National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Welcome to the GMAO's Research Web Site

The Global Modeling and Assimilation Office (GMAO) is a component of the Earth Sciences Division in Goddard's Sciences and Exploration Directorate. Our research and development activities aim to maximize the impact of satellite observations in climate, weather and atmospheric composition prediction using comprehensive global models and data assimilation. To achieve this goal, the GMAO develops models and assimilation systems for the atmosphere, ocean, and land surface, generates products to support NASA instrument teams and the NASA Earth science program, and undertakes scientific research to inform system development pathways.

4th World Climate Research Programme International Conference on Reanalyses (ICR4)
Abstract Submission for the 4th World Climate Research Programme International Conference on Reanalyses (ICR4) is now open. The conference is scheduled for May 7-11, 2012 in Silver Spring MD. Major topics include: Reanalyses status and plans, data assimilation, observations, validation and metrics, along with discussions on international collaboration.

See the ICR4 Call for Abstracts.

GMAO starts GEOS-5 real time data production at ¼ deg horizontal resolution
The GMAO has started the real time GEOS-5.7.2 data assimilation production on August 19, 2011. The new system generates data products at ¼ deg horizontal resolution and of significantly improved quality, resulting from many advances made in both the model and analysis. The GEOS-5.2.0 data production will continue in parallel until the end of 2011, to allow GEOS-5 real time data users ample time to transition to the new products.

For more details, please visit the GMAO Products page.

GEOS-5 Forecasting Support for HS3 Campaign
The Hurricane and Severe Storm Sentinel (HS3) is a five-year mission specifically targeted to investigate the processes that underlie hurricane formation and intensity change in the Atlantic Ocean basin. HS3 is motivated by hypotheses related to the relative roles of the large-scale environment and storm-scale internal processes.

HS3 will utilize two Global Hawks, one with an instrument suite geared toward measurement of the environment and the other with instruments suited to inner-core structure and processes. Field measurements will take place for one month each during the hurricane seasons of 2012-2014, with test flights scheduled for Aug-Sep 2011.

The GMAO, in collaboration with the Atmospheric Chemistry and Dynamics Branch, NCCS and SIVO, are providing meteorological and chemical forecast support for aiding flight planning and data analysis in the field.

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• Assimilation of Terrestrial Water Storage from GRACE in a Snow-dominated Basin In a recent study, gravimetric measurements from the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) mission are used in a land surface model data assimilation framework to better characterize snow conditions in the Mackenzie River basin located in northern Canada. The assimilation of GRACE terrestrial water storage information into the Catchment land surface model improves snow mass estimates.