TOWARDS CONVERGENCE:PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICES BASEDON GEWEX AND IGWCO EXPERIENCESRick LawfordBeppu, JapanDecember 4, 2007

THE GEWEX MISSION CAN BE DESCRIBED AS“THE DEVELOPMENT AND APPLICATION OF PLANETARY
EARTH SCIENCE, OBSERVATIONS AND MODELS TO THEPROBLEMS OF CLIMATE AND WATER RESOURCES”

THE PROGRAM ENTAILS:‐ GLOBAL DATA SETS DERIVED FROM SATELLITE DATA, IN SITUDATA AND DATA ASSIMILATION CAPABILITIES,‐ MODEL DEVELOPMENT AND PREDICTABILITY STUDIES‐ FIELD AND PROCESS STUDIES‐ APPLICATIONS

“”HWA ELPINW A TE R G T
AN TER PRO O SO
D I CY BL LV
NF CL EM E T
OR E O S W H EMA BSW
ITIO ER TH I ORLVN
DN” AT
TIO EGR ’SNSATED

THE INTEGRATED GLOBAL WATER CYCLE OBSERVATIONSTHEME (IGWCO) WAS DEVELOPED UNDER IGOS‐P TO SERVETHE FOLLOWING OBJECTIVES:
1. Provide a framework for guiding decisions onpriorities and strategies regarding water cycle
observations for:‐ Monitoring climate variability and change,‐ Effective water management andsustainable development of the world’swater resources,‐ Societal applications for resource
development and environmentalmanagement,‐ Specification of initial conditions forweather and climate forecasts,‐ Research directed at priority water cycle
questions
2. Promote strategies that facilitate theprocessing, archiving and distribution of water
cycle data products

Why Converge when diversity is so beautiful?
‐ Economies of scale to derive
maximum benefit fromexpensive observational
platforms and networks.

‐ Equity for all nations in using
the Earth observations for
decision making.

To achieve the GEO goals related to convergence
we need convergence:‐ in observational systems‐ in data systems (management, dissemination)‐ across scales‐ across functions‐ across user requirements (SBAs)‐ across programs

We also need to remember an important observation
about convergence:
The process of converging is important, but??
We need toensure that weknow what we areconverging to.

A Black HoleVISION
THAT
INSPIRETOWARDSA MORE FOCUSEDWHATAWE
WANT
TOCOULDCONVERGELand

Atmosphere

PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT:A NEW EPOCH OF WATER MANAGEMENT IN OUR
LIFETIMES THAT RELIES ON SUSTAINABLE
OBSERVATIONSEARTH OBSERVATIONS FOR BETTERWATER MANAGEMENTDECISIONS.
IMPROVED CAPABILITY
TO ASSIMILATE AND
PREDICTMQECPWNINTEGRATED DECISIONSUPPORT SYSTEMS

cf.
Sorooshian

CONVERGENCE IN OBSERVATIONAL SYSTEMSGEWEX Cloud and precipitation studies have been
advanced through the A‐Train Constellation
Other CEOS constellations under development
Ocean Surface Topography

Land Surface Imaging

NOAA&EUMETSAT, ESA, CNES,
ISRO, NASA

USGS + Multiple CEOS agencies

Sustaining a fundamental climate data
record for global sea level and ensuring continuity ofservice to operational and research users

Ensuring continuity of key land surface
observations – including Landsat-class observations – formultiple GEOSS Societal Benefit Areas, including
Agriculture.

Precipitation (GPM)

Atmospheric Chemistry

CAST/NRSCC, ESA, NASA and JAXA…

NASA + Multiple CEOS agencies

Addressing Task AR-06-10 of theGEOSS 10 Year Implementation Plan

Contributing multiple Fundamental Climate
Data Records to GEOSS Task CL-06-02

Other candidates could include:
SAR Constellation for Disasters; SST, Sea‐ice etc
3rd CEOP/IGWCO Workshop

The present status of national in‐situ groundwater
monitoring programmes shows a need for convergence
Country

GW
monitor.
QN
Quantity
QU
Quality

W Wells SSSpecial
Springs wells
QO
Qanats Otherwells

OOne
aquiferwell
M
Moreaquifers well

GW
table
measurements
M
ManualS
Sensor

Water
GW
table
sampling
frequency per year
measurements
per year

India
China
Iran
South Africa
Australia
Brazil - Sao Paulo
RussiaUSA
PolandCzech Republic
England, Wales

QN QU
QN QU
QN QU
QN QU
QN QU
QU
QN QU
QN QU
QN QU
QN QU
QN QU

W
W S
W S Q
W SW SW
W S
W S
W SW SW S

GWanalysis
DWSDrink.
Wat.Stan.
MI MajorIons
S Spec.
Variables
1 DWS S
2 MI
2 MI
2 MI S
1 mostly MI S
1 DWS S
4 - 12 DWS S
1 or more DWS S
1- 2 or less DWS S
2 DWS Svariable DWS S

GISS mostly O mostly
S O
O M
S O
O mostly
S O
O mostly
S O
O
OO
S O
O mostly
S O
O M
S O
OSO
O 80%
S O

M 80%
S mostlyM
M S
M S
S mostly
S M
M mainly
S 80%
M 80%

452
124 - 12 - 52
412 - 36variable1 - 12 - 52
5212yesN CH
yesCHnoN CH
noN CH
yes
N CH
noCH
yes
N CH
yes
N CH
yes
CH
yes
CH
partiallyCH

Data
accessibilityCH
ChargeN-CH
No
chargeDatacollection
CCentralVVariousCVC V
C VCCC V
C VCC
C V(After Vrba)

While standards are maintained for a number of water cycle variables byWMO there are a number of gaps for groundwater and water quality.

CONVERGENCE BASED ON DATA PROCESSING
AND DATA MANAGEMENT

Towards Integration ( Possible IGWCO Pathway)
Specific Variables

Integrated Studies

Atmospheric Water(Water vapor, Precipitable
Water, Surface Fluxes)

Global Atmospheric
Water (Water Vapor,Convergences, Fluxes)

Precipitation(Single Sensor, Regional)

Precipitation(Global, Multisensor)

Surface Hydrology [SoilMoisture, Streamflow](Regional, Single method)

Surface Hydrology(Global, Multisensor
Integrated)

Water Variables(Subsurface, Biogeochemistry,Water Quality)

Inventories ofWater Variables

Land CoverClimatology(Vegetation, Soils)

Land Cover State(Dynamic Vegetation
Carbon and Water Stores)DA
T DA A
TA A
S
S A
I R
M C
I H
L IA VT E
I SONproductsCEOP

GlobalWater
Cycle

Experimental
Activities

GWCOSystem

Hydrological Applications and Run–Off Network (HARON)First Phase dedicated to upgradeand (re-) connect 380 major global
river discharge stations.

•Technical upgrade of stations.
• Ensuring maintenance + operations
over first three years.
• Commitment of national organizations
to operate station(s).
• Commitment to share data in agreed
format + temporal sampling for Global
Runoff Data Centre (GRDC)

Phase 2:
• Link global network to basin-widehydrological information systems(including satellite products from radar
altimetry and gravimetric measurements)
Partially expanded runoff products thenmade available for various applications.

IGWCO, GEWEX and IWGP developed the program for theEvaluation of High Resolution Precipitation Products(PEHRPP)•A collaborative effort to understand the capabilities andcharacteristics of these HRPP (High Resolution PrecipitationProducts)•

Implemented specifically to recommend an Integrated
Precipitation Product to the IGOS-P Global Water Cycle
Observations Theme (IGWCO)
Providing a link between the observational and application
communities•CONVERGENCE ACROSS SCALES

The role of scale is important when considering information requirements.
We can only meet those needs by ensuring convergence occurs at all scales
and between scales.
LOCAL
**

CLOUD

CONVECTIVE
STORMSGLOBAL
SCALE*Convection
Turbulence
AircraftRadar

V

SYNOPTICSCALES

Radar
TRMM
CRMs

AtmosphericCirculation
Satellite
NWP models

ClimateVariability/ Change

Satellites
GCMs

Gauge
PARAMETERIZATIONSSEAMLESS PREDICTION

Capacity Building needs and proposals (from Ishida et al)
Country

Areas
Flood

Drought

Capacity Building needs

BangladeshX

BhutanX

Cambodia

X

XX

Training and skill development on Flood forecasting andwarningChinaXX

X

Flood and drought forecasting

Indonesia

X

X

Lao PDRX

Mongolia

X

X

Philippines

X

RS data, On-site monitoring sys, Software, Training, Info
dissemination sys
Flood Forecasting and Early Warning Systems at regional,
national and local levels

Flood and drought risk map generation
Training (DB management, GIS, watershed management,etc)

Strengthen data collection for flooding inTraining on use radar and satellite images in rainfall
estimation and forecasting
Access to output of GCMs
Integration of in-situ and satellite data in flood and droughtmonitoring
Flood hazard mapping
Climate change scenario building

Pampganga river basin

SebangfaiRiver
FLOODS PROVIDE A GOOD BASISFOR
Data quality check, data sharing, new models
THE CONVERGENCE OF DATA SYSTEMS AT
Technology transfer for flash flood forecasting, high spaptial
Flash flood forecasting in Shwegyin BasinSCALES UP TO REGIONAL.
satellite RS data

X

MyanmarCapacity Building proposals

WQ

Sri Lanka

CB for policy makers, professionals and implementation
officers, technical support staff, end users of water resources

ThailandX

X

VietnamX

X

Data assimilation
Climatic model for long range forecast
Radar interpretation
Meteorological early warning system
X

Technical transfer of forecasting models and methods
Transform satellite data into information
Training of GIS and mapping

Proposal of demonstration projects-Flood forecasting: Huong river basin-Water quality: Huong river basin-Drought forecasting: Sough-Central region

Source: GEOSS/AWCI AP Symposium, Jan 2007

CONVERGENCE ACROSS FUNCTIONSHow can we effectively integrate across the various functions required
to deliver “data to knowledge” services?

Land Data Assimilation
Capabilities

19

South American Land Data Assimilation System (SALDAS):
An example of bringing diverse data sets together.

Goal: combine local observations and parameters with NASA advanced hydrological modeling expertise andcapabilities to improve Global and SA NWP, climate and water management through collaboration with variouscenters (government, universities and research institutes). SALDAS is seeks to enhance regionally GLDAS by using
local capabilities.
Current Specifications

Planned Specifications

Spatial Extent

South America (12N/60S - 85W/30W)

Same

Spatial Resolution

1/8 Degrees

SameTime Period

Retrospective (2000-2004)

Near real time (2002-present)

Temporal Resolution

15 minute time steps, 3-hourly output fields

Same

Land Surface Models

NOAH, SSiBNOAH, SSiB, CLM, SiB3

Output Format

BIN, GRIB

SameElevation Definition

GTOPO30

SameVegetation Definition

University of Maryland, 1 km

UMD, CPTEC/INPE, MODIS maps

Soils Definition

Reynolds, Jackson, and Rawls [1999]

CPTEC/INPE soils maps

CONVERGENCE ACROSS USER NEEDSANALYSIS OF CAPACITY BUILDING REQUIREMENTS(BASED ON INPUTS FROM PARTICIPANTS AT AN IGWCO MEETING IN EARLY 2005)
Data
accessChina

Yes

EcuadorYes

Meas. Ofvar.

InIn-situnetworks

Sat Data
Process.

Tech/info
For WRM

Prediction
SystemApplic./
Training

Yes
Yes

Yes
CaseYesat
Based on the information on capacity
building
needs given
this workshop it is evident that a greatStudies
deal of progress has
Indonesia
Yes
Yes
ClimateYes
been achieved in the past 2 ½ years.
ModelsIndia

Mongolia

Flow,
Water Lvl

PanamaSoil Moist.
Grndwater

Down
ScalingRain

Rain
Typhoons

Rgnl
ClimateMonsoonTracking

Precip.
Forecast

Philippines
Viet Nam

Yes

Rain

Yes

Rain
Networks

Hydrology
Meteor.
Assimil.

INTEGRATION ACROSS OBSERVATION / DATA USE COMMUNITIESOCEANSATMOSPHEREINTEGRATIONDISASTERSHYDROSPHERE

WATER
AGRICULTURE
WEATHERECOSYSTEMSENERGYETC.

EACH COMMUNITY HAS ITS OWN POLICIES, OBSERVATIONS (IN SITU ANDSPACE), TOOLS & CULTURES

Uncertainty ofClimate Predictions
Annual Precipitation(Hadley and Max Planck Climate Models,2070s, A2 Scenario)

BIODIVERSITY

CLIMATE

WEATHERFORECASTINGDISASTERSWATERAGRICULTURE

The
Global Water Cycle affects
every GEO Societal
Benefit Area
HEALTHECOSYSTEMSENERGYand represents a natural convergence focus for addressing
all the information challenges of GEO SBAs.

CONVERGENCE ACROSS PROGRAMS2004200520072006

IDEAS TRANSFERRED INTO GEOTYIPP AS TARGETS AND NOW INTO 2006
AND 2007‐2009 WORK PLAN ITEMSCEOP HAS BE A
LONG STANDING
VIGOROUS PROJECTIN GEWEX. IGWCO
WAS INITIATED WHEN
CEOP SOUGHT
ENDORSEMENT BYCEOS.

SOMETARGETS
CEOP GWC
AND IGWCO
INTHEGEOTYIPP:DELIVERED ON A
PRECIPITATIONNUMBER OF
NETWORKSOFTASKS
WATER CYCLE
SUPERSITESNETWORK PLANNINGDATA SHARING
CAPACITYBUILDINGWATER CYCLE COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE
Under the GEO User Interface Committee a Water Cycle
Community of Practice is being developed. It will provide:1) Definition of the needs of information on best practices2) Definition of the needs for Earth Observations andanalysis tools3) Sharing of experiences on the use of Earth Observations4) Consensus on best practices

WaterNet
WaterNet GOAL: improve and optimize the sustained ability of water cycle
researchers, stakeholders, organizations and networks to interact,
identify, harness, and extend NASA research results to augment decision
support tools and meet national needs.
Earth‐Sun Applied Science Program

NASA Water Cycle Research

Water Cycle User Community

WaterNetThe NASA Water Cycle Solutions NetworkScience
Community
Guidance

NationalScience
Programs

communication
Actionable WaterNet database

Satellite
DataProviders

Planning &Formulation

Commercial Data Providers

DAACS

Requirements and Feedback
Earth‐Sun System Gateway

Modeling Labs

Data and Model Products
Benchmarking(EarthSat, Digital Globe…)

Educational
Organizations

ScienceDiscovery &Results

NPA/DSTs

Pathway Discovery (MIT)

Evaluation

Aviation:
AWRP

Air Quality:
CMAQ
Water
Management:
BASINS,Riverware Coastal
Management:
CREWS

Serving the Nation

Verification and Validation
Network Optimization (OSSEs)

Policy Decision Makers

WATER CYCLE COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE
Definition of the needs of information on best practices
Definition of the needs for Earth Observations andanalysis tools
Sharing of experiences on the use of Earth Observations
Development of a consensus on best practices

WaterNetAwci

Regional initiatives canprovide convergence to a
Global Community ofPractice.

WATCH &TIGER

Strategies for encouraging convergence:‐ Standards for observations‐ Shared data in a centralized or an interoperable
distributed data system‐ Common data analysis and visualization tools‐ Interoperable web sites and information distribution‐ Best practices for the use of Earth Observations‐ Programs that promote solutions through convergence
The Asian Water Cycle Initiative science community
shows remarkable coherence, commitment andcapability in achieving convergence. The global water
cycle community is looking to Asia for examples of how
to converge and integrate through capacity building,demonstration projects and data systems.