AMS Summer Community Meeting

Weather and Climate Enterprise Commission

R. E. Carbone

10 August 2009

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Observing Weather and Climate

FROM THE GROUND UPA Nationwide Network of Networks

Committee on Developing Mesoscale

Meteorological Observational

Capabilities to Meet Multiple National

Needs.

RICHARD E. (RIT) CARBONE (Chair)

NCAR, Boulder, CO JAMES BLOCK DTN/Meteorlogix, Minneapolis, MNS. EDWARD BOSELLY Weather Solutions Group, Olympia,

WAGREGORY R. CARMICHAEL University of Iowa, Iowa CityFREDERICK H. CARR University of Oklahoma, NormanV. (CHANDRA) CHANDRASEKAR Colorado State University, Fort

CollinsEVE GRUNTFESTNCAR, Boulder, CO 2

Liaison:

Walter F. DabberdtBoard of Atmospheric Sciences and Climate

NRC Staff:

CURTIS MARSHALL Senior Program OfficerROB GREENWAY, Senior Program Assistant

RAYMOND M. HOFF University of Maryland Baltimore Co.WITOLD F. KRAJEWSKIUniversity of Iowa, Iowa CityMARGARET A. LEMONENCAR, Boulder, COJAMES F.W. PURDOMColorado State University, Fort CollinsTHOMAS W. SCHLATTERUniversity of Colorado, BoulderEUGENE S. TAKLEIowa State University, AmesJAY TITLOWWeatherflow, Inc., Poquoson, VA

Sponsors: NOAA, NASA, EPA, DOT, DHS, OFCM

Study Tasks, Goals, Foci

Develop an “overarching vision” for an integrated, flexible, adaptive, and multi-purpose network

We did not engage in network design.

Focus on requirements for the United States and adjacent coastal zones

Emphasize the planetary boundary layer (~2 meters below the surface to 2-3 km above)

Identify steps to develop a network that meets “multiple national needs” in a cost-effective manner.

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Health and SafetyTransportationFood and WaterEnergy Security

Multiple National NeedsWe framed the whole study around major applications.

Those that resolve mesoscale structure and detect events?

Those that enable dynamical prediction?

Non-meteorological obs having influence on weather?

Environmental conditions influenced by weather?

All of the above.

How should we define mesoscale observations?*

Which raises the bar considerably

* In the context of satellites and the global obs system

Diverse Playersenergetic and chaotic

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ComplexWidely vested

Driven by local market forcesCountless Users and UsesThousands of providers

17 Federal AgenciesMultiple Agencies in all

StatesMunicipalitiesWater Districts

Various Local AuthoritiesAgricultural Producers

Fortune 500 CorporationsCountless small businessesUniversities, Research Labs

K-12 SchoolsEnthusiasts and hobbyists

Current Statusenergetic and chaotic

Strengthsdense surface networks

responsive to local needsgrass roots participationnear population centers

regional collectives

WeaknessesMostly locally driven

Lacking a national strategyDisparate systemsSingle application

Unknown exposuresUnknown standards

Various comms protocolsA condition of “false sparsity”Spatial gaps and sensor gaps

Increased coordination is indicated.

Few vertical profiles

Oklahoma, “gold Standard” or “lunatic fringe” ??

Soil moisture

What’s needed to improve functionality and increase benefits

to the nation?

Provide an organizational framework for coordination, integration and interoperability

Make far better use of what we have to satisfy multiple national applications

Augment current observations in the strategic gaps identified

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A Challenge

To preserve and enhance the rich diversity of investment (mainly motivated by unique local interests)

While also introducing sufficient coordination

To realize increased benefits for multiple national needs.

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What Observations are Needed?And what enhancements do these infer?

Basic Infrastructure to Monitor and Predict Mesoscale Weather

Energy SecurityPublic Health and Safety

Transportation Water Resources and Food Production

We looked for “common threads” among these.

We also discussed the benefits to be derived for and from research.

A Phenomenological Approach was used for core weather monitoring and prediction components

Common Threads

X important gaps may exist; so inadequate that no network can be said to exist.

Inferred Priorities from Common Threads

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MOST NEEDED: Profile Data Height and structure of the PBL Soil moisture and temperature profiles High resolution vertical profiles of humidity ABOVE THE SURFACE LAYER: carbon monoxide,

sulfur dioxide, ozone, and particulate matter < 2.5µ microns

NEEDED: Direct and diffuse radiation High vertical resolution profiles of wind and

temperature Sub-surface temperature profiles (e.g., under

pavement) Icing near the surface Surface turbulence parametersUrban, Coastal and Mountainous Regions have added complexity, increased societal impact,

and are especially in need of augmentation.

The Vision

To create the network of our dreams…

A Network of Networks (NoN), serving multiple applications, jointly provided and used by government, industry, academia and the public.

NoN could be enabled to dynamically configure customized networks….. As specified by the users themselves.

Albeit at different levels of effectiveness, this can be implemented with or without additional

observing systems.

Steps to Ensure Progress

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Key Attributes of an Idealized NoN

Stability and Continuity

Incentives to Participate

Metadata, Metadata, Metadata

Access to More and Better Data

Establish and protect data/IP rights

Rolling review of societal needs, gaps, requirements

Flexibility to evolve and adapt to new conditions across sectors

A local presence for regular contact with providers and stakeholders

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Essential Core Services

We recommend 13 enabling services:   Expert assistance and monetary incentives to maintain

standards

Knowledge of data available and suitable to one’s own application

Ease of access to custom-configured sets of observations/analyses

Archival of data commensurate with useful lifetimes

Economy of access to products and services from other providers

The importance of extensive metadata is absolutely critical to the effectiveness of an

NoN. 17 categories of metadata are defined

Organizational Model Options

Publicly Chartered, Private Non-Profit Corporation

Privately Chartered Non-Profit Corporation (501c3 – e.g., ESIP)

Confederation of Federal Agencies

Seeded Viral NoN

x Lead Federal Agency

X Multi-level Government Confederation

x Government-Industry Confederation

x Private For-Profit Corporation

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We have assumed it is necessary and desirable to engage the full breadth of the mesoscale

observations enterprise.

A hybrid

“Corporation for Environmental Monitoring”

To provide 13 “essential core services”

Does not own or operate individual networks.

An enabling entity that comes into play only insofar as is necessary to realize the added utility and functionality of an NoN.

A minimum degree of centralization for coordination and interoperability.

Able to receive and transfer funds from all entities, including Congress.

A relatively small but vital fraction of the public-private enterprise.

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We highlighted this option

Convene the Stakeholders

Stakeholders, including all levels of government, various private sector interests, and academia should collectively develop and implement a plan for achieving and sustaining a mesoscale observing system to meet multiple national needs.

a summit to achieve “buy-in”, followed by numerous professional/technical forums…..

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End User Assessment

The stakeholders should commission an independent team of social and physical scientists to conduct end user assessments for selected sectors.

current use and value in decision-making; anticipated added value associated with proposed new

observations periodic assessments of the societal impact and its value

This is envisioned as an ongoing and recurring activity.

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A Multi-faceted Relationship to Research

As users for the conduct of research leverages a national backbone, lower cost, better experiments

everywhere

As providers of data to the broader NoN improved analyses, “testbeds” to assess the utility of added

observations

As developers of advanced technologies opportunity to investigate and demonstrate their potential use and value

The opportunities may be especially ripe for biosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere interactions (e.g. CASA, NEON,

CUASHI).

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Take Home Message

We have a dream: A NoN that is dynamically user-configurable and interoperable.

Participating organizations serve only their own mission, while their contributions are enabled to serve multiple national needs.

The organization should mirror the stakeholders themselves, being similarly adept and responsive to large agencies, academia, major corporations, local districts, small businesses and volunteers.

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The most formidable challenge before us is to assemble this grand alliance!

Questions? Comments?

Committee on Developing Mesoscale Meteorological Observational Capabilities to Meet Multiple National Needs. Irvine, CA, February 2008. Photo courtesy of Peggy LeMone.