1 Office of the Federal Coordinator for Meteorology OFCM

OFCM Special Session:

Challenges of Urban Test Beds

Charge to the Joint Action Group for Joint Urban Test Beds

Mr. Bob Dumont, OFCM

In conjunction with the10th Annual GMU Conference on Transport and Dispersion Modeling

August 2, 2006

2 Office of the Federal Coordinator for Meteorology OFCM

Acknowledgements

Special Thanks to

Dr. Zafer Boybeyi

George Mason University

3 Office of the Federal Coordinator for Meteorology OFCM

Overview

• Background• Terms of Reference• Joint Urban Test Bed Concept• Potential Urban Stakeholders• Ultimate Benefits for Stakeholders• The Way Ahead

4 Office of the Federal Coordinator for Meteorology OFCM

Background• The OFCM has a long history in coordinating ATD modeling

activities among the Federal agencies

• Two key reports developed by OFCM-sponsored joint action groups:– Atmospheric Modeling of Releases from Weapons of Mass

Destruction: Response by Federal Agencies in Support of Homeland Security (August 2002)

– Federal Research and Development Needs and Priorities for Atmospheric Transport and Diffusion Modeling (August 2004)

• Joint urban test beds identified as an essential element in our strategy to meet future ATD R&D needs and priorities

• Next step: Formed the Joint Action Group for Joint Urban Test Beds

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Terms of Reference

Responsibilities• Define the test bed capabilities required to meet

users’ needs for:– Measurements

– Data assimilation and management

– Modeling and model evaluations

– Product generation and dissemination

– Education, training, and outreach

• Develop criteria for joint urban test bed selection

6 Office of the Federal Coordinator for Meteorology OFCM

Terms of Reference

Responsibilities• Define joint urban test bed infrastructure

requirements• Examine existing infrastructure that could be used

– observation networks– modeling and measurement test beds

• Develop an operational concept that includes an implementation framework

• Describe how test beds can be used for risk management

• Recommend next steps for Federal participating agencies

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Joint Urban Test Bed Concept

GOAL

To develop an operational concept for multifunctional joint urban test beds to

provide services and data to model developers, test and evaluation personnel,

and users.

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Joint Urban Test Bed Concept

• The joint urban test beds will support the following functional areas: – Homeland security (ATD)– Severe weather (including wildland fire)– Climate– Air quality– Water quality

9 Office of the Federal Coordinator for Meteorology OFCM

Joint Urban Test Bed Concept

• JUTBs will serve multiple uses and a wide range of stakeholders through improvements in:– Understanding the elements of urban ecosystems and

how the elements interact– Understanding socioeconomic impacts of weather and

climate in urban areas

• The JUTB infrastructure will provide the Federal agencies an opportunity to share and leverage resources to satisfy common development and testing needs (i.e., a cost effective way to develop applications and systems)

10 Office of the Federal Coordinator for Meteorology OFCM

Joint Urban Test Bed Concept

• User feedback will be included in the development spiral at the JUTB. The combination of typical users and real environmental conditions will result in improved transitions of products and services from research to operations for:– Urban scale forecasting of severe weather, weather extremes

(heat and cold), hazard zones, and other impacts on stakeholders (in terms of safety, economics, and operations)

– Urban scale climate predictions– Forecasts of water contamination due to deposition of

airborne contaminants – “Tailored” products for the many urban users and

stakeholders, i.e. products that are compatible with the user’s decision-making process

11 Office of the Federal Coordinator for Meteorology OFCM

Joint Urban Test Bed Concept

• JUTBs will contribute to improvements in National capabilities that will result in health and quality of life benefits to the general public:– Improved air quality and dispersion forecasts (including

deposition on water) for airborne contaminants at urban scales

– Understanding the impacts on health of weather and climate factors in urban areas

– Protection of natural resources and ecosystems

– Managing risks in the wildland/urban interface

12 Office of the Federal Coordinator for Meteorology OFCM

Potential Urban Stakeholders

• Water use commissions, water quality agencies, water treatment and sewage facilities

• Electrical power industry

• Fuel suppliers: natural gas, fuel oil, coal, gasoline

• Transportation sectors – aviation, marine, and surface

• Emergency management agencies and response organizations

• Public health agencies, health care providers, hospitals, and clinics

• Insurance industry

• Construction industry

• Recreation facilities

• Air quality agencies /boards/management districts

• Forestry agencies (wild land fire)

• Urban planners

• Weather service providers

• The General Public

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Ultimate Benefits for Stakeholders

• Save lives, resources, and infrastructure• Improve health of the population• Help build a more robust economy• Protect critical ecosystems • Improve risk management and mitigation

14 Office of the Federal Coordinator for Meteorology OFCM

The Way Ahead

• Complete a Joint Urban Test Bed Implementation Strategy and present it to the Federal Committee for Meteorological Services and Supporting Research (FCMSSR)

• Initial focus:– Selection criteria based on user/stakeholder

requirements– Potential benefits to users and stakeholders