Arctic +

The Arctic Earth Observation Impact Assessment (A+5) study addresses the combination of Earth Observation (EO) data streams with a numerical model of the Arctic ocean sea-ice system using quantitative network design (QND) techniques.

The team, consisting of 'The Inversion Lab', 'DMI' and 'OASys', is constructing a highly flexible system for Arctic Mission Benefit Analysis (the ArcMBA system) that evaluates in a mathematically rigorous fashion the effect that observational constraints imposed by individual and groups of EO (and in situ) data products would have in an advanced data assimilation system. The assessment of the observation impact (added value) is performed in terms of the uncertainty reduction in simulated/predicted sea ice, snow, and oceanic target quantities of scientific and societal interest.

A definite asset of the ArcMBA system is that it can also be used to assess the impact of hypothetical data streams, i.e. it can assist in the design of new space mission concepts or the construction of novel product types from existing missions.

This project belongs to a group of projects, called ARCTIC+ projects, all funded by ESA's Support to Science Element. It is endorsed by the Polar Prediction Project, as a substantial contribution to its Year of Polar Prediction (YOPP) element.