Intra Americas Study of Climate Processes (IASCLIP)

1. Intra Americas Study of Climate Processes (IASCLIP) Draft science and implementation plan (after two years of preparation) was first presented to the PSMIP during the 2007 CLIVAR Summit Prepared by Xubin Zeng (PSMIP liaison) with assistance from IASCLIP SSC Chair (David Enfield)

2. IASCLIP Science & Implemention Plan • Plan revision submitted to & endorsed by VAMOS panel in late March 2008 • Revision drafting committee: • Enfield, Kirtman, Zhang, Mapes • Download: ftp://ftp.aoml.noaa.gov/phod/pub/enfield/Visitor_temp/IASCLIP_S&Iplan_spr08_v2.pdf • Chapter 5: Science issues • Chapter 6: Implementation

3. IASCLIP Working Groups • WG-A ==> Diagnostics and Predictions • WG-B ==> Model Development • WG-C ==> Observations • WG-D ==> Applications & Capacity Building Chair and co-chair are split between U.S. and non-U.S. scientists

4. IASCLIP Committee Structure

5. Current WG activity • Planning for IASCLIP Forecast Forum (IFF) for 2009 led by Kingtse Mo (NCEP/CPC; WG-A Chair) • Expand the NAME forum (NFF) to include the IASCLIP and both North and South American monsoons, similar procedures with emphasis on IAS & its impacts. The CPC will host the IFF and ensure the smooth expansion from NAME to IASCLIP • Start in Fall 2008, run monthly to quarterly • Will archive analysis products & predictions at UCAR, add products, e.g., Amazon heating • Diagnose forcing of warm pool in winter-spring, predict warm pool & summer impacts and relationships with the North and South American monsoons. • Link with CPPA management and PIs, international partners

6. How does IASCLIP follow the `best practices’ • Modelers, observationalists, and applications people are well represented in the IASCLIP SSC and WG • Follow NAME policy in data format, central archive, and open access • Question to PSMIP: how is `benchmark dataset’ • defined? • seems that IAS SST would be a benchmark data • for coupled GCMs • will follow the PSMIP guideline more exactly • once the definition is clarified.

7. PSMIP Overall Comments • The IASCLIP science is well justified • The IASCLIP SSC is balanced, and is proactive in seeking advices from multiple sources • The strategy of first focusing on diagnostics and model evaluations, followed by field experiments, is appropriate • The focus on the end product (forecasting improvement, application and capacity building) is commendable • The simultaneous pursuit of CPPA funding and potential NOAA Climate Board funding for the observational initiative is excellent

8. Specific suggestions: I • Baseline for model improvement should be established [e.g., through the IASCLIP Forecast Forum (IFF)] based on the evaluations (and potential deficiencies) of coupled climate models from different centers and organizations, NCEP CFS, and CPC climate outlook (based on CFS and other sources) • Baseline for data improvement should be established based on the evaluation (and potential deficiencies) of North American Regional Reanalysis (NARR) that covers most of the IAS region, the new NCEP CFSRR (at T328 resolution and air-sea coupled reanalysis), and other global reanalyses (ECMWF, JMA, GMAO—to be available) Is there any existing ocean reanalysis over the IAS region?

9. Specific suggestions: II • Using climate models (CFS and others) to do Observing System Simulation Experiments (OSSE) or sensitivity tests to identify areas, processes, and time that are most important for the field experiment • Based on the IASCLIP document and the NOAA priority in hurricane research, there seems to be enough justification for permanent buoys over the IAS region. Consulting the original TAO buoy personnel (director: Mike McPhaden) would help develop the strategy for NOAA (non-CPPA) funding for such a network • This non-CPPA NOAA funding, along with the diagnostic and modeling activities, would provide a very strong justification for CPPA funding in the field campaign