Contributions to the Improvement of Climate Data Availability and Quality for Sub-Saharan Africa

Author(s):
Kaspar, F.; Andersson, A.; Ziese, M.; Hollmann, R.
Publication title: Frontiers in Climate
2022
 | Volume: 3
2022
DOI: 10.3389/fclim.2021.815043
Abstract:
Reliable weather observations are the basis to assess climate change and variability. Compared to other regions of the world, long time series of weat… Reliable weather observations are the basis to assess climate change and variability. Compared to other regions of the world, long time series of weather observations are sparse in many countries of Sub-Saharan Africa. Various activities at national or international level are ongoing to improve the availability and quality of climate databases. Here, we present ongoing international contributions with a focus on representative examples hosted at Germany's national meteorological service DWD (Deutscher Wetterdienst). The international exchange of monthly climate reports (CLIMAT) is monitored within the Monitoring Centre of the GCOS Surface Network (Global Climate Observing System). In that context also quality control is performed and data are made publicly available. Recent climate observations can be complemented by digitization of historical hand-written weather observations which are available in distributed archives. International data centers, such as the Global Precipitation Climatology Centre (GPCC), collect international data. They perform quality-control of these observations and provide derived products in support of global and regional climate assessments. These activities can also contribute to the improvement of national climate databases, as e.g., demonstrated in a cooperation among selected countries with the SASSCAL initiative (Southern African Science Service Centre for Climate Change and Adaptive Land Management). Satellite-based observations are an additional source that can provide climatological information for selected parameters. In particular, the METEOSAT satellite series provides valuable data for the African continent. The Satellite Application Facility on Climate Monitoring (CM SAF) provides high resolution climate data covering the last decades derived from observations of such meteorological satellites. Based on these examples the paper illustrates the variety of ongoing international efforts in support of regional observation-based climate information, but also identifies the needs for further activities. Copyright © 2022 Kaspar, Andersson, Ziese and Hollmann. more
Application Atmosphere CM-SAF Climate Data Records

Copernicus Marine Service Ocean State Report, Issue 3

Author(s):
von Schuckmann, Karina; Le Traon, Pierre-Yves; Smith, Neville; Pascual, Ananda; Djavidnia, Samuel; Gattuso, Jean-Pierre; Grégoire, Marilaure; Nolan, Glenn; Aaboe, Signe; Aguiar, Eva; Álvarez Fanjul, Enrique; Alvera-Azcárate, Aida; Aouf, Lotfi; Barciela, Rosa; Behrens, Arno; Belmonte Rivas, Maria; Ben Ismail, Sana; Bentamy, Abderrahim; Borgini, Mireno; Brando, Vittorio E.; Bensoussan, Nathaniel; Blauw, Anouk; Bryère, Philippe; Buongiorno Nardelli, Bruno; Caballero, Ainhoa; Çağlar Yumruktepe, Veli; Cebrian, Emma; Chiggiato, Jacopo; Clementi, Emanuela; Corgnati, Lorenzo; de Alfonso, Marta; de Pascual Collar, Álvaro; Deshayes, Julie; Di Lorenzo, Emanuele; Dominici, Jean-Marie; Dupouy, Cécile; Drévillon, Marie; Echevin, Vincent; Eleveld, Marieke; Enserink, Lisette; García Sotillo, Marcos; Garnesson, Philippe; Garrabou, Joaquim; Garric, Gilles; Gasparin, Florent; Gayer, Gerhard; Gohin, Francis; Grandi, Alessandro; Griffa, Annalisa; Gourrion, Jérôme; Hendricks, Stefan; Heuzé, Céline; Holland, Elisabeth; Iovino, Doroteaciro; Juza, Mélanie; Kurt Kersting, Diego; Kipson, Silvija; Kizilkaya, Zafer; Korres, Gerasimos; Kõuts, Mariliis; Lagemaa, Priidik; Lavergne, Thomas; Lavigne, Heloise; Ledoux, Jean-Baptiste; Legeais, Jean-François; Lehodey, Patrick; Linares, Cristina; Liu, Ye; Mader, Julien; Maljutenko, Ilja; Mangin, Antoine; Manso-Narvarte, Ivan; Mantovani, Carlo; Markager, Stiig; Mason, Evan; Mignot, Alexandre; Menna, Milena; Monier, Maeva; Mourre, Baptiste; Müller, Malte; Nielsen, Jacob Woge; Notarstefano, Giulio; Ocaña, Oscar; Pascual, Ananda; Patti, Bernardo; Payne, Mark R.; Peirache, Marion; Pardo, Silvia; Pérez Gómez, Begoña; Pisano, Andrea; Perruche, Coralie; Peterson, K. Andrew; Pujol, Marie-Isabelle; Raudsepp, Urmas; Ravdas, Michalis; Raj, Roshin P.; Renshaw, Richard; Reyes, Emma; Ricker, Robert; Rubio, Anna; Sammartino, Michela; Santoleri, Rosalia; Sathyendranath, Shubha; Schroeder, Katrin; She, Jun; Sparnocchia, Stefania; Staneva, Joanna; Stoffelen, Ad; Szekely, Tanguy; Tilstone, Gavin H.; Tinker, Jonathan; Tintoré, Joaquín; Tranchant, Benoît; Uiboupin, Rivo; Van der Zande, Dimitry; von Schuckmann, Karina; Wood, Richard; Woge Nielsen, Jacob; Zabala, Mikel; Zacharioudaki, Anna; Zuberer, Frédéric; Zuo, Hao
Publication title: Journal of Operational Oceanography
2019
 | Volume: 12 | Issue: sup1
2019
DOI: 10.1080/1755876X.2019.1633075
Application Climate Data Records Cryosphere OSI-SAF

Coral Skeletal Luminescence Records Changes in Terrestrial Chromophoric Dissolved Organic Matter in Tropical Coastal Waters

Author(s):
Kaushal, N.; Sanwlani, N.; Tanzil, J.T.I.; Cherukuru, N.; Sahar, S.; Müller, M.; Mujahid, A.; Lee, J.N.; Goodkin, N.F.; Martin, P.
Publication title: Geophysical Research Letters
2021
 | Volume: 48 | Issue: 8
2021
DOI: 10.1029/2020GL092130
Abstract:
Terrigenous dissolved organic matter (tDOM) carried by rivers represents an important carbon flux to the coastal ocean, which is thought to be increas… Terrigenous dissolved organic matter (tDOM) carried by rivers represents an important carbon flux to the coastal ocean, which is thought to be increasing globally. Because tDOM is rich in light-absorbent chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM), it may also reduce the amount of sunlight available in coastal ecosystems. Despite its biogeochemical and ecological significance, there are few long-term records of tDOM, hindering our understanding of its drivers and dynamics. Corals incorporate terrestrial humic acids, an important constituent of CDOM, resulting in luminescent bands that have been previously linked to rainfall and run-off. We show that luminescence green-to-blue (G/B) ratios in a coral core growing in waters affected by peatland run-off correlate strongly with remote sensing-derived CDOM absorption. The 24-year monthly resolution reconstructed record shows that rainfall controls land-to-ocean tDOM flux from this protected peatland catchment, and suggests an additional impact by solar radiation, which degrades tDOM at sea. © 2021. The Authors. more
Application Atmosphere CM-SAF Climate Data Records Ocean

Coupling Diffuse Sky Radiation and Surface Albedo

Author(s):
Pinty, Bernard; Lattanzio, Alessio; Martonchik, John V.; Verstraete, Michel M.; Gobron, Nadine; Taberner, Malcolm; Widlowski, Jean-Luc; Dickinson, Robert E.; Govaerts, Yves
Publication title: Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences
2005
 | Volume: 62 | Issue: 7
2005
DOI: 10.1175/JAS3479.1
Abstract:
Abstract New satellite instruments have been delivering a wealth of information regarding land surface albedo. This basic quantity describ… Abstract New satellite instruments have been delivering a wealth of information regarding land surface albedo. This basic quantity describes what fraction of solar radiation is reflected from the earth’s surface. However, its concept and measurements have some ambiguity resulting from its dependence on the incidence angles of both the direct and diffuse solar radiation. At any time of day, a surface receives direct radiation in the direction of the sun, and diffuse radiation from the various other directions in which it may have been scattered by air molecules, aerosols, and cloud droplets. This contribution proposes a complete description of the distribution of incident radiation with angles, and the implications in terms of surface albedo are given in a mathematical form, which is suitable for climate models that require evaluating surface albedo many times. The different definitions of observed albedos are explained in terms of the coupling between surface and atmospheric scattering properties. The analytical development in this paper relates the various quantities that are retrieved from orbiting platforms to what is needed by an atmospheric model. It provides a physically simple and practical approach to evaluation of land surface albedo values at any condition of sun illumination irrespective of the current range of surface anisotropic conditions and atmospheric aerosol load. The numerical differences between the various definitions of albedo for a set of typical atmospheric and surface scattering conditions are illustrated through numerical computation. more
Climate Data Records EUM-Secr Land Method

Coupling the regional climate model ICON-CLM v2.6.6 to the Earth system model GCOAST-AHOI v2.0 using OASIS3-MCT v4.0

Author(s):
Ho-Hagemann, H.T.M.; Maurer, V.; Poll, S.; Fast, I.
Publication title: Geoscientific Model Development
2024
 | Volume: 17 | Issue: 21
2024
DOI: 10.5194/gmd-17-7815-2024
Abstract:
Interactions and feedback between components of the Earth system can have a significant impact on local and regional climate and its changes due to gl… Interactions and feedback between components of the Earth system can have a significant impact on local and regional climate and its changes due to global warming. These effects can be better represented by regional Earth system models (RESMs) than by traditional stand-alone atmosphere and ocean models. Here, we present the RESM Geesthacht Coupled cOAstal model SysTem (GCOAST)-AHOI v2.0, which includes a new atmospheric component, the regional climate model Icosahedral Nonhydrostatic (ICON)-CLM, which is coupled to the Nucleus for European Modelling of the Ocean (NEMO) and the hydrological discharge model HD via the OASIS3-MCT coupler. The GCOAST-AHOI model has been developed and applied for climate simulations over the EURO-CORDEX domain. Two 11-year simulations from 2008 to 2018 of the uncoupled ICON-CLM and GCOAST-AHOI give similar results for seasonal and annual means of near-surface air temperature, precipitation, mean sea level pressure, and wind speed at a height of 10 m. However, GCOAST-AHOI has a cold sea surface temperature (SST) bias of 1-2 K over the Baltic and North seas that is most pronounced in the winter and spring seasons. A possible reason for the cold SST bias could be the underestimation of the downward shortwave radiation at the surface of ICON-CLM with the current model settings. Despite the cold SST bias, GCOAST-AHOI was able to capture other key variables well, such as those mentioned above. Therefore, GCOAST-AHOI can be a useful tool for long-term climate simulations over the EURO-CORDEX domain. Compared to the stand-alone NEMO3.6 forced by ERA5 and ORAS5 boundary forcing, GCOAST-AHOI has positive biases in sea ice fraction and salinity but negative biases in runoff, which need to be investigated further in the future to improve the coupled simulations. The new OASIS3-MCT coupling interface OMCI implemented in ICON-CLM adds the possibility of coupling ICON-CLM to an external ocean model and an external hydrological discharge model using OASIS3-MCT instead of the YAC (Yet Another Coupler). Using OMCI, it is also possible to set up a RESM with ICON-CLM and other ocean and hydrology models possessing the OASIS3-MCT interface for other regions, such as the Mediterranean Sea. Copyright: © 2024 Ha Thi Minh Ho-Hagemann et al. more
Application Atmosphere CM-SAF Climate Data Records Validation

CRAAS: A European Cloud Regime dAtAset Based on the CLAAS-2.1 Climate Data Record

Author(s):
Tzallas, Vasileios; Hünerbein, Anja; Stengel, Martin; Meirink, Jan Fokke; Benas, Nikos; Trentmann, Jörg; Macke, Andreas
Publication title: Remote Sensing
2022
 | Volume: 14 | Issue: 21
2022
DOI: 10.3390/rs14215548
Abstract:
Given the important role of clouds in our planet’s climate system, it is crucial to further improve our understanding of their governing processes as … Given the important role of clouds in our planet’s climate system, it is crucial to further improve our understanding of their governing processes as well as the resulting spatio-temporal variability of their properties. This co-variability of different cloud optical properties is adequately represented through the well-established concept of cloud regimes. The focus of the present study lies on the creation of a cloud regime dataset over Europe, named “Cloud Regime dAtAset based on the CLAAS-2.1 climate data record” (CRAAS), in order to analyze their variability and their changes at different spatio-temporal scales. In addition, co-occurrences between the cloud regimes and large-scale weather patterns are investigated. The CLoud property dAtAset using Spinning Enhanced Visible and Infrared (SEVIRI) edition 2.1 (CLAAS-2.1) data record, which is produced by the Satellite Application Facility on Climate Monitoring (CM SAF), was used as the basis for the derivation of the cloud regimes over Europe for a 14-year period (2004–2017). In particular, the cloud optical thickness (COT) and cloud top pressure (CTP) products of CLAAS-2.1 were used in order to compute 2D histograms. Then, the k-means clustering algorithm was applied to the generated 2D histograms in order to derive the cloud regimes. Eight cloud regimes were identified, which, along with the geographical distribution of their frequency of occurrence, assisted in providing a detailed description of the climate of the cloud properties over Europe. The annual and diurnal variabilities of the eight cloud regimes were studied, and trends in their frequency of occurrence were also examined. Larger changes in the frequency of occurrence of the produced cloud regimes were found for a regime associated to alto- and nimbo-type clouds and for a regime connected to shallow cumulus clouds and fog (−0.65% and +0.70% for the time period of the study, respectively). more
Application Atmosphere CM-SAF Climate Data Records

Creating Fidelitous Climate Data Records from Meteosat First Generation Observations

Author(s):
Quast, Ralf; Govaerts, Yves; Rüthrich, Frank; Giering, Ralf; Roebeling, Rob
2016
2016
DOI: 10.6084/M9.FIGSHARE.3412201.V1
Abstract:
Essay on the reconstruction of the Meteosat VIS band spectral response function in the course of the FIDUCEO project. Conference paper contributed to … Essay on the reconstruction of the Meteosat VIS band spectral response function in the course of the FIDUCEO project. Conference paper contributed to the ESA Living Planet Symposium, Prague, May 2016:\textlessbr\textgreaterPaper 1442 - Session title: Atmosphere & Climate Posters\textlessstrong\textgreaterATMO-178 - Creating Fidelitous Climate Data Records from Meteosat First Generation VIS Band Observations\textless/strong\textgreater more
Climate Data Records EUM-Secr Method

Current and future potential of solar and wind energy over Africa using the RegCM4 CORDEX-CORE ensemble

Author(s):
Sawadogo, W.; Reboita, M.S.; Faye, A.; da Rocha, R.P.; Odoulami, R.C.; Olusegun, C.F.; Adeniyi, M.O.; Abiodun, B.J.; Sylla, M.B.; Diallo, I.; Coppola, E.; Giorgi, F.
Publication title: Climate Dynamics
2021
 | Volume: 57 | Issue: 5-6
2021
DOI: 10.1007/s00382-020-05377-1
Abstract:
Renewable energy is key for the development of African countries, and knowing the best location for the implementation of solar and wind energy projec… Renewable energy is key for the development of African countries, and knowing the best location for the implementation of solar and wind energy projects is important within this context. The purpose of this study is to assess the impact of climate change on solar and wind energy potential over Africa under low end (RCP2.6) and high end (RCP8.5) emission scenarios using a set of new high resolution (25 km) simulations with the Regional Climate Model version 4 (RegCM4) produced as part of the CORDEX-CORE initiative. The projections focus on two periods: (i) the near future (2021–2040) and ii) the mid-century future (2041–2060). The performance of the RegCM4 ensemble mean (Rmean) in simulating relevant present climate variables (1995–2014) is first evaluated with respect to the ERA5 reanalysis and satellite-based data. The Rmean reproduces reasonably well the observed spatial patterns of solar irradiance, air temperature, total cloud cover, wind speed at 100 m above the ground level, photovoltaic power potential (PVP), concentrated solar power output (CSPOUT) and wind power density (WPD) over Africa, though some biases are still evident, especially for cloud-related variables. For the future climate, the sign of the changes is consistent in both scenarios but with more intense magnitude in the middle of the century RCP8.5 scenario. Considering the energy variables, the Rmean projects a general decrease in PVP, which is more pronounced in the mid-century future and under RCP8.5 (up to 2%). Similarly, a general increase in CSPOUT (up to 2%) is projected over the continent under both the RCP2.6 and RCP8.5 scenarios. The projection in WPD shows a similar change (predominant increase) in the near and mid-century future slices under both RCPs with a maximum increase of 20%. The present study suggests that the RCP2.6 emission scenario, in general, favours the implementation of renewable energy in Africa compared to the RCP8.5. © 2020, The Author(s). more
Application Atmosphere CM-SAF Climate Data Records

Current-climate sea ice amount and seasonality as constraints for future Arctic amplification

Author(s):
Linke, Olivia; Feldl, Nicole; Quaas, Johannes
Publication title: Environmental Research: Climate
2023
 | Volume: 2 | Issue: 4
2023
DOI: 10.1088/2752-5295/acf4b7
Abstract:
The recent Arctic sea ice loss is a key driver of the amplified surface warming in the northern high latitudes, and simultaneously a major source of u… The recent Arctic sea ice loss is a key driver of the amplified surface warming in the northern high latitudes, and simultaneously a major source of uncertainty in model projections of Arctic climate change. Previous work has shown that the spread in model predictions of future Arctic amplification (AA) can be traced back to the inter-model spread in simulated long-term sea ice loss. We demonstrate that the strength of future AA is further linked to the current climate’s, observable sea ice state across the multi-model ensemble of the 6th Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP6). The implication is that the sea-ice climatology sets the stage for long-term changes through the 21st century, which mediate the degree by which Arctic warming is amplified with respect to global warming. We determine that a lower base-climate sea ice extent and sea ice concentration (SIC) in CMIP6 models enable stronger ice melt in both future climate and during the seasonal cycle. In particular, models with lower Arctic-mean SIC project stronger future ice loss and a more intense seasonal cycle in ice melt and growth. Both processes systemically link to a larger future AA across climate models. These results are manifested by the role of climate feedbacks that have been widely identified as major drivers of AA. We show in particular that models with low base-climate SIC predict a systematically stronger warming contribution through both sea-ice albedo feedback and temperature feedbacks in the future, as compared to models with high SIC. From our derived linear regressions in conjunction with observations, we estimate a 21st-century AA over sea ice of 2.47–3.34 with respect to global warming. Lastly, from the tight relationship between base-climate SIC and the projected timing of an ice-free September, we predict a seasonally ice-free Arctic by mid-century under a high-emission scenario. more
Application Climate Data Records Cryosphere OSI-SAF Ocean

Daily satellite-based sunshine duration estimates over Brazil: validation and intercomparison

Author(s):
Gava, Maria Lívia L. M.; Costa, Simone M. S.; Porfírio, Anthony C. S.
Publication title: Atmospheric Measurement Techniques
2023
 | Volume: 16 | Issue: 21
2023
DOI: 10.5194/amt-16-5429-2023
Abstract:
The broad geographical coverage and high temporal and spatial resolution of geostationary satellite data provide an excellent opportunity to collect i… The broad geographical coverage and high temporal and spatial resolution of geostationary satellite data provide an excellent opportunity to collect information on variables whose spatial distribution and temporal variability are not adequately represented by in situ networks. This study focuses on assessing the effectiveness of two geostationary satellite-based sunshine duration (SDU) datasets over Brazil, given the relevance of SDU to various fields, such as agriculture and the energy sector, to ensure reliable SDU data over the country. The analyzed datasets are the operational products provided by the Satellite Application Facility on Climate Monitoring (CMSAF) that uses data achieved with the Meteorological Satellite (Meteosat) series and by the Satellite and Meteorological Sensors Division of the National Institute for Space Research (DISSM–INPE) that employs Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) data. The analyzed period ranges from September 2013 to December 2017. The mean bias error (MBE), mean absolute error (MAE), root mean squared error (RMSE), correlation coefficient (r), and scatterplots between satellite products and in situ daily SDU measurements provided by the National Institute of Meteorology (INMET) were used to access the performance of the products. They were calculated on a monthly basis and grouped into climate regions. The statistical parameters exhibited a uniform spatial distribution, indicating homogeneity within a given region. Except for the tropical northeast oriental (TNO) region, there were no significant seasonal dependencies observed. The MBE values for both satellite products were generally low across most regions in Brazil, mainly between 0 and 1 h. The correlation coefficient (r) results indicated a strong agreement between the estimated values and the observed data, with an overall r value exceeding 0.8. Nevertheless, there were notable discrepancies in specific areas. The CMSAF product showed a tendency to overestimate observations in the TNO region, with the MBE consistently exceeding 1 h for all months, while the DISSM product exhibited a negative gradient of the MBE values in the west–east direction in the northern portion of Brazil. The scatterplots for the TNO region revealed that the underestimation pattern observed in the DISSM product was influenced by the sky condition, with more accurate estimations observed under cloudy skies. Additional analysis suggested that the biases observed might be attributed to the misrepresentation of clear-sky reflectance. In the case of the CMSAF product, the overestimation tendency observed in the TNO region appeared to be a result of systematic underestimation of the effective cloud albedo. The findings indicated that both satellite-based SDU products generally exhibited good agreement with the ground observations across Brazil, although their performance varied across different regions and seasons. The analyzed operational satellite products present a reliable source of data to several applications, which is an asset due to its high spatial resolution and low time latency. more
Atmosphere CM-SAF Climate Data Records Validation
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