Simulated Weather Imagery (SWIm) |
Purpose
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Gallery
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Cases
Visually and physically realistic sky (and land) simulations are being produced from real-time gridded weather data,
obtained using a 3-D hydrometeor/aerosol analysis from the
Local Analysis and Prediction System, running over a
Colorado 500 meter resolution domain.
The analysis uses satellite (including IR and 500m resolution visible imagery, updated every 5 minutes), METARs, radar, aircraft, PM2.5, and model first
guess information to produce 3-D fields of cloud liquid, cloud ice, rain, snow, and aerosol extinction. Several land surface fields are also produced.
The 500m grid resolution takes advantage of the 500m satellite resolution in the visible wavelengths.
The gridded fields are converted using a ray-tracing technique into an all-sky image. Here are more details in
this
satellite data workshop (JCSDA) presentation.
These visualizations have also been made with analyses of present weather from LAPS & GSI along with forecasts from LAPS, WRF, FIM, CSU/RAMS, NAVGEM, and HRRR.
Preliminary camera assimilation work is being done using cloud mask algorithm output. Other variational assimilation (4DVAR), directly using visible and IR
radiance information (e.g. at a 1-minute cadence) from cameras and satellites in a tomographic fashion
is being proposed for use in various systems.
The image above on the left is simulated from the LAPS cloud/aerosol analysis and other data,
while the simultaneous image on the right is from a Moonglow
all-sky camera
maintained by the Earth Systems Research Laboratory.
In each fisheye lens view the zenith is in the center and north is up.
The color balance of the simulated image is set to reproduce the "actual" colors/radiances when the display white point is set to closely match the sun.
Thus to see a true apples to apples comparison (if for example you take your computer outside or right by a window), please set
your display to a color temperature of 5780K (the sun's white color above the atmosphere).
Some images are shown a bit dark to avoid saturating and losing details on the bright end. This can be compensated for by turning up your monitor
brightness, thus showing a broader dynamic range.
Latest all-sky comparison
image
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mask
(site is DSRC)
Latest comparison animations
(site is DSRC):
Polar
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Cylindrical
In these 360 degree panoramic (all-sky) views, a simulated LAPS image is shown (top) compared with a remapped camera image (bottom)
from an all-sky camera maintained by the Earth Systems Research Laboratory.
South is at the center of each image and north is at the edges.
The listed solar irradiance is calculated from the same radiance information used to construct the image.
Archive Directories
(site is DSRC):
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Polar Camera
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Cylindrical Camera
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Polar Comparison
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Polar Blinking
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Cylindrical Comparison
Other Related Endeavors
from around the web
More visualizations are on my main
home page
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Contact:
Steve Albers
(Steven.Albers@colostate.edu)
