"National Meteorology" Wins an international award for a technique to improve the accuracy of satellite images
ABU DHABI, July 21, 2017 (WAM) – The National Center of Meteorology won the “Best Impactful Use Case” award during the World Summit on Artificial Intelligence for the Common Good, organized by the International Telecommunication Union in Geneva, in recognition of its development of an impactful use case based on the innovative “VIIRS LEO–SEVIRI GEO” technology to improve the accuracy of satellite images.
This technology is based on the outcomes of the research project entitled “Determining the microphysical potential for cloud seeding in a practical way,” which received a grant from the fifth session of the Emirates Research Program for Rain Enhancement Science, led by Professor Daniel Rosenfeld from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and in cooperation with the Mohammed bin Zayed University for Artificial Intelligence.
This technology relies on advanced applications of artificial intelligence to improve the accuracy of satellite images, by combining frequent updates provided by fixed satellites with fine details provided by low-Earth orbit satellites, allowing the production of high-resolution images every 15 minutes, which supports meteorological monitoring operations, weather forecasts, and more accurate operational decision-making.
His Excellency Dr. Abdullah Al Mandoos, President of the World Meteorological Organization and President of the National Meteorological Centre, said that this honor reflects the tangible results of the research and innovation system developed by the Center through the Emirates Research Program for Rain Enhancement Science, in cooperation with leading research and academic institutions around the world, and confirms the growing role of advanced research and applications of artificial intelligence in developing practical solutions that support meteorological services and raise their readiness to keep pace with changing weather and climate challenges.
He added that this achievement embodies the UAE’s commitment to continue investing in scientific research and enhancing international cooperation in order to develop scientific knowledge and harness it to serve societies and enhance their ability to confront climate challenges.
For her part, Alia Al Mazrouei, Director of the Emirates Research Program for Rain Enhancement Science, and Director of the Research and Weather Improvement Department at the National Center of Meteorology, said that this achievement is a practical example of transforming scientific research outputs into realistic applications, and highlights the true value and advanced level of research projects carried out by researchers who received program grants, and their role in developing innovative technologies that employ artificial intelligence and advanced scientific methods to advance atmospheric science and rain enhancement research, which reflects the extent of its keenness to support research of applied value, and that Believing in the importance of continuing to invest in scientific research as it is a fundamental foundation for developing innovative solutions that keep pace with future needs in the field of meteorological services.
This technology represents an innovative solution that enhances the accuracy of meteorological observations and weather forecasts by addressing one of the main challenges in space meteorology; Fixed satellites provide images every 15 minutes, but they are less accurate in terms of spatial details than low Earth orbit satellites.
To overcome this challenge, the research team developed a model based on machine learning techniques to improve the quality of images and increase their accuracy. It was trained using about 8,000 pairs of satellite images, which allowed the production of more detailed images while maintaining the frequent updates required for operational processes.
It is expected that the next stage of development of this technology will focus on enhancing the system’s readiness for near-immediate operational use, in addition to expanding the scope of its application to include more satellite channels and products, thus enhancing the accuracy of weather forecasts and supporting rain seeding operations.
The Global Summit on Artificial Intelligence for the Common Good is a leading international platform that brings together an elite group of decision-makers, researchers, industry leaders and technology experts from around the world, to review practical solutions and applications based on artificial intelligence and its role in supporting sustainable development goals.
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