Title: An Atmospheric Science OSSE System Architecture    
Primary Author: Lee, Meemong
Organization: Jet Propulsion Lab
Co-Author(s): Richard Weidner, Annmarie Eldering, Kevin Bowman, Zheng Qu

Abstract:
An atmospheric sounding mission starts with a wide range of concept designs involving measurement technologies, observing platforms, science information retrieval processes, and data assimilation methods. Comprehensive exploration of the mission concepts requires parametric representation of the measurement technologies, systematic formulation of the observing platforms, rapid execution of the information retrieval processes, and seamless integration of the data assimilation methods. This paper will present the system architecture of the Atmospheric science OSSE at JPL which is being applied to GEOCAPE, a Tier II decadal mission.

The OSSE system facilitates systematic exploration of the remote atmospheric sounding observations by integrating modeling and simulation capabilities in three distinct discipline areas, atmospheric science, instrument systems, and mission systems. Major challenges include consistent atmospheric phenomena representation, flexible community model evolution tracking, collaborative science analysis services, and cost-effective data/process management.

The OSSE system organizes the OSSE process into three loosely coupled stages, observation scenario exploration, measurement quality exploration, and science impact sensitivity analysis. The science impact sensitivity analysis stage can be applied for any combination of observation scenarios and measurement qualities. The loose coupling enables collaborative exploration of observation scenarios, measurement qualities, and science impact sensitivities. The collaborative exploration is supported via multiple types of interface mechanisms to ensure the system-level consistency while allowing component-level and subsystem-level flexibility. The interface mechanism types address a wide range of information flows; between users, between models, between simulation processes, between software implementations, and between processors.