A Briefing to NOAA Science Advisory Board March

A Briefing to NOAA Science Advisory Board March 19, 2003 Regarding: NOAA Council on Long-Term Climate Monitoring (CLTCM) Ninth Meeting, Crystal City, VA, January 15 -16, 2003 The Council identified two strategic issues for consideration by the SAB: ü Terms of Reference (TOR) of the CLTCM relative to the TOR of the NOAA Climate and Global Change (C&GC) Panel ü Developing and implementing an optimal observing system Request SAB to review and endorse our recommendations

CLTCM and C&GC Working Group TORs ü Issue: ? The respective TORs assign duplicative responsibilities to the two groups for observing systems and data management ü Recommendation: CLTCM to focus on the observing system and related data management and stewardship requirements C&GC Panel to focus on climate research, services, and assessments

Developing and Implementing An Optimal Observing System ü Issue: ? The lack of an overall strategy for an optimal observing system Recommendation: Evaluate all new observing system components and improvements in an integrated manner. New system components should not be evaluated on a component-by-component basis. CLTCM has defined an initial set of criteria to be considered.

Other Issues Identified by the Council NWS radiosonde replacement system/data continuity ü The Council was asked to review a strategic document addressing the radiosonde transition from a climate perspective ü The Council supported recommendations for dual sonde flights, further recommended the design of a “reference radiosonde”, and identified the need for routine and accurate temperature/humidity profiles globally Microwave occultation on ESA ACE+ mission for profiles of water vapor, clouds, etc. ü The Council endorsed this unique opportunity to test an instrument that may fill gaps in the current atmospheric profile record

Other Issues Identified by the Council Linkage between Climate Reference Network (CRN) and Cooperative Observer (COOP) Stations ü The colocation of some CRN and COOP stations will have mutual benefits: accuracy of COOP stations enhanced and local variability captured by the denser COOP stations ü The Council recommended completion of the CRN network Change in GUAN (Global Upper Air Network) stations ü Given new information on the quality of some stations, the Council agreed that the initial choices should be re-examined

Other Issues Identified by the Council NPOESS implementation ü The overlap strategy for critical parameters needs to be formalized GCOS support for international observing under the CCRI ü NOAA should ensure that international activities related to these sustained observations are coordinated through the official GCOS Coordinator Surface/tropospheric temperature trend differences ü Other satellite data (e. g. , AVHRR) could be used as an independent check and reanalysis of the Christy and Wentz analyses by a third, independent group should be considered

Other Issues Identified by the Council Scientific data stewardship ü The Council endorsed the Comprehensive Large-Arrray Stewardship System (CLASS) but questioned the adequacy of the budget and asked for a function-oriented presentation at the next CLTCM meeting ü The Council recommended more coordination with NASA and interaction with NPOESS to delineate responsibility for researchquality data sets Transition of TAO array ü As the transition plan evolves, the Council emphasized that technology infusion and a connecton to research needs must be maintained

Other Issues Identified by the Council Increase of standard levels in NWP models ü The need for higher vertical resolution in NWP models requires that the number of reporting levels for radiosondes be increased, i. e. , in the future archives of pressure data should contain higher vertical resolution Earth Observation Summit ü The Summit should provide an opportunity to revisit persistent issues like the free and open exchange of

Next meeting of the CLTCM New Members: Robert Murphy - NASA/NPP (Satellite Observations) Joyce Penner - U. of Michigan (Aerosol expert) NOAA Membership on the CLTCM: Benefits of NOAA members becoming Associate Members Requires a non-NOAA Chair Next Meeting Agenda and timing: Presentation on CLASS Other Issues TBD September, 2003 (approx. six weeks prior to November 4 -6 SAB mtg. )