High-frequency microwave satellite radiances data assimilation using NICAM-LETKF in the OSSE framework

This study investigates the impact of high frequency, such as 3-hourly and 1-hourly satellite microwave radiances, in global atmospheric data assimilation. To understand the impact of such a high-frequency satellite radiances data assimilation, we designed an observing system simulation experiment (OSSE) using the global NICAM-LETKF system at 56 km horizontal resolution. A free run was conducted with the NICAM model and treated as the reference (Nature) for the OSSE experiments. With the NICAM-LETKF system, we conducted five experiments, without data assimilation (NoDA), with only conventional data assimilation but not satellite radiances (NoSat), 6-hourly (6H), 3-hourly (3H), and 1-hourly (1H) satellite clear-sky radiances assimilation. The results showed that satellite microwave radiances assimilation improved the forecast of air temperature and wind over the global ocean compared to NoSat experiments. With the increase in the assimilation frequency of the satellite radiances, the air temperature and winds showed improvement in their representation over the ocean but degraded over land. Over the ocean, microwave radiances assimilation improved the typhoon eyewall wind intensities and its structure for 1H satellite radiances assimilation compared to 6H. These improvements in the wind intensities are prominent during the landfall stage of the typhoon. Forecasting landfall storms' strong winds are essential for disaster prevention and mitigation.