Your Name

Operating a TestbedLessons Learned from DOE ARM

Tom AckermanUniversity of Washington

With inputs from:Chuck Long, Jim Mather, Raymond McCord, Mark Miller, Doug Sisterson, and Dave Turner

What is the ARM / ASR Program?

• Mission– The U.S. Department of Energy’s Atmospheric System Research is an

observation-based research program created … to advance process-level understanding of the key interactions among aerosols, clouds, precipitation, radiation, dynamics, and thermodynamics …

• Structure1. Atmospheric Radiation Measurement

(infrastructure and instrument development)2. Atmospheric System Research

(research and algorithm development)

Atmospheric Radiation Measurement ProgramConceptual Development

• “Soda straw” – measure cloud properties and radiative impact

• Cloud life-cycle – requires larger-scale dynamics

• Grid-square average properties – extended facilities

• Climatological sampling – multiple sites• Ancillary measurements – aircraft and satellite• Sample more locations and participate in large

campaigns – ARM mobile facilities

Atmospheric Radiation Measurement ProgramInfrastructure Development

• Initiated 1990• SGP site opened 1992/3• Initial instrument complement completed 1996• TWP and NSA sites opened 1996/97/98• Darwin added in 2003• ARM Mobile facility deployed 2005• 2nd AMF added deployed 2010• ARM Airborne Facility incorporated 2007

Southern Great Plains Central Facility

ARM / ASR

InstrumentationMeasurements

DataValue-added info

Archive

ResearchDevelopment

My perspective on this talk

• These are lessons learned from the ARM experience

• Not all lessons are applicable to a thermodynamic profiling network

• I want to expand our discussion to consider the larger issue of how to create a network of sites that serve both weather and climate

• Statements will be made without a lot of supporting argument – time constraints

Overarching concepts

• It is ALL about the users (not just NOAA users)• A strong program needs a well-articulated, long-term

plan based on science questions• Deploying instrumentation without complementary

research and science isn’t sustainable• Data and metadata need to be complete and accessible• Synergy among measurements is critical and leads to

scientific progress• There is a constant tension between consistency and

adapting to change (needs, instruments, data)• Expect the unexpected; be flexible

Programmatic considerations

• Have a grand vision – think long term– What is the purpose?– Who is the intended audience– What are the requirements?– Don’t be quick to compromise

• Instruments and data are a national resource –play well with others

• Periodically review what you are doing and why

Instrument complement

• No one instrument solves every problem• Consider the suite of scientific problems

– What measurements are needed?– What minimum set of instruments meets these

needs?– What is the cost?– Can we use tiered instrument sites?

• ARM has wrestled with these questions from Day 1 and continues to wrestle with them!

Instrumentation - procurement

• Buy commercial when possible• Don’t necessarily buy the latest and greatest

– Consistent performance is more important than pushing the limits of capability

• Instruments become obsolete– No support; unavailable

parts– Plan for upgrades and

expansion

X-Ka-W Scanning ARM radarBuilt by ProSensing

Instrumentation - operation

• Calibration, calibration, calibration• Monitor, monitor, monitor1

• Build in-house expertise or develop really strong links to vendors that are committed to operations and science

1Instrument performance

Instrument Repair Best Practices

• Best first attempt: whack it with a hammer – Either convinces instrument

to work right, or– Breaks instrument so it must

be replaced– Either way, problem solved!

Tom Ackerman demonstrating Instrumentrepair “best practices” during Nauru99.

Data and Metadata (1)

• Continuity – keep the instruments running• Consistency – keep the same operating

procedures• Maintain quality controls and document

procedures• Redundant measurements are extremely useful

for diagnostics and continuity

Data and Metadata (2)

• Metadata – must be accessible and complete– Needed by users AND program infrastructure

• Reprocessing – will be required multiple times• Archive is critical

– Must work for users: can one get data out?– Logical structure, easy to understand

• Support value-added processingLevel 1: calibrated measurements (radar backscatter)Level 2: retrieved/algorithmic products (cloud mask; LWC)Level 3: aggregated products (time-averaged cloud fraction)

Research

• Symbiotic relationship – research and infrastructure feed off of each other; research drives data acquisition and data availability drives research

• Couple basic research with applied – not just one or the other

• Don’t skimp on the research – this is the intellectual horsepower for the program

• Hold annual meetings including science and infrastructure

• Manage the research

Synergy and Serendipity

• Good science often happens by discovery• Multiple simultaneous measurements provide

opportunity for discovery• Data streams acquired for one purpose may prove very

useful for initially unrelated research• Non-weather research communities often need

atmospheric data and are very grateful for help• If you can’t afford all the other instruments yourself,

then figure out how to team with others on sites

Tammy (yesterday):ARM AERI measurements used for convective initiation research

Carbon flux community:Now using the ARM SGP site because of the detailed meteorological measurements

Management

• Need strong program managers/management• Develop liaison roles between science and

infrastructure• Be intentional about developing interactions

with other user groups – build a clientele– Adds science and adds support

• Listen to the user community about where the important and interesting problems are

Concluding thoughts

• Anticipate the unexpected– New uses– New users– New instruments

• Flexibility – Abandon unsuccessful efforts– Add the new

• Follow the science

Thanks for your attention!

Photo credit: T. Ackerman, 2010