UPDATED INFORMATION* ON

NORWAY’s

ANTARCTIC and sub-ANTARCTIC

“WEATHER-FORECASTING” INTERESTS

for

The International Antarctic Weather Forecasting Handbook:

IPY 2007-08 Supplement

by

Eirik Førland

Norwegian Meteorological Institute (met.no)

P.O. Box 43, Blindern

N-0313 OSLO

Norway

E-mail: eirikjf@met.no

Submitted April 2008

*Contribution for Section 7.5.6 Troll and Tor

7.5.6               Troll and Tor

7.5.6.1            Topography and local environment

Zzzz

7.5.6.2            Operational requirements and activities relevant to the forecasting process

         Located in Dronning Maud Land at  72°00’7’’ S,    2°32’2’’ E

         Station altitude = 1277 m a.s.l.

      Station height defined as the ground level at the position of the wind measurement mast. Reference height for air pressure: 1277.0 m asl. Barometer height: 1284.6 m asl

7.5.6.3            Data sources and services provided

Ø  Established as AWS in 1990. Manned station from 25.05.2005.

Ø  Station type: Automatic, with possibilities for manual input of data from observers.

Ø  WMO-number = 89 504 ; National station number = 99990

Ø  Hourly observations 

Ø  Has been main base for Norwegian field activities in the Antarctic since the  establishment in 1990

Ø  Communication = ftp via Norwegian Polar Institute. Transmitted to Norwegian Met. Inst. in SYNOP-format.

Ø  Distributed at GTS, no restrictions for use of data

Ø  All observations freely available (in near real-time) at the met.no eKlima web-portal http://eklima.met.no

Sensor heights

Ø  Wind sensors (synoptic use):        10 m above ground

Ø  Temperature and humidity (synoptic use):  2 m above ground

Ø  Additional wind sensors: 2 m above ground

Ø  Additional temperature and humidity sensors:  10 m above ground

Ø  All above listed sensors are mounted in the wind measurement mast.

Ø  Temperature and humidity screen: Sylindrical, double louvered plastic screen.

Ø  Screen dimensions:            Diameter: 18 cm, Height: 25 cm. 

Sensor types

Ø  Wind: Vaisala WAA 252  (velocity) and Vaisala WAV 252 (direction)

Ø  Temperature:                        Pt 100

Ø  Humidity:                   Vaisala HMP45D

Ø  Barometer:                Vaisala PTB220

Ø  Precipitation gauge: Manual gauge. Orifice 200 cm2.

Ø  Radiation Instrumentation:

        Short Wave radiation: Kipp & Zonen CM21 pyranometers

        Long wave radiation: Kipp & Zonen CG4 pyrgeometer.

Ø  Ground temperature profile from the surface down to 2 m below surface.

Ø  Radiation sensors are mounted 3 m above ground. Radiation site is approximately 10 m north of the wind measurement mast.

Research activities at the Troll station

Ø  Climatology (meteorology, glaciology, oceanography, biology)

Ø  Atmosphere (ozone, climate gases)

Ø  Long-distance transport of pollution (organic environmental toxics, heavy metals)

Ø  Biological monitoring (birds, vegetation)

Ø  Satellite communication station: TrollSat

Weather forecasting

The Norwegian Meteorological Institute issues updated ECMWF-based weather forecasts (1h – 8 days) as well as climate statistics for Troll in Antarctica and other sites in Antarctica at: http://www.yr.no/place/Antarctic/ . An example of the forecast layout is shown in Figure 7.5.6.3.1 (Norway-updated).

7.5.6.4            Important weather phenomena & forecasting techniques

General overview

Editors’ note: no new specific information provided.

Surface wind and the pressure field

Editors’ note: no new specific information provided.

Upper wind, temperature and humidity

Editors’ note: no new specific information provided.

Figure 7.5.6.3.1 (Norway-updated). An example of weather forecast for Antarctica from yr.no

Clouds

Editors’ note: no new specific information provided.

Visibility: blowing snow and fog

Editors’ note: no new specific information provided.

Surface contrast including white–out

Editors’ note: no new specific information provided.

Horizontal definition

Editors’ note: no new specific information provided.

Precipitation

Editors’ note: no new specific information provided.

Temperature and chill factor

Editors’ note: no new specific information provided.

Icing

Editors’ note: no new specific information provided.

Turbulence

Editors’ note: no new specific information provided.

Hydraulic jumps

Editors’ note: no new specific information provided.

Sea ice

Editors’ note: no new specific information provided.

Wind waves and swell

Editors’ note: no new specific information provided.