 2. Drivers
and Trends for SOCD Research
2.3 Requirements
In parallel, NOAA's structure emphasizes five Mission Goals
(Ecosystems, Climate, Weather and Water, Commerce and Transportation, and
Mission Support) as the focal points for coordinated planning,
programming, budgeting, and execution. These Mission Goals provide the
framework for identifying, coordinating, and prioritizing operational and
research requirements. Within the Mission Goals, specific programs
identify requirements for satellite ocean remote sensing, from which SOCD
derives science and technology research and development tasks and
priorities. The following different levels of requirements are
identified:
- User
Identifying a user problem, stated with a demand for observational or
analysis products, allows scientists to progress forward to improve
satellite data and decision-making products to meet the needs of the user
community. Feedback from the user community determines requirements that
need to be satisfied; i.e., the user needs a product in order to do
something. The user community includes NOAA offices, other federal
agencies, DOD, NASA, state and local government, international agencies,
academia, commercial industry, and the public.
- Operational
It is necessary to specify operational requirements for providing
satellite data and products. Developing optimum parameters (time,
accuracy, reliability, latency, update frequency, coverage areas,
resolution, etc.) drives research for optimal operational products and
services, as well as system design. Fully operational products naturally
have a higher expectancy of reliability than one-time experimental
products. Balancing reliability requirements with the cost for creating
continuously-consistent products creates a challenge.
- Observational
Retrieving observations using satellite ocean remote sensing experiences
constraints that limit the quality of the data extracted. Resolving the
constraints is the observational requirement. For example, atmospheric
effects must be filtered out of data in order to minimize uncertainties in
the products. Research of the contributing physical factors and
relationships are essential for algorithm development to address
observational requirements.
- Instrumentation
Parameters require specific spectral, spatial, and temporal resolutions
which are inherent with the design of observation systems. User
requirements, in conjunction with operational and observational
requirements and constraints, are backtracked to determine the
instrumentation requirements. These instrumentation requirements are then
balanced with cost and design limitations to determine the design
characteristics for retrieving each parameter. Requirements identified by
various programs are included in the NOAA Consolidated Observations
Requirements List and are stated in instrumentation requirements
documentation as design thresholds and objectives.
While most efforts are requirement-driven, flexibility is retained
within the program to explore innovations, with the goal of expanding
relevant capabilities and capacities. User education and outreach is
frequently required to realize the full potential of innovations and
subsequently identify and document requirements.
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