Antarctic automatic weather station 2010-11 field plans

Jonathan Thom, Matthew Lazzara, George Weidner, Linda Keller, John

Cassano

Outline

• Overview of the existing AWS array• Changes during the next grant• Field activities in 2010-11• AWS array changes in 2010-11• Technology changes• Structural changes to the AWS• Beyond 2010-2011 field season

Current array stats

•~60 stations•Mix of AWS2B, CR10x, and CR1000 stations•Varying wind systems• Belforts aerovanes• R. M. Young Wind

Monitors• Taylor High Wind speed

systems•Non-integrated add-ons (Acoustic Depth Gauges)•Basically, nothing is consistent•The transition to a consistent model is going to take awhile though

What are the major changes to the current array for the next grant?

• The array will become smaller.– 50 Argos transmitting stations– ~10 additional stations with different data collection

systems• Begin long process of standardizing the stations.• Better management of our resources.• Using “new” technologies to improve our stations.• Testing of the new station to see how it behaves

outside its specifications.

Field activities in 2010-11

• Tall Tower• West Antarctica• CTAM• South Pole• McMurdo

Tall Tower

• ~32 m meteorological tower• Located ~100 km from McMurdo on the South Pole

Traverse Route• Wind speed measured at eight levels, wind direction

measured at four levels• Temperature measurements at four levels• RH at two levels• Net radiation, snow accumulation• Possible platform for new instrumentation to be added.

West Antarctica• Siple Dome

– Replace AWS with new electronics– Move site closer to skiway/camp

• Byrd– Replace Byrd with new CR1000 AWS (may run new station and old

station together for a year)– Straighten tower– May move station closer to Byrd surface camp

• Install two new AWS at two fuel cache sites (I-157 and I-189)• Removal of 2-3 sites. Targeted sites are: Brianna,

Swithinbank, and Theresa or Harry.

CTAM

• Remove three megadunes sites and replace with a single CR1000 AWS.

• Install two new AWS near Sabrina site. Locations have yet to be determined.

• Service Sabrina AWS.• Replace Lettau AWS

South Pole

• Remove Nico and Henry AWS• Service radiation shield test facility.

• Upgrade program• Swap out sensors• Add new measurements

– Wind speed– RH

• The more I think about this the more my head hurts.

McMurdo

• Service Carolyn, Cape Bird, Lorne, and any other sites that act up.

• Install new CR1000 AWS at Gill, Cape Bird, Ferrell and other sites if we have stations available.

• Install Freewave radios at possibly three AWS in McMurdo region (Minna Bluff, Willie Field, and Pegasus North).

• Remove Argos Transmitters from Mt. Friis and Mt Fleming (work done by Thomas Nylen with LTER)

• Remove Mulock AWS.

AWS array changes in 2010-11

• Removal of up to 9 AWS.• Installation at 5 new AWS locations– Two installed for Ross Ice Shelf Air Stream studies– Two installed to improve observations in West

Antarctica– 1 installed to replace three AWS at Megadunes

Technology changes

• Beginning long process of transition to commercial datalogger (Campbell Scientific CR1000) from AWS2B

• Using radio telemetry for stations near McMurdo.

• Adding solar radiation and snow accumulation as standard for all new AWS.

• Using new R. M. Young Alpine Wind Monitor

Structural changes

• Changing boom structure for instrumentation• Each sensor will now be connected to datalogger

enclosure with its own plug.• Using Gill plate radiation shields on all new

installations. • Would like sensor package not to be dependent

on electronics (i. e. be able to easily swap in upgraded electronics in the future, not sure if this is feasible though.)

Acknowledgements

• National Science Foundation, Office of Polar Program, ANT-06368783