9-, 27-, and 81-km resolution in two-way nest interaction. In this paper, the model is described, as are examples of its application during OIF. The model performance is evaluated using ground weather reports, visibility observations, and enhanced satellite retrievals. The comparison of the model forecasts with observations for the severe dust storms of OIF shows that COAMPS predicted the arrival and retreat of the major dust events within 2 h. In most cases, COAMPS predicted the intensity (reduction in visibility) of storms with an error of less than 1 km. The ...

Weather and Forecasting, 2006

The Visible/Infrared Imager Radiometer Suite (VIIRS), scheduled to fly on the satellites of the N... more The Visible/Infrared Imager Radiometer Suite (VIIRS), scheduled to fly on the satellites of the National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System, will combine the missions of the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR), which flies on current ...

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2005

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2013

Large meteors (or superbolides [Ceplecha Z, et al. (1999) Meteoroids 1998:37-54]), although rare ... more Large meteors (or superbolides [Ceplecha Z, et al. (1999) Meteoroids 1998:37-54]), although rare in recorded history, give sobering testimony to civilization's inherent vulnerability. A not-so-subtle reminder came on the morning of February 15, 2013, when a large meteoroid hurtled into the Earth's atmosphere, forming a superbolide near the city of Chelyabinsnk, Russia, ∼1,500 km east of Moscow, Russia [Ivanova MA, et al. (2013) Abstracts of the 76th Annual Meeting of the Meteoritical Society, 5366]. The object exploded in the stratosphere, and the ensuing shock wave blasted the city of Chelyabinsk, damaging structures and injuring hundreds. Details of trajectory are important for determining its specific source, the likelihood of future events, and potential mitigation measures. Earth-viewing environmental satellites can assist in these assessments. Here we examine satellite observations of the Chelyabinsk superbolide debris trail, collected within minutes of its entry. Estimates of trajectory are derived from differential views of the significantly parallax-displaced [e.g., Hasler AF (1981) Bull Am Meteor Soc 52:194-212] debris trail. The 282.7 ± 2.3°azimuth of trajectory, 18.5 ± 3.8°slope to the horizontal, and 17.7 ± 0.5 km/s velocity derived from these satellites agree well with parameters inferred from the wealth of surface-based photographs and amateur videos. More importantly, the results demonstrate the general ability of Earth-viewing satellites to provide valuable insight on trajectory reconstruction in the more likely scenario of sparse or nonexistent surface observations.