Expressions of Intent for International Polar Year 2007-2008 Activities

Expression of Interest Details

PROPOSAL INFORMATION

Polar Cloud and Hydrological Cycle Variability in Global Satellite Products and GCMs.  (Polar Climate in Satellite Data and GCMs)

Outline
We will examine the consistency of cloud and hydrological cycle representations in both traditional (e.g. ISCCP, SSM/I) as well as state of the art (e.g., MLS, AIRS, CloudSat, GRACE) satellite products. In addition, we will compare these representations to a number of modern GCM simulations and ECMWF analyses in order to quantify model shortcomings and help guide model improvements. The GCM simulations will include the simulations and projections from those submitted to the 4th IPCC assessment report (AR4).

What significant advance(s) in relation to the IPY themes and targets can be anticipated from this project?
Polar clouds have been notoriously difficult to observe and monitor due to the conventional use of nadir viewing infra-red and visible techniques. The NASA MLS and CloudSat missions will provide altogether new information on clouds in the polar regions due to their limb viewing geometry and radar techniques, respectively. These data will provide new information on the cloud structure and variability in the polar regions and thus help determine global climate model fidelity, which is especially important in the polar regions where the climate change signal is thought to occur first, be relatively large and where less confidence has been associated with prior satellite information.

What international collaboration is involved in this project?
Adrian Thompkins – ECMWF data and scientific collaboration.

FIELD ACTIVITY DETAILS

Geographical location(s) for the proposed field activities:
None

Approximate timeframe(s) for proposed field activities:
Arctic: n/a
Antarctic: n/a

Significant facilities will be required for this project:
The most significant relate to the NASA missions already in place (e.g., NASA A-Train missions such as AIRS, MLS, CloudSat) and the IPCC model experiments that have already been undertaken.

Will the project leave a legacy of infrastructure?
NO

How is it envisaged that the required logistic support will be secured?

This research is to be grant-drive/supported from agencies such as NASA, NOAA, NSF.

Has the project been "endorsed" at a national or international level?
No - This is a “PI-Level” type of effort involving collaboration from a number of PIs at JPL and a number of global modelers.

PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND STRUCTURE

Is the project a short-term expansion (over the IPY 2007-2008 timeframe) of an existing plan, programme or initiative or is it a new autonomous proposal?


Funds exist at JPL to start a seed effort in the area described above. Based on the outcome of these efforts, follow on proposals will be submitted.

How will the project be organised and managed?
Via PIs at JPL and as yet unspecified proposals to formal or unformal calls to agencies such as NSF, NASA, NOAA.

What are the initial plans of the project for addressing the education, outreach and communication issues outlined in the Framework document?
At this time, this consists of training students and postdocs as well as presentations at scientific meetings and publications in peer-reviewed journals.

What are the initial plans of the project to address data management issues (as outlined in the Framework document?
No special plans needed at this time.

How is it proposed to fund the project?
Funds exist at JPL to start a seed effort in the area described above. Based on the outcome of these efforts, follow on proposals will be submitted.

Is there additional information you wish to provide?
None

PROPOSER DETAILS

Dr Duane Waliser
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
4800 Oak Grove Dr.
MS 183-501, Pasadena, CA
91109
USA

Tel: 818-393-4094
Mobile: no
Fax: no
Email:

Other project members and their affiliation