Land surface albedo from MSG/SEVIRI: Retrieval method, validation, and application for weather forecast

The European Meteorological Satellite Organization (EUMETSAT) maintains a number of decentralized processing centers dedicated to different scientific themes. The Portuguese Meteorological Institute hosts the Satellite Application Facility on Land Surface Analysis (LSA-SAF). The primary objective of the LSA-SAF is to provide added-value products for the meteorological and environmental science communities with main applications in the fields of climate modeling, environmental management, natural hazards management, and climate change detection. Since 2005 data from Meteosat Second Generation satellite are routinely processed in near real time by the LSA-SAF operational system in Lisbon. Presently, the delivered operational products comprise land surface albedo and temperature, shortwave and long-wave downwelling radiation fluxes, vegetation parameters and snow cover. After about seven years (1999-2007) of research, development, and progressive operational activities, a summary of the surface albedo product characteristics and performances is presented. The relevance of LSA-SAF albedo product is analyzed through a weather forecast model (ALADIN) in order to account for the inter-annual spatial and temporal variability. Results clearly show a positive impact on the 12-hour forecast of 2 m temperatures. Moreover, in order to improve the quality of LSA-SAF products, an operational MSG aerosol product is under development that will allow a near real time atmospheric correction of the MSG radiance. Results show a significant enhancement of the consistency of the surface albedo.