Mesoscale Numerical Weather Prediction over Antarctica: AMPS and Support for Ground-based Astronomy Antarctic NWP and AMPS AMPS Capabilities and Application Issues Summary Jordan G. Powers Mesoscale and Microscale Meteorology Division Earth and Sun Systems Laboratory National Center for Atmospheric Research Boulder, Colorado, USA
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Antarctic NWP and AMPS AMPS Capabilities and Application Issues Summary
Mesoscale Numerical Weather Prediction over Antarctica: AMPS and Support for Ground-based Astronomy. Jordan G. Powers Mesoscale and Microscale Meteorology Division Earth and Sun Systems Laboratory National Center for Atmospheric Research Boulder, Colorado, USA. Antarctic NWP and AMPS - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
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Mesoscale Numerical Weather Prediction
over Antarctica: AMPS and Support for
Ground-based Astronomy
Antarctic NWP and AMPS
AMPS Capabilities and Application Issues
Summary
Jordan G. Powers
Mesoscale and Microscale Meteorology DivisionEarth and Sun Systems Laboratory
National Center for Atmospheric Research Boulder, Colorado, USA
Antarctica and Topography
Topography from NASA ICESat
(Ice, Cloud, and Elevation Satellite)
•McMurdo Station
• Issues in Antarctic NWP: Forecastingfor optical turbulence
– What numerical models/forecast systems cover Antarctica?
– What are the effective resolutions of the models?
– Can the forecast output be obtained?
Are their products designed for optical turbulence?
– Are the given models tuned for the polar atmosphere?
I. Antarctic NWP and AMPS (Antarctic Mesoscale Prediction System)
• Many Global NWP Models Cover Antarctica
– ECMWF Global model (25 km)
– UK Met Office Global Model (40 km)
– NCEP (National Centers for Environmental Prediction) Global Forecasting System (GFS)
(~55 km)
– U.S Navy NOGAPS (~55 km)
– Arpège (Metéo France) (20–250 km)
– GME (German Weather Service)
– GEM (Global Environmental Multiscale) Model (Canadian Met Center) (~33 km)
– JMA Global Spectral Model (Japan) (20 km) + more!!
• Difficulties in Systems not Tailored for Antarctic Astronomical Applications
– Model output may be unavailable or unavailable in necessary time frame
– Resolution may be too coarse
– Model physics not tuned for high latitudes
– Model products not designed for optical turbulence forecasting
The Antarctic Mesoscale Prediction System (AMPS)
Real-time mesoscale modeling system designed specifically for Antarctica
Purpose: Support of weather forecasting and scientific activities for the U.S. Antarctic Program (USAP)
Primary users
USAP ForecastersSPAWAR— Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center
Scientists and graduate students
International forecasters
Air and Marine Forecast Users
U.S. Air Force C-17McMurdo
New York Air National GuardLC-130 McMurdo
Dronning Maud Land—Polarstern
• AMPS Applications for Research & Development
Important component: AMPS forecast archive (from 2001)
– Meteorological investigations: Case and process studies
– Model and forecast evaluation
– Development of polar modifications
– Model-based climatologies
• AMPS Applications for Research & Development (cont’d)
Comparison of Polar WRF V2.2.1 v. Polar WRF V3.0.1
Forecast 2-m T errors for South Pole (Winter 2008 test period)
Nomimal improvement with 3.0.1
Version 2.2.1 Version 3.0.1
AMPS Use by International Antarctic Programs
Program Locations
• Italy Terra Nova Bay (PNRA, Italian Air Force)
• Australia Casey, Davis, Mawson (Bureau of Meteorology)
Over 400 e-mail inquiries/month to user support group
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WRF/ARW Registered Users
2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008
Worldwide WRF User Participation
113 Countries(August 2008)
• System
– WRF-Var : 3-dimensional variational data assimilation (3DVAR) system
– Ability to ingest direct and indirect observations
• Observation Types
– Standard surface obs (e.g, METAR, station reports),AWS obs, and upper-air (radiosonde)
– Ships, buoys, aircraft (e.g., AMDAR)
– Geostationary satellite cloud-track winds and MODIS polar winds
– AMSU-A radiances (for study purposes)
– COSMIC radio occultations
AMPS Data Assimilation
• WRF Polar Modifications for AMPS
– Goal: Better representation of polar atmospheric conditions and processes
Polar conditions generally have not been reflected in development of models over mid-latitudes
– Polar mods
– Fractional sea ice representation
– Land Surface Model (Noah LSM) changes
Latent heat of sublimation used over ice surfaces
Adjustment of snow density, heat capacity, and thermal diffusivity (subsurface)
WRF Polar Modifications for AMPS (cont’d)
LSM Adjustments (cont’d)
Assumption of ice saturation for calculating sfc saturation mixing ratios over ice
Increased snow albedo and emissivity
– Modified initialization of low-level air temps and cycling of subsurface soil temps
– Decreased shortwave radiation scattering
– Stability-dependent formulation of thermal roughness length (z0t)
AMPS Use for Optical Turbulence Forecasting: Issues
• No previous forecasting in AMPS of optical turbulence or seeing
– What quantities/parameters specifically are needed?
– What can be derived, in real time, from model output?
• Unknown how well model resolution can provide for accurate parameter forecasts
– Is a minimum vertical or horizontal resolution needed for acceptable accuracy?
– Need to verify forecasts of parameters
AMPS WRF vertical levels/ distribution
Full levels: 46
Model top: 10 mb
Layer thickness (m)
1–20 21–46 Levels
AMPS Use for Optical Turbulence Forecasting: Issues (cont’d)
• Restrictions on increasing model resolution or new forecast grids
– Computer resources limited
– Cannot hurt time-to-forecast: USAP forecasterneeds are the
priority
– 1-way forecast nests a possibility for limited areas and periods
1-way nest would run after the main forecast
SummarySummary
• • AMPS: Mesoscale NWP over AntarcticaAMPS: Mesoscale NWP over Antarctica
• • High-resolution forecasts tuned for polar High-resolution forecasts tuned for polar conditions with products tailored for usersconditions with products tailored for users
• • AMPS: Possible tool for forecasting for AMPS: Possible tool for forecasting for astronomy or optical turbulence in Antarcticaastronomy or optical turbulence in Antarctica
– Forecast parameter products or specific met information may be provided on web site
– Caveats No coverage north of 40SNo coverage north of 40S
Priority to USAP and related needsPriority to USAP and related needs