CSS employee owners (formerly Riverside employees) support the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service’s (NESDIS) Center for Satellite Applications and Research (STAR). STAR is the science arm of NESDIS, which acquires and manages the nation’s environmental satellites for NOAA. Satellite observations are critical to informing situational awareness and numerical weather prediction applications. These applications provide guidance to users and stakeholders on environmental threats at multiple timescales, from current analyses to medium-range and seasonal-to-subseasonal lead times.  

As a subtask, CSS employee owners support the NESDIS Research and Technology Maturation for Exploitation of Emerging Technology (RTMEE). Objectives for this task are to ensure STAR is engaged in new emerging technologies, numerical techniques, new observing systems and in supporting next-generation systems, to keep all aspects of STAR activities relevant for the future. This is achieved by undertaking research and technology maturation activities that will transition to supporting mission activities and advanced programs in NOAA. The work will ensure that the quality of the data produced by NOAA meet or exceed international standards. 

Satellite image shows massive storm covering mid-Atlantic and northeast regions of U.S.
Satellite image of Super Storm Sandy in 2012 captured by NOAA GOES-13 satellite.

For their role, CSS employee owners supporting RTMEE are responsible for collaborating with NESDIS Systems Architecture and Engineering (SAE) and STAR staff to explore new technologies in support of NOAA’s mission. CSS leverages SAE and STAR expertise in satellite data and applications required to address the needs of data exploitation, validation, verification, and quality and impact assessment opportunities. CSS supports the advancement of NOAA’s observational and data system capabilities with both internal and external NOAA partners and demonstrates the value of artificial intelligence to efficiently exploit the information content of microwave sensor concepts and quantify the impact on NOAA systems. In addition, we support the evaluation and exploitation of 3D-wind measurements to help determine the impact of the potential deployment of new types of satellite sensors dedicated to filling gaps to improve the quality of weather and climate data. 

Feature photo credit: Artist rendering of NOAA 21 satellite (credit: NOAA)

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Person in a laboratory works on an instrument

Monitoring Algal Blooms for Harmful Toxins

CSS employee owners support NOAA’s National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS) Harmful Algal Blooms (HAB) Sensor Development Team in their efforts to detect and monitor these harmful algal blooms in coastal waters where they are likely to occur. HAB monitoring is critical for detecting harmful toxins produced by some algae. When present in over…

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Training Marine Mammal Programs to Use Drones to Collect Dolphin and Whale Respiratory Health Data

CSS employee owner and Marine Mammal Drone Specialist supports NOAA’s National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS) Marine Mammal Health Assessment team with collecting respiratory health data from marine mammals in local waterways. Using specialized drones equipped with petri dishes provides a non-invasive method to collect exhaled breath (i.e. blow) samples from dolphins and whales.…

Bank of a river lined with oyster shells and tall grass

Organizing National Mussel Watch Program Sample Collection Missions

Established in 1986, NOAA’s National Mussel Watch Program has been systematically monitoring nearly 600 chemical contaminants (including legacy organic contaminants, trace metals, and contaminants of emerging concern) and biological indicators for the establishment of baseline contamination levels in coastal waters around the U.S., including the Great Lakes, Puerto Rico, and U.S. Virgin Islands. CSS employee…