GLOSS Global Sea Level Observing System 13th October, 2003

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GLOSS Global Sea Level Observing System 13th
October, 2003
CPACC
Caribbean Planning for Adaptation to Climate
Change
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CPACC
Funding Source GEF 6.7M, 4.5 year project
started in June 1997
Implementing Agency World Bank
Executing Agencies OAS and UWI Center for
Environment and Development
CARICOM SEC as chair of PAC
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CPACC
Objectives
To support Caribbean countries in preparing to
cope with the adverse effects of global climate
change, particularly sea-level rise, on coastal
areas through vulnerability assessment,
adaptation planning, and capacity building.
Scope of Project
Regional project involving the cooperative
efforts of twelve CARICOM countries -
participation by a number of regional
institutions - facilitated through national
pilot/demonstrations and regional training and
technology transfer
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CPACC
The network consists of 18 sealevel/climate
monitoring stations located in 12 CARICOM
countries
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The Bahamas
Jamaica
Antigua
Belize
St Kitts
Dominica
St Lucia
St Vincent
Barbados
Grenada
Trinidad
Guyana
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CPACC
Data Collection

• Data collected automatically from 18 stations
  and transmitted every 3 hours via a 1 minute
  satellite window to the base station (RAC, UWI,
  St Augustine)
• Parameters (7) observed at each station - Sea
  level (6 mins) - Water Temperature (15
  mins) - Wind data (15 mins) - Rainfall (15
  mins) - Barometric Pressure (15
  mins) - Relative Humidity (15 mins) - Air
  Temperature (15 mins)

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CPACC
Network Operational Maintenance
RAC

• Coordinator performs daily QA/QC
• Identify stations that display operational
  problems
• Communicate problems to CIMH for their action

CIMH

• Initiates problem resolution procedure
• Determine whether problem is due to the
  communication process or the actual sensor.
• Contact National Agency/Met Office and identify
  checks to be carried out and action to be taken

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CPACC
Training
OAS sponsored training

• CIMH personnel (RNC) - execution of operational
  network maintenance and transfer knowledge to
  local met officers
• RAC personnel (RAC coordinator) execution of
  functionality checks and data acquisition from
  satellite base station/data management in
  association with NOAH
• Local CPACC Meterological technicians
  execution of general sensor checks and corrective
  maintenance
• Local CPACC Meteorological technicians
  identification of transmission problems/corrective
  maintenance and installation of GPS time cards

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The Bahamas
Jamaica
Antigua
Belize
St Kitts
Dominica
St Lucia
St Vincent
Barbados
Grenada
Trinidad
Guyana
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The Bahamas
Jamaica
Antigua
Belize
St Kitts
Dominica
St Lucia
St Vincent
Barbados
Grenada
Trinidad
Guyana
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CPACC
Problem Experienced
Environmental Impact

• Precautionary removal or damage by storm surge
  due to bad weather (Belize City, Great Inagua,
  Roseau, Basseterre)
• Damage due to man made causes (Bridgetown, Port
  of Spain, Charlotteville, Guayaguayare)

Technical Impact

• Inaccurate clock setting transmissions outside
  of designated satellite window
• Malfunctioning sensor produce no
  data/erroneous data or streams that exceeds
  window capacity

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CPACC
Key Issues

• Lost data transmissionsData gaps impact on the
  value of the data collected to prescribed
  analysis.
• Access to stationsLimited human and financial
  resources pose a major impediment to regular
  maintenance at remote sites.
• ExpertiseA number of the countries have
  limited technical expertise. Limited corrective
  maintenance executed.
• TechnologyThe absence of GPS cards to
  facilitate synchronization of stations

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Recommendations
Expertise - Training and dedicated support by
local officers Technology - Installation of GPS
time module to eliminate clock drift
- Installation of continuous GPS receivers at key
locations - Development of code to
aid data retrieval (separation of SL data and
fast transfer of meteorological data to Met.
Offices). Access - Financial support to improve
maintenance efficiency in remote stations.
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Contact Information
CPACC/MACC Regional Archiving CentreDepartment
of Surveying and Land InformationFaculty of
EngineeringUWI, St Augustine. Tel [phone]
191 Website http//wwwcpaccrac.org Email
rac_at_eng.uwi.tt