CONNECTING CLIMATE NETWORKS
ALONG THE
GREAT AMERICAN CORDILLERA
Mike Helfert (CRN)
Howard Diamond (US GCOS)
NOAA-NCDC
Asheville NC & Silver Spring MD
http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/climate/uscrn/
Mountain Climatology Symposium 2006
Mt. Hood. Oregon
Sept 2006
2006 may be the warmest modern year
for both the planet and the USA
Proposal
• Establish a long-term climate monitoring network
along the Great American Cordillera (RockiesSierras – Andes) from the Arctic to Antarctic.
• Primary purpose is monitoring long-term climate
variance at three specific montane planes
from 70°N to 55°S.
• GCOS, NAS-NRC, NOAA-NCDC climate monitoring
principles provide program guidelines.
• Network uses standardized, calibrated sensors.
• All data in public domain; on the Internet.
• Why Have a Cordilleran CRN?
– Montane snowpacks - a critical
resource in the Americas
• Agricultural & urban uses
• Energy use & metering
– Montane glaciers diminishing
• Water metering & dependencies
becoming critical worldwide
– Temperatures are rising
– Biotic impacts and
successions
• Forestry; montane ecosystems;
downstream fisheries
– Tourism & recreation
Bhagirathi River, Ganges head river
Meru tributary glacier,
now cutoff - hanging
glacier with cirque lake
leaks into Bhagirathi R.
Rotten
icefield
estimated
terminus,
2005
Leak
Cirque Lake
4600
mtrs
5960
mtrs
Upsala Glacier, Argentina
1928 (top) vs 2004 (bottom).
Examples of Glacial Meltwater Dependencies for
Hydropower Generation
Walter Vergara, World Bank, CONCORD: Climate Change
in the Cordillera , Mendoza, Argentina, April 2006
Walter Vergara, World Bank, CCONCORD: Climate
Change in the Cordillera , Mendoza, Argentina, April 2006
HOW TO BEST MONITOR MONTANE CLIMATES?
LONG-TERM, IN-SITU,
HI-PRECISION, HI-RES
AUTOMATIC CLIMATE
STATION??
APERIODIC VISITS?
APERIODIC SLICES?
Pico Volcano, Azores
Proposal
• Establish a climate network along the Great
American Cordillera from the Arctic Ocean to
the Southern Ocean (70°N to 55°S).
• To monitor long-term climate variance:
use standardized well-maintained, calibrated sensors
establish multi-elevational east & west chains,
6 chains of about 70-80 stations each
use the longest contiguous planetary feature existant –
which is near mid-tropospheric in elevation.
Do it very, very well - stuff will happen!!
• Partners – USA, AKCRN, Canada, Sierran and
Andean nations, the World Bank, and GCOS**
**Positive discussants starting in 2003.
Recommended Deployment Elevations, Argentinian Andean Example
(NOTE: Each of three parallel station chains is offset from the others by 0.75-1.0°)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Zone of High-Elevation T/P Station, dwarf forest treeline - 1980 datum elevation
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------Mid-Elevation T/P Station, primary treeline -1980 datum elevation----------
-------------Base Level Full-Capability CRN Station with tie-in to NMS network-----------
Are there station models for a
Montane CRN for the Americas?
• Yes. There are two: USCRN & GCOS CRN.
• For lower-elevation (≤2500 mtrs), full capability
baseline stations, CRN stations are proven.
• For higher-altitude stations (≥3500 mtrs), the
newer, GCOS CRN is recommended.
• For medium-alt stations, case-by-case basis.
(NOTE: Base CRN’s are now operating up to 3300 mtrs).
• CRN and GCOS CRN technologies
Backed by six yrs of field ops, maint, & calibration
experience, with mature data ingest rate ≥99% of
all poss obs (5-min obs reported hourly).
Climate Reference Network Station, Full Configuration
(Cornell University, Ithaca, NY)
GOES comms
RH
auges
Wv
Solar
Radiation
IR
3 Thermometers in
Aspirated Radiation
Housings
Datalogger
Wetness
SM/ST
Standard (Base) CRN Station
• Sensors: Temp (3), Precip gauge (4), Solar rad;
Infrared rad, Wv, RH, SM/ST, “wetness”
• 26-ft dia SDFIR, or 9-ft dia double alter.
• CS 1000 datalogger, 34-month data storage.
• GOES DCS communications with ice/snow
antenna cover; 7-level layered comms.
• 5-minute data reported hourly.
• AC and Solar Power versions.
• Modular, expandable, upgradable.
• Weight: ~976 lbs.
• Cost: ~$57K, calibrated & ready for deployment
USCRN Network September, 2006
79 USCRN stations of
114 planned.
Other stations in Canada (1),
Alaska (4), Hawaii (2), and
American Samoa (1).
Fairbanks, Alaska CRN Station
SDFIR elevated above mean
max Jan snow depth.
Barrow Alaska – Lesson Lear
Build the SDFIR skirt above
(previous) record snowfall
Note sastrugi in backgrou
(March 2004).
• Barrow Tower Antenna Cover, 03
2005.JPG
Winter and Swing Season Ice Events at polar latitudes led to comm
outages from 2000-2004. In 2005 a slick fiberglass cover was
backfitted to yagi antennas of the network.
After cover installation, successful first-hour transmission (2005-2006
winter) at Barrow Alaska station jumped from 72% to 98+%.
GCOS-CRN Specifications
• Temperature: three (3) aspirated platinum
resistance thermometers (≤60ºF to ≥300ºF).
• Precipitation: three-transducer, all-wx, weighing
bucket precipitation gauge with wetness sensor.
• Double-alter wind fence, stainless steel.
• Newer CS 1000 datalogger, 34 months data storage.
• GOES DCS comms.
• 5-minute data reported hourly; 7-layer comms.
• AC or Solar Power.
• Modular: expandable, upgradable.
• Data Standards same as Standard CRN Sta.
• Weight: ~650-800 Lbs (solar pwr is heavier).
• Cost: ~28K, calibrated & ready for deployment.
GCOS-CRN Configuration
(Valleyhead, Northern Alabama)
GOES
P gauges
in double alter
Wetness sensor
Data logger & power control
Selected other instruments
May be added to this climate
monitoring station as specified
One aspirated
radiation shield
with three PRT’s
GCOS-CRN station has the same technologies, comms, capabilities as the CRN
base station. At six locations in Alabama, 1 at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, &
two stations at the NOAA Engineering National Testbed (Sterling, VA.).
Configured for 5-minute redundant T & P measurements; RH, SM/ST being tested.
Yagi antenna fiberglass cover will be added.
Basic Questions
• Define Question(s) and Objective(s).
• Is this proposed monitoring program feasible?
– Technologically, yes. Models exist.
• How large an enterprise is this? 14 nations
– ~7500 miles; E&W chains; 3 elevational planes;
station intervals of 60-120 miles
– 150-170 base stations; 300-350 medium & hi-elevation stations
• Base rules recommended:
– One set of common standards
– Cross-agency, national & international partnerships
– Infinite patience; infinite persistence; finite time.
Implement a (US) Montane CRN?
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Kick the idea around. Its germ is 1925, at least
Initiate a Steering Committee – define charter
Strong Data & Metadata Subcommittees
Define monitoring goals & principles
Survey existing resources & community
Define ideal (US) network configuration(s)
Define funding needs and ideal timelines
Do not forget Alaska is part of the USA.
Establish international links – Canada, CA, SA.
Coordinate and prioritize actions
MAINTAIN ONE SET OF STANDARDS
Thank you!
Mike Helfert
&
Howard Diamond
Pico Volcano Azores