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8-10. ExOB Discussions on Development Test Center

WRF ExOB Meeting

U.S. Naval Observatory, Washington, D.C.

28 April 2006

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ExOB Discussion (#8 on agenda): Scope Objective: Define the strategic activities for which major segments of the

community are expecting DTC to provide services or functions.Ensure each maps to DTC goals.

What is the correct scope of DTC?A. What are the functions and services DTC must provide?

B. What are consequences to WRF partners’ investments if asustainable DTC with the above functions and servicesis not available?

C. What are the strategic activities into which DTCfunctions and services can be organized?

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Proposal - Scope of DTC - 1

Strategic Activity Services & Functions Provided1. Management of WRF

Community Software

(Maps to DTC Goals 1, 2)

• WRF system software version control

• CMI software support

• Prioritization of CMI development

• Definition of Reference code

2. Community Support

(Maps to DTC

Goals 3,4,5, 6)

• Ref. support/documentation/porting/tutorials

• Community workshops & WRF system prioritization

• Visiting scientist program (also maps to T&E of CC)

• Data and case archival, data flow

• Ensemble modeling & post-processing support

• Verification system development and maintenance

• Maintain operations-like test environment

3. Test & Evaluation of Contributed Codes

(Maps to DTC Goal 7)

• Test contribut’d codes for elevation to reference status

• Establish interoperability for elevated codes

• NWP science support

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Proposal - Scope of DTC - 2

Strategic Activity* Services & Functions Provided4. Test & Evaluation of

Ref. & Ops. Codes

(Maps to DTC Goal 8)

• Testing & evaluation of Reference codes

• Testing & evaluation of operational codes

• Testing & eval. of ensemble modeling techniques

5. Test & Evaluation for Transition to Ops.

(Maps to DTC Goal 9, 10)

• Specific candidate improvements intended for possible

operational implementation undergo testing and

evaluations steps.

*NOTE – Administration is an additional required area for which DTChas costs, but it is a non-strategic activity.

Continued from previous slide

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ExOB Discussion (#9 on agenda): Management structure Objective: Define appropriate management structure to operate DTC and

meet agency requirements for resource oversight.

1. What management structure is necessary for DTC?How to provide accountability for…

A. Planning process? (to member agencies)

B. Resources? (to member agencies)

C. Services provided? (to entire user Community)

2. How to empower Director, who will be accountable for the above?

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Proposal – Management Plan for DTC - 1

• Accountability for Planning: The DTC will present an annual plan for approval to a Program Management Council consisting of one senior representative from each agency providing significant resources to DTC.

• Accountability for Resources: The DTC must be accountable through the DTC Director to the participating agencies that provide its resources.

- Activities must satisfy and be mapped to DTC goals.- Spending plan must provide evidence that funds have been directed

according to agency priorities.- DTC must provide deliverables or services that meet agency

requirements commensurate with level of resources provided and documented in approved plans.

- Documentation of results/deliverables will be summarized in an annual report to the DTC Program Management Council.

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Proposal – Management Plan for DTC - 2

• Accountability for Services The DTC must be accountable to the entire user Community for the quality of support

services it provides.- Biannual review of services conducted by DTC Advisory Board,

including separate sections written by representatives of research and operations branches of the community.

- Biannual review by DTC Advisory Board will be reviewed by the DTC Director and forwarded to the Program Management Council with comments as the Director considers necessary.

• Accountability to the Director: All personnel of the DTC, whether located at the central facility in Boulder or at other nodes receiving DTC funds must be accountable to the DTC Director.

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ExOB Discussion (#10 on agenda): Concept for DTC Resourcing Objective: Develop conceptual plan for shared resource commitments.

1. What resource allocation plan will best satisfy agency requirementsfor accountability?A. Activities for which shared resourcing could be mandatory?

Non-strategic (administration):Strategic:

B. Activities for which agency resourcing might be targeted (optional)?Strategic:

2. What sort of interagency agreement is most appropriate for DTC?

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ExOB Discussion #10 (Continued): Staffing and Priority FunctionsObjective: Provide guidance identifying highest priority services/functions vs.

likely resources.

3. What are the highest priority services and functions without which the DTC is not worth sustaining?

4. What is the most realistic level of resources (approx.) that can beprovided to DTC on a sustainable basis?

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Proposal – Shared Resource Plan for DTC

Resource Allocation: Resources of participating agencies must be allocated by those agencies among the strategic and

non-strategic DTC activities.- Shared: Certain activities require shared responsibility for resourcing

by all participants. (equal or by another formula?)• Non-Strategic activities (administration)• Strategic activities (e.g., software management)

- Targeted: Other activities may be suitable for agencies to assign or withhold its resources, according to its mission and requirements.

• Strategic activities (e.g., visiting scientist program, code transition for operations)

• Resources Commitment: Participating agencies must have an interagency agreement on DTC and its resourcing. (memorandum of understanding ?)

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Summary and Take-Aways:

Key Points?

Action Items?

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Backup

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DTC Goals - 1

1. Link the research and operational NWP communities.

2. Define and maintain WRF Reference codes.

3. Develop and maintain verification tools and procedures for conducting NWP model evaluations.

4. Support WRF Reference codes for user community.

5. Maintain an archive of observations and model results.

6. Provide opportunities for NWP community to perform cycled or real-time tests of model and data assimilation

systems.

Note: Goals are based on DTC briefing 8, ExOB Meeting of Jan. 5, 2006

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DTC Goals - 2

7. Test and evaluate promising new NWP codes and techniques for inclusion as WRF contributed code and possible elevation to reference code.

8. Test and evaluate strengths and weaknesses of WRF Reference codes and current operational systems.

9. Accelerate the pace of transitioning new science from research to operations.

10. Accelerate improvement of weather forecasts.

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Possible DTC Staffing Plan for Expansion and Resource Requirements (per year cost in thousands)

FTE Burdened $ current FTE Current Burdened $

Admnistration Director+Deputy Director 1.50 555.00 1.25 425.50 Administrative Assistant III 1.00 95.00 0.50 43.70 Travel 50.00 40.00 Office space (5,613 sq ft) 198.00 Journal Publications 15.00 Office supplies 2.00 2.00 Computer workstations at DTC 20.00 HW/SW maintenance on computers 10.00 10.00 WRF Web Page Support 0.25 40.00 0.00 subtotal 2.75 985.00 1.75 521.20

Test and Evaluation Testing & Evaluation of Cont/Ref code 2.00 402.00 2.00 369.84 Testing & Evaluation of Operatiional Code 2.00 402.00 0.50 92.46 Verification Development and Maintenance 2.00 402.00 0.00 Transition to Operations 2.00 402.00 0.00 subtotal 8.00 1608.00 2.50 462.30

WRF Support to the Community NMM Support/Documentation/Port 2.00 402.00 0.50 92.46 Rapid Refresh 1.00 202.00 0.50 92.92 ARW Support/Documentation 1.00 202.00 Visitor Program Support 2.00 312.00 0.50 71.76 Data Flow and Archival 2.00 312.00 0.00 Ensemble Modeling and Postprocessing Support 1.00 202.00 0.00 Visiting Scientists Program 500.00 subtotal 9.00 2132.00 1.50 257.14

WRF Modeling System Support Software Version Control 0.50 80.00 0.50 73.60 CMI Software Support 1.00 200.00 0.00 NWP Science Support 1.00 200.00 0.00 Assimilation System Support 2.00 400.00 0.00 subtotal 4.50 880.00 0.50 73.60

TOTAL Costs 24.25 5605.00 6.25 1314.24