15 U.S.C. § 8517 — Observing System Simulation Experiments

(a) In general. To support section 8516, the Assistant Administrator^* for Oceanic and Atmospheric Research must run Observing System Simulation Experiments, or other suitable measurements, to judge the value and benefits of observing tools and systems. These evaluations (1) may look at how observing tools affect (A) global weather prediction, (B) hurricane track and intensity forecasts, (C) how much warning time and accuracy tornado warnings get, (D) predicting outbreaks of severe local storms in the mid-latitudes, and (E) predicting storms that could cause extreme rain and flooding lasting from 6 hours to a week; and (2) must be done together with other parts of NOAA, other federal agencies, the weather industry, and academic partners, to keep the results technically and scientifically sound.

(b) Requirements. These experiments must, using numbers, (1) figure out how proposed space-based, suborbital, and in situ observing systems would affect forecasts, including for extreme weather everywhere in the country; (2) compare different observing-system design choices; and (3) weigh the relative abilities and costs of different observing systems and combinations of them for protecting life and property.

(c) Implementation. (1) These experiments must happen before NOAA buys or leases any major government observing system — including polar-orbiting or geostationary satellites — that costs more than $500,000,000 over its life. (2) They must also happen before NOAA buys any major new commercial data costing more than $500,000,000 over its life.

(d) Priority experiments. (1) Within 30 days after April 18, 2017, the Assistant Administrator had to finish an experiment on the value of Global Navigation Satellite System Radio Occultation data. (2) Within 120 days after April 18, 2017, the Assistant Administrator had to finish an experiment on the value of data from a geostationary hyperspectral sounder global constellation.

(e) Results. Once all these experiments are done, the Assistant Administrator must make public an assessment of related private and public weather-data options, including how available, affordable, and cost-effective they are. These assessments must follow section 50503 of title 51.