ISSI Working Group on
Atmospheric Water Vapour

Second Workshop of the ISSI Working Group
3 – 6 November 2008, ISSI, Bern, Switzerland

Report

The aim of the second workshop was to go in a detailed discussion of the topics identified during the first workshop and not so much in individual presentations. In particular the following topics were addressed in detail:

A short summary to the above-mentioned topics follows:

Literature database and cross validation activities

A literature database with relevant publications to the subject of water vapor has been established and can be accessed over the internet. During the workshop participants uploaded information about publications and wherever possible also the pdf-files of the publication. It has been decided to use four subclasses, namely: papers in journals, reports, theses and book chapters. Not completely solved is the access to pdf files. At the moment requested pdf files of the publications are sent to indicated emails of the person who requests the reprint. At a later stage a registration for the use of the database might be envisaged.

A cross-reference table of available literature with respect to validation of techniques has bee presented by Klemens Hocke. This interactive matrix will be made available over the web and will be part of the book.

Fact sheets about techniques

During the first workshop it has been decided to work out so called fact sheets summarizing in a concise way characteristics of each technique and methodology to measure water vapor. In addition fact sheets of individual instruments shall also be provided. During the second workshop substantial time was devoted to refine these fact sheets and to discuss critically the content and structure.

Decision and action item:

Modified fact sheets about the techniques are sent to N.K. by end of 2008.

Modified fact sheets about individual instruments are sent to N.K. by end of 2008.

Book

Ample time was devoted to the structure and the content of the book. Lead authors have been identified as well as potential reviewers.

The final title of the book has not been selected yet, however several options have been discussed and the favorites are:

The individual chapters have been identified as follows and reviewers have been proposed:

Preface, Introduction, Scope, Overview table (N. Kämpfer)

Science overview (B. Randel? T. Peter?)

Part A: In situ sensors

1. Thin film capacitive sensors (H. Smit, R. Kivi, H. Voemel)
reviewers: Miloshevich?, Whiteman?

2. Chilled mirror hygrometers (H. Voemel, P. Jeannet)
reviewers: S.Oltmans?, R.Jones?

3. Ly-a fluorescent sensors (V. Youshkov)
reviewers: C.Schiller?, D.Kley?

Part B: Remote sensing sensors

4. Microwave radiometry (G. Nedoluha, N. Kämpfer, A. Haefele) reviewers: A. Parrish, B. Connor

5. Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (M.Schneider, R. Sussmann, J. Notholt)
reviewers: J.Hannigan?, B.Connor?, N.Jones?

6. Lidar (T. Leblanc, T. Trickl)
reviewers: Whiteman?, Pelon?, S. McDermid?

Part C: Networks and global monitoring

7. Role of networks for global monitoring G. Braathen)
reviewers: M. Kurylo?

8. Overview of satellite sensors (J. Urban)
reviewers N. Livesey?, J. Russell III?, H. Pumphrey?

9. Multidimensional characterization of satellite (J.C. Lambert)
reviewers B. Soden?

10. Survey of cross-validation (Klemens Hocke)
reviewers: A. Piters?, H. Oelhaf?

Appendix:

Fact sheets (all) review by same people as book chapter

Equations for saturation vapor pressure – Voemel webpage

List of Acronyms (all)

Decision and action item:

All lead authors send the final text of the chapters not later than end of Feb. 2009 to N.K.

Text shall be provided in ASCII, figures as jpg or pdf.

Intercomparison and campaigns

There were several presentations about recent campaigns at Garmisch and the upcoming MOHAVE campaign at Table mountain facility in the fall of 2009. Rigel Kivi pointed out that a similar campaign as LAUTLOS will take place in early 2010 at Sodankylä. People interested in this campaign contact R.K.

Links to SPARC

There was some discussion about how the activities of the ISSI working group could be of use for the upcoming SPARC assessment on water vapor. People participating in the SPARC general assembly in Bologna and the Chapman conference on Hawaii had the impression that the SPARC assessment is more devoted to supersaturation and troposphere stratosphere exchange processes and less towards an integrated view of present day water vapor measurement techniques for monitoring over all ltitude levels in the atmosphere. It was decided that C.Schiller, the PI of the SPARC assessment shall be informed about the activities of the ISSI working group.

Conclusions

The second workshop was considered to be successful. The aims that have been formulated to be achieved during the workshop could be met. Structure and content of the ISSI report, i.e. the book are clear and it is now the task of the individual authors to deliver the material in due time.

The third workshop will take place at ISSI, 13.-16. July 2009. Its aim will be to discuss and finalize the content of the report book.