TY - JOUR
T1 - The COSMIC/FORMOSAT-3 radio occultation mission after 12 years
T2 - Accomplishments, remaining challenges, and potential impacts of COSMIC-2
AU - Ho, Shu Peng
AU - Anthes, Richard A.
AU - Ao, Chi O.
AU - Healy, Sean
AU - Horanyi, Andras
AU - Hunt, Douglas
AU - Mannucci, Anthony J.
AU - Pedatella, Nicholas
AU - Randel, William J.
AU - Simmons, Adrian
AU - Steiner, Andrea
AU - Xie, Feiqin
AU - Yue, Xinan
AU - Zeng, Zhen
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 American Meteorological Society.
PY - 2020/7
Y1 - 2020/7
N2 - Launched in 2006, the Formosa Satellite Mission 3-Constellation Observing System for Meteorology, Ionosphere and Climate (FORMOSAT-3/COSMIC) was the first constellation of microsatellites carrying global positioning system (GPS) radio occultation (RO) receivers. Radio occultation is an active remote sensing technique that provides valuable information on the vertical variations of electron density in the ionosphere, and temperature, pressure, and water vapor in the stratosphere and troposphere. COSMIC has demonstrated the great value of RO data in ionosphere, climate, and meteorological research and operational weather forecasting. However, there are still challenges using RO data, particularly in the moist lower troposphere and upper stratosphere. A COSMIC follow-on constellation, COSMIC-2, was launched into equatorial orbit in 2019. With increased signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) from improved receivers and digital beam steering antennas, COSMIC-2 will produce at least 5,000 high-quality RO profiles daily in the tropics and subtropics. In this paper, we summarize 1) recent (since 2011 when the last review was published) contributions of COSMIC and other RO observations to weather, climate, and space weather science; 2) the remaining challenges in RO applications; and 3) potential contributions to research and operations of COSMIC-2.
AB - Launched in 2006, the Formosa Satellite Mission 3-Constellation Observing System for Meteorology, Ionosphere and Climate (FORMOSAT-3/COSMIC) was the first constellation of microsatellites carrying global positioning system (GPS) radio occultation (RO) receivers. Radio occultation is an active remote sensing technique that provides valuable information on the vertical variations of electron density in the ionosphere, and temperature, pressure, and water vapor in the stratosphere and troposphere. COSMIC has demonstrated the great value of RO data in ionosphere, climate, and meteorological research and operational weather forecasting. However, there are still challenges using RO data, particularly in the moist lower troposphere and upper stratosphere. A COSMIC follow-on constellation, COSMIC-2, was launched into equatorial orbit in 2019. With increased signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) from improved receivers and digital beam steering antennas, COSMIC-2 will produce at least 5,000 high-quality RO profiles daily in the tropics and subtropics. In this paper, we summarize 1) recent (since 2011 when the last review was published) contributions of COSMIC and other RO observations to weather, climate, and space weather science; 2) the remaining challenges in RO applications; and 3) potential contributions to research and operations of COSMIC-2.
UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85081074759
U2 - 10.1175/BAMS-D-18-0290.1
DO - 10.1175/BAMS-D-18-0290.1
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85081074759
SN - 0003-0007
VL - 101
SP - E1107-E1136
JO - Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society
JF - Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society
IS - 7
ER -