# Presentation: 352911

**Summary of Survey on Instrument/ Translator Resources**
**Greg McFarquhar and Mike Jensen**
- Cloud Properties Working Group Meeting
- March 27, 2006   Albuquerque NM

## 130 to 145 Wiscombe, 145 to 200 Wiscombe, 

- 200 to 215 DeVore,
- 215 to 230 Vogelman, 230 to 245 Jensen,
- 245 to 300 Schumaker, 300 to 315 DeMott, 325 to 350 BREAK350 to 405 Mead, 405 to 430 McFarquhar/Jensen, 430 to 530 Open Discussion

## Motivation of Survey

**Respondents asked to identify importance of and rank priority of VAPs and instrument needs**
**This avoids difficulty of proposal being labeled as “unimportant” in a plenary session**
**All items identified as potentially important were included in the survey**
**Should not only look at numerical results in evaluating survey (cost/benefit ratio; who will use the data)**
**1 or 2 people extensively using data to address relevant climate questions may make worthwhile**
**27 respondents, some outside cloud working group**
**Confidentiality of responders maintained**

## Nature of Survey

**Survey requested information on importance of 10 translator activities and 28 instrument acquisitions/modifications **
**Separate questions on VAPs and instruments**
**Responders identified importance of each VAP/instrument**
**1: should not be pursued**
**2: low importance**
**3: medium importance**
**4: high importance**
**5: extremely high importance**
**NR: not enough knowledge/background to answer**
**When mode was 5 I assumed it was very important priority (more significant than average)**
**Responders also ranked instruments and VAPS from 1 to 10 in order of importance**
**Mode of rank probably may be best indicator (but not only) of the priority we should give (since ultimately we want people to be using the data)**

## Survey Overview/Interpretation

**Main point: Number of instruments that must be maintained/mentored steadily increasing**
**Survey results suggest our first priority is to maintain core observations before adding other instruments/ VAPs**
**But, a few select VAPS and instruments with high impacts should be added**
**Seemed to be support for sunset committee so don’t spend resources on instruments not well used**
**Aside:**** Do we want to recommend increase in mentor resources to insure data quality?**
** ****but this might reduce funding available for new instruments**

## Priorities Identified by Surveys

**VAPS: ARSCL, MWR VAPs, MPLNOR, MPL Polarization NSA**
**Instruments: portable Raman lidar, 2x NSA sondes, AERI rapid sample mode, CCN counter, MPL spare parts, MMCR/WACR spare parts, 90 GHZ MWR, UV MPL**

## VAPs: high Priorities

- ARSCL (4.8; 5)
- Includes micro- and macro- VAP and translator time needed to insure quality of product
- Although not explicitly stated in survey, we assume this includes needed translator resources for BBHRP & MICROBASE that have long been priority of our group
- Some wanted to see these products for W-band and Ka band
- MWR VAPS (4.5; 5)
- Continued development & execution of microwave retrievals, including LWC & IWC
- MPL Normalized backscatter profile (4.1; 5)
- Requires development to run at all sites (requires averaging to improve retrieval & identifies up to 3 cloud layers)
- Responder stated high priority to make more use out of MPL data
- VAP using polarization capability at NSA (4.1; 4)
- Would aid in detection of mixed-phase clouds

## VAP Recommendations: lower priorities

- Raman lidar VAPs (3.8; 3)
- New VAP for retrieval of extinction, temperature, LWC & IWC
- VAP to correct for dry bias in upper troposphere (3.6; 3)
- Correct for problems with Vaisala sounding in UT
- VAPS for BoM C-Pol radar data (3.2; 3)
- Convert these data to user friendly ARSCL time series
- Implement data quality flag in existing VAPs (2.6; 3)
- Implement cloud classification scheme (3.2; 2)
- E.g., Wang/Sassen algorithms; note some other retrievals will ultimately depend on this algorithm
- VAP to reprocess ARM TSI data (2.8; 2)
- Would address circumsolar & horizon area retrieval problem
- One respondent (modeler) suggested this would be first priority if could solve cloud fraction problem

**NOTE: some low priority VAPS (C-Pol & dry bias) are relatively simple and already being developed**

## VAPS Rankings (in order)

- ARSCL
- MWR VAPs; MPLNOR
- MPL Polarization at NSA
- Raman lidar VAPS
- Dry Bias; C-Pol radar VAPs
- Cloud classification
- Data quality flag
- TSI reprocessing

## Instruments: higher priorities

- Sonde releases 2/day at NSA (4.7; 5)
- Launches will be staggered with those of NWS to double temperature coverage
- Data exist to evaluate humidity measurements of NWS
- Any needed spare parts for MMCR/WACR (4.4; 5)
- Any needed spare parts for MPL (4.2; 5)
- Continued upgrades of AERIs to rapid sample mode (4.1; 5)
- 90 GHz microwave radiometers at all ARM sites (4.1; 5)
- One responder queried if only 90 Ghz being considered; options with more channels?
- CCN counter for SGP and NSA (3.8; 5)
- Upgrade SGP/NSA to PIRAQ digital receiver if successful at TWP (4.0; 4)
- Ingest & collect spectra from W-band as needed (4.0; 4)
- Development of modular digital receiver for ARM radars (3.9; 4)
- Needed for next upgrades
- MMCR Polarization at NSA (3.9; 4)
- Aid in detection of mixed-phase and low clouds

## Instruments: medium priorities

-   Deployment of portable Raman lidar to TWP (3.6; 5)
- Better measurements of extinction
-    Obtain EBBR for Darwin (3.3; 5)
- - A lot of support from modelers for this item
-    Obtain a scanning radar for SGP site (3.8; 4)
-    Solve MMCR radome problem associated with wetting (3.7; 4)
-    Support for  Min’s Oxygen A-band spectrometer for SGP (3.6; 4)
- Will detect clouds missed by MMCR
-    Address cross-polarization problem with MMCR at SGP site (3.6; 4)
- - refurbishment/repair of antenna could be 4/6 months down time
-    Update AERI calibration for new model of black bodies (3.6; 4)
-    Additional channel to Min’s spectrometer for phase info (3.4; 4)
-    Acquisition of UV MPL at TWP site (3.3; 4)
-    Replace refurbished Digicora-II units at Manus/Nauru with Digicora-III units (3.3; 4)

## Instruments: lower priorities

- Continued acquisition of IRTs at EFs (2.9; 4)
- Update AMF AERI to MAERI capability (2.7; 4)
- Acquire precipitation radar for Manus (3.5; 3)
- Faster sampling of microwave radiometer (3.5; 3)
- Borrow BoM C-radar for deployment during dry season (3.0; 3)
- Archive lightning detection data (2.3; 3)

## Instrument Rankings by Mode

- MPL spare parts
- MMCR/WACR spare parts
- UV MPL @ TWP; 2x NSA sondes
- 90 GHz MWR
- AERI rapid sample
- MMCR PIRAQ; faster MWR sampling
- MMCR Cross polarization; MMCR spectra at NSA
- Digital AERI receivers; AERI calibration
- Scanning radar for SGP; Min spectrometer (extra phase info)
- MAERI; portable Raman lidar
- Min A-band instrument; CCN counter
- MMCR radome; WACR spectra
- Preciptation radar for Manus
- Digacore at TWP
- Lightning data

**Not Ranked: **
**IRTs at ERs; **
**Borrow BoM C-pol; EBBR at Darwin; continually rotating RSR**

## Instrument rankings by average

- 2xNSA sondes
- MMCR PIRAQ; MMCR/WACR spare parts
- MPL spare parts; MMCR cross-polarization; AERI rapid sample
- CCN counter; 90 GHz MWR; WACR spectra; MMCR spectra at NSA
- UV MPL; Min A-band; Scanning radar for SGP
- Portable Raman lidar; AERI calibration
- MMCR radome; Digital receivers for radar
- Min extra phase channel; Manus precipitation radar; faster MWR sampling
- MAERI
- Digicore at TWP; IRTs at EFs
- EBBR at Darwin
- Lightning data
- Borrow BoM C-Pol radar
- Continually RSR

## Next Meeting

- Annapolis, MD, November 8 to 10 2006