WMO Commission for Basic Systems Report on GCOS

1. WMO Commission for Basic Systems Report on GCOS Sue Barrell Vice President, WMO Commission for Basic Systems (CBS)

2. Outline • Role of CBS • Overview of GCOS-related activities in CBS • Including GFCS • Addressing Actions in IP-10

3. Role of CBS • WMO Commission for Basic Systems (CBS) is the mechanism through which Members contribute expertise related to: • development, implementation and operation of integrated systems • for observing, data processing, data communication and data management, • provision of public weather services, • in response to requirements of all WMO Programmes and opportunities provided by technological developments. • CBS is the lead Technical Commission for: • the overall World Weather Watch Programme (WWW), • the WMO Space Programme and • the Public Weather Services Programme, as well as • Implementation of WIS and WIGOS. • CBS has 313 members from 140 countries, and is the biggest TC

4. Rolling Review of Requirements (1) • RRR process is supported by the database on observational user requirements and observing system capabilities • Principal aim to address extent to which in situ and space-based systems meet user requirements for observations • 12 application areas, incl Climate monitoring (GCOS) and Climate applications (other aspects - addressed by CCl) • Focus on WMO programmes and co-sponsored programmes • Benefits all users of WMO observing systems, incl GCOS • Database contains information on: • Technology-free user requirements, by applications area • Surface- and space-based observing system capabilities • CBS-MG seeks strategy for evolution and future hosting of RRR database

5. RRR (2) • Recommendation to CBS-Ext (2010) re database • Distributed approach • WMO Secretariat to provide overall coordination and to host the requirements part • NASA or EUMETSAT to host the space-based observing system capabilities part • EUMETNET or JCOMMOPS to host the surface-based observing system capabilities part • Key issues to be considered: • Quality management consistent with WMO Quality Framework • Experts in applications areas to review user requirements • Link capabilities database to WIGOS components database • Roles and responsibilities of various actors • Funding requirements and sources.

6. Vision for the GOS in 2025 • Realistic observing systems’ projection in future, capturing expected trends • responding to user needs, integration, expansion (incl ECVs), automation, consistency and homogeneity • including observing systems for Climate • approved by EC-LXI • A new Implementation Plan for global observing systems will be developed in 2015 based on the new Vision (requested by EC-LXII) • will include WMO-’owned’ and co-sponsored systems • input from GCOS and Climate community expected • CBS-Ext.(2010) will discuss modalities • to be ready for CBS in 2012.

7. New CBS Working Structure(addressing integration, interoperability, optimization) • New ET-AIR: • Optimization of global observing systems after introduction of new generation of humidity sensor • filling gaps • New ET-SBRSO: • focus on quality procedures for new systems, such as GPS-Met, Wind-Profilers, Weather Radars • Focus on gaps, including precipitation (QPE) • New ET-AWS: • Focus on Climate needs, metadata, classification of obs systems, implementation issues • Proposal to CBS-Ext.(2010): • Rename ET-Evolution of GOS to ET-Evolution of global observing systems

8. GSN/GUAN • GSN/GUAN stations – suitable selection from RBCN - special attention by CBS, also support to GFCS • Rapporteur on GCOS matters to CBS (Matthew Menne) highlighted the need for improvements in the exchange of data from the GSN stations; • Sub-daily temperature, precipitation and other variables relevant to climate variability and extremes • Understanding that is telecommunications issue and not caused by any underlying shortcoming in the observational practice or by local data policy (may not be essential data by Res.40) • Nine CBS Lead Centres for GCOS monitor RBCN (not only GSN and GUAN), biennium meetings, reports on the GCOS Website • Regular update of the national FP for GCOS and RBCN / list available from GCOS Website • Harmonization of RBCN and GSN&GUAN list of stations

9. GRUAN • For GRUAN to become part of GOS and WIGOS, once fully operational, will need integration of GRUAN into CBS structures. • CBS and GCOS to address GRUAN Governance, Programmatic and Procedural structures • CBS-Ext.(2010) to discuss a mechanism for approval of observing practices for GRUAN, developed by GCOS, for inclusion in Manual and Guide for the GOS (and CIMO Guide) • Need for ad hoc team (including CIMO and GCOS experts) to review WMO regulatory material based on Guide to the GRUAN • Target submission to CBS-XV (2012) for consideration

10. Data Continuity • Recommendation to CBS-Ext (2010) that steps should be taken to define and implement a space-based architecture for climate monitoring, • To support gap-free continuity of ECV data record • To account for the different roles and responsibilities of the respective entities (including R&D and operational space agencies, and their coordination bodies) • while responding to the essential need for continuous and sustained operation • Proposed workshop as a first step to develop a full understanding of the special climate requirement for continuity and the associated architectural implications • involving representatives of the climate community (including GCOS, SCOPE-CM), space agencies of CGMS and/or CEOS, including representatives of the CEOS Virtual Constellations

11. CBS contributions to GFCS • Activity on defining and implementing space-based architecture for climate monitoring • Vision for the GOS in 2025 represents comprehensive response to needs for climate monitoring • database of user requirements covers both climate monitoring (GCOS) and seasonal-to-interannual forecasting, but additional requirements (if any) for the newly emerging application of “decadal forecasting” should be considered • GCW and Third Pole requirements will be also addressed • Guidelines and procedures for the transition from manual to automatic observing stations • taking into account the GCOS Climate Monitoring principles • an important focus for maintaining the climate integrity of networks • Joint work with CIMO – Guidelines will be published early next year

12. Other GCOS/IP-10 related activities • Many actions from IP-10 addressed in above activities • Integral role of QMF as a cornerstone of WIGOS – aligned to GCOS Climate Monitoring Principles (A4) • Request for distribution of water vapour data (A12) from national networks is an issue of data policy. • Also applies to other communities request for all kind of national data to be distributed on GTS (like weather radar data, windprofiler data, GNSS data , precipitation measurements etc.). • Several IOS expert teams addressing this issue. • Meta data exchange (A18) is being addressed, including by ET-AWS • Central importance in the WIS and WIGOS activities • Ocean metadata standard (O33) jointly with IODE/JCOMM • Concern target may be too ambitious

13. WIGOS and WIS • CBS lead commission in the implementation of WIS and WIGOS • Collaborating with co-sponsors of partner observing systems • Addressed in other presentations

14. Thank you