Glossary of Terms and Acronyms - M - O

MACAWS

MACAWS is an eye-safe Dopller laser radar (lidar) operating at 10/6 microns. Line of sight velocity and intensity are measured by backscattering from windborne aerosols, clouds, land and water surfaces.

MAGNETIC FIELD

Pertaining to the magnetic field generated by the Earth, consisting of both the dipole and non-dipole components.

MAMS

Multispectral Atmospheric Mapping Sensor (MAMS) measures reflectd radiation from the Earth's surface and clouds in eight visible/near-infrared bands, and thermal emission from the Earth's surface, clouds, and atmospheric constituents (primarily water vapor) in four infrared bands.

MAP SURVEY

The quantification of a physical variable by interpolation/extrapolation of a previously mapped parameter field.

MARINE WIND SPEED

Scalar value of the magnitude of the wind speed at the ocean surface, usually measured in meters per second.

MAS

MODerate resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) Airborne Simulator.

MEAN STREAM DISCHARGE

The average streamflow over a period of time, where streamflow is defined as the rate of water flowing in a channel, usually measured in cubic feet per second.

METEOROLOGICAL STATION

A fixed, above-ground station that is used to collect and/or transmit meteorological data.

METEOSAT

Meteosat: A contribution of the European Space Agency to the Global Atmospheric Research Program's World Weather Watch which consisted of a series of geostationary, spin-stabilized satellites (similar to GOES and GMS stationed near 0 degrees East).

METEOSAT-6

METEOSAT-6 is the sixth in a series of geostationary, spin-stabilized satellites (similar to GOES-7 and GMS-4) stationed near the prime meridian above the equator to provide continuous observations of earth's environment in both visible and infrared portions of the electromagnetic spectrum. The visible channel has a 2.5 km spatial resolution and the infrared channel has a 5.0 km resolution.

METHANE EMISSION

The amount of methane released by wetlands into the atmosphere, usually measured as an annual total.

MICROLAB-1

The MicroLab-1 spacecraft was built and successfully launched on April 3, 1995 by Orbital Sciences Corporation (OSC). MicroLab-1 spacecraft carries the Optical Transient Detector (OTD), sponsored by NASA/Marshall Space Flight Center. The spacecraft was launched into a 70 degree inclination orbit at an altitude of 740km and has a system life of 2 years.

MICROPULSE LIDAR

The Micro Pulse Lidar is a compact and eye-safe lidar system capable of determining the range of aerosols and clouds in the atmosphere by firing a short pulse of laser light (at 523nm). This instrument is also a part of the global network (MPLNET).

MICROWAVE RADIOMETER

The Microwave Profiling Radiometer (MPR) is a 12 channel microwave radiometer that measures profiles of temperature, water vapor, cloud water, and integrated values of water vapor and cloud water at 10 minute intervals up to 10 km with the highest vertical resolution at low levels.

MICROWAVE TEMPERATURE PROFILER

The Microwave Temperature Profiler (MTP) is a passive microwave radiometer which measures the thermal emmission from oxygen molecules in the atmosphere for a selection of elevation angles. Measured brightness temperatues versus elevation angle is converted to air temperature versus altitude using a statistical retrieval procedure.

MIPS

The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) Mobile Integrated Profiling System (MIPS) is a mobile atmospheric profiling system. It includes a 915 MHz Doppler profiler, lidar ceilometer, 12 channel microwave profiling radiometer, Doppler Sodar, Radio Acoustic Sounding System (RASS), Field Mills, and surface observing station.

MISSION REPORT

A mission report is a short in-field science report that has high level information about a campaign's daily mission. It includes the mission date, sortie number(s), a mission description, mission objective, mission notes, and a summary of ground /other assets. It is written by the mission scientist in charge of that day's mission.

MODEL

The process of providing to a computer, usually in the form of mathematical equations, a precise and unambiguous description of a system including the relationships between system inputs and outputs, and using this description to simulate.

MODEL CALCULATION

A mathematically derived product which is based on physical and/or empirical principles.

MODIS

MODerate-resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), aboard the TERRA (EOS AM-1) spacecraft, is a whisk broom scanning radiometer that will view the entire Earth's surface every 1 to 2 days, acquiring data in 36 spectral bands (0.4 - 14.4 um) at moderate resolution (0.25 - 1 km). MODIS has a viewing swath of 2330 km (field of view sweeps +/- 55 degrees cross-track) and will provide high-radiometric resolution images of daylight-reflected solar radiation and day/night thermal emissions over the globe. Its spatial resolution ranges from 250 m to 1 km at nadir.

MODIS AIRBORNE SIMULATOR (MAS)

MODerate resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) Airborne Simulator.

MSU

Microwave Sounding Unit is a 4 frequency passive microwave radiometer measuring oxygen absorption in 4 layers of the atmosphere to retrieve temperature profiles and rainfall over the oceans.

MTP

The Microwave Temperature Profiler (MTP) is a passive microwave radiometer which measures the thermal emmission from oxygen molecules in the atmosphere for a selection of elevation angles. Measured brightness temperatues versus elevation angle is converted to air temperature versus altitude using a statistical retrieval procedure.

N/A

Not Applicable

N/A

Not Applicable

N/A

Not Applicable

NAMMA

The NASA African Monsoon Multidisciplinary Analyses (NAMMA) campaign is a field research investigation sponsored by the Science Mission Directorate of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). This mission was based in the Cape Verde Islands, 350 miles off the coast of Senegal in west Africa. Commencing in August 2006, NASA scientists employed surface observation networks and aircraft to characterize the evolution and structure of African Easterly Waves (AEWs) and Mesoscale Convective Systems over continental western Africa, and their associated impacts on regional water and energy budgets. NASA also made extensive use of its orbiting satellites (including Aqua, TRMM, and the recently-launched Cloudsat/CALIPSO) and modeling capabilities to improve its forecasts and flight plans.

NASA DC-8

NASA owned McDonnell Douglas DC-8, a four engined swept wing jet airplane which flies in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere, and is used as an instrument platform for scientific experiments.

NASA ER-2

A high altitude aircraft almost identical to the the USAF U-2 which flies at a cruise altitude of approximately 60,000 ft. Used by NASA as a platform for various airborne research.

NAST-I

The National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS) Interferometer (NAST-I) is a high resolution Michelson interferometer which scans the earth in the infrared portion of the spectrum. Data gathered is used to remotely obtain temperature and moisture profiles of the atmosphere below the aircraft.

NAST-MTS

The NPOESS Aircraft Sounder Testbed - Microwave Temperature Sounder (NAST-MTS) contains two microwave radiometer systems covering the spectral ranges of 50-56 GHz with eight single-sideband channels, and 115-123 Ghz with nine double-sideband channels centered on the 118.75 Ghz oxygen line. Both radiometers scan +- 65 degrees from nadir and also view two black-body targets and zenith for calibration. The temperature weighting functions cover altitudes from the surface to ER-2 altitude. A video camera in the MTS package will provide ancillary digitized stereo images for cloud location.

NATIONAL LIGHTNING DETECTION NETWORK

A commercial lightning detection network of about 130 antennae which are connected to a central processor that records the time, polarity, signal strength, and number of strokes of each cloud-to-ground lightning flash detected over the United States.

NATIVE

Non-Standard format as provided by data producer.

NEPHELOMETER

An apparatus used to measure the size and concentration of particles in a liquid by analysis of light.

NET RADIATION

A measure of the total radiation minus that portion that is scattered and reflected.

NET RADIOMETER

An instrument that measures the difference between the incoming and outgoing hemispheric radiation on a horizontal plane over the 0.4 to 4.0 micrometer waveband.

NIMBUS

NIMBUS satellites were second-generation meteorological Research and Development spacecraft designed to serve as stabilized, near-polar, earth-oriented platforms for testing of advanced systems to sense and collect meteorological data.

NIMBUS-7

NIMBUS-7 is seventh in a series of meteorological Research and Development satellites designed to serve as stabilized, near-polar, earth-oriented platforms for testing of advanced systems to sense and collect meteorological, oceanographic, and pollution data.

NOAA

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NOAA WP-3D ORION

NOAA owned Lockheed WP-3D is a four engined turboprop aircraft that is used for weather reconnassince in the troposphere and is used as an instrument platform for scientific experiments.

NOAA-10

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration-10: Tenth in a series of third generation polar-orbiting, meteorological satellites that operate in pairs in orbits that are 90 degrees apart. Crosses the equator around 7:30 AM/PM. Launched: Sep. 17, 1986.

NOAA-11

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration-11: Eleventh in a series of third generation polar-orbiting, meteorological satellites that operate in pairs in orbits that are 90 degrees apart. Crosses the equator around 2:30 AM/PM. Launched: Sep. 24, 1988.

NOAA-12

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration-12: Twelfth in a series of third generation polar-orbiting, meteorological satellites that operate in pairs in orbits that are 90 degrees apart. Crosses the equator around 7:30 AM/PM.

NOAA-15

NOAA-15 is the fifteenth in a seried of polar orbiting meteorological satellites. NOAA-15 crosses the equator at approximately 7:30 AM/PM. Launched 15 May 1998.

NOAA-16

The AMSU-A instrument flies aboard several of NOAA's Advanced TIROS N series of polar orbiting satellites (NOAA-K, L, M, and N). It is also planned for flight on the EOS PM satellite. NOAA-16 was launched 21 Sep 2000, it became operational on 27 May 2001.

NOAA-17

NOAA-17 is the third in a series of five of Advanced TIROS N series of polar orbiting satellites (NOAA-K, L, M, and N) and will provide improved imaging and sounding capabilites and operate over the next ten years. It was launched 8 Jul 2002, it became operational on 26 Jul 2002.

NOAA-6

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration-6: Sixth in a series of third generation polar-orbiting, meteorological satellites that operate in pairs in orbits that are 90 degrees apart. Launched: June 27, 1979.

NOAA-7

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration-7: Seventh in a series of third generation polar-orbiting, meteorological satellites that operate in pairs in orbits that are 90 degrees apart. Crossed the equator around 2:30 AM/PM. Launched: June 23, 1981.

NOAA-8

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Aministration-8: Eighth in a series of third generation polar-orbiting, meteorological satellites that operate in pairs in orbits that are 90 degrees apart. Crossed the equator around 7:30 AM/PM. Launched: Mar. 28, 1983.

NOAA/NASA PATHFINDER

A joint program to generate consistent, stably calibrated, long time-series data sets from existing archives of operational satellite data, and to make these data readily available to the earth science community.

NPOL RADAR

Doppler scanning radar operating in the S bandwith horizontal and vertical polarization. Used for detection and detailing wind direction/velocities in the x, y and z direction as well as precipitation reflectivities.

NWS RADAR NETWORK

The National Weather Service's network of ground-based radars located throughout the United States.

OCEAN WIND SPEED

Scalar value of the magnitude of the wind speed at the ocean surface, usually measured in meters per second.

OLS

The Operational Linescan System (OLS) is the primary sensor on the DMSP satellite series. The OLS provides global coverage in the visible and infrared wavelength bands.

OPERATIONAL NAVIGATION CHARTS

Operational Navigation Chart (ONC) maps are prepared by the Defense Mapping Agency of the Department of Defense for use by pilots; they include a large amount of information about natural and anthropogenic surface features. Primary source materials are larger-scale World Aeronautical Charts (WAC), prepared by the same agency. The WAC series is prepared almost exclusively from aerial photography, complemented in some regions by detailed local maps. ONC maps indicate innundation with overprint symbols.

OPTICAL PULSE SENSOR

A high time resolved optical pulse sensor with a very wide FOV (50deg), an all sky detector, a video camera with VCR tape storage, and associated data acquisition systems for the optical pulse sensors.

OTD

The Optical Transient Detector (OTD) is an orbiting optical sensor that detects, locates, and measures the radiant energy of intra-cloud and cloud-to-ground lightning events over the earth during both day and night. The OTD is a scientific payload on the Microlab-1 low earth orbiting satellite.

OZONE

The concentration of a blue gaseous allotrope of oxygen, O3, formed naturally from diatomic oxygen by electric discharge or exposure to ultraviolet radiation; is an unstable, powerfully bleaching, poisonous oxidizing agent with a pungent, irritating odor.

OZONE PHOTOMETER

The ozone number density is determined using the ozone absorbtion cross secion at 254nm in a closed chamber of known volume.

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