Advancing Ceilometer and Lidar Networks for Cloud and Aerosol Detection

1. From science to routine operations – Ceilometer and Lidar networks for cloud and aerosol detectionWMO TECO 201218. October 2012W. ThomasDeutscher Wetterdienst (DWD) Met. Observatory Hohenpeissenberg

2. What is it all about ? • Lidar networks exist (EARLINET, MPlnet, AD-Net, others), • with low spatio-temporal resolution, • are typically operated by scientific entities, • do not perform continuous operations. • (National) ceilometer networks exist (UKMO, DWD, Meteo-France, …), • with a relatively high spatio-temporal resolution, • are typically operational (24/7 operations), • but are mostly dedicated to cloud base height/cloud layer measurements only • The recent volcano crises in Europe (2010 and 2011) showed however the potential of ceilometer measurements for aerosols in general and volcanic ash detection • There is obviously a need for a closer link between ceilometers and lidars Be aware that Lidars are typically doing a much better job than ceilometers, especially with regard to aerosol retrievals Be aware that Lidars are typically much more expensive than ceilometers, both in terms of running costs for the technics and the costs of staff needed for operations Not much exchange between these two worlds

3. Visions, Ideas, Plans • What do we have ? • GALION = WMO’s GAW Aerosol Lidar Observation Network • GALION is a Lidar network of networks ! • National ceilometer networks, mainly for cloud detection • What do we need (because we don’t have it now) ? • International exchange of ceilometer (and lidar) data • An operational aerosol (profile) measurement/warning/alert system • How to get there ? • By stimulating the data exchange through COST actions, EUMETNET, WMO • By integrating national ceilometer networks into GALION • By combining and harmonizing the national ceilometer networks GALION workshop 2010 Source: WMO

4. Benefits • Aerosol information • Closing the gap between the current GALION world and the world of the operational met. services • Improving the spatio-temporal resolution of GALION • Procuring and supporting a win-win-situation by improving the near-real-time capabilities of GALION and operational entities in case of emergencies • Cloud information • Enabling application (assimilation and validation) of ceilometer and lidar data in NWP models at regional and global scale

5. Who needs that ? • Met. Services and Aeronautics (now) • support to aviation • WMO’s SDS-WAS, Met. Services (next 5 years) • Data assimilation, model validation • PBL height, aerosol profile data • WMO/GAW + Research community (long-term) • Tracing long-range transport phenomena • Performing long-term observations (4D aerosol distribution) • Modelling air quality (using profile data to constrain the mixing height) Eyjafjalla ash plume Source: DLR

6. What has been done so far ? • Survey of ceilometers and lidars • Mostly within RA VI (EARLINET) • US (MPLnet) + Asia (AD-Net) involved • About 15 different instrument types just in Europe ! • Some corner stones • 933 ceilometer positions and • 120 lidar positions gathered on a google earth map • clickable map provides access to quick looks and stations (meta data): ~180 stations are linked now • created database containing data and meta data, Excel and MySQL • Web site: under development, hosted by DWD • Openlayers-based (free of charge), same functionality • Show cases (google-earth based) for • Saharan dust • Volcanic ash

7. What else has been done ? • Paved the way for harmonizing/exchanging data • Involvement of EG-CLIMET (COST ES0702)  proposing a new COST action “toprof” (like winprof) ensuring continuation of these activities after 2012 • Expert workshop in September 2012 (Univ. Reading) discussed data format issues, ceilometer intercomparison and the absolute calibration of ceilometers • Agreement on netcdf (scientific exchange) and BUFR (operational exchange and storage) format; UKMO is the leading entity • Involvement of EUMETNET: Take over in the long-term, meanwhile agreed. Proposal by UKMO and MeteoSwiss (E-Profile) submitted • CIMO/CBS • Status of Lidars and ceilometers regarding volcanic ash detection and monitoring presented and laid down in report of 2011 annual meeting • Proposal sent to CIMO management group for supporting a ceilometer intercomparison campaign

8. Even more under way … at European level, all FP7 projects • WEZARD • Performed review of nowadays quality monitoring and status of data storage/data access w.r.t. volcanic ash products • ACTRIS/EARLINET • Ceilometer intercomparison campaign could be supported • EARLINET has accepted leading scientific role, thus engagement in the further development • Development of calibration and retrieval algorithms with EARLINETs help (funding problem !) • MACC-II • Use of ceilometer data in C-IFS (the ECMWF integrated chemistry forecast model); most likely using the “forward operator” approach

9. Conclusion • Important steps towards an integrated and operational use of ceilometer and lidar data have already been done • Several running and future projects deal with data exchange, harmonization of data and data formats, retrieval algorithms, calibration issues • These applications are served: • Aviation security (volcanic ash, dust) • NWP (data assimilation) • Global Atmosphere Watch (long-term monitoring) • Even more international engagement required; the current drivers are mostly in Europe

10. Thanks ! Questions ? Want to have the kml file ? Werner.Thomas@dwd.de