50 Years of Meteorological Satellite Experiments Hank Revercomb, Director Space Science and Engineering Center (SSEC) 2 November 2009 Monona Terrace Convention.

50 Yearsof Meteorological

Satellite Experiments

Hank Revercomb, DirectorSpace Science and Engineering Center (SSEC)

2 November 2009

Monona Terrace Convention Center

Madison, Wisconsin

Explorer VIIJuno on pad

Bob Parent and Vern Suomi working on the sensor package

The Parent-Suomi Team

Co-founders of SSEC, inventors ATS spin-scan camera

Suomi and Parent Families

• Lois (Suomi) Young, Daughter – Charles Young, Husband– Elaine Young, Granddaughter

• Stephen Suomi, Son • Eric Suomi, Son• Judy Maki, Niece

• Winifred M. Parent,  Wife• Patricia Callaway,  Daughter

– John Barnes,  Grandson

– Kristina Storage, Granddaughter

– Michelle & Kimberly,    Great Granddaughters

• Barbara Parent,  Daughter • John Parent, Son

– Jonathan Parent, Grandson

• Celeste Klein

proclamation

Historic Wisconsin Connections with Weather and Climate Research

• Verner Suomi: Father of Satellite Meteorology

• Gaylord Nelson: Father of Earth Day (Wisconsin Governor on 13 October 1959)

• Increase Lapham: Father of the U.S. Weather Service

“Wisconsin” Statue

Herb Kohl: Senator’s Statement (excerpt)

on the 50th Anniversary

Tammy Baldwin: Congresswoman’s

Statement on the 50th Anniversary

On October 13, 1959, Verner Suomi and colleague, Robert Parent, from the University of Wisconsin-Madison measured the radiative energy balance of earth via satellite. This groundbreaking experiment began a new age of satellite meteorology, and represented the culmination of a vision to utilize rocket technology to increase our understanding of earth and our climate. Suomi, the "Father of Satellite Meteorology," began the University of Wisconsin-Madison's historic legacy in the development of satellite meteorology. Over the past fifty years, UW-Madison has continued to build upon this legacy through close research collaboration with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

Professors Suomi and Parent typify the Wisconsin Idea that the application of university research should be used to better the global community as a whole. I salute the efforts of past, present, and future satellite researchers and am deeply grateful for their contributions to our community.

Although I am not able to be with you personally this evening, I want to recognize and honor the 50th anniversary of the first successful satellite meteorology experiment.

The Wisconsin Idea-- A philosophy that Education should influence

and improve people’s lives beyond the university classroom

• Satellite instrumentation is an example with great societal benefit

• As usual, Vern made a remarkably simple statement of the importance of Explorer VII: “Meteorologists have up to now been limited to viewing clouds from the bottom up rather than from the outside of the atmosphere down towards the earth.”

Verner E. Suomi (1915-1995)Father of Satellite Meteorology

KISS:Keep it simpleSuomi

Keeping a critical

eye on earth & its

environment

“Verner Suomi was a giant of modern science.His inventions were simple and elegant, andtheir consequences are ubiquitous. Anyonelooking at a satellite image of the earth onthe evening weather is looking at the productof a rare mind” John D. Wiley, 1995

KISS:Keep it simpleSuomi

Verner E. Suomi (1915-1995)Father of Satellite Meteorology

And it was very good

Oral History Participants• Bob Fox (Moderator) (SSEC Executive Director 1980-2000;

Air Force connections)

• Tom Haig (SSEC Executive Director, 1970-1980; Air Force connections)

• Don Johnson (Faculty/Scientific Colleague)

• Bill Smith (CIMSS Director/Scientific Colleague, Mentee)

• Larry Sromovsky (SSEC Scientist/Scientific Colleague)

• Chuck Stearns (Faculty Colleague, student at time of Explorer VII launch; worked on instrumentation)

• Tom Vonder Haar (Scientific Colleague, PhD student)

Oral history will be available on the SSEC web site and will be deposited in the UW Archives,

UCAR Archives, and SSEC Library

A huge thank you to Paul Menzel, Jean Phillips, and the 50th planning committee who conceived of and made this event happen

The 50th anniversary planning committee

Tom Achtor Leanne Avila Joann Banks

Bill Bellon Dan Bull

Linda Hedges Mark Hobson

Rick Kohrs Dave Martin

Margaret Mooney Mark Mulligan

Will Robus Maria Vasys Gary Wade

Gary Davis: NOAA’s Environmental Satellite Program:

Past, Present, and Future

• Director, Office of Systems Development, NOAA/NESDIS

• Responsible for program management, planning, requirements and acquisition of the nation’s civil remote sensing satellites and their associated ground systems

• OSD: >$1/2 B budget, 165 on-site personnel

• 2002 Presidential rank award for outstanding service1994 Dept of Commerce Gold Medal (highest Dept honor)1989 NOAA Administrator’s award, and many others

• Transplanted New Yorker, lives in Maryland with wife MonaUniversity of Maryland graduate

Franco Einaudi: 50 Years of Meteorological Satellite

Experiments – The NASA Perspective

• Director, Earth Sciences Division of the Sciences and Exploration Directorate, GSFC, NASA

• Diverse career, including8 years professor, Georgia Institute of Technology10 year CIRES, University of Colorado, Boulder2 years postdoctoral fellow, Physics Dept, U. of Toronto

• 2006 President of AMS

• Native of Turin, Italy, Ph.D. Cornell University

Jérôme Lafeuille: 50 Years of Innovation and Cooperation

in Satellite Meteorology

• 2005-present: World Meteorological Organization, Geneva, Switzerland--Chief of the Space-based Observing Division, Space Programme Office

• 1998-2005: Meteo-France--Director of the Satellite Meteorology Centre in Lannion

• 1993-1998: EUMETSAT--Head of International Affairs and served as Secretary of the Coordination Group for Meteorological Satellites (CGMS)

• Graduate of Ecole Polytechnique in Paris

Terence (Terry) F. Kelly: Introducing Satellite Data to the Public –

Back to the Future

• Chairman, CEO, and principal owner of Weather Central, Inc., and its sister company, MyWeather, LLC

• A leader in the development of innovative weather display & forecasting equipment, software, and services for over 30 years and holds several US & international patents

• Received AMS Seal of Approval, and award for Outstanding Service by a Broadcast Meteorologist

• Founded ColorGraphics Systems, Inc and New Star

• 2003: Named “Entrepreneur of the Year” in Wisconsin by Ernst & Young

• Terry is also a founding investor in Air America Radio, and is involved in many local community projects including Chairman of the Aldo Leopold Nature Center, President of Madison Fireworks Fund, Inc. which hosts Madison’s annual Independence Day celebration “Rhythm & Booms”, and Board Member of the Madison Symphony Orchestra.

• Degree in Meteorology from University of Wisconsin-Madison and lives in Madison with his wife Mary

John Lewis: Suomi: Pragmatic Visionary

• National Severe Storms Laboratory Research Meteorologist,Adjunct Professor, Desert Research Institute, Reno, NV

• John couples theory of dynamic data assimilation with the practical problem of numerical weather prediction

• Career path has included National Meteorological Center, Fleet Numerical Weather Center, and the Space Science and Engineering Center

• Degrees from U. of Chicago and U. of Oklahoma

• Avocations: baseball, art, and history of science. John’s training in baseball is from the sandlot leagues in Sacramento, CA, and through lengthy discussions with colleagues in Madison, Wisconsin.

Fred House: Suomi’s ERB Experiments on Explorer

VII and TIROS Satellites

• Professor of Atmospheric Science, Drexel University• In 39th year of teaching students at Drexel

• June 1960: began 5 years of Graduate School at University of Wisconsin-Madison

• BS degrees in math/physics at North Texas State University, and in meteorology at Penn State under the Air Force Weather Officer training program. He was stationed in France for 3 years and forecast weather in Europe supporting NATO forces

Keynote--Tom Vonder Haar: Science Investigations:

The Legacy of Explorer VII

• Distinguished Professor of Atmospheric Science, Emeritus Director, CIRA, Colorado State University

• Department head for 10 years (1974-1984), during which CSU becamerecognized as one of the top Atmospheric Science graduate programs in the US

• 1980: Founded Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere (CIRA) at CSU, a university research center in partnership with NOAA, the National Park Service, and the Department of Defense

• Advisor for 30 Ph.D. and > 100 M.S. graduate students

• AMS Fellow and 1982 Charney Award recipient,named University Distinguished Professor at CSU in 1995, and elected Member of Academy of Engineering in 2003

• Ph.D. under Vern Suomi in 1967 published the first global, multi-seasonal measurements of Earth’s Radiation Budget using data from four NASA and US Air Force satellites carrying the “Suomi” and other radiation instruments

“Spacebo Sputnik”

30th Anniversary of Sputnik, Moscow

Vern helped to celebrate Sputnik

in 1987

GATE friend’s home

Cosmonaut Training Center& Space Museum tours

30th Anniversary of Sputnik, Moscow

Vern helped to celebrate Sputnik

in 1987

Thank You Vern and BobGracias, Danke, Merci, спасибо!, Xie Xie, Arigato …

Sculpture by Mike ShahI am very happy to share this moment of joy and satisfaction...the Suomi Sculpture is ready for display. I thank you for this opportunity to honor Dr Suomi...with this Bronze relief sculpture...that will inspire many generations ahead. I have always been inspired by Dr Suomi's dedication to Science, and feel fortunate to have worked with him as one of his engineers.                                                           Sincerely, Mike Shah (Sculptor, PhD Engineer)

The Suomi Science MuseumSuomi Science Museum at the University of Wisconsin-Madison

http://museum.ssec.wisc.edu

A vision we hope to make a reality soon

Anecdote to Share?

Open Mic at 8:30Moderated by Paul Menzel