Technical Advisory Committee “Retreat”

February 10, 2004

• Goal – To derive a coherent, rational list of “technological themes” on which ATD should focus and pursue in the coming decade (or longer).

Technology Advisory Committee Co-chairs

• Charlie Martin

• Mike Spowart

• Jeff Keeler

• See Strategic Planning web page for details, documents, contributions, and recommendations (Thanks, Julie)

ATD Facilities Strategic Plan

• TAC / SAC define Technical / Scientific “themes” for ATD directions in which to focus future efforts

• External Advisory Committee (EAC) will review overall ATD strategic plan

• NCAR Director will combine ATD, SCD and CGD strategic plans in defining new NCAR Facilities Strategic Plan

• New ATD Director and Facility Managers will use document for guidance

SAC and TAC

• Intentionally separate so as not to influence scientific and technological themes

• Co-chairs of both committees have been in frequent contact

• EAC and SAC/TAC chairs (?) will review future ATD Facilities Strategic Plan – may require recalling of secondary themes.

ATD Instrumentation

• High impact new instruments or platforms– Major planning and budgeting– 10+ year lifetime– HAIPER and ?

• New instrument/platform development– 3-10 year planning and lifetime– S-PolKa, MAPR, Driftsonde

• Existing instrument/platform upgrades– 0-3 year time frame– Software enhancements (Eldora, WINDS, CIT)

Technology Themes

• Specific “technological themes” followed by various applications and technologies – distributed earlier

• “Repacked themes” derived from commonalities in applications and technologies – additional list

Selection Criteria

• Future technology thrust

• Emphasized in NSF, NAS and NCAR strategic planning documents

• ATD resident expertise and interest

• Ability to form strategic partnerships– NCAR Divisions or UOP Organizations– Universities– Industry ?

Strategic Planning Documents

• NSF – Science and Engineering Infra-structure for the 21st Century

• NSF – Facilities to empower Geosciences Discovery 2004-2008

• NCAR – NCAR as an Integrator

• ATD – Review document for NSF (2001)

• NRC – Atmospheric Sciences entering the 21st Century (‘BASC Report’-1998)

Group discussions• Discuss concepts, themes, directions, ideas,

strategies related to modern technologies …• DO NOT try to classify, remove redundancy, …• Potential group discussion leaders

– J. VanAndel– C. Burghart– S. Semmer– S. Shertz– E. Loew– T. Hock– J. Fox

Technological Themes

• Airborne optical remote sensing: Airborne lidars to take the sensor to the phenomena– Aerosol lidar– Doppler lidar– Water vapor dial lidar– Multi-parameter lidar

• Fast chemistry sensing: Improved measurements of common and trace gases– Tunable Diode Lasers (Trace gas measurements)– Non-trace measurements– Fast response hygrometry– Standard Air Chemistry package

Technological Themes

• Global/Climate state monitoring: Contributing to broad scale observations of atmospheric state, in support of large area and/or extended time characterization. – Driftsonde, Commercial aircraft sonde, “Card sonde”– Reference radiosonde

• Advanced sensor system development: Providing leadership in the integration of sensors and data sampling, signal processing, communications and control, power supply, packaging, and miniaturization.– FPGA and IP applications– Control and communication technologies and protocols– Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS)

Technological Themes

• Observing system cyber-infrastructure: Utilizing computing and communications to enhance atmospheric observing systems. Productivity issues can impact a multitude of topics from sampling bandwidth to enhancing access to final data products.– Data warehousing, navigation and delivery– Data formats and packaging– Distributed field control centers– Close-coupled data assimilation frameworks– Remote system operation and data access

Technological Themes

• Intelligent sensor array networks: Self configuring, multi-scale sensor networks, utilizing collaborative adaptive measurement algorithms, distributed communication schemes and internet connectivity.– Network protocols– ISA for in-situ sensors, CASA for radar sensors– Need general organizational framework to continue

Technological Themes

• Advanced Technology Radar: Using established technology to enhance measurement capabilities of ground based and airborne radar systems– Airborne radar conformal antenna systems (Eldora II)– Scanning multiple antenna radar for vector winds (S-Pol +

MAPR)– Rapid scan waveforms (pulse compression, multi-frequency)– Refractivity water vapor measurement development – Multiple beam scanning radar (Rapid DOW extensions)– Mini-profiler

• Advanced aircraft instrumentation engineering: Advancing the state-of-the art in the deployment of in-situ atmospheric instruments aboard aircraft.– Inlet design and airflow engineering– Pod instrument adaptation

Repackaged Themes

• Miniaturized instrumentation – Driven by HAIPER speed, range & duration– Needed in dropsondes, particle probes,

remote sensing systems, …– Standard air chemistry package– MEMS in all instrument systems

• Pod mounted airborne instruments– Remote sensing – radars and lidars– Improved air flow engineering– Air inlet sampling systems

Repackaged Themes• Intelligent networked sensors

– Self-configuring, smart sensing and communication– Multiple scales of measurement– Remote monitoring and data access– In-situ (ISA) and remote (CASA)

• Coupled Observations / Assimilation– Package data for ready assimilation into models– Integrate assimilation and model output into real time

“products” for field control centers– Combine with data management activity ?

Repackaged Themes

• Optical measurement systems– Remote sensing lidars– In-situ trace gas measurements– Tunable Diode Laser systems– Radiometric sensing (MCR, hyperspectral, …

• Advanced radar technology– Scanning and profiling microwave radars– Modern antenna technologies – phased arrays, MEMS– Modern signal processing (Nexrad, adaptive algo, …)– Networked sensors (CASA/ISA)

Repackaged themes

• Atmospheric Observing System– Atmospheric state 3D grid – Data access via Geographic Info System ?– Multiple instrument observations– Complex data assimilation

• Satellite data – Worldwide GPS time/frequency standards– Limited data retrievals

• Water vapor

General Comments

• NCAR can do things bigger than Universities but smaller than Agencies

Group Summaries

• Fox: – Discussion of system engineering – new instruments should

include consideration of data needs – archiving, distribution, etc.– Project management – could be distributed and available to the

whole organization - responsive to org. needs– Org along lines of development, field programs, large platforms

(HIAPER)– Focus on most important themes: miniaturization, optimization

of instrumentation for application, lidar (multi-parameter, microwave)

– Additions to list: UAVs (evolution from pod); integrated systems; ELDORA’s future; communication/interpretation of scientific need to technologists; balance between basic and applied research (currently doing 10/90%); more standardization of data archive, retrieval and recovery.

Group Summaries• Chamberlain• New theme 0 – 5 yr: value of a dedicated R&D dept, investment of time • where is eng. Talent in the group?• Reactive vs. proactive group. We are not well placed to address the new tech. (more directed to support/service)• To become proactive, must address development in a modern way (relearn basic)

– Training– Higher order of process in software development– Core, targeted engineering talent from outside (visitor program, Engineer hiring like scientist hires, sabbaticals/visits outside– In-house, more x-organizational visitor programs– Organize division around themes

• Technologies of the future: lidars, UAVs as a platform for high accuracy obs., autonomous instruments (providing more observations)

– Adaptive– Autonomous– Small– Low power– Networks of instruments (lidars)– Chemical sensors– Water vapor sensors (accurate in situ)– Futurist Measurements

• Planetary measurements (dropsondes over Saturn)• Neural networking / AI

Group Summaries• Semmer/Burghart• Should ATD focus on instruments that can go on other platforms?• Calibration facility needs – how good are they? Should they be available to

community? (expand to new cal.)• Data communication – from sensor to platform to Boulder. Need new

capabilities (wireless, remote control and communication w/ instruments) and expertise.

• Should ATD become an open source group for software development? Core pieces of code that community can further develop.

• Currently do standard measurements – should they become turn-key packages – easy and quick to deploy and accurate.

• Data format – establish standards for all ATD datasets, accessible, standard parameters, technical measurements (all on web). GIS needs and drivers are pushing this.

• Miniaturization and MEMS – ATD would not create this but work in partnership with those who do.

• Atmospheric Obs. System may be too large for an ATD activity

Group Summaries• Hock• 80’s ideas – instruments on ships, old driftsonde ideas – we don’t know our

own history.• Delivery of instruments – aircraft, ships, global deployments – this is our

expertise and need to continue.• ATD is an integrator of instruments (ISFF)• MEMS – smaller, lighter, more capability• Quality control of data, validation, dissemination in usable forms, integration

into single packages• Communication of global and integrated systems – need to be experts in

infrastructure communication• UAVs – autonomous instruments with AI – longer term instrument

deployments require auto. Operation• Video imaging processing• Tech transfer working with university partners and to university partners

ATD Organization Random Thoughts• Organize around core technical capabilities

– microwave/RF, optical, in-situ, signal proc, data analysis, data management, …

• Improved “system engineering”– Complex instruments with integrated computing and

communications– Multiple instrument integrated measurements– Need for improved development environment

• Senior engineering staff• State of art technology knowledge (IEEE, AMS and other

conferences)• Connect with rest of NCAR, university community, world

Next?

• Break into small discussion groups

• Discussion leaders are …

• Reconvene after break for joint discussion

• Wrap-up– Review “technology themes– Make comments for us to review– Rank top 3 themes (?)– Turn in to co-chairs

Additional Themes

• Alternative power systems• Integrated instrument systems• Engineering culture - should report on this

Action• Repackage themes based on today’s discussion,

prepare a ballot and ask everyone to rank entire list– will prepare a ranked list of all themes.– Miniaturization (nanotechnology to HIAPER pods)– UAVs– Intelligent sensor arrays– Coupled obs and data assimilation systems– Standard instrumentation suite w/ known accuracies and

calibration– Advanced radar technologies

Group discussions

• Discuss concepts, themes, directions, ideas, strategies related to modern technologies …

• DO NOT try to classify item, remove redundancies, or do all those things we engineers are trained to do!