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Implementation of the Ross Island Meteorology Experiment (RIME)

This article outlines the key science questions, approaches, timeline, and budget aspects for the Ross Island Meteorology Experiment. The experiment aims to understand the role of the Ross Sea region in the transport of mass, heat, and momentum between Antarctica and the Southern Hemisphere. The experiment will focus on various topics, including circumpolar vortex, terrain-induced circulations, moist processes, cyclonic events, boundary-layer structure, and local atmospheric processes. The implementation includes field sites, aircraft activities, and timeline for data collection. The article also discusses funding, proposal coordination, aircraft platform requirements, Supersite maintenance, and international collaborations.

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Implementation of the Ross Island Meteorology Experiment (RIME)

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  1. Implementation of the Ross Island Meteorology Experiment (RIME) David H. Bromwich1, John J. Cassano2, James Pinto2,3, and James Moore4 1-Ohio State University 2-University of Colorado Boulder 3-NCAR Atmospheric Technology Division 4-UCAR Joint Office for Scientific Support • Outline • Key science questions • Approaches to address key science questions • Timeline • Budget aspects • Discussion topics

  2. The Overarching Hypothesis: • The Ross Sea region is critical in the transport of mass, heat and momentum between the Antarctic continent and lower latitudes of the Southern Hemisphere on a variety of scales.

  3. Surface interactions with middle latitudes SIPLE COAST BYRD RAS TNB CPV Figure 2.1. Mean streamlines of the wind at approximately 10-m above the surface based on daily MM5 simulations from 15 June – 15 July 2001. (Courtesy Thomas R. Parish)

  4. Mass loss from Antarctica primarily via the Ross Sea Sector has hemispheric impact Parish and Bromwich (1998) (Zonal average includes all longitudes)

  5. Tropical teleconnections: Late 1990s El Nino minus La Nina Surface Pressure Difference Surface Temperature Difference **The Ross Sea is a center of action (Bromwich et al. 2004)

  6. Specific science topics • Circumpolar Vortex • Terrain-Induced Circulations • Moist Processes and Cyclonic Events • Mesoscale Cyclones • Boundary-Layer Structure and Transformation • Local Moist Atmospheric Processes How do these topics relate to climate? Polar Direct Circulation over Antarctica: Dominant Ross Sea Component Southward Return Flow Sinking Branch Rising motion due to cyclones Katabatic Winds RAS = Katabatic + Barrier Winds Antarctica Ross Ice Shelf South Pacific Ocean

  7. Approaches to address science questions

  8. RIME Field Sites:

  9. RAS Ross Ice Shelf MG Pattern Local Raster Meso Raster MG Pattern Glacier Pattern RIME Aircraft Activities: C-130 Supersite HIAPER Schematic showing tentative supersite location and flight patterns for mapping of RAS (sawtooth pattern), katabatic flow down Byrd Glacier (magenta lines), mesoscale circulation in and around Ross Island (local raster), and interaction between RAS, katabatic outflow and mesocyclones (MG Rasters). Long-duration sampling to capture evolution of various mesoscale circulations will be accomplished within 400 km of McMurdo with Aerosonde UAVs. Shorter duration flights with research aircraft to sample local physical processes and larger-scale features of the flow regime. Supersite and AWS (not shown) positioned to measure local processes associated with the RAS.

  10. Timeline: RIME Field Activities andScience Topics (Red) (Blue) International Polar “Year” 2008/2009 2006/2007 2007/2008 2005/2006 Circumpolar Vortex Terrain-Induced Circulations Moist Processes and Cyclonic Events Mesoscale Cyclones Boundary Layer Local Moist Processes • Why 3 Field Seasons?: • 2006/2007 season is the first field deployment related to the Supersite and will be a shakedown period. Similarly, this is the first field deployment for the U.S. Twin Otter and Aerosondes. Activities will be concentrated near McMurdo (local activities). • 2007/2008 season is when local scale studies are expanded to the Ross Ice Shelf and north of Ross Island. • 2008/2009 season expands to regional focus. This will be facilitated by the C-130 and HIAPER

  11. RIME Budget Estimates by Observation Type/Discipline (Estimate in Millions of $) • Assumptions: • Supersite continuous ops FY07-09 • U.S. Twin Otter “provided” by USAP • Polar C-130 deployment cost only • HIAPER aircraft funneled through NSF deployment pool • FY10 resources for analysis activities • Current Funding: • Parish and Cassano: RAS Study ~150 K/y • Kuo et al. – Data Assimilation ~250 K/y

  12. Discussion Topics • The likely future funding profile for the RIME project. As we have seen, the project requires resources far in excess of the normal budget for Polar Oceans and Climate Systems. • Consideration of submission deadline delay for RIME proposals (July 1, 2004)? • What is the best way to coordinate proposals? Are individual or collaborative approaches preferred? • Discussion of aircraft platform requirements for RIME. • Building and maintaining the Supersite. • Need for RPO (RIME Project Office) and responsibilities. • Intl collaborations, (e.g., UK, Italy, etc), to improve RIME observational network and help answer key science questions.

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