ACRE Workshop

Zurich, Switzerland, June 23-25, 20081

GCOS/WCRPWorking Group on

Observational Data SetsFor Reanalysis

Russell VoseChief, Climate Analysis Branch

ACRE Workshop

Zurich, Switzerland, June 23-25, 20082

Not a New Idea

• The requirements of future reanalysis– GCOS Implementation Plan– WCRP Strategic Framework 2005-2015

• The need for improved data sets– NASA/NOAA/NSF Workshop on the Development of

Improved Observational Data Sets for Reanalysis (2005)

– ECMWF/GEO Workshop on Atmospheric Reanalysis (2006)

• The inaccessibility of daily/subdaily data– GCOS Implementation Plan– Joint Scientific Committee of the WCRP (2006)

ACRE Workshop

Zurich, Switzerland, June 23-25, 20083

A Service-Oriented Group

• Our main objectives– Review holdings of “data centers” worldwide to

identify relevant data sets– Develop a plan for the construction and

management of reanalysis-related data sets

• A break from the past– Each reanalysis center performs each data

management task for each individual reanalysis

• A few respectable accomplishments– Even though the group has only been around

since summer (in the Northern Hemisphere)

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Zurich, Switzerland, June 23-25, 20084

Veteran Players• R. Vose, Chair (NCDC)• J. Bates (NCDC)• L. van de Berg

(EUMETSAT)• M. Bosilovich (NASA)• J. Comeaux (NCAR)• G. Compo (ESRL)• P. Jones (UEA)• K. Onogi (JMA)• P. Steinle (BOM)• P. Thorne (UK Met Office)• S. Uppala (ECMWF)• J. Woollen (NCEP)• S. Worley (NCAR)• C. Zou (NESDIS)

ACRE Workshop

Zurich, Switzerland, June 23-25, 20085

4 Terms of Reference (TOR)

• Review data center holdings worldwide

• Develop a plan for integrated data sets

• Oversee progress of Implementing Centers

• Report regularly to AOPC and WOAP

ACRE Workshop

Zurich, Switzerland, June 23-25, 20086

TOR 1: Review Holdings

• Data centers– NCAR and NCDC– NCEP, ECMWF, JMA, etc.– Environment Canada, South African Weather Service

• Data types– In situ and remotely sensed – Atmospheric, oceanic, terrestrial observations– Suitable for use in future reanalyses or extremes

studies

• Data acquisition– Work through official channels– Exploit personal contacts

ACRE Workshop

Zurich, Switzerland, June 23-25, 20087

TOR 2: Develop Data Sets

• Merge holdings– Flag duplicates and assess quality– Include feedback from past reanalyses if possible

• Develop standards for data management– Version control– Formats and documentation

• Identify Implementing Centers– For each type of observation

• Update in real time– In collaboration with operational providers

ACRE Workshop

Zurich, Switzerland, June 23-25, 20088

TOR 3/4: Track Progress

• Oversee work– Of Implementing Centers– Adjust plans based changes in circumstance

• Report accomplishments– Of the group and the Implementing Centers– To AOPC and WOAP– 2007 report available upon request

ACRE Workshop

Zurich, Switzerland, June 23-25, 200810

Accomplishments Thus Far

• Integrated Surface Data Set (ISD)– Synoptic data for surface stations worldwide– NCDC/NCAR partnership– Focus on creating data set inventories and adding

data sets

• International Surface Pressure Databank (ISPD)– Subdaily pressure data for surface stations

worldwide– NCDC/ESRL/SPWG partnership– Focus on creating version 2 of this data set

ACRE Workshop

Zurich, Switzerland, June 23-25, 200811

Synoptic Data: ISD

Variables:- temperature

- dew point

- wind direction/speed

- cloud cover

- et al.

21,198 Stations in ISD21,198 Stations in ISD

ACRE Workshop

Zurich, Switzerland, June 23-25, 200813

4 New Additions to ISD

ACRE Workshop

Zurich, Switzerland, June 23-25, 200814

NCAR/NCDC Data set Inventory

ACRE Workshop

Zurich, Switzerland, June 23-25, 200815

Surface Pressure: ISPD v2

• GCOS/AOPC/OOPC Surface Pressure Working Group (SPWG)

• Identify, retrieve, digitize, and Q/A subdaily surface pressure data

• Basis for improved circulation fields and new reanalysis products– ESRL 20th Century Reanalysis– North Atlantic – European 200-250 yr ACRE

Reanalyses

ISPD v2 Stations in 2000

ISPD v2 Stations in 1950

ISPD v2 Stations in 1900

ACRE Workshop

Zurich, Switzerland, June 23-25, 200819

30 Source Data Sets for ISPD

• Global scale– ISD– NCEP-NCAR BUFR archive

• National– Australian Bureau of Meteorology– Climate Database Modernization Program (U.S.)– Environment Canada– Hadley Center

• Regional– READER (Antarctica)– WASA (Northern Europe, Greenland)

ACRE Workshop

Zurich, Switzerland, June 23-25, 200820

Accomplishments to Come

• Integrated Global Radiosonde Archive v2 (IGRA)– Upper air data for stations worldwide– Focus on adding datasets

• Satellite Heritage Diagram (SHD)– Inventory of satellite platforms, instruments,

periods– Critical component is linking platform with data

provider

ACRE Workshop

Zurich, Switzerland, June 23-25, 200821

Variables:- pressure

- geopotential height

- temperature

- dew point depression

- wind direction/speed

Upper Air Data: IGRA v2

1536 Stations in IGRA v11536 Stations in IGRA v1

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Zurich, Switzerland, June 23-25, 200823

Goal: Add Datasets to IGRA

• China (1970s and 1980s) and Mexico• Air Force and MIT datasets (pre-1964)• Bronnimann acquisitions (primarily Europe)• NCEP and ECMWF collections• CDMP data

– Malawi, Senegal, Kenya, Mozambique, Niger, U.S., Zambia

• French West African data– Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic,

Chad, Congo, Gabon, Ivory Coast, Guinea, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal, Togo

ACRE Workshop

Zurich, Switzerland, June 23-25, 200824

Satellite Heritage Diagram

• Part of NOAA-NCDC’s Scientific Data Stewardship initiative

• Coordinate inventories of satellite data holdings with data centers

• SHD lists historical and operational platforms, instruments, operational periods

• Next step is linking each platform with the data provider

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Zurich, Switzerland, June 23-25, 200826

Summary

• Group should benefit the reanalysis community– Review holdings of “data centers” worldwide to identify

relevant data sets– Develop a plan for the construction and management of

reanalysis-related data sets

• Several accomplishments are already at hand– ISD and ISPD– IGRA and the Satellite Heritage Diagram

• We need feedback from you– High-priority data sets– Other activities