Implementation of the Ross Island Meteorology Experiment (RIME) Implementation of the Ross Island Meteorology Experiment (RIME) David H. Bromwich 1, John.

Implementation of the Ross Island Meteorology Implementation of the Ross Island Meteorology Experiment (RIME)Experiment (RIME)

David H. BromwichDavid H. Bromwich11, John J. Cassano, John J. Cassano22, James , James PintoPinto2,32,3, and James Moore, and James Moore44

11-Ohio State University-Ohio State University22-University of Colorado Boulder-University of Colorado Boulder

33-NCAR Atmospheric Technology Division-NCAR Atmospheric Technology Division44-UCAR Joint Office for Scientific Support-UCAR Joint Office for Scientific Support

Outline•Key science questions•Approaches to address key science questions•Timeline•Budget aspects•Discussion topics

The Overarching The Overarching Hypothesis:Hypothesis:

The Ross Sea region is critical in the transport of mass, heat and momentum between the Antarctic continent and lower latitudes of the Southern Hemisphere on a variety of scales.

Figure 2.1. Mean streamlines of the wind at approximately 10-m above the surface based on daily MM5 simulations from 15 June – 15 July 2001.

Surface interactions with middle latitudes

(Courtesy Thomas R. Parish)

RAS

SIPLECOAST

CPV

BYRD

TNB

Surface Pressure Changes

-30

-20

-10

0

10

-90 -75 -60 -45 -30 -15 0

latitude

dp (

hPa)

JUNE 29

JUNE 30

JULY 01JULY 02

Figure 5. Zonally-averaged surface pressure differences from 00UTC 28June 1988.

Mass loss from Antarctica primarily via the Ross Sea Sector has hemispheric impact

Parish and Bromwich (1998)

(Zonal average includes all longitudes)

Surface Pressure Difference Surface Temperature Difference

Tropical teleconnections: Late 1990s El Nino minus La Nina

**The Ross Sea is a center of action(Bromwich et al. 2004)

Specific science topicsSpecific science topics

• Circumpolar VortexCircumpolar Vortex

• Terrain-Induced Circulations Terrain-Induced Circulations

• Moist Processes and Cyclonic Moist Processes and Cyclonic EventsEvents

• Mesoscale CyclonesMesoscale Cyclones

• Boundary-Layer Structure and Boundary-Layer Structure and TransformationTransformation

• Local Moist Atmospheric Local Moist Atmospheric ProcessesProcesses

Antarctica

RossIceShelf

South PacificOcean

Rising motion due to cyclones

Katabatic Winds

RAS = Katabatic+ BarrierWinds

Southward Return Flow

SinkingBranch

Polar Direct Circulation over Antarctica: Dominant Ross Sea Component

How do these topics relate to How do these topics relate to climate?climate?

Approaches to address science questionsApproaches to address science questions

   Investigation Approaches

Regional Surface-Based Array

RIME Supersite

Aircraft Studies Modeing

Satellite Remote Sensing

Climate Studies

Science Topics

Small scale

Boundary Layer Structure and Transformation

x x x x    

Local Moist Atmospheric Processes

x x x x x  

Mesoscale Cyclones

  x x x x  

Terrain-Induced Circulations

x x x x   x

Moist-Processes and Cyclonic Events

x   x x x x

Large scale

Circumpolar Vortex

x   x x x x

RIME Field Sites:RIME Field Sites:

Ross Ice Shelf

MG Pattern

Meso Raster

RAS

MG Pattern

Local Raster

Glacier Pattern

Schematic showing tentative supersite location and flight patterns for mapping of RAS (sawtooth pattern), katabatic flow down Byrd Glacier (magenta lines), mesoscale circulation in and around Ross Island (local raster), and interaction between RAS, katabatic outflow and mesocyclones (MG Rasters). Long-duration sampling to capture evolution of various mesoscale circulations will be accomplished within 400 km of McMurdo with Aerosonde UAVs. Shorter duration flights with research aircraft to sample local physical processes and larger-scale features of the flow regime. Supersite and AWS (not shown) positioned to measure local processes associated with the RAS.

RIME Aircraft Activities:RIME Aircraft Activities:

Supersite

HIAPER

C-130

Timeline:Timeline: RIME Field Activities RIME Field Activities andand Science TopicsScience Topics

Circumpolar Vortex

Terrain-Induced Circulations

Moist Processes and Cyclonic Events

Mesoscale Cyclones

Boundary Layer

Local Moist Processes

2005/2006 2006/2007 2007/2008 2008/2009

International Polar “Year”

(Red) (Blue)

Why 3 Field Seasons?:• 2006/2007 season is the first field deployment related to the Supersite and will be a shakedown period. Similarly, this is the first field deployment for the U.S. Twin Otter and Aerosondes. Activities will be concentrated near McMurdo (local activities).•2007/2008 season is when local scale studies are expanded to the Ross Ice Shelf and north of Ross Island.•2008/2009 season expands to regional focus. This will be facilitated by the C-130 and HIAPER

FY05 FY06 FY07 FY08 FY09 FY10

Regional Surface-Based Array .3 .5 .8 .8 .8 –

RIME Supersite – .8 2.0 1.0 1.0 .5

Aircraft Studies .1 .1 .5 .5 1.0 –

Modeling .5 .5 .5 .5 .5 .5

Satellite Remote Sensing – .5 .5 .5 .5 –

Climate Studies .5 .5 .5 .5 .5 .5

Support <.1 .2 .3 .3 .4 .2

Total 1.5 3.1 5.1 4.1 4.7 1.7

RIME Budget Estimates by Observation Type/Discipline(Estimate in Millions of $)

Assumptions:• Supersite continuous ops FY07-09• U.S. Twin Otter “provided” by USAP• Polar C-130 deployment cost only• HIAPER aircraft funneled through NSF deployment pool• FY10 resources for analysis activities

Current Funding:•Parish and Cassano: RAS Study ~150 K/y•Kuo et al. – Data Assimilation ~250 K/y

Discussion TopicsDiscussion Topics

• The likely future funding profile for the RIME project. As we have seen, the project requires resources far in excess of the normal budget for Polar Oceans and Climate Systems.

• Consideration of submission deadline delay for RIME proposals (July 1, 2004)?

• What is the best way to coordinate proposals? Are individual or collaborative approaches preferred?

• Discussion of aircraft platform requirements for RIME.

• Building and maintaining the Supersite.

• Need for RPO (RIME Project Office) and responsibilities.

• Intl collaborations, (e.g., UK, Italy, etc), to improve RIME observational network and help answer key science questions.