1. T-PARC Operations Support Dick Dirks Jim Moore National Center for Atmospheric Research T-PARC Operations Meeting Tsukuba, Japan 7-8 April 2008

2. Proposed T-PARC Logo (Courtesy Vidal Salazar, NCAR/EOL)

3. Internet, T-PARC Operations Center NPS, Monterey CA Ops. Coordination Science Team Facility Status In-field Analysis Forecast/Nowcast Data Ingest T-PARC Field Catalog Data Collection Facility CoordinationMission Planning ATC/Military Coord. Elluminate Web conferencing T-PARC Communications Overview NRL, JMA, UKMO, ECMWF, NCEP Special model products Targeting products Sensitive areas Ensemble products NCAR Driftsonde (GTS) Coordination Center Boulder, CO Taiwan DOTSTAR (GTS) Dropsonde Operations Japan Coordination Center, JMA DLR Support Model products ATC Coordination Internet Satcom Internet Driftsonde Launch Center Hawaii Launch preparation Specialized Data Products Guam Aircraft Support Base Andersen AFB USAF C-130 Aircraft (GTS) NRL P-3 Aircraft (GTS) ELDORA, Lidar, Dropsondes Data analysis Pre-/post flight briefings ATC Coordination DLR Falcon Aircraft (GTS) Support Base Atsugi NAF, Japan Mission Planning Status Updates Pre-Post flight debrief Flight planning Chat, phone Internet, Satcom Internet JTWC, Hawaii Special forecasting, and alert products Internet Phone SSEC, NRL Special Satellite products Internet Phone Chat Satcom

4. T-PARC Operations Support Science Leadership Science Steering Committee (SSC) Falcon Steering Committee Science Group (large participant group) Science Director Falcon Expert Teams Mission Planning Team (MPT) Mission Scientist (IOP specific) Mission Support Scientist (Guam, Atsugi) Flight Scientists (on-board each aircraft)

5. T-PARC Operations Support Science Leadership Science Steering Committee (SSC) Chair: Harr, Co-Chairs: Nakazawa, Weissmann, TCS-08 Rep: Elsberry Korea: Lee, China: Chen, Canada: McTaggart-Cowan, Ex-Officio: Moore, Parsons, Wu, Toth. Falcon Steering Group (Nakazawa, Harr, Weissman ) Science Group (large participant group) Science Director (4 in MOC) Mission Planning Team (MPT) (6) Mission Scientist (IOP specific) (MOC ) Mission Support Scientist (Guam, Atsugi) Flight Scientists (on-board each aircraft)

6. Facilities Across the Pacific Ocean DOTSTAR Ops Korea Operations Center

7. T-PARC Resources Deployment MOC USAF C-130 NRL P-3 Guam Support 7/25 10/04 7/30 7/25 10/04 9/30 9/30 9/30 7/30 DLR Falcon Driftsonde COAMPS model MTSAT Rapid scan Field Catalog TargetingProducts 8/01 8/019/15 10/04 10/157/15 10/04 7/2010/04 8/0110/04 7/20 NominalT-PARC Field Season 8/26

8.  Finalize daily mission plan  Select alternate missions  Make key personnel assignments (e.g. flight scientists)  Notification of flight facilities  Notification of project personnel (Daily Ops Summary)  Communicate notification requirements to airspace agencies (advance notification as necessary)  Preparation of flight plans and dropsonde points  Advanced notification to driftsonde and rapid scan satellite programs T-PARC Operations Support Mission Planning

9.  Status of aircraft and remote observing systems  Data management and communications status report  Forecast discussion from 24-36 hours, special products; outlook to 72 hours  Report on the status of scientific objectives and results of the last mission and/or update on the status of an on-going mission  Mission Selection, staff assignment, and schedule of operations and advanced notification  Logistics or administrative matters/other items T-PARC Operations Support Daily Planning Meeting The Daily Planning Meeting will be co-chaired by the T-PARC Science Director and Operations Director. The agenda for the meeting will be consistent each day and include the following items:

10. 00 12 18 06 DPM 23 DSM 21 16 T/O WC-130J 14 Pre-flight WC-130J Pre-flight P-3 T/O P-3 Initial decision time Initiate flight planning 01 Final Decision time Modify flight plan 01 Start Crew Rest 22 (07) T/O Falcon Pre-flight Falcon Sample timeline for a three plane mission: WC-130, P-3: TC structure Falcon: Targeting for track Assumptions:Targeting for 0000 UTC Synoptic time TC structure missions desired to be as close to dawn as possible Two-hour transit time to target (WC-130J, P-3) All times are UTC: 0000 UTC = 0900 Japan, 1000 Guam, 1700 Monterey Team 2 Team 1 Daily Planning Schedule (00UTC) Decision Time Frame 20 09 (Japan LT)

11. Sample timeline for a three plane mission: WC-130, P-3: TC structure Falcon: Targeting for track Assumptions:Targeting for 0000 UTC Synoptic time TC structure missions desired to be as close to dawn as possible Two-hour transit time to target (WC-130J, P-3) All times are UTC: 0000 UTC = 0900 Japan, 1000 Guam, 1700 Monterey 00 12 18 06 DPM 23 DSM 21 16 T/O WC-130J 14 Pre-flight WC-130J Pre-flight P-3 T/O P-3 Initial decision time Initiate flight planning 01 Final Decision time Modify flight plan 01 Start Crew Rest 22 T/O Falcon Pre-flight Falcon 00181206 02 04

12. 12 00 06 18 DPM UPDATEDPM 23 DSM 21 04 T/O WC-130J 02 Pre-flight WC-130J 04 Pre-flight P-3 T/O P-3 Initial decision time Initiate flight planning 01 Final Decision time Modify flight plan 13 Start Crew Rest 10 T/O Falcon 08 Pre-flight Falcon Team 1 Team 2 UPDATE 11 UPDATE 11 UPDATE 11 Team 1A Sample timeline for a three plane mission: WC-130, P-3: TC structure Falcon, DOTSTAR: Targeting for track Or: WC-130, P-3, FALCON, ET Structure and Targeting Assumptions:Targeting for 1200 UTC Synoptic time Two-hour transit time to target (WC-130J, P-3) All times are UTC: 0000 UTC = 0900 Japan, 1000 Guam, 1700 Monterey Daily Planning Schedule (12UTC) Decision Time Frame 09 20 09 Japan LT

13. Sample timeline for a three plane mission: WC-130, P-3: TC structure Falcon, DOTSTAR: Targeting for track Or: WC-130, P-3, FALCON, ET Structure and Targeting Assumptions:Targeting for 1200 UTC Synoptic time Two-hour transit time to target (WC-130J, P-3) All times are UTC: 0000 UTC = 0900 Japan, 1000 Guam, 1700 Monterey 120012 000618 06 DPM 23 DSM 21 04 T/O WC-130J 02 Pre-flight WC-130J Pre-flight P-3 T/O P-3 Initial decision time Initiate flight planning 01 Final Decision time Modify flight plan 13 Start Crew Rest 10 T/O Falcon Pre-flight Falcon 1206 00 18 02 14 06 UPDATE 11

14.  An Intensive Observing Period (IOP) is a period of comprehensive airborne observations in the project target area, organized and launched to document the structure and evolution from the Formation through the Extra-tropical Transition (ET) stages of a tropical cyclone. An IOP also occurs if there are special “targeted observations” carried out with aircraft in support of forecasting objectives. T-PARC Operations Support Intensive Observing Period (IOP)

15.  The main criterion for launching an IOP will be an indication 24 to 48 hour in advance of the conditions noted above that warrant special aircraft measurements with any project aircraft.  IOPs do not have a predetermined length. Weather conditions can last from several hours to several (3-4) days.  Given the importance of transitions from undisturbed to disturbed conditions favoring tropical cyclone development, an attempt will also be made to include transition periods as part of IOPs, based on the available forecasts.

16. T-PARC Operations Support Intensive Observing Period (IOP)  Special attention will be paid in the mission planning process to effectively use available resources to maximize documentation of each IOP event  Question—Do we define IOPs by phenomena or the start of special observations?  Question—How do we handle simultaneous observations (e.g. TC formation near Guam and targeting near Japan?)

17. Tropical Cyclone Structure Extratropical Transition Targeting IOP # FormationStructureSatelliteValidation Transfor mation Re- Intensific ation Formation Recurva ture Non-TC targeting 1XXX 2AXX 2B USAF 10.5 NRL 9.0 32 drops USAF 10.2 24 drops NRL 8.0 DLR 4.4 30 drops DLR 4.0 DLR 3.5 25 drops 2C X DLR 4.0 NRL 8.0 C130 10 36 drops XX Proposed T-PARC Resources Scorecard

18. T-PARC Operations Support Operations Staffing  It is necessary to have two teams of key staff in the MOC to support operations.  Team-1 will be the daily shift of people to handle typical support operations when there are no IOPs planned or underway  Team-2 will be the special shift to support activities during IOPs (or other special periods as required).

19. T-PARC Operations Support Operations Staffing  Team-1 (Daily Planning)  Science Director  Operations Director  Facility Status Coordinator  Lead Weather Forecaster  Forecast support staff (2-3 people)  Communications Specialist  Team-2 (during IOP)  Mission Scientist  Operations Director-2  Aircraft Coordinator  Sounding Coordinator  Lead Nowcaster  Forecast support staff  Communications Specialist

20. T-PARC Operations Support Operations Staffing Aircraft Support Center Staff (Guam, Atsugi)  Facility Manager and Center Support Coordinator  Mission Support Scientist  Data Manager Driftsonde Coordination Center Staff  Driftsonde Scientist  Communications Coordinator

21. T-PARC Aircraft Coordination Center at Andersen AFB, Guam

22. Remodeled T-PARC Operations Center Operations Center in Monterey in Monterey

23. Action Items  Staffing key positions for all centers  Added Sections of the Ops Plan –Modeling –Aircraft program –Data Management –Sounding Systems  Clear picture of airspace and flight operations capabilities  Documentation and clearances for personnel  Aircraft scientific crew training

24. Initial Distribution of Upper Air Data for the Project (Note differences in resolution and release times)

25. Questions and Comments