Why is there a GAW world data centre at CCU? What does the World Data Centre for Aerosols do?

2. Why is there a GAW world data centre at CCU? • What does the World Data Centre for Aerosols do? • What will it do in the future?

3. Why is there a GAW world data centre at CCU? • Some Acronyms…… • GEO: Group on Earth Observations (2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development & G8) co-ordinates efforts to build GEOSS. • GEOSS: Global Earth Observation System of Systems: components covering Disasters; Health; Energy; Climate; Agriculture; Ecosystems; Biodiversity; Weather • GCOS: Global Climate Observing System established 1992 (WMO, IOC, UNEP, ICSU) = adopted as the climate observation component of GEOSS. GCOS calls for systematic observations of ECVs to serve needs of UNFCCC & IPCC. • ECVs: Essential Climate Variables 44 variables plus soil moisture needed to describe the climate. • WMO/GAW: World Meteorological Organisation Global Atmosphere Watch Aerosol Network is the GCOS network for Aerosol Properties ECV. • WDCA is the World Data Centre for the WMO/GAW Aerosol Network. WDCA is one of principal direct actions by the European Commission (as opposed to indirectly supported through project funding) that supports GCOS.

4. Why: Essential Climate Variables [1]Including nitrous oxide (N2O), chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), sulphur hexafluoride (SF6), and perfluorocarbons (PFCs). [2]Includes runoff (m3 s-1),ground water extraction rates (m3 yr-1) and location, snow cover extent (km2) and duration, snow depth (cm), glacier/ice cap inventory and mass balance (kg m-2 yr-1), glacier length (m), ice sheet mass balance (kg m-2 yr-1) and extent (km2), permafrost extent (km2), temperature profiles and active layer thickness, above ground biomass (t/ha), burnt area (ha), date and location of active fire, burn efficiency (%vegetation burned/unit area). [3]] Recognized as an emerging Essential Climate Variable (not part of the 44).

5. Why: Global Atmosphere Watch (GAW) • GAW established in 1989 by the Eleventh World Meteorological Congress (Cg-XI) as a major priority program. The mission of GAW is: • make reliable, comprehensive observations of the chemical composition and selected physical characteristics of the atmosphere on global and regional scales; • provide the scientific community with the means to predict future atmospheric states; • organize assessments in support of formulating environmental policy • Comprises five measurement programs: Ozone & UV, GHGs & Reactive Gases, Precipitation Chemistry, Aerosols & Solar radiation.

6. What: GAW SAG Aerosol, chairman (until 2009): Dr. Urs Baltensperger (PSI, CH) (WCC) for Physical Aerosol Instrumentation: Dr. Ali Wiedensohler (IfT, DE) GAWTEC IV, VI, VIII, Schneefernhaus, Zugspitze etc. WDC Aerosols (IES JRC, IT) http://wdca.jrc.ec.europa.eu/

7. What – GAW Aerosol Program • The SAG Aerosol recommends that the GAW aerosol program include: • for regional stations any one, or more of the following: • optical depth • mass (preferably in two size fractions) • major chemical components in two size fractions • light scattering coefficient • for global stations as many as possible of the following: • optical depth • mass in two size fractions • major chemical components in two size fractions • light scattering & hemispheric backscattering coefficients at various wavelength • light absorption coefficient • aerosol number concentration • cloud condensation nuclei number concentration at 0.5% supersaturation • diffuse, global and direct solar radiation • intermittently: • aerosol size distribution; detailed size fractionated chemical composition; dependence of aerosol properties on relative humidity; CCN spectra at various supersaturations; LIDAR measurements and other altitude profiles.

8. What: WDCA activities Data Submission Data and Metadata Format: NARSTO data exchange standard (DES) extended CSV. NARSTO DESincludes all the file metadata.Additional filesprovide more detailed information. Submission: Dataare sent by ftp or email Quality Analysis at WDCA: NARSTO quality analysis system – checks conformity with the DES and internal integrity of the data. QA summary added to each file archived, only posted to ftp site when no errors/warnings. Data Retrieval Procedure: Data available online from WDCA server and ftp. Data also supplied by email Catalogue: Static & map based catalogue on WDCA server Archive: Both NARSTO and non-NARSTO archives accessible via ftp. Data: Data in NARSTO DES format. Data usage: free scientific use, acknowledgement of data originator for substantive use.

9. What: NARSTO Data Exchange Standard • WDCA uses the NARSTO Data Exchange Standard both for submission and distribution of data – extended comma separated value ASCII format: • data files can either be prepared in a spreadsheet, e.g. using the free excel template, or by scripts/programs, depending on data management at a particular site. • The NARSTO DES is used by EPA, MSC, & IMPROVE in the N. America, WDCA & is an output option for NILU/EMEP (Co-ordinated data submission for european sites). • The Data Exchange Standard has been used for exchanging aerosol physical and chemical data from aerosol chemistry to single particle analysis. • It is supported by a quality assurance science centre: http://cdiac.esd.ornl.gov/programs/NARSTO/narsto.html and each user community has its own quality assurance centre, WDCA in the case of GAW. • Attempts to ensure that ALL relevant meta-data for informed use of data now & in future are available together with the data – ideal for long term archive such as WDCA

10. What: NARSTO File Structure, Metadata! HEADER FLAGS SITE DATA

11. What: NARSTO Flags • Every data record is required to have a quality flag • Only report valid (V1) or qualified valid (V2-V7) values • Invalid values set to missing, avoids their inadvertent use

12. What: Data sets available

13. What: Data sets available AOD Chem. Composition CN Size dist. Lscat & Bscat Labs

14. What: Global station situation nov 2006

15. What: Global station situation Dec 2008

16. What: Users File downloads from external addresses. 4x increase from summer 2007 to winter 2008 as a result of increased data availability.

17. What Next • AOD metadata portal – Chryssa Doxani • Data products, not just data sets in first instance: NARSTO QA reports • Enhance data submission – for the ‘slower’ global stations, ‘twinning’ with an active station and or SAG member to get them to submit data regularly.

18. What next: AOD Metadata Portal • international • AERONET including AEROCAN, PHOTONS • BSRN • GAW-PFR • Skynet • national • – US networks including ARM, SURFRAD, ESRL, USDA • Australia BOM • JMA • China • KNMI (Netherlands, Surinam) • FMI • DWD • CHARM (Meteosuisse) • SIBNET (Russia) NASA AERONET AOD network (B. Holben,GSFC) Other AOD networks (C. Wehrli, WRRC)

19. What next: AOD Metadata portal Chryssa has: • Collected metadata for GAW & non-GAW AOD networks – e.g. AERONET, Skynet. • Built a relational database (Access). • Cold fusion interface to web pages. • Database structure is generic so it can accommodate non AOD-metadata (stage –II) • Interface to the WDCA web pages – search for AOD data by criteria e.g. country, WMO region, latitude & longitude etc. • Search returns details of data sets & their locations.

20. What next: NARSTO QA reports summary reports summary statistics time series overlaid time-series

21. What now: The Cake Recipe • Rasins, Sultanas, Currants, Cherries, Candied peel • Almonds & Walnut, • Muscovado sugar, black treacle, • Butter, Eggs, • Flour • Marzipan, • Icing • & a little brandy……….. Happy Christmas!