German Climate Observing Systems Inventory report on the Global Climate Observing System (GCOS) Imprint Editor and publisher Deutscher Wetterdienst, Frankfurter Straße 135, 63067 Offenbach a. M. www.dwd.de Editorial team Stefan Rösner, Jörg Rapp, Klaus-Jürgen-Schreiber, Karsten Friedrich with the assistance of Grit Steiner and Gabriele Engel (co-ordination of translation). (Deutscher Wetterdienst, Offenbach a. M.) Layout Karin Borgmann Grafikdesign (Offenbach a. M.) Printed by Atelier Maiberger (Stockstadt a. M.) Citation recommendation Deutscher Wetterdienst, 2013: German Climate Observing Systems. Inventory report on the Global Climate Observing System (GCOS). Self-published by DWD, Offenbach a. M., 130 pages. Cover image DWD climate reference station at Hohenpeissenberg, Stefan Gilge/DWD ISBN Print: 978-3-88148-462-6 Electronic: 978-3-88148-463-3 Note: This report was previously published in German language, ISBN 987-3-88148-460-2 Copyright All rights reserved. Any reproduction, even partial, is prohibited. No part of the publication may be reproduced in any form whatsoever whether by photocopy, microfilming or any other means, not even for teaching purposes, nor be processed or distributed by any electronic means without the written permission of the Deutscher Wetterdienst. Responsibility for the content of contributions lies with the authors. Internet reference www.gcos.de Last updated January 2013 German Climate Observing Systems Inventory report on the Global Climate Observing System (GCOS) Foreword For considering necessary measures and their effects, political and economic decision-makers require a wealth of up-to-date and wide-ranging informa- tion. It is most important to have profound knowledge of the state of the climate system in the past, today and in the future. To further develop this know-how, research is similarly dependent on robust data and information. The provision of such information requires long-term, scientifically sound collection and storage of data. Continuous long-term observation of all climate system components and the scientific processing of the data gathered are indispensable to identify changes in the climate, deepen the understanding of the causes and warn in good time of any extreme events or sweeping impacts. Long, uninterrupted measurement series and observations alone make it possible to strive for such early identification of any change in the climate system and any related changes in the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events. The first steps towards worldwide observation of weather and climate Michael Odenwald, were made in Germany back in 1780 with the foundation of the Societas State Secretary at the Federal Meteorologica Palatina. Germany thus has a particularly long tradition of Ministry of Transport, Building and systematic and standardised recording of climate-relevant parameters. In a Urban Development (BMVBS) federal country, such as Germany, for example, where the responsibilities for monitoring the different components of the climate systems are dis- tributed among the Federation and the Länder, it therefore is of paramount importance to have an inventory of all ongoing measuring and observing programmes. The present report gives for the first time a full overview of all pro- grammes running in Germany to collect climate variables that are relevant to our country. Selection of the variables was made according to the list of ‘Essential Climate Variables’ (ECV) issued by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and the Global Climate Observing System (GCOS). This report will make a contribution to generally facilitating the access to these data and their interdisciplinary use. 3 Summary The foundations for all observation Even though not all relevant of meteorological phenomena on a data are available at national level global scale were laid in 1780 with in a standardised form, the wealth the foundation of the Mannheim of measured data allows for most Societas Meteorologica Palatina. So accurate statements on the climate Germany has a very long tradition in Germany and its development. of climate observation, including The challenges ahead are to the longest time series of near-sur- further standardise observing systems face temperature and air pressure and ensure the availability of Germany- taken at the world’s oldest mountain wide data, together with fulfilling the station at Hohenpeissenberg since Herculean task of digitizing existing 1781. Furthermore, there are con- historical paper data. tinuous monthly climate data avail- A necessary prerequisite to able starting in 1881 in the form of efficiently and sustainably implement precipitation amounts from 59 sta- the German Action Plan for Adaptation tions and mean temperatures from under the German Adaptation 43 stations. Strategy of the Federal Government Germany holds long time series is to have an integrated view of all of atmospheric and hydrological relevant climate variables. climate variables, the continuation of This inventory report on national which is well secured into the future. climate observing systems gives a However, sustainability is not always detailed overview of climate-relevant secured especially for ocean and ter- variables of atmosphere, ocean and restrial observations. land measured in Germany. It is the first ever broad compendium of Ger- man climate observation addressing to climate research and decision- makers. 4 Zusammenfassung Die 1780 in Mannheim gegründete Die weitere Standardisierung der Societas Meteorologica Palatina Messverfahren und die Bereitstel- legte den Grundstein zur globalen lung ganz Deutschland abdeckender Wetter- und Klimaüberwachung. Aus Datenreihen stellen zusammen mit diesem Grund verfügt Deutschland der Herkulesaufgabe der Digitalisie- am Hohenpeißenberg, die älteste rung historischer Papierdaten die Bergstation der Welt, über eine seit Herausforderungen der näheren 1781 durchgehende Zeitreihe der Zukunft dar. bodennahen Lufttemperatur und des Eine integrierte Sicht auf alle für Luftdrucks. Außerdem liegen seit Deutschland relevanten Klimavariab- 1881 durchgehende Monatsdaten len ist eine notwendige Vorausset- von immerhin 59 Stationen zur Nie- zung um den Aktionsplan Anpassung derschlagssumme und 43 Stationen im Rahmen der Deutschen Anpas- zur Mitteltemperatur vor. sungsstrategie der Bundesregierung Deutschland verfügt im Bereich effektiv und nachhaltig umsetzen zu der atmosphärischen und hydrolo- können. gischen Klimadaten über lange und Der vorliegende Inventarbericht weitestgehend auch für die Zukunft der nationalen Klimabeobachtungs- gesicherte Beobachtungsreihen. Vor systeme gibt einen detaillierten allem bei Ozeanbeobachtungen und Überblick über die hierzulande ge- einigen terrestrischen Beobachtun- messenen klimarelevanten Größen gen ist die Nachhaltigkeit jedoch in Atmosphäre, Ozean und im nicht ausreichend gesichert. Bereich der Landoberflächennutzung Auch wenn längst nicht alle und stellt somit erstmals ein breitge- Daten deutschlandweit standardi- fächertes Kompendium über Klima- siert verfügbar sind, können – basie- beobachtungen in Deutschland für rend auf instrumentell erhobenen Klimaforschung und Entscheidungs- Daten – hinreichend genaue Aussa- träger bereit. gen über den Verlauf des Klimas in Deutschland gemacht werden. 5 Contents Introduction 8 2 3 4 Atmospheric Ocean Terrestrial observations observations observations Near surface Sea surface Hydrosphere 2.1 Temperature 14 3.1 Ocean temperature 44 4.1 Runoff 62 2.2 Wind 16 3.2 Salinity 46 4.2 Water use 64 2.3 Air pressure 18 3.3 Sea level 48 4.3 Groundwater 66 2.4 Precipitation 20 3.4 Sea state 50 4.4 Stable isotopes 2.5 Radiation 24 3.5 Sea ice 52 in precipitation 68 2.6 Sunshine duration 26 Free atmosphere Open ocean Cryosphere 2.7 Temperature, wind 3.6 Deep water formation 54 4.5 Snow cover 70 and water vapour 28 4.6 Glaciers and permafrost 72 2.8 Clouds 30 Atmosphere composition Ocean composition Biosphere 2.9 Carbon dioxide 32 3.7 Ocean colour 56 4.7 Albedo 74 2.10 Methane 34 3.8 Nutrients in the ocean 58 4.8 Soil carbon 76 2.11 Other greenhouse gases 36 3.9 Oxygen conditions 4.9 Forest fires 78 2.12 Ozone 38 in the North Sea 60 4.10 Soil moisture 80 2.13 Aerosols 40 4.11 Phenology 82 2.14 Pollen 42 6 5 6 7 International Observations Conclusions data centres abroad and outlook 5.1 Global Precipitation 6.1 Ozone soundings at 112 Climatology Centre (GPCC) 84 Neumayer station in the Antarctic 102 5.2 Global Runoff Data Centre (GRDC) 86 6.2 Glacier monitoring abroad 104 5.3 World Radiation Monitoring Center (WRMC) 88 6.3 International tide gauge observations 106 5.4 World Data Center for Climate at the German 6.4 CO2 partial pressure Climate Computing Centre in the ocean 108 (WDC-Climate) 90 6.5 Deep ocean currents 110 5.5 World Data Center for Remote Sensing of the Atmosphere (WDC-RSAT) 92 5.6 Global Fire Monitoring Center (GFMC) 94 5.7 ICSU World Data Center PANGAEA® 96 5.8 Data quality assurance centres of GCOS 98 5.9 Satellite Application Facility on Climate Monitoring (CM SAF) 100 Annexes List of authors 118 Literature 120 Abbreviations 122 Picture credits 128 7 1. Introduction Since the adoption of the Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in 1992, climate protection has become a major focus of public attention. However, decision-making for climate protection and adaptation to the unavoidable climate change requires long-term high-quality observations of the main climate parameters. With this aim in mind, the Global Climate