Fernandez-Serdan, J. M. (Servicio de Teledeteccion, Instituto Nacional de Meteorologia. Madrid - Spain)
The Meteosat Second Generation -MSG- programme of Eumetsat will provide when operational early in the 2000's, a highly increased amount of data-respective to current Meteosat- to continuously monitor the state of the atmosphere. Also useful in nowcasting and very short range forecasting, but certainly new means are needed including the previous extraction of specific products or by-products to fully profit of all these data.
Eumetsat has adopted a de-centralized strategy promoting SAF's -Satellite Applications Facilities- where finality-oriented products will be developed at diverse sites in the state members. The very first SAF will be to support nowcasting and very short range forecasting; I.N.M. has been leading its definition, and following decision of Eumetsat will be responsible for most of its development activities, to be actually starting in 1997.
A description of the products proposed for the SAF, particularly those intended for the monitoring of preconvective and convective environment, with some example illustrating the current limitations of similar products, in relationship with the geographical area and phenomena subject of the Simposium, will be presented.