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Presenter: Dr Kenneth Holmlund, Senior Consultant

Title: Coordinating the International Meteorological Satellite Constellation
Location: Steinman Hall (Exhibit Room) Room 124, Grove School of Engineering, City College of New York
Date/Time: Wednesday January 24, 2024 @ 1:00 – 2:30 pm

Virtual Participants :  zoom details 

Abstract:

This presentation will give an overview of WMO, CGMS and CEOS and provide examples demonstrating the success of these entities in enabling and coordinating the overall meteorological satellite constellation.

Monitoring the Earth System provides critical information required for accurate weather forecasting, climate predictions and other disciplines like air quality/atmospheric composition, oceans and cryosphere. The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) provides the overall framework for observational requirements and data exchange, which in the past was dominated by ground-based observations. Today, however, space-based observations dominate the provision of information content that drives many application areas. This data, which is provided by national and multi-national organizations as well as the private sector, form the basis of modern data assimilation systems necessary to digest the overwhelming amount of information available. However, whilst the space agencies fly a large number of satellites it is imperative to optimize the available capabilities in order to maximize the benefits from the space-based capabilities. The key fora for the coordination are provided by the Coordination Group for Meteorological Satellites (CGMS) and the Committee on Earth Observation Satellites (CEOS).

Biography:

Dr Holmlund joined the World Meteorological Organization 2020 as the Head of the WMO Space Systems and Utilization (SSU) Division.  In this role, he was responsible for all aspects of the WMO Space Programme from definition of user requirements for current and future space-based observing systems to end-user services across all domains in an Earth-System modelling approach. This included coordination with governmental space agencies, international coordination, end users and across WMO Programmes using space-based observations and optimizing the satellite observing system. In this role he was also instrumental in developing an international coordination approach for the delivery of space weather services with ISES (International Space Environment Service) and COSPAR (Committee on Space Research) and delivering a WMO position of matters related to radio-frequency interference.

Since his retirement from the role of Head of the WMO SSU Division Dr Holmlund now supports the WMO Global Cryosphere Watch for space-based observations in support of cryosphere, polar/high-latitude and high-mountain observations in support of research and operational down-stream services. In addition, he is still active in supporting radio-frequency interference issues critical related to space-based remote sensing for meteorology and atmospheric sciences