The Central Weather Administration (CWA) and the Taiwan Space Agency (TASA) on Thursday signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) at the CWA to enhance meteorological observation and space weather forecasts.
Signed by CWA Administrator Cheng Chia-ping (程家平) and TASA Director-General Wu Jong-shinn (吳宗信), the MOU covers areas such as collaboration on meteorological and space monitoring, enhancement of techniques and data exchange.
The collaboration would involve using data collected by the Formosat-7 and Triton satellites for space weather and maritime meteorological observations, the CWA said.
Photo: Tsai Yun-jung, Taipei Times
The agencies aim to enhance the accuracy of weather forecasts, benefiting not only space missions, but also addressing the needs of daily life, disaster prevention and relief efforts, it said.
Cheng at the signing ceremony said that the CWA in 2002 started working with TASA on the Formosat-3 satellite, and the two sides also collaborated to establish the Taiwan Analysis Center for COSMIC in 2005.
The collaboration work under the MOU includes 24-hour satellite data reception, processing and transmission, involving not only atmospheric temperature, humidity and pressure information, but also data for space weather forecasting, Wu said.
Information from space weather forecasting is crucial for satellite operations, aircraft communication safety and positioning accuracy, TASA said.
TASA information shows that Formosat-7 produces about 5,500 atmospheric and 4,000 ionosphere data points daily, and CWA has helped TASA process about 30 million data points since Formosat-3 went online.
Cheng said Formosat-7 mainly provides atmospheric information such as temperature, humidity and pressure.
Triton’s primary function is to collect sea surface wind data, and it can predict the path of typhoons, Cheng added.
Furthermore, according to simulation comparison analysis, data collected by Formosat-7 can improve the accuracy of weather forecasts by 6 to 10 percent, as well as reduce errors in forecasting the path of a typhoon for more than 72 hours by an average of 5 percent.
Cheng added that Formosat-7’s observation mission specifically targets tropical regions, roughly within the latitudes of 45° north and south.
Triton has operated well since its launch on Oct. 9 last year and the first stage review of data collected by it has been completed, Wu said.
Triton data is expected to be released next month, he added.
FUKUOKA SITUATION: Japanese media reported that the pathogen is expected to be identified by the summer, while the CDC downplayed the idea that it was hMPV A “mysterious cold-like illness” reported in Japan’s Fukuoka Prefecture does not seem to be a new disease, but Japanese authorities have been asked about the situation, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said yesterday. The Fukuoka Prefectural Medical Association on Wednesday told a news conference that a “mystery cold” that has become a hot topic on social media is “highly likely to be caused by some kind of viral infection,” Japan’s KBC News reported. “Many people are experiencing symptoms starting with a sore throat, followed by a runny nose, phlegm and a severe cough,” KBC News reported, citing association officials. Health authorities are
Nvidia Corp CEO Jensen Huang (黃仁勳) arrived in Taiwan yesterday ahead of upcoming AI and technology events, saying he plans to meet with clients and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Chairman C.C. Wei (魏哲家) during his visit. After landing at Taipei Songshan Airport, Huang posed for photos with fans and handed out Yakult drinks to reporters and supporters waiting at the scene, saying he has “a lot to do” during the trip. Asked about reports that Nvidia’s planned headquarters site in Taipei’s Beitou Shilin Technology Park could break ground on May 27, Huang said that if the company holds an event, he would
The Ministry of Finance this afternoon announced the winning numbers for the March-April uniform invoice lottery. The winning number for the NT$10 million (US$318,060) special prize is 19531471, and the winning number for the NT$2 million grand prize is 85941329. Three numbers were drawn for the NT$200,000 first prize: 07225810, 20231230 and 83518781. Those with receipts matching the last seven digits of any of the first-prize numbers will win the NT$40,000 second prize, while those matching the last six digits will win the NT$10,000 third prize. Those whose receipts match the last five digits of the first-prize numbers can claim the NT$4,000 fourth prize,
SIX SUBSIDIES: The monthly allowance for older farmers is to increase to NT$10,000, and NT$5,000 is to be given to homemakers under the national pension system, Lai said The government is to implement major welfare policies for disadvantaged groups, including raising the monthly allowance for older farmers to NT$10,000 and providing homemakers with NT$5,000 per month, President William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday. Lai made the remarks during a visit to Wangling Temple in Chiayi County, saying that the planned increases were being introduced amid economic growth and an increase in tax revenue. Touting a policy, in which the government plans to provide a monthly allowance of NT$5,000 for every child under the age of 18 in a bid to address Taiwan’s low birthrate, Lai said that if received for the
RSS