1. Status of the Polar Communications and Weather (PCW) mission to serve the Arctic
A concept of Polar Communications and Weather (PCW) mission to serve the Arctic
First Workshop on Satellite Imaging of the Arctic
Copenhagen, Denmark
August
Louis Garand, EC; Guennadi Kroupnik, CSA

2. Outline Part 1 Objectives Mission development structure
Applications and Observation requirements
Part 2
Mission overview
Phase 0 outcomes
Phase A plan and follow up
Conclusion

3. Dual Objectives: Communications & Weather
Reliable communications in the high latitudes (North of 70º) to ensure:
Security
Sustainable Development
Support to Northern Communities
Air and Marine Navigation
Provide high temporal/spatial resolution meteorological data above 50º N in support of:
Numerical Weather Prediction
Environmental monitoring, emergency response
Climate monitoring
Focus of this presentation: Meteorological aspect

4. Mission Development Structure
Lead
Canadian Space Agency
(CSA)
Users and Science Team
Environment Canada (EC),
Dept. of National Defense (DND),
Natural Resources Canada,
Canadian Coast Guard,
Transport Canada, NavCanada,
Dept. of Indian and Northern Affairs,
Gov. of Nunavut
And other gov. agencies
Industrial Team
MDA, Com Dev,
ABB Bomem,
Bristol Aerospace,
SED

5. Mission Requirements
To provide continuous meteorological service and information for the entire circumpolar region, with the imagery data “refreshed” as frequently as practical. GOAL 15 min
To improve weather prediction accuracy and timeliness by providing high quality data currently not available or available with insufficient spatial / temporal resolution
To improve the monitoring and prediction of air quality variables
To improve the modeling of physical processes in the Arctic environment
To develop measures of climate change through high quality monitoring of key atmospheric and surface variables
To improve observation and forecasting of space weather
To have a proto-operational system in place by Lifetime of 5 years (goal 7 years)

6. Applications and Products 1/2
a) Winds from sequences of images: high priority product
At least 2 water vapor channels ( micron region) with response function peaking at various heights
Visible, IR (3.9, micron), wavelength channels will be also used for that purpose
b) Surface type analysis: ice, snow, ocean, vegetation and surface characteristics such as emissivity, albedo, vegetation index
c) Surface temperature, detection of boundary-layer temperature inversions, diurnal cycle
d) Mid-tropospheric q/T sensitive channels for hourly direct assimilation complementing GEO radiance assimilation
e) Volcanic ash detection
A channel near 12.3 microns is often used along with an 11.2 micron and 7.3 micron bands

7. Applications and Products 2/2
f) Smoke, dust, aerosols, fog in support of air quality models and environmental prediction:
These parameters best detected from a combination of 0.47, 2.2, 3.9, 8.5, 11.2, 12.3 micron bands
g) Total column ozone:
This requires at least one band near 9.6 micron
h) Cloud parameters: height, fraction, temperature, emissivity, phase, effective particle size
i) Broadband outgoing radiation: total, Vis, IR, window
The variety of applications imposes a minimum number of spectral channels of the order of 10, preferably ~20.

8. Benefits to EC NWP Operational Models
Global, 35 km, 4D-var DA, 10 day forecasts twice daily
Ensemble Kalman Filter, 100 km, global 15 day forecasts twice daily
Regional, 15 km, 3D-var DA, 2 day forecasts, 4 times daily
Air quality model, daily, 35 km, 48-h forecasts
Polar extension of Reg 15 km
model planned for late 2008
In support of IPY
PCW direct support to NWP:
AMVs
radiance assimilation
surface analysis

9. Atmospheric Motion Vectors (AMVs) assimilation Example of 07 Aug 2008 00 UTC AMV availability
hPa
Recognized availability
gap N/S
Terra/Aqua AMVs
700 hPa to surface
No AMVs above 55 N/S
Features to serve this application:
High temporal sequences
Simultaneous retrievals
Stereo views

10. Production cycle/latency of level 1 (radiances) and 2 (e.g winds)
Radiances available for direct assimilation within 30 min, winds 60 min

11. Volcanic ash application
The 9 VACC areas of responsability
Canada has one of 9 Volcanic
Ash Advisory Centers
(VACC located in Dorval, Qc)
With area of responsibility
Covering a large part of the
Arctic
Detection of vocanic ash from AVHRR
lacks temporal resolution

12. Ice analysis application at Environment Canada
Ice fraction
Prototype 5 km over Canadian
Archipelago
PCW VIS ch ~500 m could
contribute to operational
sea ice fraction analysis
POLAR grid 15 km ice analysis
AMSR (NT2), CIS ice charts and image analysis (RadarSat, EnviSat)
3D-Var FGAT scheme (twice daily)

13. Channel selection approach
Select channels with similar characteristics to those foreseen for next generation of GEO (GOES-R, MTG) as suggested by WMO. Obvious advantages for continuity of applications
Reduce risk associated with technology readiness

14. Proposed imager channels (21) based on ABI, MODIS heritage
Wavelength (microns)
Heritage
Optimum/nominal spatial resolution (km)
Minimum spatial resolution (km)
Priority
3 = highest
Main applications
0.25 / 1 2 1
Aerosols
ABI-01
0.5 / 1
Surface
0.25 / 0.5
Vegetation
ABI-02
0.2 5 / 0.5 3
Wind, clouds
ABI-03
Wind, aerosols, vegetation
ABI-04
1 / 2 4
Cirrus
ABI-05
Snow-cloud distinction
ABI-06
0.5 / 2
Cloud phase
ABI-07
fog/ fire detection, Ice/cloud separation, wind
ABI-08
Wind, humidity
ABI-09
ABI-10
ABI-11
Total water
ABI-12
Total ozone
ABI-13
Cloud, surface
ABI-14
Cloud, SST, ash
ABI-15
Ash, SST
ABI-16
Cloud height
MODIS-34 8
MODIS-35
MODIS-36

15. Main Imagery requirements (1/2)
Parameter
Nominal requirement
Minimum acceptable
Comment
Total spectral channels: 21 8
Minimum 8 similar to ABI 2-3,5 7,9-10, 14-15
MWIR/LWIR Dynamic Range
100 K to 335 K
150 to 330 K
Varies with channel.
300 K for ABI-9-10 and beyond 13 micron.
Spatio -Temporal coverage for each disc
100 % above 60 N
95 % N
85 % N
95 %
85 %
70 %
Under normal operations
Digitisation 14 12
14 bits mostly needed for micron. 10 bits could suffice for VNIR.
VNIR/SWIR Ground Sample Distance (GSD)
0.5 km
2 km
At 60 N
MWIR GSD
0.5 to 1.0 km
4 km
LWIR GSD
At 60 N. 8-km acceptable above 13.5 micron)
Field of Regard (FoR)
Earth disc
Incidence angle < 70 deg
Full disc advantageous for registration and subjective appreciation by meteorologists.
Time to acquire scene image
5 min
15 min
Complete FoR

16. Main Imagery requirements (2/2)
Parameter
Nominal requirement
Minimum acceptable
Comment
Maximum view angle difference between spectral channels
0.1 degree
1 degree
Ideally a target is viewed with same geometry independent of channel
Co-registration of spectral channels
0.1 GSD
0.35 GSD
Measurements of a point-like object on the ground in any two bands used simultaneously in retrievals shall be spatially collocated to within numbers specified here over the full field of view and over all operating conditions
Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR)
VNIR & SWIR
500
300
Calculated for conditions of bright signal
Noise Equivalent Delta Temperature K
0.1 K
0.20 K
MWIR & LWIR
0.35K >13 micron
240 K
0.40 K
1.0 micron
0.5 K >13 micron
Radiometric accuracy
3 %
5 %
VNIR/SWIR
0.4 K
1.0 K
MWIR/LWIR
Level-1.5 repeat cycle
15 min (96 scenes/day)
30 min (48 scenes/day)
To users within 5 min
of scene production
Availability of reliable data, spatial and temporal
99%
90%
With respect to standard coverage, for 30-day periods

17. Secondary meteorological payload: broadband radiometer
Heritage
Optimum/
target resolution
(km)
Minimum
acceptable spatial
resolution (km)
Priority
(3 highest)
Main applications mm
ERBE, ScaRaB, CERES, GERB
10 / 20 50 3
Visible budget
Total budget
8-12
ScaRaB, CERES
10 / 50
100 2
Window budget
HEO orbit would provide rich variety of sat-sun angles for bi-directional
reflectance modeling. GERB-like closest to desired characteristics.

18. Space weather instruments in support of PCW
Objective: Real-time monitoring of the local (to the satellite) space environment to provide diagnostics of satellite anomalies or communication degradation (passage in Van Allan radiation belts twice per orbit)
Support PCW space weather forecasts to be provided by Canadian Space Weather Forecast Centre
Priority to high energy particle sensors (similar to EPS, HEPAD on GOES)
Trapped electrons with energies greater than 500 KeV
Trapped protons with energies greater than 1 MeV
Solar protons and ions, ~1-500 MeV
Magnetic field disturbances

19. PCW: Constellation in Molniya Orbit
Aurora
Borealis

20. Mission Overview
Architecture: constellation of two satellites in HEO (Molniya-type, 12 hours)
Orbit: two planes with apogee over Atlantic and Pacific (TBC)
Payloads: Communications (Ka-band) and Meteorological payload suits on each satellite
Bus: Canadian SmallSat Bus (to be inaugurated on CASSIOPE- 2009)
Ground segment: based on existing Canadian infrastructure with potential addition of the Northern Ground Station
Operations: government operated (TBC)
Launch: 2014 and 2015
Lifespan: 5 years-requirement, 7 years - goal
Partnership: Open for international and Public-Private Partnership

21. Area of Interest Meteorological Coverage Requirement (50ºN)
Meteorological Coverage Goal (45ºN)
Communications Coverage Requirement

22. Molniya-type Orbits Ground Tracks

23. Orbit Trade-OFF
Molniya 12-h has been evaluated as the best compromise vs. other options: Tundra 24-h, Cobra 8-h or MEO (requiring at least 4 satellites)
Molniya 12-h with 2 satellites: 4 % of area above 50 N not covered on average
- Gap area circles around earth for 2 satellites in one plane
- Gap area always at the same region, maximum 1-5 h from apogee for two orbital planes
2-planes best for symmetrical views (stereo) +
- possible advantages of having only 2 apogee points versus 4
- apogee points over Pacific and Atlantic would limit gaps in that area (e.g. no gaps in Canada and Russia)

24. Mission Architecture

25. Phase 0 Overview Funding CSA – 60% DRDC – 20% EC – 20% Main Outcomes:
Buy-in and support by OGD and partners
Users Requirements Document
Preliminary Mission and System Requirements Document
Compliant System Concept
Mission Development Plan, including lifecycle cost
Phase A justification and planning

26. Phase 0 – Major Milestones
RFP posted – September 10, 2007
RFP closure – October 24, 2007
Evaluation of proposals completed – November 14, 2007
Contract awarded – November 30, 2007
Kick-off meeting – December 12, 2007
Interim Progress Review – March, 2008
Final Review – September 3-4, 2008
Phase 0 closure – September 30, 2008

27. Phase 0 Results: Requirements

28. Phase 0 Results: Preliminary Bus Concept
Mass: kg
Power: W
Pointing Knowledge: 7.6 arcsec
Pointing Control: arcsec

29. Phase 0 Results: Payloads
Primary
2-way HDR antenna/transponder sub-system (Ka)
Imaging Spectroradiometer
Space weather instruments
Secondary
Scientific instruments:
Broadband radiometer
Aurora Imager
Atmospheric composition instrument
Ozone profiler
Magnetometer
Technology Demonstration:
Software Based Radio
V-band tech demo
Other (TBD)

30. Phase 0 Results: Meteo Payload Concept

31. Phase 0 Results: Concept of Operations

32. Phase A Overview Status Phase A1 (October 2008-March 2009) - committed
Phase A2 (April 2009 – November 2009) – planned
Expected Main Outcomes:
Successful Preliminary System Requirements Review
System Requirements Document
Ground Segment Requirement Specification (update)
Spacecraft Requirement Specification (update)
Bus Requirement Specification
Meteorological Payload Requirement Specification (update)
Communication Payload Requirement Specification (update)
Mission Development Plan, including lifecycle cost
Treasury Board submission seeking phases B/C/D approval

33. Phase A Issues
Compatibility between Comms and Meteo Payloads & operations (feasibility has been established in Phase 0)
Meteo imaging geometry and associated SNR and image processing requirements
Ionizing radiation environment considering 5-year design life
Solar arrays considering RAAN variation and ionizing radiation
Defining optimum orbit and launch strategy
Cost
Partnership arrangements

34. Partnership Opportunities
Phase A1: Extension of membership in the Users & Science Team to the international partner organizations (URD final release)
Phase A2: Joint Definition Study
Via CSA: government and intergovernmental agencies
Via Prime Contractor: private/commercial entities
Phase B and beyond: Partnership mission (International and/or PPP) (TBC)

35. Conclusion
Phase 0:
Identified and validated comprehensive Users Requirements
Proved pertinence of the mission to the national and international priorities of the Government of Canada
Demonstrated feasibility of the technical solutions
Phase A:
Starts in November 2008
Open for partnership!!!

36. Contact Information
Guennadi Kroupnik:
PCW Program Manager, Canadian Space Agency,
Tel.: (450) ,
Louis Garand:
PCW U&ST Co-Chair, Environment Canada,
Tel.: (514) ,