McMurdo Ground Station Science Workshop
March 9, 10 & 11, 2004
at
Columbus, Ohio
For details, please see the web site:
http://amrc.ssec.wisc.edu/MGS
The purpose of this workshop is to provide information and options for
deciding how to collect the transmitted data from the next generation of
polar orbiting satellites for use by the United States Antarctic Program
(USAP) in Antarctica. The L-band direct broadcast satellites currently
used by USAP are being replaced by X-band direct broadcast satellites as
soon as 2006. The new satellites offer increased capabilities and open
the doors to new science and possibilities for observing and learning
about the atmosphere, ocean, cryosphere, lithosphere, and biosphere
system. However, there is a need for lead-time to prepare to acquire and
train for the applications of the new streams of data. The new
satellite systems require X-band receiving equipment. One option is to
utilize the existing McMurdo Ground Station (MGS) X-band receiving
system. The MGS is an Earth reception station at McMurdo Station,
Antarctica installed in 1993 with the goal of collecting data from
Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) sensor equipped satellites. Funded
mutually by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National
Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), this reception system has
been pivotal in the collection of remotely sensed satellite data that
would not be otherwise available as well as being utilized in the
support of satellite and spacecraft commanding. The goals and uses of
the MGS are at a crossroad, however. The focus of the workshop is to
have the Antarctic science and operations community discuss the
capabilities of the next generation satellite fleet along with
applications and reception possibilities with a focus on the MGS,
especially as it relates to USAP research and operation activities.
Interdisciplinary participation will be sought from the fields of
meteorology, oceanography, glaciology, biology and operations. The
workshop goal is to understand the changes coming in the near future,
explore the implications for the USAP, and to present options for
adapting the upcoming changes for the benefit of the USAP. The outcome
of the workshop is to produce a written report, The Future of the Next
Generation Satellite Fleet and the McMurdo Ground Station, will address
uses, applications, automation, and operation of the ground station(s)
for the benefit of the participants of USAP. The report from the
workshop will be broadly disseminated both in hardcopy and on-line
versions. This workshop will give the Antarctic science community the
opportunity to learn about the possibilities that this situation offers
the USAP and to offer recommendations.
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Matthew Lazzara -Meteorologist- Antarctic Meteorological Research Center
947 Atmospheric, Oceanic and Space Sciences http://amrc.ssec.wisc.edu
Space Science and Engineering Center E-mail: mattl@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
University of Wisconsin-Madison Phone: (608) 262-0436
1225 West Dayton Street, Madison, WI 53706 Fax: (608) 263-6738
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