WIGOS – ICG Information to CAS Management Group

1. WIGOS – ICGInformation to CAS Management Group Sandro Fuzzi Representative of CAS in WIGOS ICG

2. WIGOS • WIGOS is an integrated, comprehensive, and coordinated system which is comprised of the present WMO global observing systems, in particular of the in situ and space-based components of the Global Observing System (GOS), the Global Atmosphere Watch (GAW), the Global Cryosphere Watch (GCW), and the World Hydrological Cycle Observing System (WHYCOS). • WIGOS is not in itself a new observing system, but a new framework to enable the existing observing systems to provide more efficiently and effectively the data required for delivery of services across WMO's 12 application areas, and for all regions of the world. • WIGOS will focus on the integration of governance and management functions, mechanisms, and activities to be accomplished by contributing observing systems in relation to the resources allocated on global, regional, and national levels. • Together with WIS, it will enable stakeholders to work better together to make, gather, store, access, exchange and interpret the observations they need for the effective delivery of improved services to their communities. • WIGOS is central to WMO's future, and will provide a mechanism to better plan and implement observing solutions to the problems raised by the GFCS, Disaster Risk Reduction, and WMO's Service Delivery Strategy for all WMO Members.

3. WIGOS implementation • collaboration with WMO and co-sponsored observing systems, • design, planning, and optimized evolution of WIGOS observing components, • integrated observing system operation and maintenance, • integrated quality management, • standardization, system interoperability, and data compatibility, • the WIGOS operational information resource, • data and metadata management, delivery, and archival, • capacity development, • communication and outreach.

4. Role of ICG • To coordinate and prioritize WIGOS-related activities carried out by relevant technical commissions for all WMO domain areas, including deserts and drylands; • To provide technical guidance and assistance for the planning, implementation and further development of GOS, GAW, WHCOS and GCW as core components of WIGOS, including interoperability of observing systems, long-term sustainability, standardization of instruments and methods of observation; • To advise the regional associations on the technical and capacity building aspects of WIGOS implementation activities in the respective Regions; • To improve guidance to Members on implementation of WIGOS at a national level; • To maintain close cooperation with WMO partner organizations such as UNESCO UNEP, FAO, ICSU, and ensure coordination between co-sponsors of GCOS, GOOS and GTOS;  • To identify and communicate WIGOS benefits to international partner organizations;  • To address major issues identified by the Executive Council and provide technical advice on the further development of WIGOS; • To coordinate WIGOS and WIS related implementation activities; • To report to subsequent sessions of the Council on the progress of WIGOS.

5. Membership of ICG • S. L. Barrell, Chair (CBS, RA V) - Australia • A. Makarau (RA I) - Zimbabwe • M. Jiao (RA II) - China • A.D. Moura, EC FP (RA III) - Brazil • J.A. de Souza Brito (RA III) - Brazil • T. Sutherland, EC FP (RA IV) - British Caribbean Territories • I. Čačić, EC FP (RA VI) - Croatia • J. Dibbern (RA VI) - Germany • L. P. Riishojgaard (CBS) - USA • B. Calpini (CIMO) - Switzerland • S. Fuzzi (CAS) - Italy • H. F. Lins (CHy) - USA • D. Meldrum (JCOMM) -UK • T.C. Peterson (CCl) - USA • J. P. van der Meulen (CAeM) - Netherlands • B.L. Lee (CAgM) - Republic of Korea • J. Key (GCW)- USA

6. Global Atmospheric Watch (GAW) • GAW is an observing system coordinated by WMO and guided by Scientific Advisory Groups (SAGs) and Expert Teams (ET) • Focus of GAW are air quality as well as climate, on urban, regional and global scales • Mainly a network(s) of ground-based stations, but also uses ship-, air-, and satellite-borne sensors • GAW is the atmospheric chemistry component of the Global Climate Observing System (GCOS)

7. GAWSIS • GAWSIS contains information on: • Stations • Measurement programmes at the stations • Hyperlinks to GAW World Data Centres for the various parameters measured • Information on collaborating networks • Contact persons • Maps of stations

8. Co-benefits between WIGOS and GAW • The GAW networks are not only managed by NMHSs but rely strongly on the contribution of other government agencies as well as academia. • Both NMHSs and participating research institutes will mutually benefit from improving access to information concerning atmospheric chemistry, related physical parameters, and meteorological measurements.

9. WIGOS Pilot Projects in GAW • WDC-PP: • Improvement of Interoperability of GAW World Data Centres with WIS and Establishment of Prototype Services to Facilitate User Access to GAW Data • Project aims: • Improve the possibility for machines to discover data archived at the individual WDCs • Improve the dissemination of data archived at the WDCs • Establish tailored services for the GAW global stations allowing them comfortable access to data and information products available from WDCs

10. WIGOS Pilot Projects in GAW • GAW-IDOA • Improvement of Dissemination of Ozone (total column, profiles and surface) and Aerosol observations through the WIS • Project aims: • Improve dissemination of ozone (total column, profiles and surface) and aerosol observations through the WIS for: • Ingestion into atmospheric models using data assimilation • Support improved forecasts of weather, surface UV and air quality • Verification of models

11. WIGOS Pilot Projects in GAW • WDC-PP can be considered completed • Still some work to be done at each data centre in order to open up for machine to machine communication. This depends on each World Data Centre. • GAW-IDOA can be considered completed • A meeting was held in Garmisch-Partenkirchen in October 2009 about NRT delivery of reactive gases from GAW. An ftp server is set up at MOHp where stations can submit data. Data will be used for validation of models in MACC, MACC-II etc. • GAW Report no. 193 details how to submit total ozone data in NRT to the GTS. NMHSs have been asked to implement NRT delivery. Further progress now depends on the individual NMHSs and the other data providers. • AOD data available in NRT at the WDCA (NILU, Norway).

12. Task Team on Satellites • This Task Team has not been established yet due to lack of personnel and resources. • It would make sense to set up this team under the umbrella of WIGOS in close collaboration with staff in the OBS department. • CEOS should be involved and there are two CEOS reports that can serve as a starting point.

13. Volcanic ash: A possible WIGOS demo project? • A good example of a problem where one needs a combination of observations, modelling and operational forecasting • GAW can contribute with: • Lidars (EARLINET and others) • Ceilometers (deployed in hundreds of locations) • A limited number of lidars can be used to calibrate the ceilometers • Data from these sources can be very useful to the VAACs • ICAO has asked WMO to include volcanic ash in its GAW Programme • Need for harmonisation of retrieval algorithms and data formats • Need for NRT data delivery from stations that usually operate in research mode ICG-WIGOS Second Session, 18-22 March 2013

14. Ceilometers for volcanic ash detection European ceilometer network with volcanic plume trajectories from Katla, Iceland.

15. Actions to be taken • CAS-GAW to continue the implementation of interoperability of its data centres to insure a smooth transition to the future WIGOS system. • CAS to establish contacts with CBS to set up a joint ad-hoc Task Team to review the needs for GAW regarding satellite measurements. • Region VI to implement the volcanic ash program requested by ICAO. GAW is ready to make available the existing facilities for this task. • WIGOS Chair to report to EC the issue of involvement of WMO observing system Partners other than NMHSs, and the need of establishing institutional relationships with research Institutions and observational networks outside the current WMO domain.

16. Peculiar aspect of GAW • One aspect that differentiates GAW from most other WMO monitoring programmes is that not only NMHSs are engaged in it, but the programme relies heavily on research Institutions and the Academia. In several Countries, the links between the NMHS and the research system are quite loose and a challenge for WIGOS is to find the best way to dialogue with these other bodies that voluntarily provide support for the programme. In fact, it is not in the institutional mandate of research Institutions and Universities to provide monitoring services, and it is of paramount importance that they find appealing a participation in the WIGOS structure that should not introduce additional bureaucratic tasks to their work. WIGOS runs the risk of loosing an essential extra-WMO contribution if this issue is not thought at and properly managed. • A further aspect is the existence of other international programmes that operate networks for atmospheric composition monitoring (e.g. ABC, EMEP, etc.) and the establishment of WIGOS could be an opportunity for an association of these other programmes to implement the WMO network. WIGOS must show some attractiveness to these other projects for assuring their participation.