Narrator: Like GOES-R, GeoXO will continue NOAA’s five decades of
critical Earth observing data.
However, GeoXO will have new technology onboard.
One of the new instruments will be an infrared sounder, which will allow
weather forecasters to see the atmosphere in extremely fine detail.
Pam Sullivan: It really looks at very fine slices of the atmosphere
across a wide area, so that it builds up sort of a 3-D view of what
the atmosphere looks like. And forecasters could use that information
to be very precise about their forecasts, where a storm is going to be,
how severe a storm is going to be, they can even do predictions of what the
precipitation levels are going to be.
Narrator: The sounder will also help detect quickly changing wind speeds
and direction. Which will assist in everything from hurricane prediction
to aviation forecasts.
Ken Graham: It’s a big part of the National Weather Service’s mission is
to forecast for aviation. For safety, and also looking at that fuel economy.
Um, looking at that, detecting the direction of the wind.
So that capability is just going to be absolutely amazing for aviation and
earlier detection, a quicker detection of tropical systems when it comes to
rapid intensification.
Narrator: There will be two other new instruments on GeoXO as well.
One will be an air quality instrument that will monitor and track harmful
air pollutants - including wildfire smoke, and volcanic gasses.
It will provide continuous observations and measurements of atmospheric
composition which will help improve air quality forecasts and alerts across the U.S.
Another instrument will measure ocean color, which helps detect and track
threats to our lakes and ocean, such as harmful algal blooms and oil spills.
Perhaps most critically, NOAA’s GeoXO will also meet new needs for the
data-user community, including forecasters, researchers and others, who
depend on receiving crucial environmental information
across the Western Hemisphere.
Pam Sullivan: These user’s are looking for advanced capabilities.
And they’ve told us what they want to see in this next generation, which is
going to start observing in the 2030s, but continue into the 2050s.
And with the changes on our planet and with society’s increased reliance
on environmental information, it’s really important to be able to serve this
wider variety of needs.