CLIVAR

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CLIVAR OOPC review ofAccomplishments
PIRATA1997-2005Status and Perspectives
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PIRATA objectives

• To improve description of seasonal to interannual
  variability in the surface layer (0-500m) in the
  tropical Atlantic
• To improve our understanding of the relative
  contributions of surface fluxes and oceanic
  dynamics in the variability of SST and subsurface
  heat content at seasonal and interannual time
  scale
• To provide a set of data that could be used to
  develop and improve the predictive models of the
  ocean-atmosphere coupled system

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CLIVAR OOPC comments

• CLIVAR OOPC commend the participants of PIRATA
  for their accomplishments in challenging
  conditions to obtain a major improvement in the
  description of the conditions in the tropical
  Atlantic region.
• CLIVAR OOPC strongly support the PIRATA program
  and its extensions. This will enable PIRATA to
  be firmly established as the main backbone of the
  tropical Atlantic observing system. The failure
  to do so would be a disaster for climate science
  community..
• CLIVAR OOPC recommend a more integrated
  approach of the observing system and of the
  project itself
• CLIVAR OOPC urge PIRATA to address Vessel
  Support and Vandalism issues

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• CLIVAR is active in
• Advanced modeling
• Data gathering
• Data integration and archiving
• Hierarchy of Synthesis system
• Prediction systems

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CLIVAR Atlantic SectorTropical Phenomena
Ruiz-Baradas et al 2001
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CLIVAR Atlantic SectorPredictions in tropics
No prediction skill in cold tongue But
.. potential predictability
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CLIVARAnthropogenic influences
Variance of Northern Tropical Atlantic (grey) and
Eastern Equatorial Atlantic SST (black) in IPCC
4AR 20th century and SRES A1b runs (Breugem et al
2006)
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PIRATA data return and use

• Increase use of data (including for operational
  centres)

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State estimation

• Impact shown, but independent checks needed

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Validation and Calibration

• Need in situ data for validation (re)analysis and
  satellite products

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Science advances
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Some problems
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General comments

• CLIVAR and OOPC endorse sustaining PIRATA, its
  extensions and flux sites
• PIRATA successful system for improved description
  of basic conditions oceanic (EUC, EIC) and
  air-sea fluxes and Variability in the tropical
  Atlantic Ocean
• PIRATA will continue to be the foundation of
  other programs (AMMA, TACE, BCMLE, GOOS, German
  programs)
• PIRATA in situ data needed for validation and
  calibration
• Vessel support and vandalism should be addressed
• Too much focus on seasonal to interannual
  variablity, intraseasonal important as well
• OOPC has specific comments on technical issues
  procedures, calibration, sampling and
  observational challenges

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Recommendations on PIRATA design/observational
network

• Regional design should capture
• Meridional mode (done)
• Gulf of Guinea upwelling Coastal trapped waves
  (planned)
• Connection to Benguela upwelling CTW (pilot)
• Equatorial Wave Guide (planned)
• Eastern equatorial upwelling (planned)
• North Brazil Current
• Zonal inflow in the South Atlantic
• Re-assessment needed on critical observations and
  cost-effective technologies (All off-equatorial
  moorings needed? Gliders? See next slide).
  Perform Observing System Simulation Experiments
  (see Baehr et al for RAPID/MOCHA)
• Show that PIRATA contributes to improved
  estimation of oceanic state with independent data
• ? NEED FOR AN INTEGRATED OBSERVING SYSTEM FOR TAV

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Recommendation on PIRATA relation to
modelling/synthesis

• PIRATA should be used for validation/improvement
  coupled models (liase with CLIVAR WGOMD/WGSIP)
• PIRATA should be used for tuning high
  resolution models (e.g. EUC, TIWs)
• PIRATA data is used for state-estimation, but no
  comparisons with independent data has been made
• Need for Prediction Simulation Experiments (PSEs
  with operational centres) that show added value
  of PIRATA
• PIRATA should be careful with expecting fast
  progress on predictions (objective 3)
• ? NEED FOR AN INTEGRATED PROJECT ON TAV

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Recommendation on collaboration

• Links with AMMA and TACE need to be better
  defined
• OOPC recommends annual TAV meetings which include
  PIRATA
• PIRATA should not be stand-alone, but part of an
  integrated observing system and integrated
  research leading to better state-estimation and
  predictions

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Breugem et al 2006
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Process studies
AMMA
CLIVARAtlanticTAV
Tropical Atlantic Climate Experiment(enhanced
monitoring)
PIRATA sustainedobserving systemfor climate