The Ross Island Meteorology ExperimentThe Ross Island Meteorology Experiment(RIME): An International Collaborative (RIME): An International Collaborative

Investigation of Antarctic Meteorology and Investigation of Antarctic Meteorology and ClimateClimate

David BromwichPolar Meteorology Group

Byrd Polar Research CenterByrd Polar Research CenterThe Ohio State UniversityThe Ohio State University

Columbus, OhioColumbus, Ohio

Topics Covered:Topics Covered:

•Introduction to Antarctica•Motivation for RIME•Climate Interactions Emphasizing the Ross Sea Sector•Approach

•Process-based Studies•Modeling Research

•RIME Activities and Timelines•Proposed HIAPER Aircraft Program•Conclusions

Northern Hemisphere Southern Hemisphere

McMurdo

Palmer

South PoleIntroduction to Antarctica:Location and Size

Introduction to Antarctica - continued

• Highest

• Coldest

• Driest

• Windiest

• Antarctic Ice Sheet Stores the Equivalent of 73 m (240 ft) of Global Sea Level.

…continent on Earth

Introduction to Antarctica: Topography

McMurdo

Introduction to Antarctica: Annual Mean Surface Temperature

Introduction to Antarctica: Annual Accumulation

Introduction to Antarctica: Mean Winds

Introduction to Antarctica: Cyclonic Activity

Introduction to Antarctica: The Ross Sea and Ross Ice Shelf

Introduction to Antarctica: The Ross Sea and Ross Ice Shelf

Phote courtesy BPRC

Figure 1. McMurdo Station, Antarctica

Introduction to Antarctica: McMurdo Station

Motivation for RIME

•We have good knowledge of the basic aspects of many processes, but detailed understanding is lacking. This is required for understanding the role of Antarctica in the global climate system, for example via sensitivity studies with global climate models. One needs to get the cloud-radiation interactions correct for this.

•Also logistical activities in USAP are increasingly relying on numerical weather forecasts to allow expansion to year-round operations. E.g., rescue of Dr. Shemenski from South Pole in April 2001 and the collection of personnel from McMurdo around the same time.

•Antarctica is unique in that it represents the cold, dry, and pristine limits to the troposphere.

•The study area is representative of the processes that take place in all parts of Antarctica.

•This area is where strong interactions with the global climate system take place. More details to follow.

•Ease of collaboration with Italy, France, and New Zealand. RIME planning workshop in Bologna, Italy during July 2002.

•Logistics available for a field program.

•Timescales will be decided by the dominant atmospheric circulation modes.

•Most significant atmospheric modeling uncertainties occur at high latitudes, particularly the planetary boundary layer and the atmospheric hydrologic cycle.

Motivation for RIME

•Teleconnections with middle and low latitudesTeleconnections with middle and low latitudes

•El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) impactsEl Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) impacts

•Hemispheric mass exchangeHemispheric mass exchange

Climate Interactions Emphasizing the Ross Sea Sector

Teleconnections

Hines and Bromwich 2002 (in press)

MAM 1997(El Nino)

MAM 1999(La Nina)

Key Points:•Warmer than normal temperatures over West Antarctica during El Nino •Cooler than normal temperatures over West Antarctica during La Nina•Marked Differences and very tight gradients •Dipole observed

ENSO ImpactsPolar MM5 Potential Temperature Anomaly (oK)

Bromwich et al 2003 (in preparation)

Surface Pressure Changes

-30

-20

-10

0

10

-90 -75 -60 -45 -30 -15 0

latitude

dp (

hPa)

JUNE 29

JUNE 30

JULY 01JULY 02

Figure 5. Zonally-averaged surface pressure differences from 00UTC 28June 1988.

Hemispheric Mass ExchangeParish and Bromwich 1998

•Need regional focus to help to study processes and for forecasting purposes. This allows the collaboration with our friends from Italy and France. Aircraft, regional AWS, satellite products, wind profilers, enhanced upper air program, etc. are needed.

•Need a local focus. Parameterization testing and development. Primarily must be concentrated in a limited area to get enough equipment in place. Also can do testing and development of satellite products that are required for the process-based studies and forecasting purposes. Ground-based equipment, aircraft measurements, plus???.

Approach:

Katabatic WindsKatabatic Winds

Mesoscale CyclogenesisMesoscale Cyclogenesis

Barrier WindsBarrier Winds

Approach: Process-Based Studies

Katabatic wind surge Katabatic wind surge blowing across the blowing across the

Ross Ice ShelfRoss Ice Shelf..McMurdo Station, Ross Island

Katabatic Winds

Carrasco and Bromwich 1993

Mesoscale Cyclones

Carrasco et al. 2002 (in press)

Barrier Winds O’Connor et al. 1994

Bromwich et al. 2002 (in press)

Cloud-Radiation InteractionCloud-Radiation Interaction

Planetary Boundary Layer ParameterizationPlanetary Boundary Layer Parameterization

Moist ProcessesMoist Processes

Approach:Approach: Modeling Research Modeling Research

Parameterization ImprovementsParameterization Improvements

Forecast ImprovementsForecast Improvements

Effective Assimilation of Conventional and Novel Data Sources Effective Assimilation of Conventional and Novel Data Sources (e.g., AWS, Satellite Imagery, GPS/Met. Data, etc…)(e.g., AWS, Satellite Imagery, GPS/Met. Data, etc…)

Forecast Sensitivity Studies/Adjoint ModelingForecast Sensitivity Studies/Adjoint Modeling

Cloud-Radiation Interaction

Cassano et al. 2001

PBL Parameterization

Bromwich et al. 2001

•Pre-RIME (June 2003-June 2005)Pre-RIME (June 2003-June 2005)

•RIME Proposals due at NSF-OPP June 2003 and possibly RIME Proposals due at NSF-OPP June 2003 and possibly June 2004 as wellJune 2004 as well

•RIME Phase I (Field Study; December 2005-March 2006)RIME Phase I (Field Study; December 2005-March 2006)

•RIME Analysis Phase (March 2006-September 2007)RIME Analysis Phase (March 2006-September 2007)

•RIME Phase II (Field Study; September-December 2007)RIME Phase II (Field Study; September-December 2007)

•RIME Final Analysis Phase (January 2008-June 2010)RIME Final Analysis Phase (January 2008-June 2010)

RIME Activities and Timelines – Your active participation is solicited!Your active participation is solicited!

•AWS DeploymentAWS Deployment

•Early Instrument DevelopmentEarly Instrument Development

•Satellite Algorithm DevelopmentSatellite Algorithm Development

•Model Evaluation and ValidationModel Evaluation and Validation

•Model Initialization/Data IngestionModel Initialization/Data Ingestion

Pre-RIME ActivitiesPre-RIME Activities

•Surface energy budgetSurface energy budget

•Vertical structure of the atmosphereVertical structure of the atmosphere

•Radiation, cloud microphysics studiesRadiation, cloud microphysics studies

•Regional airborne observingRegional airborne observing

•Local airborne observingLocal airborne observing

•Satellite productsSatellite products

•ModelingModeling

RIME ActivitiesRIME Activities

HIAPER:HIAPER: An exciting opportunity for studies of An exciting opportunity for studies of Antarctic Meteorology and Climatology Antarctic Meteorology and Climatology

•Unique Aspects:Unique Aspects:•Can operate in Antarctica in late winter / early spring when other Can operate in Antarctica in late winter / early spring when other research aircraft cannot.research aircraft cannot.•Range – can fly out of New Zealand, perform Antarctic studies, Range – can fly out of New Zealand, perform Antarctic studies, and return home.and return home.•Can operate at high (max 51,000 ft, 100 hPa) and low altitudesCan operate at high (max 51,000 ft, 100 hPa) and low altitudes•Sophisticated instrumentation.Sophisticated instrumentation.

•Anticipated Usage:Anticipated Usage:•22ndnd RIME Field Season (Sep-Dec 2007). RIME Field Season (Sep-Dec 2007).

•Possible Investigation Topics:Possible Investigation Topics:•Intense cyclonic forcing – interactions with sub-polar latitudes and Intense cyclonic forcing – interactions with sub-polar latitudes and the stratosphere.the stratosphere.•Circumpolar Vortex dynamics.Circumpolar Vortex dynamics.•Local Antarctic processes and circulations – Polar Direct Cell.Local Antarctic processes and circulations – Polar Direct Cell.

•Study Applications:Study Applications:•Model validation.Model validation.•Satellite algorithm validation.Satellite algorithm validation.

•Maximum RangeMaximum Range 12,046 km12,046 km•Maximum PayloadMaximum Payload 2,948 kg2,948 kg•Payload with Maximum FuelPayload with Maximum Fuel 726 kg726 kg•Maximum Cruise AltitudeMaximum Cruise Altitude 15.5 km15.5 km•Cabin LengthCabin Length 15.3 m15.3 m•Cabin WidthCabin Width 2.2 m2.2 m•Cabin HeightCabin Height 1.9 m1.9 m

NCARNCARHIAPERHIAPERGulfstream VGulfstream V

Conclusions:

•Wide atmospheric science community participation is essential to the success of RIME.

•Little detailed study has been performed in the data-sparse Antarctic region and there are tremendous possibilities for ground-breaking discoveries.

•Participation of other funding agencies (e.g., NASA, NOAA, DOE) is being considered because of the scope of the proposed work.

•RIME project website:http://www-bprc.mps.ohio-state.edu/PolarMet