The NDBC Tropical Expansion: Overview and Emerging PIRATA

Partnership

Don ConleeChief Scientist

National Data Buoy Center Stennis Space Center, MS 39529

Project Background

• Congressional Supplemental following active 2004 U.S. tropical season (Dec. 05)

• NCEP/NHC prioritized from 51 previously-identified NCEP locations of buoy needs

• Enough Funding for 7 buoys– 6 new– Maintain Pensacola buoy scheduled for removal

• Desired availability – Start of next Atlantic tropical season (1 June 05)

Requirements/Priorities

• Required: Continuous Wind Sampling, Surface Pressure, Waves

• Desired:– SST, Air Temp, Humidity (Provided)– Upper Ocean Heat Content, Rain (Partial/Planned)

• High Reliability/Survivability– Large Hulls (12m and 10m Discus, 6m NOMAD)– Quadruple Instrument Redundancy– 2 complete integration systems per buoy– Backup Communications (Goes + Iridium)

12m

• Placeholder for some cool pics from Stuart.

In the Locks…

10m Launch

6m NOMAD High Reliability Variant

12m (Yucatan) – Late April, Early May10m (Central Carib.) – Late May6m (Atlantic) – Late May

PIRATA38°W Line

WHOI NTAS

PIRATA Partnership

• Tropical Expansion briefed at PIRATA-10 in Fortaleza, Dec. 2004– Asked PIRATA SSC to consider desirability of

“PIRATIZING” easternmost buoys.– Letter of 2 February asked NDBC to consider adding

instrumentation, including subsurface• NDBC is accommodating on a non-interference

basis with primary mission– Opportunity to test emerging capabilities and gain

experience with tropical climate observation– Build relationship with PIRATA principals– Better satisfy original NWS/NCEP/NHC requirement

“Piratizing”, Phase 1

• Add Rain and Precision SW Radiation to 6m NOMAD buoys

• Add CT capability to small companion buoy – (ADCP and Dir. Waves = Lagniappe)

• Enhanced calibration, add post-calibration

• Associated Data Management and Distribution

NDBC 1.8m Wave Buoy

1.8m with ADCP

1.8m w/CT String Mooring Design

Next Steps

• Deploy 1.8m companion at easternmost buoy if unable to include on CG initial deployment

• Evaluate effectiveness with PIRATA

• Use interface for rain and radiation to improve resolution and sampling

• Add current meter at 10m

More Climate Partnerships

• Continuing and Expanding Radiation Observations on MON – WHOI

• Provide NTAS data to NHC (no GTS/model input)

• CO2 on Coastal MON buoy this summer –PMEL (Sabine)