2008 US CLIVAR Summit Phenomena Observations and Synthesis

1. 2008 US CLIVAR SummitPhenomena Observations and Synthesis

2. Best Practices • Salinity Field program in support of Aquarius • POS provide feedback to organizing group • Suggest using Pirata array - augment salinity measurements of Pirata buoy in the domain (subtropical North Atlantic) as soon as possible • Early involvement of NODC to formulate protocol of data archival • Develop web based primer on historical data sets (Alexey, Cathy) • Advertise via Climate Variations Article • Synthesizing (JCOMM) observational and climate (GCOS) requirements for satellites into a combined set of requirements. • Extend to in situ data • Check requirements for errors, realism, consistency

3. Best Practices NODC data archivalBreak out with Margarita Gregg • Identify “orphan” data sets (e.g. Turbulence measurements • Coordinate group collection/submission of data • Data searchable by field program (all data from CLIMODE) • Early participation of NODC in filed programs to facilitate archival • Use netcdf • Outside validation of updated or new products • Leverage state of the art development at other institutions

4. Feedback to AgenciesDrought • Bridging current modeling studies with obs • Develop soil moisture fields for model initialization and validation • Provide guidance to NIDIS • Explore decadal prediction using coupled models • Role of deep soil moisture in providing memory and low frequency predictability • Improved model formulations • What data is available? • New measurements

5. Feedback to AgenciesDecadal Predictability • Secular trend in Indian Ocean - Surface warming/thermocline cooling • Role of local process: • surface fluxes, Indian ocean subtropical cell • Remote • Indonesian through flow • Natural variability vs anthropogenic forcing • Atlantic MOC • Predictability • Connection to SSTs • Scale of variability & Meridional connectivity • Tracing source of changes at 25°N • Storm track variability • Causes • Impact on extreme events • Driving of AMOC especially in SH

6. Feedback to AgenciesSmall grant call (DRICOMP-like) • Intercomparison of new reanalysis products from NCEP, NASA, EC, JMA • Focus on interface (e.g surface fluxes) • Preparation for IESA • Loosely coupled vs atm only • Best practices • Define metrics • Identifying independent data sources • Verification methods • Evaluation of accuracy as a function of scale • Extreme events (could be within Reanalysis)

7. Inform Policy and Decision makers • Communicate synthesized data requirements and potential source of biases to JCOMM & GCOS directors • Include gravity (GRACE) & surface flux measurements • Biases between data sets and satellite measurements • Need for overlap periods • Climate Variations article describing Climate Data Modernization Project (CDMP) • Accepts proposals from NOAA to digitize data • Provide feedback on white papers and potential leads for sessions at Ocean Obs 09 conference • Session(s) on using new obs to better understand ocean physics/dynamics

8. Working Groups • IESA • Consider having a workshop first • Key to get buy in from major centers • As new high resolution reanalysis become available in the next year or two compare uncoupled (NASA I) to “loosely” coupled (NCEP, NASA II) • Potential Programatic WG activities • Assessment of data error characteristics • Define metrics • Identify scientific challenges • Provide recommendations in terms of priorities

9. Working Groups II • Abrupt climate change - tipping points in future climates • Rong made compelling case for WG • e.g. very well attended session at AGU • Issue how to best focus this effort • Physical system? • One or a few key issues or areas • Tipping points in Amazon (tropical rain forests) • Contact researchers in this area and solicit opinions • Consider workshop or Chapman conference • Extreme events • Link statistical & climate communities • Consider recently released CCSP document first • Storm tracks • Decadal variability and change • Relation to extreme events