| The need to routinely monitor and understand the state of the atmosphere and the
Earth System has been recognized since the late 19th century when international
coordination of observations began. A sophisticated global network for classic
meteorological variables such as wind, temperature, pressure, water vapour, cloud cover and
type, precipitation and solar radiation has evolved within a framework maintained
by the World Meteorological Organization, other international organizations and
national partners. It has been driven by the many different users needing weather and
climate information from such diverse sectors as marine transport and shipping,
energy, agriculture, water management, aviation and defense. Originally, it was
confined to mostly surface-based observations but in the mid 20th century, vertical
balloon profiling was added to meet the needs of aviation and an emerging interest in
numerical weather forecasting. In the late 20th century, two major changes took
place. First, the chemical variables- greenhouse gases, aerosols, ozone and their
precursors- that influence weather, climate, ecosystems and the air we breathe were added
mainly as surface-based in situ and remote sensing networks. Second, the mainly
two-dimensional surface-based network of classic meteorological variables was
transformed into a comprehensive three-dimensional global system integrated using
atmospheric models and data assimilation techniques. This was done by greatly enhancing
observations from surface-based and satellite remote sensing instruments and commercial
aircraft.
With the possible exception of stratospheric ozone, global observation systems for
chemical variables have not yet made the same jump from surface-based two dimensional
networks to comprehensive integrated three dimensional networks. Unlike classic
meteorological variables that have institutionally stable infrastructures dedicated to
their long term measurements, chemical variables have been measured through a
patchwork of international, national or regional research efforts with short term funding
whose longevity cannot be assured for the longer period of time that is essential for
environmental security. Today in Europe and indeed the World, there is an opportunity to
fill a gap in medium to long term infra-structure support for chemical observation
systems.
Atmospheric and climate research infrastructure initiatives are needed to assure
long term three dimensional atmospheric observations as a solid foundation for
shorter term process and model development research activities within the European
Research Framework programme. This presentation reviews emerging atmospheric
and climate research infrastructure initiatives that, when implemented within a
global context, will strengthen the environmental security of Europe. Observations
of atmospheric greenhouse gases and their regional or global budgets as well as
enhanced vertical profiling of the atmospheric using aircraft and surface-based systems
are a priority. Infrastructures that achieve this or that enable the atmospheric and
climate process research required for prediction and analysis will represent a swing of
the pendulum back from the extreme of short term project funding. This will help
to place Europe solidly amongst the leaders of Earth System studies of the 21st
century. |