CGMS_virtuallab

A key component of the Strategy for Education and Training in Satellite Meteorology adopted by the WMO Executive Council, is the WMO-CGMS Virtual Laboratory for Training and Education in Satellite Meteorology (VL) with the network of regional Centres of Excellence for satellite training.

The VL has been established to promote effective use of satellite meteorology throughout the WMO member countries. It is a collaborative effort joining major operational satellite operators across the globe with WMO "centres of excellence" in satellite meteorology. Those "centres of excellence" serve as the satellite-focused training resource for WMO Members.

Within the VL framework, all partners are cooperating to develop and share training material and software tools for either on-line training or face-to-face lectures. The Virtual Resource Library (VRL) provides a wealth of presentations and lectures on the use of satellite data and products, as well as data samples or on-line data, which are applicable in multiple WMO Regions.

CGMS, in partnership with the WMO, established a VL Management Group to coordinate and oversee VL activities and to help foster the VL to realize the challenges set forth in the WMO Strategy for Education and Training in Satellite Matters. A new Five-year Strategy developed by the VL Management Group, was approved by CGMS-36 in November 2008 and by CBS-XIV in April 2009.

The Virtual Laboratory is editing a Newsletter. Click here for the VL Newsletter

VIRTUAL LABORATORY CENTRES OF EXCELLENCE

Centres of Excellence (CoE) for training in Satellite Meteorology are implemented normally in every WMO Region and sponsored by one or more satellite operating agency. Once completed, the whole network of CoEs will address training needs in all WMO official or working languages. The CoEs are operating around the concept of Virtual Laboratory for Training in Satellite Meteorology (VL). Each CoE organizes training sessions and uses VL on-line tools and training material. CoEs organize VL Focus Group briefings on a regular basis (e.g. once a month).

VL-COE in 2009

To-date, 11 CoE have been established, covering all 6 WMO Regions and 6 languages and involving WMO Regional Training Centres and universities as follows:

WMO Region	Centre of Excellence	Place, Country	Sponsoring Satellite Operator
RA I	Institute for Meteorological Training and Research (IMTR)	Nairobi, Kenya	EUMETSAT
RA I	ASECNA, Ecole Africaine de la Meteorologie et de l'Aviation Civile (EAMAC)	Niamey, Niger	EUMETSAT
RA I	South African Weather Service	Pretoria, South Africa	EUMETSAT
RA II and RA V	Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology (NUIST) and China Meteorological Administration Training Centre (CMATC)	Nanjing & Beijing, China	CMA
RA II	Sultan Qaboos University, Remote Sensing and GIS Center (SQU/RSGIS)	Muscat, Oman	EUMETSAT, IMD
RA III and RA IV	University of Costa Rica, School of Physics (UCR)	San Jose, Costa Rica	NOAA/NESDIS
RA III	National Meteorological Service, Dept. of Education and Training (SMN), University of Buenos Aires, Dept. of Atmospheric Science (UBA), and National Commission for Space Activities (CONAE)	Buenos Aires and Cordoba, Argentina	NOAA/NESDIS CONAE
RA III	National Institute for Space Research (INPE) Centre for Weather Forecasting & Climate Studies(CPTEC)	Cachoeira Paulista Brazil	INPE/CPTEC
RA IV	Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology (CIMH)	Bridgetown, Barbados	NOAA/NESDIS
RA V	Australian Bureau of Meteorology Training Centre (BMTC)	Melbourne, Australia	JMA
RA VI	ROSHYDROMET State Educational Institute (SEI) Institute for Qualification Improvement (IQI)	Moscow Russian Federation	Roshydromet/ Roscosmos

Annual reports are provided annually by the Centres of Excellence or their sponsoring agencies. Click here to access the Annual Reports

VIRTUAL RESOURCE LIBRARY

The Virtual Resource Library (VRL) provides a wealth of presentations and lectures on the use of satellite data and products, as well as data samples or on-line data, which are applicable in multiple WMO Regions. The VisitView application enables interactive work on images and presentations via the Internet when holding lectures and briefings.

The Virtual Resource Library is accessible via web pages of the VL partners. To access VL resources or different components of the VL click on the appropriate item below.

CIRA VRL (USA)
EUMETSAT VRL (Europe)
INPE/CPTEC VRL (Brazil)
JMA VRL (Japan)
NSMC VRL (China)
ROSHYDROMET/IQI (Russian Federation)
South African Weather Service

The COMET® Program of UCAR (USA) has developed the Environmental Satellite Resource Center (ESRC) to serve as a searchable, database-driven web portal that provides easy access to a wide range of web sites containing useful information and training materials on low-Earth orbit and geostationary satellites. This growing collection of resource links is an important international resource for WMO Virtual Laboratory users.

MANUALS

Applications with meteorological satellites, P. Menzel, 2001, SAT-28 (WMO TD N°1078) (Large file: 7.5 MB)

VLab Newsletter

Annual reports from Centres of Excellence and sponsoring agencies

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If you have any questions about CGMS or its activities then please contact us with your enquiries
Last updated on 6 January 2009

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