Transcript Coordination with GCOS and GEO: Cryosphere Observations

Coordination with GCOS and GEO –
Cryosphere Observations
(Agenda item 4.5)
Jeff Key
NOAA/NESDIS
Socio-economic Impacts
Inuit say spring in the Arctic
is becoming more dangerous
Thawing permafrost, GHG
emission and coastal erosion
Melting Ice
sheets,
glaciers and
global sea
level rise
Relevance to GEO SBAs:
Tourism at risk
Disappearing glaciers
menace water supplies
Floods feared as glaciers melt
Polar bears
could face
extinction
as global
climate
change
warms the
Arctic
The IGOS Cryosphere
Theme developed the
information (assessment of
observational capabilities,
requirements, and gaps)
needed for a robust
contribution to GCOS and
GEOSS.
Accomplishments & Activities
•
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•
The IGOS Cryosphere Theme assessment resulted in improved coverage of cryospheric
elements in the GCOS Implementation Plan and contributed to the GCOS-CEOS plan for
satellite-based products.
Began efforts to ensure an IPY legacy through the GEO Work Plan (AR-09-03b).
Influenced the satellite mission planning process resulting in:
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Approval of three orbital cycles of coordinated, experimental inter-satellite (ERS-SAR and Envisat ASAR) SAR
interferometry.
Approval of the Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES) Sentinel-1A C-band SAR mission.
Approval of the GMES Sentinel-3A SAR altimeter mission that will provide sea-ice thickness measurements.
Approval of RADARSAT MiniMAMM (Modified Antarctic Mapping Mission) SAR mapping of Antarctica.
Approval of CryoSat-2 with a re-launch in 2009.
•
Developed new satellite products for real-time applications, e.g., sea ice concentration,
thickness, and motion from MODIS. New acquisitions through GIIPSY.
• Contributed to the planning of ongoing SCAR scientific research projects (ISMASS,
ASPeCT, PPE, and AGCS).
 Fed directly into SAON (Sustaining Arctic Observing Networks) and the Arctic Council’s
SWIPA project (Snow, Water, Ice, and Permafrost in the Arctic).
 Inspired the WMO Global Cryosphere Watch.
The community involvement in CryOS gave it the credibility needed for these
accomplishments…the first time this has been done internationally for the cryosphere.
The community that started with CliC and SCAR expanded through CryOS.
GEO Task AR-09-03b, “Legacy of the
International Polar Year 2007-08”
“Coordinate with the projects involved in the International Polar Year
(IPY) to enhance the production and utilization of Earth observations in
the realm of cryosphere. Advocate for an appropriate legacy for IPY
projects and the continuation of relevant efforts beyond the duration of
the IPY.”
Area: Climate
Relevant Committee: Architecture & Data Committee
Point of Contact: WCRP
GEO Committee Interaction
User Interface Committee: Participate in UIC meetings at least
annually. Discussions revolve around communities of practice.
Science and Technology Committee: Currently contributing to a
STC report that will review the GEO Work Plan with respect to the
integration of science activity and the integration of IGOS
themes, and to identify underlying critical research needs.
The Cryosphere Community of Practice
NSIDC, NCDC, WIS, …
The cryosphere community was established through
Weather prediction
WCRP
CliC
(NCEP,
ECMWF,
...) and ICSU SCAR. It was expanded through
IGOS
Cryosphere Theme, one of the last themes to
Weatherthe
forecast
offices
National be
ice centers
(NIC,
established.
It is being expanded further through
NAIS)
GCW and (potentially) GEO with increased emphasis
River forecast centers
on societal
benefits.
Climate prediction
centers
GCOS, IASC, IPA, WMO, etc.
Space agencies (NOAA, ESA, JAXA, …)
National surface station operators
Research scientists
The Global Cryosphere Watch
The 15th WMO Congress (May 2007)
welcomed the proposal of Canada that
WMO will create a Global Cryosphere
Watch which would be an important
component of the IPY legacy. Congress
requested the WMO Inter-commission Task
Group on IPY to establish an ad-hoc expert
group to explore the possibility of creation
of such global system and prepare
recommendations for its development.
A legacy of IPY
A component of WIGOS
A legacy of WCRP/CliC in the area of
observations
A contribution to GEOSS
(Note: These are not official logos!)
CliC and GCOS Interaction
• Recommendation from WOAP-3:
WOAP recommends that CliC and the GCOS panels examine the list of
cryosphere essential climate variables (ECVs) for completeness, and evaluate
the compatibility of the GCOS and IGOS Cryosphere observational requirements
for snow and ice. It is suggested that in the near term this be done in part
through the revision of the GCOS Implementation Plan. In the longer term, the
WMO Global Cryosphere Watch (GCW) should be the integrator of input and
actions from the three GCOS panels.
• GCOS lists GCW as an implementation agent, so CliC interaction with GCOS will
also be through GCW (if approved by WMO in 2011).
• GCOS Implementation Plan contains numerous actions relevant to CliC. CliC
has submitted comments to the plan.
2010 GCOS Implementation Plan Update: Cryosphere-specific actions
Action O18 [IP-04 O21]
Action: Document the status of global sea ice analysis and reanalysis product
uncertainty (via a quantitative summary comparison of sea-ice products), to
prepare a plan to improve the products.
Who: Parties’ national agencies supported by WCRP/CliC and JCOMM ETSI.
Action O19 [IP-04 O22]
Action: Plan, establish and sustain systematic in situ observations from sea-ice
buoys, visual surveys (SOOP and Aircraft), and ULS in the Arctic & Antarctic.
Who: Arctic Party research agencies, supported by the Arctic Council; Party
research agencies, supported by CLIVAR Southern Ocean Panel; JCOMM, working
with CliC and OOPC.
Action O20 [IP-04 O23]
Action: Ensure sustained satellite-based (microwave, SAR, visible and IR) sea-ice
products.
Who: Parties’ national services, research programmes and space agencies,
coordinated through the WMO Space Programme and Global Cryosphere Watch,
CGMS, and CEOS; National services for in situ systems coordinated through
WCRP/CliC and JCOMM.
2010 GCOS Implementation Plan Update: Cryosphere-specific actions
Action O38 [IP-04 O39]
Action: Develop plans for and coordinate work on data assembly and analyses.
Who: JCOMM, in collaboration with CLIVAR, CliC, WOAP, GODAE, and other
relevant research and data management activities.
Action T13 [IP-04 T10]
Action: Strengthen and maintain existing snow-cover, snowfall observing sites;
ensure that sites exchange snow data internationally, and establish global
monitoring of that data on the GTS; recover historical data.
Who: National Meteorological and Hydrological Services and research agencies,
in cooperation with WMO and WCRP, with advice from TOPC and AOPC and
GTN-H.
Action T14 [IP-04 T11]
Action: Obtain integrated analyses of snow cover over both hemispheres.
Who: Space agencies and research agencies in cooperation with CliC, with
advice from TOPC, AOPC and IACS
2010 GCOS Implementation Plan Update: Cryosphere-specific actions
Action T15 [IP-04 T13]
Action: Maintain current glacier observing sites and add additional sites and
infrastructure in South America, Africa, the Himalayas and New Zealand; attribute
quality levels to long-term mass balance measurements; complete satellite-based
glacier inventories in key areas.
Who: Parties’ national services and agencies coordinated by GTN-G partners,
WGMS, GLIMS, NSIDC.
Action T16 [IP-04 T14]
Action: Ensure continuity of laser, altimetry and gravity satellite missions adequate
to monitor ice masses over decadal timeframe.
Who: Space agencies, in cooperation with WCRP/CliC, TOPC
Action T17
Action: Ensure continuity of in situ ice sheet measurements and fill critical
measurement gaps.
Who: Parties, working with WCRP/CliC, IACS and SCAR.