Staff Notes Daily Calendar Events

ACOM SEMINAR

TITLE: Recent studies involving the unexpectedly interesting CFC-11

SPEAKER: Eric Ray, Chemistry and Climate Processes, NOAA Earth System Research Laboratory, Chemical Sciences Division

ABSTRACT: CFC-11 production has been regulated since the signing of the Montreal Protocol in 1987 due to its role in the destruction of stratospheric ozone. The slow release rate of CFC-11 from the banks where it is stored after use (~3-5%/year) and its long atmospheric lifetime (~50 years) have led to a gradual decline in atmospheric concentrations from a peak in the early 1990s. The recent detection of CFC-11 atmospheric concentrations not decreasing as quickly as expected led to the discovery of an increase in CFC-11 emissions and production, in violation of the Montreal Protocol. This discovery spurred new research focused on CFC-11 leading to the publication of several high profile papers in the last couple of years with more on the way.

In this talk I will give an overview of the research we have been doing at NOAA over the past ~five years involving CFC-11 (as well as other long-lived trace  gases such as CFC-12 and N2O). Our research has generally focused on emissions change detection and transport variability, which are interrelated, and has incorporated an extensive number of WACCM simulations and detailed observational analysis. I will show results from this work and discuss some of the  implications for long-lived trace gas emission calculations and how stratospheric transport variability can affect surface trace gas levels.

Monday, February 24, 2020, 3:30 p.m Refreshments 3:15 p.m NCAR Foothills Laboratory FL2-1022, large seminar room Live webcast: http://ucarconnect.ucar.edu/live

Title: Discrepancy in radiative feedbacks between models and observations tied to models' inability to reproduce tropical Pacific temperature changes

Speaker: Cristian Proistosescu, University of Illinois at Urbana - Champaign

Date: Tuesday 31, March 2020

Time: 11 am - 12 pm

*Refreshments at 10:45*

Location: Mesa Lab, Main Seminar Room, ML-132

Abstract:  Earth's climate sensitivity to CO2 forcing is determined by its net radiative feedback, which quantifies how much more energy is radiated to space for a given increase in surface temperature.  Estimates from present day observations of temperature and earth's energetic imbalance yield a strongly negative radiative feedback, or, equivalently, a very low climate sensitivity. This value lies outside the range of net radiative feedbacks in coupled climate models. This discrepancy in radiative feedbacks can be linked to discrepancies between models and observations in the pattern of historical sea-surface temperature (SST) anomalies that drive tropical atmospheric circulation and radiative damping.  Indeed, we find that an atmospheric model forced with observed SSTs (CAM5 AMIP) yields a net feedback that is consistent with observational estimates, but up to three times more negative than that from the same period (2000-2017) in historical simulations where the same atmospheric model is coupled to a dynamical ocean model (CESM1 Large Ensemble).

To understand the role natural variability plays in this discrepancy, we compare the radiative feedbacks generated by the observed pattern of SSTs to those within the CESM1 large ensemble over the same period. The large ensemble produces a wide range of feedbacks due to internal variability alone. Yet, global radiative feedbacks (cloud feedbacks in particular) generated by observed warming patterns are far outside the range of natural variability in the ensemble. Using both a Green's function approach, as well as a simple metric based on the East-West tropical pacific gradient, we show that none of the control simulations of CMIP5 climate models can generate sufficiently large natural variability to explain the discrepancy between models and observations. We conclude that the discrepancy in SST patterns, and the resulting discrepancy in radiative feedbacks, is caused by the inability of models to  simulate either natural variability or the forced response over the recent historical period.

For more information contact Tracy Baker, tbaker@ucar.edu, 303-497-1366

Title:  The MJO in CESM2: Mean-Sate, Coupling and Unexpected Sensitivities

Speaker: Richard Neale, NCAR

Date:  Friday, 28 February 2020

Time: 1:30 - 2:30 pm

*Refreshments at 1:15*

Location: Mesa Lab, Main Seminar Room, ML-132

Abstract:  The Madden Julian Oscillation (MJO) is the primary mode of intraseasonal, convectively coupled wave variability in the tropics, and has teleconnection impacts around the globe. With its spontaneous, intermittent and multi-scale nature it represents a unique challenge for course resolution GCMs. Given its emerging importance in extending forecast predictability, monitoring the MJO performance during model development, as with other important modes of variability, is paramount.

In the Community Earth System Model (CESM2), the MJO is now a well simulated feature, in terms of propagation speed, strength and regional coherence. However, the improvement is only in the presence of an interactive ocean. When observed SSTs are prescribed in the atmosphere model (CAM6) the MJO is largely absent, similar to CESM1 and CAM5. This makes any attribution due to ‘improved’ atmospheric processes challenging. MJO signal coherence degrades when the hourly coupling frequency is returned to the CESM1 value of daily; confirming previous work on the role of SST anomaly coupling. 

However, this is not the end of the story for CESM2.  A range of modifications to surface forcings that drive CAM6 (including SSTs and the maritime continent specifications), reveal that the requirement for interactive surface coupling may not be critical for the model’s MJO. We show how the atmospheric basic state changes in response to surface forcing, and how critical aspects including the poleward humidity gradients, surface fluxes and changes in process tendencies are able to support MJO events. A continued science focus on the MJO remains an important endeavor, especially given its somewhat dramatic response in future climate simulations.

For more information contact Tracy Baker, tbaker@ucar.edu, 303-497-1366

SPEAKER:          Professor Julie Lundquist

DATE:                  February 25, 2020

TIME:                   3:30 - 4:30 pm

LOCATION:       FL2-1022 Large Auditorium

ABSTRACT

In 2017, after a decade of preparation, a consortium of US and European and U.S. research groups conducted a field campaign 1 May–15 June 2017 in the Vale do Cobrão in central Portugal to explore microscale processes in complex terrain. This valley is nestled within a parallel double ridge near the town of Perdigão. Further, an isolated 2-MW wind turbine (rotor diameter 82 m) is located on one ridge. Typical wind directions measured at the ridgetops are normal to the ridges, suggesting a simple yet natural setting for studies of flow and turbulence in complex terrain, as well as interactions with the wind turbine wake.

Over twenty-five remote sensing instruments (lidars, sodars, radars, radiometers, including 8 scanning lidars) and 45+ meteorological towers were deployed in a 4km x 4km region to closely document flow over, through, and around the Vale do Cobrão. Profiling lidars, scanning lidars and airborne hotwire anemometers provide new insights into the onset and decay of turbulence within the valley and above the ridges, especially occurrences of topographically-driven flow reversal. Lidar analysis coupled with radiosonde profiles document the conditions leading to lee wave generation across the valley. Routine scanning lidar transects across the valley document the occurrences of flow recirculation. Other scanning lidar measurements document the behaviour of the wind turbine wake.

The density of measurements offers new insights into the variability of flow in complex terrain. These insights are both applied, such as new rules of thumb for wind turbine deployment in complex terrain, and fundamental, regarding improved methods for the parameterization of turbulence in complex terrain. Current and ongoing data analysis, as well as large-eddy simulations of specific case studies, will be highlighted.

Coffee will be provided

The Variability of High-latitude Ionospheric Conductivity and its Effects on Magnetosphere-Ionosphere-Thermosphere Coupling During Major geomagnetic Storms.

High-latitude ionospheric conductivity is one fundamental physical parameter that has significant impacts on Magnetosphere-Ionosphere-Thermosphere (M-I-T) coupling. It not only regulates field-aligned currents and high-latitude convection pattern in magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling, but also determines where and how energy and momentum dissipate in the upper atmosphere, and thereby affects the global behavior of the upper atmosphere during magnetically active periods. In this study, we include two kinetic processes in a first principles, coupled magnetosphere, inner magnetosphere, thermosphere and ionosphere (LTR) model. These two processes affect dynamically the magnitude and distribution of ionosphere conductivity, but have not been included together in previous M-I-T system simulations. These two processes are: 1) lower ionospheric microscale Farley-Buneman turbulence (AEH), and 2)  Super Thermal Electron Transport (STET) correction that describes more accurately the multiple reflections of electrons from magnetically conjugate regions and wave-driven electron energization. Four LTR simulations for the 2013 St. Patrick’s Day storm event have been carried out: 1) base run without FBT and STET; 2) with just AEH; 3) with just STET; and 4) with both AEH and STET. Preliminary model outputs show that AEH and STET change ionospheric conductivity significantly in regions of large electric fields and strong field-aligned currents by altering the mean energy and number flux of auroral precipitation. This then modifies field-aligned currents and high latitude convection pattern. The effects of this ionospheric conductivity change on Joule heating and ion drag, and thus thermosphere circulation and composition, ionosphere electron densities, will also be presented in this talk.

Do you have some experience as an HPC system administrator and want to expand your skills? Then this is the workshop for you!

Strengthen your overall knowledge of HPC system administration Focus in depth on file systems and storage, HPC networks, and job schedulers Get hands-on training and discuss real-life stories with experienced HPC administrators Learn techniques for high performance data transfers using a ScienceDMZ

Workshop Dates: March 23-27, 2020

Location: Center Green 1 Main Auditorium

Please see the LCI Intermediate Workshop website for agenda and registration information. 

Do you have some experience as an HPC system administrator and want to expand your skills? Then this is the workshop for you!

Strengthen your overall knowledge of HPC system administration Focus in depth on file systems and storage, HPC networks, and job schedulers Get hands-on training and discuss real-life stories with experienced HPC administrators Learn techniques for high performance data transfers using a ScienceDMZ

Workshop Dates: March 23-27, 2020

Location: Center Green 1 Main Auditorium

Please see the LCI Intermediate Workshop website for agenda and registration information. 

Do you have some experience as an HPC system administrator and want to expand your skills? Then this is the workshop for you!

Strengthen your overall knowledge of HPC system administration Focus in depth on file systems and storage, HPC networks, and job schedulers Get hands-on training and discuss real-life stories with experienced HPC administrators Learn techniques for high performance data transfers using a ScienceDMZ

Workshop Dates: March 23-27, 2020

Location: Center Green 1 Main Auditorium

Please see the LCI Intermediate Workshop website for agenda and registration information. 

Announced in 2010, the cloud-based platform called Google Earth Engine (GEE) provides a new way to conduct geospatial analysis. As a cloud-based platform, GEE has three important advantages over conventional geo-analysis techniques: 1) easy to access vast amounts of large-scale geospatial datasets; 2) easy to utilize Google’s supercomputing/AI capacities (e.g. global-scale computation, deep learning); and 3) easy to publish your results online as interactive maps. When using GEE, there is no need to download and organize the datasets, to upload the data and scripts to super-computers, or to export and download the results as maps. All you need to do is to write a script on the online code-editing platform, and GEE will do the rest for you. However, these amazing advantages do not come without a (minor) cost: GEE is significantly different from conventional programming languages. For instance, loops are limited/discouraged; math operators are implemented through object methods (e.g. “image1.add(image2)” instead of “image1+image2”); object/function names are uncommon/unfamiliar (e.g. collection, filter, reducer, map). This talk will briefly introduce the unique features of GEE and give you some tips to navigate the platform to better utilize all its benefits. Learning GEE also has the potential benefits beyond this particular tool, as more and more cloud-based geospatial platforms are emerging, such as Earth on AWS by Amazon, ArcGIS online by ESRI. These new cloud-based platforms also share some common advantages and challenges with GEE. Early sing-up of a GEE account is encouraged but not necessary.

Kangning (Ken) Huang is an ASP postdoctoral fellow at RAL, working on the urban heat-energy-water nexus. He received his Ph.D. in Urbanization and Global Change from Yale University, School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, his M.S. and B.S. in Geographic Information Science from Sun Yat-sen University, School of Geography and Planning. He used to be an urban scientist in a forestry school, studying forests of buildings and people, not just trees and animals. Now he is a geographer in a meteorology institute, studying the interactions between buildings, trees, people and climate change. He used GEE extensively in his doctoral dissertation to build a global urban heat island model.  

To learn more about mentoring for SOARS and other ways to get involved with the program, we invite you to join us at an upcoming Open House on the following days:

-Monday, February 10, 11am - 12pm, FL2 1003

-Friday, February 21, 1pm - 2pm, ML Chapman

Significant Opportunities in Atmospheric Research and Science (SOARS) is dedicated to broadening participation in the atmospheric and related sciences. Each year, approximately 20 students spend their summers at NCAR|UCAR, NOAA, CU Boulder, and our partner laboratories collaborating with their Mentors to conduct original research. SOARS Protégés are partnered with a team of Mentors that includes: Research Mentor(s), Writing Mentor, Computing Mentor, and a community Coach. We invite any interested NCAR|UCAR staff to get involved, no experience necessary!

To sign up to be a Mentor, please fill out this form.

Center Green 1, Room 3150 - Boardroom

Consultant: Rhett Belcher

Tuesday, March 17

FL2 - Room 1002

9:00 am - 4:00 pm

Consultant: Julie Marshal at 9:00am

                    David Croce from 10:00am - 4:00pm

Mark your calendars for UCAR’s 2020 Pre-Health Fair Bloodwork sessions and the Health & Benefits Fair.  These valuable wellness events are open to all UCAR employees, retirees, their spouses/partners and dependent adult children 18-26 years of age. For more information, visit the UCAR Health & Benefits Fair website.

Pre-Health Fair Bloodwork Registration Site Now Available

To participate in the pre-health fair bloodwork screenings, register to attend one of the following onsite sessions.  The standard full-blood chemistry screenings and PSA blood screening for men 50+ are FREE; optional, additional bloodwork screenings are also available upon request at participant cost. Each participant must register individually.

Pre-Health Fair Bloodwork Session Dates/Locations (Registration and 12-hour fast required; Light refreshments provided at each location)

• FL:          January 24, 2020, 7:30-11:30 am, FL2-1003
• ML:         January 30, 2020, 7:30-11:30 am, ML-Damon Room
• CG:         February 7, 2020, 7:30-11:30 am, CG1- room 2503
• NWSC:   February 13, 2020, 8:00-noon, NWSC Janice Conference Room
• RAF:       February 13, 2020, 8:00-10:30 am, RAF Conference Room

Schedule a blood draw appointment through Health Promotion Management's external, secure registration site: https://pickatime.com/UCAR. The registration site requires account setup for each participant.

Your appointment confirmation email will include additional information plus a link to the Blood Test Descriptions, a listing all of the tests offered at the bloodwork sessions. The Blood Test Descriptions document is provided for reference only to determine optional tests that you might want to have performed.  Please bring a credit card, check or cash to the screening for any optional test fees. 

Requisition forms will be available at the screening. You do not need to complete any paperwork in advance of your appointment.

You'll also receive appointment email reminders closer to your appointment date.  Please note, bloodwork screening results can be claimed at the Health Fair. To have a proxy claim your results, they must bring your signed Proxy Release Form to the Health & Benefits Fair.  All unclaimed results will be mailed to participants.

For those who can't make any of the onsite sessions, click here for information, forms and instructions to have bloodwork done at a local Quest Lab location.  All Quest Lab appointments must be completed by February 13, 2020.  Results will be mailed to participants. 

UCAR 2020 Health & Benefits Fair

Thursday, March 19, 2020

9:00 am - noon

CG1-Auditorium

No registration required to attend the Health & Benefits Fair

Health Fair events include:  Blood Screening Results and Private Consultations; Blood Pressure Screening, Full Blood Chemistry, PSA Prostate Cancer Screening; Optional Blood Screening Screenings; Pulmonary Screening; Bone Density Screening; Body Mass Analysis; Skin Cancer Screening; Vision/Hearing Screening; Ergonomics; Child and Elder Care Resources; Benefits Information; Chair Massage; Health Information Booths, Refreshments, Giveaways; Prizes; and much, much more!

UCAR offers these events as a service and participation is voluntary.  UCAR does not recommend or endorse any products, services or resources associated with these events. For more information, visit UCAR's Health & Benefits Fair website.

This is a UCAR-sponsored event.

UCAR Game Night is a recurring event for UCAR/NCAR staff and their family members.  It is currently running every other Tuesday night.  It is a time to come together, have fun, chat and play games.

Game nights will be scheduled using Google Calendar and this group will comprise the invite list as well as be the conduit for various information. The location of Game Nights will rotate between FL2, CG1, and ML cafeterias. Join the Google Group.

UCAR Game Night Policy Information: 

• UCAR Staff and their family members and friends are welcome at UCAR Game Night. Friends and Family are escorted by a member of UCAR staff at all times.
• No Alcohol at UCAR Game Nights.
• No Gambling for real money or other tangible assets. (Some board games include gambling as part of their mechanics and is for “in-game” assets. This is allowed.)
• You may bring your own food.  It is your responsibility to clean up after yourself.  Please also be respectful of the games and aware of food residue that may be on your hands.
• Please no open top beverage containers on game tables.
• You are allowed and encouraged to bring games of your own.
• UCAR is not responsible for loss or damage of your personal game.
• Please be aware of the appropriateness of a game you may bring for a workplace event.  (As an example, we would not consider Cards Against Humanity appropriate for the workplace)
• Have fun!

Please join Jeff Dykstra as he takes a deep dive in to the Policy Portfolio Modernization initiative. This is an opportunity to learn more about the project, its purpose, who is involved, and the timeline. There will be a presentation and time for questions. The session will also be recorded and webcast with an opportunity to ask questions remotely. Live Hangout.