eucos the eumetnet composite observing system

EUCOS The EUMETNET Composite Observing System

Stuart Goldstraw – EUCOS Operations Manager

Thanks to Jacqui Rogers, EUCOS Technical Co-ordinator

© Crown copyright 2004

Contents

1) What are EUMETNET and EUCOS

2) Programme Overview

3) Requirements

4) Operational Issues – focussing on ASAP

5) Studies Programme


What is EUMETNET?

EUMETNET is a network grouping of 21 National Met Services in Europe that provides a framework to organise operational and developmental co-operative programmes between Services.

It provides a framework to organise funded co-operative programmes between the Members in areas such as:

Observing Data processing Basic forecasting products Research and development Training packages


The current EUMETNET Members

Austria Belgium Cyprus Denmark Finland France Germany Greece Hungary Iceland Ireland

Italy Latvia Luxembourg Netherlands Norway Portugal Spain Sweden Switzerland United Kingdom


Current GNI shares of the Members

Austria 2.2% Belgium 2.7% Cyprus 0.1% Denmark 1.8% Finland 1.4% France 15.9% Germany 21.7% Greece 1.5% Hungary 0.6% Iceland 0.1% Ireland 1.1%

Italy 12.8% Latvia 0.1% Luxemburg 0.2% Netherlands 4.5% Norway 2.0% Portugal 1.3% Spain 7.4% Sweden 2.6% Switzerland3.1% UK 16.9%


What is EUCOS

EUCOS is the EUMETNET Composite Observing System. A programme to deliver terrestrially based operational observations for the efficient improvement of NWP in Europe.

The EUCOS Programme consists of fully cost compensated activities, such as E-AMDAR, significantly cost compensated activities such as E-ASAP and E-SURFMAR and co-ordination of voluntary contributions such as radiosonde and surface networks.

In addition studies to determine future requirements and quality monitoring and support activities for the operational programme is also provided by the programme.

EUCOS success relies heavily on the continued support of the Members – it only works because the Members want it to work.


EUCOS: EUCOS: Serving the Regional Scale NWP requirement for Serving the Regional Scale NWP requirement for

observations over the European regionobservations over the European region

EUCOS: EUCOS: Serving the Regional Scale NWP requirement for Serving the Regional Scale NWP requirement for

observations over the European regionobservations over the European region

Contributes to

Medium and extended range weather prediction over the Globe

Provides a framework for

Very short range and nowcasting over national territories

EUCOS in the wider context


The Challenge & Strategy for EUCOS

To improve the quality and make more cost effective observations for the enhancement of regional NWP performance in the 1 to 3 day forecast period in the European area of interest.

Achieved through resource transfer from the relatively well observed territorial areas to the poorly observed territorial and predominantly maritime areas.

Achieved by EUMETNET Members committing themselves to co-funding the programme through a fair (GNI) cost sharing system.


EUCOS – Area of Observing Interest


EUCOS – Area of Observational Interest


DMI Operational model set up


EUCOS Programme Overview



Deliver the agreed observations needed by the Members including quality monitoring and recovery activities



Deliver the agreed observations needed by the Members

Define requirements and develop new capabilities



Deliver the agreed observations needed by the Members

Define requirements and develop new capabilities

Build and extend relationships for the future


Governance of EUCOS Programme


Operational Programme Development

1) Start up phase – technology demonstration*, negotiation with Members and Suppliers, agreeing common operating practices, reviewing requirements and proposing a way forward.

2) Initial Operational Phase – implement recommendations from ‘1’, set simple performance targets, evaluate impact on performances and value for money from programme.

3) Mature Operational Phase – review programme following experiences gained from ‘2’. Targets now more specific, geographical rather than just quantities.


Current upper air requirements

Table 1: Upper Air Observational Requirements for Regional NWP - Current

Element Position Accuracy(o, b, t)

Vertical Resolution (km) (o, b, t)

Horizontal Resolution (km) (o, b, t)

Temperature (K) LT 0.5, -, 3.0 0.3, -, 3 10, -, 500

UT 1.0, -, 3

LS

Wind Vector (m/s) LT 1.0, -, 5.0 0.4, -, 5

UT 1.0, -, 10

LS

Water Vapour (%) LT 5, -, 20 0.4, -, 2 10, -, 100

UT 1.0, -, 3


Newly stated European requirements

Table 2: Upper Air Observational Requirements for Regional NWP – up to 2015




Temperature (K) LT

0.5, -, 1.5

0.1, 1, 2 3, 30, 200

UT

LS

Wind Vector (m/s) LT

1.0, -, 3.0UT

LS

Water Vapour (%) LT5, -, 10

UT


Newly stated requirements - changes

Table 2: Upper Air Observational Requirements for Regional NWP – up to 2015




Temperature (K) LT

0.5, -, 1.5

0.1, 1, 2 3, 30, 200

UT

LS

Wind Vector (m/s) LT

1.0, -, 3.0UT

LS

Water Vapour (%) LT5, -, 10

UT


Early definition of sensitive areas


Northern Europe sensitive areas - summer


Northern Europe sensitive areas - winter


Southern Europe sensitive areas - summer


Southern Europe sensitive areas - winter


MEDEX: Mediterranean Cyclones


Operational Programme Areas

E-AMDAR – tasked with delivering the European wide AMDAR data requirement, approx 12M observations pa. Budget 1.4M€ pa

E-ASAP – tasked with delivering the oceanic radiosonde

programme, approx 5000 profiles pa from 16 ASAP units. Budget 1.9M€

E-SURFMAR – tasked with delivering improved surface pressure

measurement coverage in Oceanic region. Budget 0.9M€

Territorial Radiosonde – targets established for a subset of Members radiosonde stations in terms of data volumes, quality, height of ascent and timeliness. Budget 0.2M€

Surface Networks – targets focussed on basic met parameters – those that can be assimilated by NWP systems. No Budget!


Network Quality Monitoring

If we are investing significant amounts of money making observations we should also invest in ensuring the observations meet the requirements and poor quality data is identified and, where possible, corrective action is undertaken.

EUCOS quality monitoring is reliant on using NWP background fields for assessing the quality of the observations.

Upper Air parameters monitored included: Timeliness, both threshold and breakthrough levels Availability of data, compared with assumed operational programme 100hPa Height, Temperature and U & V wind vectors Burst height for radiosonde network Location for AMDAR aircraft – when at Airports


E-ASAP - Oceanic Upper-Air Segment

E-ASAP Programme Manager Rudolf Krockauer (DWD)


E-ASAP Programme Challenges

Operating an ASAP system is not straightforward. Managing an ASAP network is a challenge. Multiple ships, multiple systems, multiple ‘home’ ports, launching problems and just when the crews are fully trained they change.

Senior Management have little understanding of the operation of ASAP – some even assume ASAPs are fully automatic! Therefore they cannot understand the cost of the programme.

Modern NWP assimilation systems have difficulties dealing with isolated radiosonde profiles. More so in critical conditions. Fortunately this had been recognised (finally) and now forms one of the activities within the European THORPEX science plan

In the future the ASAP programme will become more adaptive, responding to targeting instructions from NWP sensitivity calculations.


E-ASAP Launcher positions


Reduction in loss rates!


E-ASAP - Soundings in September 2005


E-ASAP - Soundings on 18th June 2005


E-ASAP - Soundings on 29th June 2005


E-ASAP Density Plot


EUCOS – Studies Programme

The EUCOS Studies Programme is designed to enable objective decisions to be made about the evolution of the operational observing networks to support regional NWP Are the correct parameters being observed? Is the current network configuration optimised? Where should future investments be made? What weaknesses exist and how should they be tackled?

Current Studies Programme activities include Targeted observing development Space – Terrestrial Observing System Experiments Revised Network Design Evaluation Technology Demonstrations


Space - Terrestrial Study Programme

• A 2-year EUMETNET / EUMETSAT study to quantify the relative impacts on NWP of the components of the space and terrestrial observing sub-systems.

EUCOS will deliver the evaluation of the terrestrial components in conjunction with DMI, ECMWF, Met.No, UK Met Office and OMSZ

In addition to the impacts of radiosonde, AMDAR and Wind Profilers the study will also seek to identify the specific impact of the E-ASAP and E-AMDAR data on the quality of European regional scale NWP products.

Results are out and a report will be published in early 2007.


Impact of Wind Profilers on NWP

Thank you for your attention

eucos the eumetnet composite observing system

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