The Year of Polar Prediction Supersite Model Intercomparison Project (YOPPsiteMIP) Relevance to the NOAA Earth System Research Laboratories

Taneil Uttal

NOAA/ESRL Physical Sciences Laboratory

Thursday, Mar 28, 2019, 11:00 am
DSRC Room 1D403

Abstract

The Year of Polar Prediction (YOPP) is focused on a number of Special Observing Periods (SOPs) of two to three months’ duration in both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. One feature of the SOPs is a program of enhanced radiosonde and buoy measurements contributing to assessments of how the extra observations support improved forecast skills. Another activity resulting from the SOPs is the YOPP Supersite Model Intercomparison Project (YOPPsiteMIP). The YOPPsiteMIP concept is unique compared to Climate Model Intercomparison Projects (CMIPs) because of (1) a focus on Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP) scales, processes and improvements, (2) the selection of polar, intensive, surface-based observing locations (YOPP Supersites) for which NWP centers will create high-resolution model time-step outputs and (3) special merged, observation outputs for the YOPP Supersites matched to the model outputs. These unique datasets of matched model time-step output and multi-variate high-frequency observations will enable detailed analysis of fast, small-scale processes. Example processes of interest are coupling mechanisms between the atmosphere, ocean, land and ice; cloud/precipitation micro- and macro-physics; the energy budgets over land, ocean and ice; and structure of the planetary boundary layer and the ocean mixed layer. The YOPPsiteMIP planning has focused so far on Arctic terrestrial YOPP Supersites, however, discussions are initiated on expanding the concept to selected Antarctic sites, as well as to ships and ice-stations such as the MOSAiC ice-station in the Arctic Ocean.



The complexities and challenges of developing interoperable model-observation data sets will be presented including the steps involved in developing quality observation-based information with known uncertainties and standardized vocabularies. Opportunities for using the YOPPsiteMIP strategies to support development of a more global prediction system diagnostic toolkit within PSL will be discussed.