Transcript Observations From the Global AMDAR Programme Presentation to WMO TECO-2006 4-6 December 2006 by Michael Berechree Technical Coordinator, WMO AMDAR Panel.

Observations From the Global AMDAR
Programme
Presentation to
WMO TECO-2006
4-6 December 2006
by
Michael Berechree
Technical Coordinator, WMO AMDAR Panel
System Description
AMDAR = Aircraft Meteorological DAta Relay
AMDAR is:
• A fully automated upper air observing system;
• High quality upper air observations of wind speed and direction,
temperature, and sometimes turbulence and humidity;
• Available from many existing commercial, private and military
aircraft;
System Description
FITTED WITH EXISTING SENSORS
=
+
+
AVIONICS HARDWARE
+
AVIONICS SOFTWARE
+
COMMUNICATIONS
AMDAR SOFTWARE
AMDAR uses existing aircraft and airline infrastructure:
• Wind, temperature and turbulence plus height (pressure), time and position;
• Onboard avionics and communications hardware and software; and
• Aircraft Communications And Reporting System (ACARS). Global services
are provided by ARINC and SITA.
System Description
AMDAR System Structure
Operational, Reporting, Monitoring & Feedback
QEv Centre
Co-ordinator
SITA/ARINC
Ground-based
Data Processing
System(s)
GTS
Network
Flight
Control
Airlines
Uplinking
Systems
Regional
Data Optimising
Centre
NMS
Data Requirements
Desirable Horizontal Spatial and Temporal Density:
1 profile on 250 km grid at 3 hourly intervals
BASIC Data
Element
Unit
Range
Pressure
Altitude
Static Air
Temperature
Wind
Direction
Wind Speed
Latitude
Longitude
Foot (ft)
o
Time (UTC)
Hour:Minute:Sec
ond
C
O
from true N
Knot (kt)
Degree:minute
Degree:minute
-1000 to 50000
Output
resolution
10
Desired
accuracy
100(1)
-99 to 99
0.1
0.5(2)
1 to 360
1
Note (2,3)
0 to 800
90:00S to 90:00N
180:00E to
180:00W
00:00:00 to
23:59:59
1
1.0min
1.0min
Note (2,3)
Note (4)
Note (4)
1 min
1s
Notes:
(1) required to preserve temperature accuracy
(2) WMO requirement for NWP in troposphere
(3) 2ms-1 (4kt) vector error
(4) 5Nm equivalent (specified for ASDAR)
Data Requirements
Additional Data
Element
RangeUnit
Maximum wind
Turbulence (g)
Turbulence(DEVG)
Turbulence(EDR)
Humidity(RH)
Humidity (dew pt)
Humidity(mixing
ratio)
kt
g (4)
ms-1
m2/3s-1
%
o
C
gram/kg
Output
resolution
0 to 800
1
-3 to 6
0.1
0 to 20
0.25
0 to 1
0.05
0 to 100
1
-99 to +49 0.1
0 to 100
0.001
Desired accuracy
4
0.15(1)
0.5(1)
0.1(1)
5(2)
Note 5
1:103
(measurement)(3)
Notes:
(1) Determined by output categories required
(2) WMO requirement for NWP in troposphere
(3) To meet stratospheric humidity requirement
(4) Acceleration due to gravity. ‘Zero’ reference on aircraft is usually +1.
(5) Equivalent to 5% RH error.
Mandatory and Optional Reported Elements
Element
Aircraft identifier
Phase of flight
Latitude
Longitude
Day & time of observation
Pressure altitude
Static air temperature
Wind direction
Wind speed
Maximum wind
Roll & pitch angle flag
Humidity
Turbulence
Icing
Mandatory/Optional
(M/O)
Requires Additional
Onboard Processing
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
O
O
YES
YES
YES
O
YES
Why is AMDAR Data Needed?
• To meet the NWP community’s requirement for greater quantities and
improved coverage of relevant upper air data;
• For forecast verification;
• To provide data from data sparse areas around the world to improve local
forecasts and to contribute to the WMO World Weather Watch Global
Observing System; and
• AMDAR data have similar accuracy to that of radiosonde data and can be
used in the same manner. A typical AMDAR vertical sounding of
temperature and wind produces a profile that is typically less than 1% of the
cost of a radiosonde profile.
Why is AMDAR Data Needed?
AMDAR is particularly useful for now-casting situations where conditions are
changing rapidly and are therefore of special use to the aviation industry. Such
applications include:
 Surface and upper air forecasts of wind and temperature;
 Thunderstorm genesis, location and severity;
 Wind-shear location and intensity e.g. dangerous low-level jets;
 Low cloud and fog formation, location and duration;
 Turbulence location and intensity; and
Why is AMDAR Data Needed?
AMDAR data significantly improved NWP wind forecasts.
• For example, 3-hour wind forecast error was reduced by 40% with an
overall improvement of 11%;
• 12-hour wind forecasts of winds improved by 5%;
• Impacts of these improved wind forecasts are better en-route and
terminal management of aircraft and therefore leads to subsequent
financial savings gained by the airlines; and
Why is AMDAR Data Needed?
The benefits of AMDAR data are global and large for forecasts out to 48 hour.
Why is AMDAR Data Needed?
The benefits of AMDAR data are global and large for forecasts out to 48 hour.
Growth in AMDAR data
Over 200,000 high quality observations per day being exchanged on the GTS
Over 2,800 reporting aircraft world wide
24 Hour AMDAR Coverage
30 November 2006
Courtesy NOAA ESRL/GSD
24 Hour AMDAR Profiles
30 November 2006
Courtesy NOAA ESRL/GSD
Data Availability
Distribution map of the average number of aircraft reports decoded per 24hour periods in 10 deg. lat-lon boxes. Courtesy Environment Canada.
AMDAR Temperature and Wind
Profiles
Courtesy NOAA ESRL/GSD
Data Quality
• High quality AMDAR data is suitable for
use in all operational meteorological
applications.
• Quality of observations received from each
reporting aircraft is routinely monitored by
regional and global centres.
• The NCEP is the WMO designated lead
centre for monitoring aircraft observations.
Data quality from CRJ passenger aircraft (bias
based on Numerical Model output) - Courtesy:
Meteorological Service of Canada
Mean Temperature Bias in Tenths Deg. C. - E-AMDAR Aircraft Sept.
2006
20
15
• Data quality of data from most large jet
transports is high while the quality of similar
data derived from many smaller regional and
commuter aircraft is often not suitable for
meteorological use.
10
5
0
-5
E E E E E E E
U0 U0 U0 U0 U0 U0 U0
00 05 08 20 26 31 35
2 1 1 1 3 0 4
E E E E E E E E
U0 U0 U0 U0 U0 U0 U1 U1
40 45 49 62 80 99 24 34
5 6 3 0 7 9 7 6
E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E
U1 U1 U2 U2 U2 U2 U2 U2 U3 U3 U3 U3 U3 U3 U3 U4 U4 U4 U4 U4 U4 U5
53 77 04 24 40 63 80 97 10 25 36 51 67 76 90 07 27 47 58 72 97 34
2 1 3 7 5 0 0 8 2 7 2 4 0 8 8 5 8 3 9 1 6 9
-10
-15
-20
Monthly mean temperature bias of all
European aircraft that reported in
September 2006.
E E E E E E E E E E
U5 U5 U6 U6 U6 U7 U7 U7 U8 U9
54 83 25 43 90 31 64 91 89 68
4 0 8 5 0 4 3 0 1 0
Data Quality
Frequency distribution of the mean temperature difference (OBS–Background)
KNMI QEV Report – January – March 2004
Data Quality
Frequency distribution of the mean wind speed difference (OBS–Background)
KNMI QEV Report – January – March 2004
AMDAR Humidity Measurement
SEB (System Electronics Box)
Sensor
System
SpectraSensors, WVSS-II
•
•
•
Air Sampler
Hoses (Heated and Non-Heated)
for Interconnection Air Sampler - SEB
Near-Infrared Absorption Spectrometer
Based on Tunable Diode Laser
Heated Inlet Hose
Output:
Water Vapor Mass Mixing Ratio
Air Sampler
Cylindrical Sampling Tube
24 cm
SEB
AMDAR Humidity Measurement
Skin
Hose,
NonHeated
Air Sampler
Hose,
Heated
Frame
Airbus Solution for AMDAR
AMDAR data as per ARINC 620v4 Supplement 5
28 VDC
ARINC bus 429
Probe
ATC
Step 2
VHF
HF
SATCOM
AOC
Hoses
AMDAR
Weather
S
E
B
Aircraft Interface
Host Platform
Hardware
Step 1
Air Traffic Service Unit
WVSS-II
Flight
Management
System
AMDAR Humidity Measurement
Recent comparison of
WVSS-2 Water
Vapour Profile and
Radiosonde profile,
November 2006
Courtesy NOAA ESRL/GSD
AMDAR Humidity Measurement
Tests have shown that WVSS-II
water vapour data:
- are comparable to radiosonde
moisture data;
- can be easily obtained in
otherwise data sparse areas;
- profiles are observed at airports
where aviation forecasters need them
the most; and
- costs are substantially less than
traditional moisture profiles from
radiosondes.
Relative Humidity differences
between WVSS-II and Radiosondes
for 2-week test period
Developing Regional or National AMDAR Programmes
The AMDAR Panel can help with organising regional or national AMDAR
programmes by:
• Working with the NMHS to evaluate the potential for developing a national
AMDAR program;
• Assisting with technical support and training;
• Providing technical material and manuals needed to establish a National or
Regional AMDAR program; and
• Working with the NMHS and the airline to create the necessary documents and
infrastructure agreements.
For More Information: http://www.wmo.int/web/aom/amprog/amprog.html/
Data Availability
Distribution map of the average number of aircraft reports decoded per 24hour periods in 10 deg. lat-lon boxes. Courtesy Environment Canada.