Intra Americas Study of Climate Processes IASCLIP

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Intra Americas Study of Climate Processes
(IASCLIP)
Draft science and implementation plan (after two
years of preparation) was first presented to the
PSMIP during the 2007 CLIVAR Summit
Prepared by Xubin Zeng (PSMIP liaison) with
assistance from IASCLIP SSC Chair (David
Enfield)
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IASCLIP Science Implemention Plan

• Plan revision submitted to endorsed by VAMOS
  panel in late March 2008
• Revision drafting committee
• Enfield, Kirtman, Zhang, Mapes
• Download
•    ftp//ftp.aoml.noaa.gov/phod/pub/enfield/Visito
  r_temp/IASCLIP_SIplan_spr08_v2.pdf
• Chapter 5 Science issues
• Chapter 6 Implementation

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IASCLIP Working Groups

• WG-A gt Diagnostics and Predictions
• WG-B gt Model Development
• WG-C gt Observations
• WG-D gt Applications Capacity Building

Chair and co-chair are split between U.S. and
non-U.S. scientists
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IASCLIP Committee Structure
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Current WG activity

• Planning for IASCLIP Forecast Forum (IFF) for
  2009
• led by Kingtse Mo (NCEP/CPC WG-A
  Chair)
• Expand the NAME forum (NFF) to include the
  IASCLIP and both North and South American
  monsoons, similar procedures with emphasis on IAS
  its impacts. The CPC will host the IFF and
  ensure
• the smooth expansion from NAME to
  IASCLIP
• Start in Fall 2008, run monthly to quarterly
• Will archive analysis products predictions at
  UCAR, add products, e.g., Amazon heating
• Diagnose forcing of warm pool in winter-spring,
  predict warm pool summer impacts and
  relationships with the North and South American
  monsoons.
• Link with CPPA management and PIs, international
  partners

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How does IASCLIP follow the best practices

• Modelers, observationalists, and applications
  people are well represented in the IASCLIP SSC
  and WG
• Follow NAME policy in data format, central
  archive, and open access
• Question to PSMIP how is benchmark dataset
• defined?
• seems that IAS SST would be a benchmark
  data
• for coupled GCMs
• will follow the PSMIP guideline more
  exactly
• once the definition is clarified.

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PSMIP Overall Comments

• The IASCLIP science is well justified
• The IASCLIP SSC is balanced, and is proactive in
  seeking advices from multiple sources
• The strategy of first focusing on diagnostics and
  model evaluations, followed by field experiments,
  is appropriate
• The focus on the end product (forecasting
  improvement, application and capacity building)
  is commendable
• The simultaneous pursuit of CPPA funding and
  potential NOAA Climate Board funding for the
  observational initiative is excellent

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Specific suggestions I

• Baseline for model improvement should be
  established e.g., through the IASCLIP Forecast
  Forum (IFF) based on the evaluations (and
  potential deficiencies) of
• coupled climate models from different
  centers and organizations,
• NCEP CFS, and
• CPC climate outlook (based on CFS and other
  sources)
• Baseline for data improvement should be
  established based on the evaluation (and
  potential deficiencies) of
• North American Regional Reanalysis (NARR)
  that covers most of the IAS region,
• the new NCEP CFSRR (at T328 resolution and
  air-sea coupled reanalysis), and
• other global reanalyses (ECMWF, JMA,
  GMAOto be available)
• Is there any existing ocean reanalysis over
  the IAS region?

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Specific suggestions II

• Using climate models (CFS and others) to do
  Observing System Simulation Experiments (OSSE) or
  sensitivity tests to identify
• areas,
• processes, and
• time
• that are most important for the field
  experiment
• Based on the IASCLIP document and the NOAA
  priority in hurricane research, there seems to be
  enough justification for permanent buoys over the
  IAS region. Consulting the original TAO buoy
  personnel (director Mike McPhaden) would help
  develop the strategy for NOAA (non-CPPA) funding
  for such a network
• This non-CPPA NOAA funding, along with the
  diagnostic and modeling activities, would provide
  a very strong justification for CPPA funding in
  the field campaign