Soundings, C-band Radar, Data Synthesis and Model Intercomparison for the EPIC2001 Stratocumulus Study

东太平洋海洋-大气耦合系统气候过程调查（EPIC）是美国CLIVAR计划的一项活动。EPIC 2001由四个部分组成，重点关注(i)热带辐合带/暖池现象；（ii）热带辐合带的跨赤道流入；（iii）上层海洋结构和混合；（iv）东南信风区边界层云性质的探索性研究。EPIC 2001的实地阶段计划在2001年9月1日至10月15日期间进行为期6周的研究。除了获得ATM的8个奖项外，该合作研究还获得了NSF/OCE和NOAA/OGP的奖项。在现场阶段，pi将从GPS探测和永久安装在R/V Ron Brown上的c波段扫描雷达收集数据。这些观测记录的边界层和云结构将与再分析和选择的一般环流模式进行比较。综合数据分析的一个目标是评估降水过程是否在大空间尺度上显著影响云厚度和反照率，如果是，在什么环境条件下。这项工作很重要，因为它将提高对热带太平洋东部气候变化的理解和建模。

EPIC (Eastern Pacific Investigation of Climate processes in the coupled ocean-atmosphere system) is an activity of the US CLIVAR Program. EPIC 2001 consists of four components focussing on (i) intertropical convergence zone/warm pool phenomena; (ii) cross-equatorial inflow into the intertropical convergence zone; (iii) upper ocean structure and mixing and (iv) an exploratory study of boundary layer cloud properties in the southeasterly tradewind regime. The field phase of EPIC 2001 is scheduled for a 6-week period during the interval Sept 1 to Oct 15, 2001. In addition to the eight awards made by ATM, this collaborative research has awards made by NSF/OCE and NOAA/OGP.During the field phase, the PIs will collect data from GPS soundings and from scanning C-band radar permanently mounted aboard R/V Ron Brown. The boundary layer and cloud structure documented by these and other observations taken on the cruise will be compared with that from reanalyses and selected general circulation models. A goal of the integrative data analysis is to assess whether precipitation processes are significantly influencing cloud thickness and albedo over large spatial scales, and if so, under what environmental conditions. The work is important because it will improve understanding and modeling of climate variability over the eastern tropical Pacific.