The added-value from the Configurable Reflectarray for Electronic Wideband Scanning Radiometry for Hurricane Ian (2022) forecast via a hybrid observing system simulation experiment

Abstract The Configurable Reflectarray for Electronic Wideband Scanning Radiometry (CREWSR) is a future microwave imaging and sounding sensor that offers low-power, low-mass, low-cost, high-performance, and compatibility with Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) Secondary Payload Adapter (ESPA)-class small satellite systems. CREWSR will demonstrate a highly configurable SmallSat based microwave temperature sounder on several key capabilities: the spatial resolution, the sampling distance between two nearby field of views (FOVs), the ability to scan anywhere within its scene to allow angular sampling, the number of spectral channels, and the observation noise. These capabilities will optimize the observing strategy so that more observations can be made in regions that are data sensitive. This work focuses on evaluating three configurable aspects of CREWSR: the spatial resolution, the ground sample distance, and the angular samplings. A quick regional hybrid Observing System Simulation Experiment (OSSE) work was conducted to understand the added-value of CREWSR on Hurricane Ian (2022) forecast. Results show that assimilating both CREWSR and ATMS radiances in the early morning orbit improves the Hurricane Ian (2022) forecast on track and intensity. The finer spatial resolution can further improve the forecast. Most importantly, CREWSR radiances with the optimized observing strategy improves the forecast the best. These results demonstrate that a microwave sounder like CREWSR, with the capability to provide more observations in data sensitive region and fewer observations in data insensitive region, has the potential to further improve hurricane forecast beyond the current sensors’ capability.