ACHILLES

Contents and goals

This project aims to develop and validate new high resolution meteorological products based on Sentinel-1 (S1) data and the SAR interferometry technique. Times series of Precipitable Water Vapor (PWV) maps will be generated using all S1 images acquired over Austria and the surrounding countries in Central-eastern Europe during a period of several years.

Methods

The PWV maps will be generated based on the excess path delays in S1 interferograms. The new meteorological product will be based on the merging of S1 PWV maps with measurements provided by meteorological stations and GNSS receivers. These S1 PWV maps, characterized by a high spatial resolution, will be assimilated in the numerical weather prediction (NWP) model AROME which is used for operational forecasts at ZAMG.

For the interface between measurements and model, a novel machine learning approach will be developed in ACHILLES. The additional forecast value of the S1 PWV maps and its capability to enhance the forecast quality of the AROME model will be studied. A quantitative analysis will be carried out to study the relationship between the forecast skill, the acquisition parameters of S1 data and the physical properties of the atmosphere at the acquisition times.

The quantification of the predictability potential of S1 PWV maps and their impact on the different meteorological products obtainable by high resolution NWP models as AROME is an original achievement that will be reached by this project.

Expected results

The assimilation of these maps in a high resolution NWP model is believed to enhance the NWP capability to more precisely forecast the occurrence of extreme weather events and the extension of area affected by e.g. intense rainfall or hail. The direct involvement of ZAMG who is offering a broad range of weather forecast services to Austria will help to transfer the output of this project to services for the society.

In addition, this project will enable the growth of the prime contractor EOG which will have the possibility to develop satellite-based products for a new market not previously addressed.

Coordinator

EOG Unternehmenspartner

Project partner

ZAMG

EOG Unternehmenspartner
Dr. Giovanni Nico
Wollzeile 11 / 2.OG
A-1010 Vienna