Felix Kogan, Research Scientist from NOAA-STAR, visits NOAA-CREST Center

Posted on December 5, 2014

NOAA-CREST students and faculty are preparing to meet with the recognized and well known research scientist from NOAA-STAR (Center for Satellite Applications and Research), Felix Kogan. Dr. Kogan is visiting NOAA-CREST to give a talk about Operational Satellites for Climate Services. The satellites theme is exceptionally important and widely discussed. Currently weather predictions derived from the satellite data can save lives and affect various ecosystems which was not the case several years. 

Dr. Kogan will discuss many challenging and large scale problems the world is facing today like: Earth population is growing faster than food production; fresh water and soil fertility have been over-exploited; warmer climate is anticipated to intensify weather hazards and more intensive and larger area droughts. In order to protect the environment we have to monitor areas; predict weather hazards; provide advanced drought detection; develop adaptation strategies and introduce new technologies. All of these goals require strong and comprehensive climate and weather assessments.

 NOAA-STAR has developed assessment services by leveraging 35-year worth of data acquired by AVHRR sensors on NOAA satellites. For example, NOAA-STAR services include early detection of drought and monitoring of drought areas. The services deliver data to 192 countries and 4,000 administrative regions every week via the NOAA-WEB (http://orbit.nesdis.noaa.gov/smcd/emcb/vci).  The site has 4,000-5,000 users every month. The climate services will be improved again in the near future when data from the new generation of operational polar-orbiting satellites is integrated into the services. The satellite is called Suomi NPP (S-NPP) and it will deliver data captured in 375m spatial resolution thanks the new Visible Infrared Imager Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) sensors on board.

 Dr. Kogan started his career in the 1980s when he was a Senior Scientist at the World Meteorological Center in Moscow, USSR. In 1985 Dr. Kogan joined NESDIS (National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service), applying his expertise to a number of areas, including remote sensing, climate and weather impact assessments, drought monitoring, desertification and deforestation, mosquito-borne diseases, and agricultural productivity.