Concordiasi workshop in Toulouse 29-31 March 2010 - Call for contributions

Call for contributions

1st Concordiasi Workshop

29-31 March 2010, Météo-France, Toulouse, France

Background:

The Concordiasi project is making innovative observations of the atmosphere above Antarctica. The most important goals of Concordiasi are:

* To enhance the accuracy of weather prediction and climate records in Antarctica through the assimilation of in-situ and satellite data, with an emphasis on data provided by hyperspectral infra-red sounders. The focus is on clouds, precipitation and the mass budget of the ice sheets. The improvements in dynamical model analyses and forecasts will be utilized in chemical-transport models that describe the links between the polar vortex dynamics and ozone depletion, and to advance the understanding of the Earth system by examining the interactions between Antarctica and lower latitudes.

* To improve our understanding of microphysical and dynamical processes controlling polar ozone, by providing the first quasi-Lagrangian observations of stratospheric ozone and particles, in addition to an improved characterization of the 3D polar vortex dynamics. Techniques for assimilating these Lagrangian observations are being developed.

A major Concordiasi component is a field experiment during the austral springs of 2008, 2009 and 2010. The field activities in 2010 are based on a constellation of up to eighteen long duration stratospheric superpressure balloons (SPB) deployed from the McMurdo station. Six of these balloons will carry GPS receivers and in-situ instruments measuring temperature, pressure, ozone, and particles. Twelve of the balloons will release dropsondes on demand for measuring atmospheric parameters. Finally, radiosounding measurements are collected at various sites, including the Concordia station. The whole project is described in BAMS (early release available). Concordiasi was built by an international scientific group and is currently supported by the following agencies: Météo-France, CNES, IPEV, PNRA, CNRS/INSU, NSF, UCAR, University of Wyoming, Purdue University, University of Colorado and ECMWF. The two operational polar agencies PNRA and IPEV are thanked for their support at Concordia station and at the coast of Adélie Land. The NSF is thanked for its support at the McMurdo base. Concordiasi is part of the THORPEX-IPY cluster within the International Polar Year effort. Detailed information on Concordiasi is available on the web site “http://www.cnrm.meteo.fr/concordiasi/”

Subject of the workshop :

This Concordiasi workshop will be the first in a series, after the 2008 and 2009 preliminary field campaigns, and before the major 2010 field campaign. Its goal is to present preliminary findings on the first two stages of the campaign, to optimise the preparation for the 2010 field campaign, to present results on the assimilation of satellite and in particular IASI data, to define the content of a relevant observation database and to favour scientific exchange within the scientific community.

The workshop topics will be:

  Numerical Weather modelling in polar areas at large and fine scales

  In-situ and remote-sensed observations in polar areas

  Modelling and properties of the surface (snow and sea ice)

  Data impact studies

  Studies relative to gravity waves, stratospheric clouds and ozone depletion

  Simulation and forecasting of ozone in chemical-transport models

  …

Registration :

If you wish to present some results, a short abstract (1500 characters) should be sent before 31st January 2010. Should you wish to attend and to provide a short abstract, please contact the organizing committee:

Jean Maziejewski: Jean.maziejewski@meteo.fr

Florence Rabier : Florence.rabier@meteo.fr

This workshop is sponsored by CNES and Météo-France.