Satellite Application Facility on Climate Monitoring (CM SAF) (www.cmsaf.eu)

The Satellite Application Facility on Climate Monitoring (CM SAF) aims at the provision of satellite-derived geophysical parameter data sets suitable for climate monitoring. CM SAF provides climatologies for Essential Climate Variables (ECV), as required by the Global Climate Observing System implementation plan in support of the UNFCCC. Several cloud parameters, surface albedo, land surface temperature, radiation fluxes at the top of the atmosphere and at the surface as well as atmospheric temperature and humidity products form a sound basis for climate monitoring of the atmosphere. The products are categorized in monitoring data sets obtained in near real time and climate data records based on carefully intercalibrated radiances. The CM SAF products are derived from several instruments on-board operational satellites in geostationary and polar orbit, i.e., the Meteosat and NOAA- and MeteOP-satellites, respectively. The data records based on geostationary satellite observations are provided with high temporal and spatial resolution for most parts of Europe, Africa, large parts of South America, and the surrounding ocean regions, i.e the Atlantic and part of the Indian Ocean. Globally available data records are generated and provided based on the polar-orbiting satellite observations. All data records are freely available without restrictions from www.cmsaf.eu.

The products have been validated against ground-based data sets both in situ and remotely sensed. The accomplished accuracy for products derived in near real time is sufficient to monitor variability on monthly and seasonal time scales. Products based on intercalibrated radiance data can be used for decadal climate variability and trend analysis. Future developments will include the generation of a global satellite-based precipitation data record.

The CM SAF supports outreach activities in Europe and Africa (e.g., annual EUMETSAT workshops) to promote the use of CM SAF data records for climate monitoring and other GFCS-related activities.