Data Assimilation Research in Support of Ross Island Meteorological Experiment (RIME)

该合同将为开发和实施一种先进的数据同化系统提供资金，用于专门为南极洲罗斯海和麦克默多地区设计的区域数值天气预报模式（MM5）。由于在南极洲和南大洋地区缺乏传统观测资料，而且难以显著增加传统观测资料，因此，卫星和其他非传统数据（如自动气象站）的最佳利用是目前改进区域天气分析和预报的唯一可行途径。此外，数据的缺乏也阻碍了气象研究和模式发展的进展，因为没有足够的数据来研究物理过程并在数值模式中准确地表示它们。本项目主要包括三个方面的工作：(1)建立南极地区中尺度变分资料同化系统；(2)自动气象站和卫星资料的同化及其对南极地区短期预报的影响评估；(3)利用MM5伴随模式进行预报敏感性试验，研究哪些类型、哪些区域的数据对罗斯海地区的准确预报最为重要。该项目还将成为计划中的罗斯岛气象实验的基地之一。

This award will provide funds to develop and implement an advanced data assimilation system for use in a regional numerical weather forecasting model (MM5) specifically designed for the Ross Sea and McMurdo area of Antarctica.With the lack of traditional observations over Antarctica and the Southern Ocean, and with the difficulty in significantly augmenting traditional observations, the optimal use of satellite and other non-traditional, e.g. automatic weather station, data is currently the only viable path to improve regional weather analysis and prediction. Further, the lack of data also hampers progress in meteorological research and model development, since there is insufficient data to study physical processes and to represent them accurately in numerical models. Three tasks are included in this project: (1) development of a mesoscale variational data assimilation system over the Antarctic region; (2) assimilation of automatic weather station and satellite data and assessment of their impact on short-range prediction over the Antarctic region; and (3) performing forecast sensitivity experiments with the MM5 adjoint model to study what types of data, over what regions, are most important to accurate forecast over the Ross Sea area. The project will also form one of the bases of a planned Ross Island Meteorological Experiment.