Tropospheric and Atmospheric Physics; Nigerian Micrometeorological Experiment IPPS NIG:02
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Tropospheric and Atmospheric Physics; IPPS NIG:02 Nigerian Micrometeorological Experiment Address Department of Physics Department of Meteorology Obafemi Awolowo University Federal University of Technology 220005 Ile-Ife P. M. B. 704 Nigeria Akure Nigeria Dept. of Physics Univ. of Ibadan Ibadan Nigeria Visiting address Road 12, House 21, Obafemi Awolowo University Staff Quarters Phone +234 803 473 0295 +234 703 007 7951 (J. B. Fax Omotosho, Akure) E-mail [email protected] +234 803 471 1147 (E. Oladiran, [email protected] Ibadan) [email protected] Group leader Prof J. A. Adedokun † (Ile Ife), Prof J. B. Omotosho (Akure) Prof E. O. Oladiran (Ibadan) Staff members Federal Univ. of Technology, Akure Obafemi Awolowi Univ: Prof J. B. Omotosho, PhD, Professor Prof J. A. Adedokun, PhD, Professor † Prof Z. D. Adyewa, PhD, Professor Prof O. O. Jegede, PhD, Professor Dr B. J. Abiodun, Lecturer Prof E. E. Balogun, PhD, Prof Emeritus Dr B. A. Adeyemi, Lecturer Dr M. A. Ayoola, M. Phil. Dr A. A, Balogun, Lecturer Ms T. O. Aregbesola, M. Phil. Dr E. O. Ogolo, Lecturer Ms G. O. Akinlade, MSc Dr K. O. Ogunjobi, Lecturer Mr E. O. Gbobaniyi, MSc Dr E. C. Okogbue, Lecturer Mr L. A. Sunmonu, MSc Dr O. R. Oladosu, Lecturer Mr E. O. Elemo, MSc Dr A. T. Adediji, PhD Mr O. J. Matthew, MSc Mr A. Oluleye, MSc. Mr A. Akinpelu, MSc Mr V. O. Ajayi, M. Tech. Mr O. O. Oni, MSc Mr A. Akinbobola, M. Tech. Mr O. E. Akinola, BSc Mr I. A. Balogun, M.Tech. Mr A. Oluleye, MSc Mr E. A. Adefisan, MSc. Mr M. O. Ojo, MSc Mr K. O. Ladipo, B. Tech. Mr M. A. Olajiri, MSc Mr O. O. Durojaye Mr I. O. Boboye Mr A. Okunola Univ. of Ibadan Mr A. A. Olorunkosebi Prof E. O. Oladiran, PhD, Professor Mr P O. Agha Dr E. F. Nymphas, Lecturer Dr M. O. Adeniyi, Lecturer † Deceased July 2009 Dr G. I. Olatona, Lecturer Mr O. Ogunsola, Lecturer Nigeria: Nigerian Micrometeorological Experiment (NIG:02) Summary The Mesoscale project at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, Univ. of Ibadan, Ibadan and the Federal University of Technology, Akure, aims at building human and infrastructure capacity in systematic observation, weather and climate modelling, as well as atmospheric diffusion, point and multi industrial-source dispersion modelling. The ultimate objective of the project is to provide information that will be useful to agriculture, aviation, communication and water resources. Agricultural practices over Nigeria and the adjacent areas are mainly rain fed. Most of the rainfall comes from convective systems, which contribute to between 60 and 80% of the rainfall over Nigeria and the adjacent territories. While literature abounds with results from experiments to investigate these mesosystems over the oceans very few reports exist from such experiments over land, and in particular over the West African region. Where such studies exist, only the broad features have been examined. Since most of the mesosystems that develop over the land in West Africa often die out when they move over the oceans, it is suspected that the detailed structure of these land systems will be different from those that develop over the sea. A major field study of energy and mass exchanges between the land surface and lower atmosphere (boundary layer) dubbed Nigeria Micrometeorology Experiment (NIMEX) by the group (research led by Professor Jegede) was initiated in February/March 2004 at Ile-Ife with the collaboration and support of scientists from Department of Micrometeorology, University of Bayreuth, Germany (group leader is Prof Thomas Foken). The group has since extended both the scope and duration of the NIMEX project by carrying out field experiments simultaneously at Ile-Ife, Ibadan and Akure in 2005 extending till 2007. The said campaigns have been executed in phases in order to capture important weather events that characterize the Nigerian environment. The results of the investigations have enabled the group to produce some Ph.D. and Masters’ theses apart from several publications in international, national and local journals, conferences and other scientific fora. This has also promoted considerable capacity building among the rank and file within the group. The facilities available for NIMEX research include an array of research-grade sensors for micrometeorology (including cup anemometers, psychrometers, electronic barometers, pyranometers, net radiometers, soil heat flux plates, infrared thermometer, etc.). For advanced investigation of the boundary layer turbulence, the group has an ultrasonic anemometer and krypton hygrometer. Additional research equipment includes acoustic sounders (manufactured by SENSITRON AB, Sweden and METEK AG, Germany). There are several programmable dataloggers (manufactured by Campbell Scientific) also available for automatic and remote data acquisition of field and experimental measurements. The group has made some progress in modeling activities, and in collaborating with other international institutions on projects. The group worked with the atmospheric scientists at Iowa State University (ISU, USA) to develop an advanced climate model (called CAM-EULAG) that has capability for both global and regional scale simulations. The model is now in FUTA, following the return of a group member (Dr B.J. Abiodun) who was at ISU for his post-doctoral research to actively participate in the model development. With this the group now has three state-of-the-art models (MIUU, RegCM, and CAM-EULAG) for the modeling activities. Some results from these models were published (or accepted for publication) and presented at local and international conferences in 2007. Simulations from the model also provided data for undergraduate, MSc and Ph.D projects. The group has secured four new projects that will benefit the group members, and further sustain the modeling activities. The projects are summarized below. Project 1: Seasonal Climate Prediction and Climate Change in West Africa In this project, the group will apply the newly developed model (CAM-EULAG) for seasonal climate prediction and climate change projection over West Africa. The group will first test and optimize CAM-EULAG performance over West Africa, and then perform a series of simulations for seasonal prediction and to investigate the regional impact of global warming over West Africa. This three-year project is sponsored by the International Science Program Sweden (ISP), who has approved SEK 885 (about $100,000) to purchase a computer cluster, satellite receiver, and some field equipment for the project. FUTA will co-sponsor the project by providing accommodation and infrastructure to operate the computer cluster. The project will involve two PhD students: one will perform and analyze the CAM-EULAG simulations; the other will apply the model results to study the future impacts of climate change on crop yields, food security and water management. The group has purchased a 10-node (with 8 processors in each node) computer cluster for the project. Project 2: West African contribution to Tropical cyclone initiations In this project the group is collaborating with Iowa State University (ISU, USA) to study the role of West African weather systems in initiating the tropical cyclones and hurricanes that destroy lives and properties in North America. This three-year project is sponsored by US Department of Energy (DOE). The principal investigator of the project is in ISU, but the project depends on the experience of the group members on modeling the West African systems. A PhD student from the group (Mr A.A Abatan) is currently doing his thesis work on the project; and he will be supervised by both ISU and FUTA scientists. Project 3: Development of regional version CAM-EULAG This project came out of group interaction with ICTP (International Centre for Theoretical Physics, Italy) and ISU. The three-year project, jointly sponsored by ICTP (Italy) and US DOE, aims at developing a regional version of the new advanced model (CAM-EULAG). The long-term goal is that the regional model would replace the ICTP ageing model (RegCM3), if the new model performs better. The group will play active roles in the development of the regional model, and in the subsequent training of the users in African institutions. The regional model will also be adopted as a teaching aid in some courses in FUTA, as it will be relatively easier to run than the global version. The group will attach a PhD student will to this project. Project 4: Seasonal Climate Forecasting in South Africa The group is collaborating with the Climate Analysis System Group (CSAG) at the University of Cape Town (UCT) on adopting the newly developed model (CAM- EULAG) for seasonal forecast over southern Africa. This three-year project is jointly sponsored by Department of Energy (USA) and Centre for High Performance Computing in South Africa (CHPC: www.chpc.ac.za). A group member of the group visited CSAG in July 2007 to install CAM-EULAG on their computers, and the installation was successful. A PhD student from the group will be attached to the project. A PhD student (Mr Vincent Ajayi), attached to this project, will be visiting CSAG South Africa for a year (June 2009 – May 2010), on START (http://www.start.org/) fellowship program. Publications listed in the activity report for years 2007 and 2008 include: - S E Falodun and E O Ogolo, “Diurnal and Seasonal of Global Solar Radiation at Akure, South Western Nigeria”, Journal of Engineering & Applied Science, Pakistan, 2 (1), 125 (2007) - B Adeyemi and E O Ogolo, “Spatial Distribution of Surface Water Vapour Density Over Nigeria”, Research Journal of Applied Science, Pakistan, 2(2), 129 (2007). - R Oladosu, O O Jegede, L A Sunmonu and A T Adediji, “Bowen Ratio Estimation of Surface Energy Fluxes in a Humid Tropical Agricultural Site, Ile-Ife, Nigeria”, Indian Journal of Radio & Space Physics, 36, 213 (2007) - M. Mauder, O. O.