Cheng-Zhi Zou Honored with
2013 NOAA Administrator's Award
22 June 2013 - Dr. Cheng-Zhi Zou, a research
scientist with NOAA/NESDIS/STAR, received a 2013 NOAA Administrator's
Award for developing a science-quality long-term dataset of upper
atmospheric temperatures from NOAA's microwave and infrared satellite
measurements. Dr. Zou's work focused on generating climate data record
using observations from the Microwave Sounding Unit (MSU), Advanced
Microwave Sounding Unit (AMSU), and Stratospheric Sounding Unit (SSU)
onboard NOAA's historical and current operating polar-orbiting satellite
series since the late 1970s. The measurements from these instruments
provided information on atmospheric temperature conditions from the
lower troposphere through the upper stratosphere. The original
measurements, however, need to be carefully analyzed and adjusted to
achieve consistency during each satellite's lifetime as well as between
sensors on subsequent satellites. Examples of artifacts that require
adjustments include satellite orbital drift, calibration nonlinearity,
changes in sensor characteristics and degradation of sensitivity over
time, and differences between sensors on different satellites.
Dr. Zou and his team successfully overcame the challenge of
processing NOAA's satellite measurements into high quality datasets
suitable for a variety of climate applications. An advanced inter-
calibration methodology was developed for both the microwave and
stratospheric infrared sounders, which supports satellite inter-
calibration, reanalysis, climate data record development, and climate
science research activities through domestic and international
organizations and programs. The adjusted satellite radiances, which
constitute a Fundamental Climate Data Record (FCDR), are being used by
climate reanalysis developers such as NOAA's National Center for
Environmental Prediction and NASA Global Modeling and Assimilation
Office. This work is also a major contributor to the Global Satellite
Inter-Calibration System (GSICS) and the Coordination Group for
Meteorological Satellites (CGMS). The Temperature Data Records derived
from the recalibrated radiances are used for upper-air temperature trend
assessment by the international climate science community such as the
World Climate Research Program (WCRP) / Stratospheric Processes And
their Role in Climate (SPARC) and the Intergovernmental Panel for
Climate Change (IPCC), and the broad academic and development
communities.
Inter-calibration methodologies and dataset characteristics from the
work cited were documented in multiple peer-reviewed publications.
Additionally, these datasets were made available, including data access
and detailed documentation through STAR's Microwave Sounding Calibration
and Trends portal. The MSU/AMSU FCDR dataset was also transitioned to NOAA NCDC for operational
distribution.
The 2013 Administrator's Awards recipients will be honored at a reception
and ceremony on Tuesday, October 22, at the NOAA Auditorium in Silver Spring, MD.
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