1. WORLD CLIMATE RESEARCH PROGRAMME WCRP Data Advisory Council
Jean-Noël Thépaut
WDAC co-chair Date 28/09/2017
GCOS-SC Hangzhou

2. WCRP’s mission….
... is to facilitate analysis and prediction of Earth system variability and change for use in an increasing range of practical applications of direct relevance, benefit and value to society.
The two overarching objectives of WCRP are:
to determine the predictability of climate
to determine the effect of human activities on climate

3. Role of WCRP

4. Role of WCRP

5. WCRP Structure
CLOUDS, CIRCULATION AND CLIMATE SENSITIVITY NEAR-TERM CLIMATE PREDICTION
REGIONAL SEA-LEVEL CHANGE AND COASTAL IMPACTS MELTING ICE AND GLOBAL CONSEQUENCES
CARBON FEEDBACKS IN THE CLIMATE SYSTEM WATER FOR THE FOOD BASKETS OF THE WORLD
UNDERSTANDING AND PREDICTING WEATHER AND CLIMATE EXTREMES

6. WDAC WCRP Data Advisory Council
To serve as a focal point for all observational and data matters across the programme
Promote open data policies, protocols and standards across the programme
Recommend best practices for ECV data set development and assessments
Coordinate reanalysis intercomparison efforts
Promote and publish observational and reanalysis data sets to support climate modeling
Coordinate flux research and promote development of associated data sets
Review adequacy of observations and data assimilation techniques
Sponsor International Data Prize

7. WDAC WDAC Current Activities WCRP Data Advisory Council obs4MIPs
Reanalysis
Surface Fluxes
Dataset Assessments
Polar Challenge
WCRP – GCOS collaborations
Currently 6 foci….important to note that all these activities are supported through national or philanthropic means…
Will discuss these foci in the following slides.

8. WDAC – obs4MIPS Complete (~125*) In Progress* (~15)
Target Quantities
Model Output
A project for identifying, documenting and disseminating observations for climate model evaluation in WCRP model intercomparisons, notably CMIP.
Data accessible with the distributed CMIP model output, adhering to same conventions
Guided by the WCRP Data Advisory Council obs4MIPS Task Team
Gridded datasets
Complete (~125*)
In Progress* (~15)
Proposals from Data Call (~90)

9. WDAC – obs4MIPS Some recent highlights
An updated version of the obs4MIPs data specifications has recently been released. It is closely integrated with the CMIP6 data standards, and will enable a greatly expanded searching capability via the ESGF distributed system
The framework is being expanded to enable supplementary data to be attached to the obs4MIPs best estimates, e.g., to enable data providers to include uncertainty information and other useful data and metadata
A set of indicators has been established to gauge the suitability of each data product for climate model evaluation

10. WDAC – obs4MIPS obs4MIPS Progress WDAC obs4MIPS Task Team
Data call: >90 new gridded datasets proposed, Task Team encouraging most to go forward
Data proposal submission form automated
Current holdings (>80) span across 6 ESGF nodes, complete listing generated daily
6 Task Team telecons, multiple presentations at scientific meetings
Two manuscripts in-prep (#1 strategy, #2 data description governance)
CMIP6 data conventions released (December 2016) – a critical juncture
CMIP6-Obs4MIPs data convention integration, nearly complete
Software (CMOR) revised for preparing obs data released, examples being documented
Development of a strategy to expand the project scope
Initially to accommodate more classes of gridded data (e.g., part synthetic, LAI)
Exploring new approaches to include in situ non gridded data
Many thanks to the government agencies which have supported these activities…principally CEOS, but also includes a number of others.

11. WDAC – Reanalyses WDAC TIRA Task Team
WCRP Task Team for Intercomparison of Reanalyses (TIRA) – 4 virtual meetings to date; developing a reanalysis intercomparison project…Michael Bosilovich is leading this effort
Common infrastructure, protocols, standards and tools for reanalysis comparisons and analyses, e.g., S-RIP, ORA-IP
Workshop on ocean reanalyses and inter-comparisons (Toulouse) June 2017 (Andrea Storto)
5th International Reanalysis Conference (Rome) November, 2017 (Jean-Noël Thépaut, Michael Bosilovich) Details at 

12. Main Objectives of TIRA
WDAC – Reanalyses
Main Objectives of TIRA
The primary charge to the TIRA is to develop a reanalysis intercomparison project plan that will attain the following objectives.
To foster understanding and estimation of uncertainties in reanalysis data by  intercomparison and other means
To communicate new developments and best practices among the reanalyses producing centers
To enhance the understanding of data and assimilation issues and their impact on uncertainties, leading to improved reanalyses for climate assessment
To communicate the strengths and weaknesses of reanalyses, their fitness for purpose, and best practices in the use of reanalysis datasets by the scientific community

13. WDAC – Reanalyses Telecons 8 Nov 16 21 Dec 2017 30 Jan 2017 6 Mar 2017
Introductions/Status
Mission
21 Dec 2017
Intro cont.
AGU and ICR5
30 Jan 2017
Intercomparison Tools (WRIT/CREATE)
Reanalysis.org
6 Mar 2017
S-RIP and Ocean Reanalysis Workshop Reviews
Apr 2017
EUMETSAT and CMA overviews and introductions
3 Jul 2017
CERATE Ensemble of reanalysis discussion; Intercomparison discussion

14. TIRA: Intecomparison Project Development
WDAC – Reanalyses
TIRA: Intecomparison Project Development
There is tremendous need in the reanalysis user community and developers for central coordination of reanalysis information (e.g. reanalysis.org)
As in CMIP, the systems are many and evolving (consider Earth system component reanalyses)
TIRA aims to have an intercomparison project plan within the year

15. Surface Flux Task Team: Terms of Reference
WDAC – Surflux
Surface Flux Task Team: Terms of Reference
1. Provide a single point-of-contact for surface flux observations and analysis in the WCRP. Communicate with other relevant entities regarding WCRP surface flux activities through work on committees, a website, and other published articles and information.
2. Establish and encourage the publication and use of data, metadata, and documentation standards for global surface flux (ocean, land, or ice and atmosphere) data sets that are consistent with standards and infrastructure used in major climate model intercomparison efforts (e.g., CMIP, ESGF, and Obs4MIPs), thereby facilitating intercomparison of the data sets and their use in evaluation of Earth System models
and their components.
3. Establish conventions for intercomparisons of global datasets, and for assessment of the global datasets with available in situ data, making use of established assessments for other components of the Earth system from GEWEX and other WCRP entities.
4. Report to the WDAC and WCRP Core Projects (e.g., GEWEX/GDAP and CLIVAR) on progress, status, and plans for activities overseen by the Task Team.

16. Surface Flux Task Team Activities
WDAC – Surflux
Surface Flux Task Team Activities
Whitepaper: draft which will be submitted to BAMS by the end of 2017
OBS4MIPS: Motivation to inject non-gridded in-situ flux datasets into the Obs4MIPS project
Telecons: Monthly telecons have been consistently ongoing and has helped with bringing together the SurFlux members
Outreach: Colleagues from wider surface flux community to present at our monthly telecons; representatives at GEWEX, CLIVAR, SOLAS, and other meetings
Webpage: A webpage dedicated to SurFlux has been established on the CoG:

17. WDAC – Dataset Assessments
Climate Data Intercomparison Project
Discussed the proposed “Climate Data Intercomparison Project” at WDAC6… There are several data assessment activities completed or underway by the WCRP Core Projects (e.g. SPARC S-RIP initiative, CLIVAR ORA-IP, etc.) The Core Projects (led by GEWEX/GDAP) prepared and vetted a “best practices” document (see below), which was recently published - (
Other initiatives exist (e.g Copernicus Climate Change Service), where focus is put on “climate quality” datasets, including also continuity, sustainability, operational production
Need clarity about criteria to assess, should we engage in such a venture

18. WDAC – Polar Challenge 500K €
Competition is open, Polar Challenge Rules have been relaxed to allow for a broader set of missions and technologies, and partial prize awards in recognition of any major achievements. Rules can still be amended until the first competitor registers formally. A few teams are actively mobilizing resources to make an attempt to the challenge.

19. WDAC – GCOS
WDAC<->GCOS Requirements
How does Council improve communications about observing needs between GCOS (panels), WCRP Core Projects, Grand Challenges and Working Groups?
GCOS oversees the observing networks for the WCRP, thus it is critically important for the WCRP Core Projects, Working Groups and Grand Challenges to provide the GCOS panels with their observing requirements as research evolves.
While the WDAC is a facilitator in this process and has representation from the Core Projects and the GCOS panels, it cannot address the totality of WCRP needs.
How do we improve direct communication between the respective entities?

20. JSC-38 Recommended Actions
WDAC JSC Actions
JSC-38 Recommended Actions
Discuss approaches to improve linkages between GCOS observing panels and all WCRP elements (Working Groups, Core Projects, Grand Challenges)
Continuing concerns about the fragility of in situ networks
BSRN
ARGO
ISMN (soil moisture)
ozonesondes (GAW more generally)
Emergent satellite mission gaps
e.g. limb missions, active lidar missions – remains a concern
Should WDAC be THE “advocate” for observations and observing systems within the WCRP?

21. Other discussion and information points
WCRP is currently under review. Outcome of the review is expected this Autumn.
A new strategic plan (~10 years) is under preparation (involving chairs and directors), and will take stock of recommendations from Review.
WDAC advocacy role: suggested way forward would be to use the joint GCOS-WCRP panels to play that role, subject to GCOS SC approval. A joint approach is recommended as a single GCOS-WCRP voice on promoting sustained observing systems. It is also suggested to engage more closely WCRP experts on the respective panels to that effect.
OceanObs19 ( WCRP recommends a more formal engagement of WCRP in such a major event. WDAC is willing to contribute to and engage in the 2019 edition.

22. Thank You