C3: Ground-based Remote and In-Situ Observations

1. How well do existing facilities and instruments match scientific needs?

Science needs/challenges are nearly infinite. Existing facilities meet important needs. Hard to be quantitative – no direct answer found to ‘how well’. A question was asked…Do we know what measurements are being used (statistics) beyond the basic Field Project publication metric?

Discussion quickly pushed to question #2

2. What new facilities/instruments/capabilities are needed?

Profiling needs:

 3-D profiling requirements – more thermodynamics over the land (relative to wind); more winds needed over the oceans;

 Water vapor was mentioned a lot; are water-vapor DIAL ready for networks?

 Profiling on the fly – radiometers for thermodynamic profiling may be close to chase-ready. What about very mobile wind profilers? (Discussion also mentioned mobile weather radars and NCAR’s role)

 Profiling turbulence in the BL and entrainment at the top. Need for low-level wind and turbulence profiling – new fiber lidar devices may offer solution

 Note: BL focus in discussion but a priority to also profile into free troposphere. No reps from UT/LS etc. in the room (but discussion after on UT/LS needs).

 UAVs – some unique measurement possibilities, also limitations. Instrumentation rather than platform focus. Which flavor?

 Synergy – lidar and radar; more sensors on dropsondes

In situ needs:

 Need adaptable, rapidly/easily deployment measurements

 need for measuring trace gasses; spatial variability of surface layer and surface properties (albedo, fluxes, C, N, etc,)  Some encouragement of UAV’s and tethersondes and manned aircraft Driftsonde target science; Profiling Network concept

 Idea that EOL can provide expertise and instrumentation for other platforms, including buoys, enabling eg long-term measurements. Example deploy buoys in vicinity of hurricane;

 Rapidly deployable GPS net….? (with ISS or ISFF?)

 Water flux into the ground, and rain/snow gauges

General thoughts:

 Over-water needs? Over 50% of the world’s population lives near coasts, yet the majority of our deployment emphasis is over land.

 Profiling and flux measurements a priority over basic deployable mesonet

 Coop mesonets are being relied on in an increasing manner There is a community need for QC of mesonet data

 Should ISF/EOL participate in long-term observational testbeds? How?

3. What role should NSF play in creating these new facilities?

NCAR-academia-private sector partnerships needed.

 Focus of the discussion moved to Education

What is role of NSF in education? Notes more education funded in ATM than average NSF directorates

Suggest more NCAR staff and sensors can visit universities. Need student access to facilities. Does field project selection process emphasize education enough?

Topic needs more discussion!