ARISE activities

The ARISE infrastructure studies, performed during the previous ARISE design study phase , show the needs to improve Middle Atmosphere (MA) observations by using complementary station networks and multi instrument observatories for scientific and societal applications related to weather forecasting, climate modeling and natural hazard monitoring.

The studies demonstrated the interest of MA observations for the assessment of numerical weather prediction models such as the European Centre for Medium range Weather Forecasting (ECMWF) model. Data and model inter-comparisons showed significant MA temperature and wind differences in the ARISE reference stations: ALOMAR (polar region), Observatoire de Haute Provence (OHP at middle latitude) and Maïdo observatory (tropical region). They also demonstrated that the MA variability produced by the unresolved wave activity and disturbances are at the origin of the model uncertainties. This concerns climate and numerical weather prediction models, and also simulations of the infrasound propagation which need an accurate atmospheric description.

Global routine infrasound observations are relevant for societal applications related to natural hazard monitoring. The most advanced application deals with remote volcano monitoring for civil aviation. Data describing Gravity Wave (GW) climatologies and Sudden Stratospheric Warming (SSW) events in the middle atmosphere are unique and relevant for weather forecasting models. ARISE data were used for model assessment and new methods are developed for improving data quality and availability.

The recommendations arising from discussions during the ARISE workshops and recommendations of the advisory board are to develop a sustainable research infrastructure with enhanced MA observations and improved data products for the development of routine capacities and services. A first success is the contribution of ARISE in the GEOinquire Horizon Europe project starting in 2022.

¹Blanc E, Ceranna L, Hauchecorn A, Charlton Perez A, Marchetti E, Evers L, Kvaerna T, Lastovicka J, Eliasson L, Crosby N, Blanc Benon P, Le Pichon A, Brachet N, Pilger C, Keckhut P. AssinkJ, Smets P, Lee C, Kero J, Sindelarova T, Kämpfer N, Rüfenacht R, Farges T, Millet C, Näsholm P, Gibbons S, Espy P, Hibbins R, Heinrich P, Ripepe M, Khaykin S, Mze N, Chum J (2017), Toward an improved representation of the middle atmospheric dynamics thanks to the ARISE project, Surveys in Geophysics, http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10712-017-9444-0