Oliktok Point Site Science: Putting Local Measurements into a Broader Perspective
Poster PDF
Authors
Matthew Shupe — University of Colorado
Gijs de Boer — University of Colorado
Amy Solomon — University of Colorado/NOAA- Earth System Research Laboratory
David D. Turner — NOAA- Global Systems Laboratory
Sandra Sandra Starkweather Starkweather — University of Colorado - CIRES
Christopher J Cox — Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Science
Michael Stone — University of Colorado
Category
High-latitude clouds and aerosols
Description
This poster will present initial results from a number of analyses using the measurements from the Oliktok Point third ARM mobile facility (AMF3) deployment. These efforts strive to provide broader context for measurements from this site through the incorporation of additional datasets. As one example, there is currently an effort underway to evaluate the performance of four different reanalysis products (ERA-Interim, JRA-55, MERRA-2 and NCEP-2) in their depiction of the lower Arctic atmosphere at Oliktok Point. Additionally, there is an effort underway to characterize relationships between various observed quantities at Oliktok Point (e.g. radiation, cloud properties, surface met) and the synoptic scale environment. This effort uses self-organizing maps (SOMs) to identify dominant synoptic states and then maps other variables on these dominant states. A third effort currently being undertaken uses Oliktok Point and Barrow measurements to take a close look at the anomalously early snow melt occurring in spring 2015. Measurements from these two sites demonstrate a coherent relationship in 2014 and 2015, with similar timing of the spring melt. Interestingly, Oliktok’s melt occurred roughly 1 week before Barrow in both years. Efforts are underway to understand the sequence of events leading to the melt event as well as how those events may be related to the synoptic forcing occurring during these two years. Results from all of these evaluations will be provided, along with information on data products developed to carry out these efforts. Additionally, an update will be provided on the work to integrate Oliktok Point into the International Arctic Systems for Observing the Atmosphere (IASOA) framework.
