APPENDIX E

SUMMARY OF GCIP INITIAL DATA SETS COMPILED

A number of GCIP initial data sets (GIDS) were prepared to provide the data services support during the build-up period before the EOP. The GCIP researchers considered the availability of existing data sets from special experiments and/or reanalysis periods in selecting time periods for these initial data sets.

Preparation of the GIDS started in 1993, and the data sets were compiled for on-line access by GCIP investigators to the extent that is technically feasible. They were also packaged in a manner (e.g., use of CD-ROM) for wide distribution especially to international persons interested in performing initial diagnostic, evaluation, and modeling studies on GCIP-related topics.

E.1 GIDS-1 Winter-Early Spring Season

The first GCIP data set served as both a scientific data set and a GCIP static data system test that made use of existing experimental and operational capability to provide a composite observing and model output data set derived from the new observation and assimilation schemes. The period for this data set is from 1 February to 30 April 1992. This data set includes data from STORM-FEST, conducted from 1 February to 15 March 1992, and was augmented by hydrological, geographical, and vegetation data for the Mississippi River basin. An additional six weeks of atmospheric, hydrological, and land surface data were added from existing data centers.

The GIDS-1 data set became available online through the CODIAC system operated by the UCAR/OFPS in April 1994. A CD-ROM containing a selected portion of GIDS-1 data was distributed in August 1994. A summary report for this data set was completed in September 1996.

E.2 GIDS-2 Abnormal Climate Events

The compilation of this data set was postponed due to lack of resources.

E.3 GIDS-3 Initial Warm Season

The observations and model output data collected during a GCIP Integrated Systems Test (GIST), provided the third of the initial data sets. This data set was completed in June 1995 and is available on line through the CODIAC system operated by the UCAR/OFPS. A CD-ROM containing a selected portion of the GIDS-3 data was distributed in October 1995. The data summary report was completed in September 1996.

The GIST data collection period extended from 1 April 1994 to 31 August 1994, with a concentrated effort during the summer season of June, July, and August. The GIST took place in the LSA-SW which was shown in Figure 7-1. A listing of the data types to be included in the GIDS-3 data set is given in Table E-1.

Table E-1 Data Sets Collected During GIST
Surface Data
Gist Hourly Surface Composite*
Gist Hourly Precipitation Composite*
GIST Daily Precipitation Composite*
NWS ASOS Data
FAA AWOS Data
NCDC Surface Aviation Observations (SAO) Data
High Plains Climate Network (HPCN) Data
Oklahoma Mesonet Data
DOE/ARM CART Surface Data
NWS Cooperative Observer Data
Tulsa River Forecast Center (TRFC) Precipitation Data
U.S. Army Corps of Engineer Precipitation and Streamflow Data
USGS Precipitation and Streamflow Data
USDA/ARS Precipitation Data
USDA/Natural Resources Conservation Service Soil Moisture Data
Upper Air Data
NWS Upper Air Rawinsonde Data (MicroART 6-see diskettes)
NWS Upper Air Rawinsonde Data (Mandatory/Significant Levels)
DOE/ARM CART Site Upper Air Data
NOAA Demonstration Network Profiler Data
Satellite Data
GOES-7 Satellite Imagery (IR, Visible 6.7 pm)
GOES-8 Satellite Imagery (preliminary)
NOAA POES AVHRR Imagery
NOAA POES TOVS Data
DMSP OLS Imagery
MDSP SSM/I Data
Radar Data
WSR-88D LEVEL II Data
WSI Reflectivity Composite Imagery
Model Data
AES/CMC RFE Model
NOAA/NMC Eta Model
NOAA MAPS Model
Oklahoma Local Analysis and Prediction System (OLAPS) Model
GCIP can access global model output produced by AES/CMC, ECMWF, and NOAA/NMC and hydrology model output produced by NOAA and shown in Table 1.

*Contains data from ASOS, AWOS, NCDC SAOs, HPCN, Oklahoma Mesonet, DOE/ARM CART, NWS Cooperate Observer, TRFC, USGS, USACE, and USDA

E.4 GIDS-4 Second Warm Season

The Enhanced Seasonal Observing Period of 1995 (ESOP-95) was conducted from 1 April 1995 to 30 September 1995 to initiate the ongoing program of observations in support of the LSA-SW focus and to concentrate the buildup in the six months prior to the start of the EOP. The ESOP-95 data collection was done in cooperation with the VORTEX II and a US Weather Research Program campaign labeled Weather Analysis and Verification Experiment (WAVE) conducted in the first three months of the ESOP-95 period.

The ESOP-95 provided the basis for the fourth initial data set (GIDS-4). The GIDS-4 contains many of the same data types as was collected during GIST in 1994. The data set was completed in Sepatember 1996 and the data summary report is in preparation.

A listing ot the data types to be included in the GIDS-4 data set is given in Table E-2.

Table E-2 Data Sets Contained in the GIDS-4 Database
IN-SITU DATA
Surface
GIDS-4 Hourly Surface Composite^*
GIDS-4 Hourly Precipitation Composite^*
GIDS-4 Daily Precipitation Composite^*
NWS ASOS Data
FAA AWOS Data
NCDC Surface Aviation Observations (SAO) Data
High Plains Climate Network (HPCN) Data
Oklahoma Mesonet Data
DOE/ARM CART Surface Data
NWS Cooperative Observer Data
Arkansas-Red Basin River Forecast Center (ABRFC) Precipitation Data
U.S. Army Corps of Engineer Precipitation and Streamflow Data
USGS Precipitation and Streamflow Data
USDA/ARS Surface and Soil Moisture
USGS Reservoir Data
Upper Air Data
NWS Upper Air Rawinsonde Data (6-sec vertical levels)
NWS Upper Air Rawinsonde Data (Mandatory/Significant Levels)
DOE/ARM CART Site Upper Air Data
NOAA Demonstration Network Profiler Data
Radar Data
WSR-88D LEVEL II Data
WSI Reflectivity Composite Imagery
Land Characterization Data
Vegetation/Data Products
SATELLITE DATA
GOES-8 Satellite Imagery (IR, Visible 6.7 pm)
NOAA POES AVHRR Imagery
NOAA POES TOVS Data
DMSP OLS Imagery
DMSP SSM/I Data NOAA Weekly Northern Hemisphere Snow Cover Analysis ASOS Cloud Observations CLAVR Clouds Satellite Radiation Datasets Vegetation Index Little Washita River Basin Soils and Land Cover
MODEL DATA
AES/CMC RFE Model
NOAA/NMC Eta Model
Eta Model Initialization Analyses GIF Imagery (daily; 12 UTC) Eta Enhanced Model Output Profiles NOAA/FSL MAPS Model

^*Contains data from ASOS, AWOS, SAOs, HPCN, OK Mesonet, DOE/ARM CART, NWS Cooperative Observer, ABRFC, USGS, USACE, USDA/ARS)

E.5 GCIP Reference Data Set

The USGS supported the preparation of a CD-ROM containing a number of different data sets which is expected to have wide use among GCIP investigators. One of the major criteria for including a specific type of data on the CD-ROM was that the data are expected to change little if any during the next two to three years. A CD-ROM containing the GCIP Reference Data Set (GREDS) was published in August 1995. A description of the data sets on this CD-ROM is included as part of the documentation for each CD-ROM. The list of data sets for the GCIP Reference Data Sets CD-ROM is given in Table E-3.

Table E-3 GCIP Reference Data Sets CD-ROM
1. Two ASCII files of USGS, reservoir and NOAA meteorological sites plus Canadian hydrometric and meteorological stations for the Mississippi River basin.

2. An ASCII file inventory of daily values for the USGS sites.

3. A 500-m Digital Elevation Model.

4. Geology of the conterminous United States, from 1:2,500,000-scale King and Beikman map.

5. Land use from 1:7,500,000-scale map of conterminous US.

6. River-Reach File, Version 1 (RF1). Data set derived from original EPA files, with attributes, for the conterminous US.

7. Large Reservoirs of the US. (Hitt 1990). Locations and selected characteristics of approximately 2,700 reservoirs and controlled natural lakes that have normal capacities of at least 5,000 acre-feet or maximum capacities of at least 25,000 acre-feet and that were completed as of January 1, 1988.

8. Average Annual Runoff. (Gebert et al. 1987). This is an isoline map of average annual runoff in the conterminous United States, 1951-1980, base scale 1:7,500,000.

9. Climatography of the US, No. 81 -- Supplement No. 3: Contour maps of Annual 1961-90 Normal Temperature, Precipitation, and Degree Days, from NCDC.

10. LANDSAT nominal row and path boundaries and center points. An index to LANDSAT scenes.

11. Grid node locations and complete descriptions of model parameters for the ETA model. Projected to Lambert Azimuthal Equal Area, to match with the other data sets.

12. State and county boundaries from the 1:2,000,000 Digital Line Graph format.

13. Quadrangle index maps for USGS 1:250,000-, 1:100,000-, and 1:24,000-scale quadrangle map series. Including quad name, states, index numbers needed for ordering quad maps from USGS. Useful for determining list of quads needed for a particular study area.

14. Hydrological units of the conterminous United States. Boundaries for the 8-digit hydrological unit codes, digitized from 1:250,000-scale base map.

15. An ASCII listing of sites identified as having long-term records useful for climate studies, including the USGS hydro-climatic data network (Slack and Landwehr 1993).

16. Graphic interface format images of the above data sets for browsing. Each image is 1024 x 768 pixels.

17. Software -- PC executable and C source code for Lambert Azimuthal Equal Area projection to Latitude/Longitude, and vice versa. FORTRAN source distribution (USGS version) for entire Global Coordinate Transformation Package (GCTP).