1.0 Opening of the Meeting

The ninth annual meeting of the Participants of the IABP opened at 9:00 on June 2, 1999 at the Alfred Wegener Institut for Polar and Marine Research (AWI), Bremerhaven, Germany. Prof. Augstein welcomed the attendees to AWI. The Chairman of the IABP, Tim Goos (TG), called the meeting to order. Hartmut Hellmer (HH) provided logistic information for the meeting, and offered a tour to the ice breaker, Polarstern. The list of attendees is attached (Attachment 1).

2.0 Agenda Approval

The agenda was reviewed, amended and approved (Attachment 2).

3.0 Approval of Minutes of the IABP 8th Annual Meeting - 1998

Ignatius Rigor (IR) presented the minutes from the 8th Annual Meeting held in Seattle, Washington, U.S.A. Victor Savtchenko (VS) raised the following issues: 1.) the need to update the information for the attendees that may have changed since the last meeting. VS said that this problem would not be an issue if the minutes were approved in a shorter time period; 2.) the title of the meeting may be ambiguous; and 3.) the list of Participants should be amended to reflect their contributions.

It was decided that: 1.) the information on the Participants and attendees would not be changed in the past minutes, but a footnote would be added to the current minutes noting that the most current information on Participants would be available on the IABP web pages; 2.) the current minutes will be posted on the IABP web pages shortly after the meeting, these minutes will be edited by the attendees during the ensuing months, and finalized within two months after the meeting. This agenda item will thus not be necessary in subsequent meetings; 3.) the title of the meeting will now be "The Ninth Annual Meeting of the Participants of the IABP;" and 4.) the Participant list will be amended to include recent and future contributions. Recent meaning the contributions during the past intersessional year, and future meaning the next two years.

4.0 Review and Approval of the IABP Operating Principles

The IABP operating principles were reviewed. VS suggested that GCOS and GOOS be included as Programmes that the IABP should explicitly state that the IABP will support.

It was suggested that since the IABP is an action group of the DBCP, which also supports these Programmes, then the IABP implicitly also supports these Programmes.

The Terms of Reference for the Coordinator were also reviewed. It was decided that item 15 would be amended to state: To maintain a web page that promotes the IABP, provides access to the IABP datasets, and provides news and information relevant to the Participants and general community.

5.0 Coordinator's Report

IR reported: 1.) on the developments in the buoy array during the past year, 2.) deployment plans, and 3.) on the progress of publications related to the IABP.

Since the last meeting when there were 33 buoys deployed in the Arctic, 25 buoys ceased transmitting, and 16 buoys were deployed, for a current array of 22 buoys. A map of the planned deployments was shown.

Two papers regarding the new IABP surface air temperatures (SAT) have been published. The first paper, Rigor, et al. documents the current analysis procedure and studies variations in SAT in the Arctic. The second paper, Jones, et al. discusses changes in SAT over the entire globe.

The full report of the Coordinator is given in Attachment 3.

6.0 Report from Data Buoy Co-operation Panel (DBCP)

Etienne Charpentier presented the DBCP and its activities in the last 12 months. He gave a short overview of present buoy programmes world-wide and listed quantity of buoy data available from the Global Telecommunication System (GTS) for specific variables (e.g. 286 buoys reporting air pressure, 757 buoys reporting SST). He reported on the last DBCP session which was held in Marathon, Florida, 12-16 October 1998. A workshop was organised in conjunction with the DBCP session where issues related to application of buoy data, buoy design, and using buoy data in conjunction with other observing techniques such as remote sensing were debated. David Benner attended the DBCP session and represented the IABP. Next DBCP session will be held in Wellington, New Zealand, 26-30 October 1999.

The DBCP adopted its implementation plan according to discussions among DBCP members, and comments from the DBCP Action Groups such as the IABP. The DBCP plan is being integrated in the GOSS and GCOS Implementation Plan.

New information regarding Argos message formats, buoy monitoring statistics, status graphics, data-flow monitoring tools, etc. has been added in the DBCP web site (http://dbcp.nos.noaa.gov/dbcp). IABP is invited to provide the Technical Coordinator of the DBCP with its annual report for inclusion in the DBCP web site. An Internet Technical Forum (http://www-dbcp.cls.fr) has also been recently been established as a way to exchange technical information, answer technical questions, among buoy operators. The forum is for example being used in the context of the newly created SVPBW/Minimet drifter DBCP evaluation sub-group. A DBCP brochure has been produced and copies distributed to Action Group Chairmen and Coordinators for wider distribution. Extra copies can be obtained from the Technical Coordinator of the DBCP.

Regarding GTS distribution of buoy data, as discussed at its last session, and after consultation with key players, the DBCP decided to change the list of GTS bulletin headers used with buoy data distributed from the Argos Global Processing Centres. Pair of GTS bulletin headers used for Arctic data did not change, i.e. SSVX12 KARS, and SSVX07 LFPW for data distributed on GTS from Largo, USA, and Toulouse, France respectively. However, those two GTS bulletin headers will now include also Antarctic area data plus sea ice covered zones.

Mr. Charpentier also reported on improvements realised and planned with the Argos GTS sub-system (e.g. eliminating quasi duplicates, GTS distribution of sub-surface float data) and on outcome from the last Argos Joint Tariff Agreement (JTA) meeting in Marathon in October 1998.

The full report of the DBCP is given in Attachment 4.

7.0 Technical Session

7.1 Export of sediment laden sea ice from Shelf Seas - J. Kolatschek

Joseph Kolatschek presented work by J. Kolatschek, Martin Kreyscher, and Johnnes Freitag. on the mapping of "dirty" ice. Some of the dirty ice is a result of wind transport -5%. Another theory put forward for the sediment is that the sediment was that from river outflow. Outflow from the River Lena, for example, extends out 30 to 50 km. The sediment is however on fast ice and does not move out into the areas where the sediment ice had been noted. The explanation for the bulk of the sediment lies in stays in the entrainment process. The 1995 Laptev Sea expedition recorded sediment and areas and their characteristics. Satellite imagery allows mapping of sediment areas via optical properties. AVHRR, SPOT, and Landsat imagery can be used . AVHRR can, for example, be used to differentiate medium (87.3 gm-2 ) and high (616.9 gm-2 ) sediment areas. Between July 1995 and November 1997, Siberian Shelf sediment was monitored. The monitoring was facilitated as a buoy was placed on the sediment laden ice. When and where sediment laden ice is being released is being modeled.

7.2 Modeling the Arctic ocean/sea ice system - R. Gerdes

A coupled ocean-sea ice model of the Atlantic is used to investigate Arctic sea ice variability. The sea ice model is almost identical to the SIMIP model with viscuous-plastic rheology while the ocean component is based on MOM. The coupled model is forced with heat and fresh water fluxes and daily wind stress distributions from the NCEP/NCAR reanalysis for the 1958-1997 period. The model  simulates several ice export events through Fram Strait, including that preceeding the Great Salinity Anomaly and the directly observed event of the winter 1994/95. Most of the events are preceeded by ice accumulation in the East Siberian and Laptev Seas that takes several years to build up. A typical cycle of enhanced ice growth, reduced ice export during build-up, reduced thermodynamic growth immediately before an event, and ice export could be identified. The sea ice cycle, with a period close to 10 years, influences oceanic temperature, salinity and stability. Correlation and POP analysis indicate that changes in ice cover and thickness influence the atmospheric temperature and pressure distributions over the Arctic.

7.3 a Argos downlink - C. Ortega

From late 2000, with the launch of satellite ADEOS-II, Argos users will be able to send short commands to their platforms. Typical applications will be switching a transmitter on or off, or modifying a sensor sampling rate. For additional details, see Argos newsletter, No. 54, April 1999, pages 17-20.

7.3 b Argos book and CD

Service Argos has produced a children's book titled "Argos, watching over planet earth" The book outlines the Argos satellite-based location and data system implemented in 1978 by the French space agency (CNES), the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Nasa) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

7.4 JAMSTEC Research plan in the Arctic Ocean using new buoy (J-CAD) - K. Shimada

7.5 New Sellmann & Kruse (S&K) sea ice drift buoy - L. Sellmann

7.6 Develops in the Russian Air Drop Buoy - S. Priamikov

7.7 ICEX and ICEXAIR deployments 1997-1999 - T. Lothe

8.0 Status Report on Membership and Letters of Intent

IR reported that we currently have 25 Participants from 11 different countries, but informed the attendees that the Chairman has received a letter of withdrawal from the IABP from the United Kingdom Meteorological Office (UKMO). This will be its last year of participation. Edward Hudson (EH) read this letter to the attendees.

It was agreed that we will have a discussion at the next meeting concerning making provisions in the Operating Principles for withdrawal from the Programme.

It was noted that the withdrawal of the UKMO as a Participant of the IABP is a significant loss to the IABP, and that efforts should be made to revive the participation of the UKMO. The Chairman and Coordinator of the IABP will contact the UKMO and determine what can be done to reverse this decision.

For example, DB stated that the NIC would be willing to cover Argos costs if the UKMO would be able to contribute a buoy.

9.0 Status Reports from attending Participant

9.1 Environment Canada - E. Hudson

During the period from IABP-8, August 1998, to end of May 1999, two buoys were deployed and these just recently. In-house assembled buoys Argos id's 5313 and 5314 were deployed via Twin Otter landing on ice 30 March 1999. Two CALIB buoy deployments are slated for mid June and an ICEXAIR has been purchased for deployment during White Trident August 1999. The March 1999 deployment, supported by Polar Continental Shelf Project, made "oceanography" a part of the deployment flight. A sounding to 600 meters was done at both of the deployment sites. For next year and future years, EC will seek "joint" efforts and cooperation with the oceanography community via shared flights and/or shared buoy "hulls".

EC continues to operate a local users terminal at Edmonton (about 53°30'N). The Edmonton station "sees" buoys that lie on the Arctic Basin to the north and west of the Canadian Arctic archipelago. Data from these buoys is acquired, processed, and input to GTS. This data is a valuable addition to the surface weather maps done by the EC Arctic Weather Centre, Edmonton, and the Canadian Meteorological Centre, Montreal. At the time of this, the 9^th Meeting of the IABP, 5 American and 2 Canadian buoys are being processed. EC Edmonton quality controls data from the buoys that it puts onto to GTS and makes "adjustments" accordingly. An ARGOS Summary Report for WMO is prepared monthly and distributed via email. Recipients include Etienne Charpentier, Technical Coordinator, Data Buoy Cooperation Panel.

EC now has access to a polar orbiting environmental satellite reception station in Resolute (approximately 75N). We will investigate acquisition, and processing of buoy data from this station.

EC continues to produce brochures, posters, and other promotional material for the IABP. See section 10.6.

The full report of the EC is given in Attachment 6.

9.2 National Ice Center - D. Benner

In 1998-99, the U.S. Interagency Arctic Buoy Program (USIABP) received fiscal support, manpower resources, and other services from seven U.S. Government agencies. Presently, the USIABP has eleven buoys operating in the buoy network covering the central Arctic Basin and/or adjoining seas. This number includes seven Coastal Environmental System (CES) buoys, three Christian Michelsen Research (CMR) ICEXAIR buoys and one MetOcean buoy.

During the past year, the U.S. Navy provided aerial assets and funding for the annual White Trident deployment exercise. All ICEXAIR buoys deployed by White Trident were provided through the cooperative procurements of IABP Participants. Other USIABP activities and IABP contributions included:

• continued funding for the IABP Coordinator / Data Management function,
• data processing costs for a U.K. Meteorological Office ICEXAIR buoy, and
• management for the NICOP / U.S. Navy funded Russian buoy development program support for various 1998 Arctic Research activities.
  
  

These science activities included the U.S. Navy Submarine Science mission (SCICEX), the
SHEBA ice camp, and the US/Canada North Open Water Project (NOW).

Anticipated 1999-2000 USIABP activities include:

• an increased emphasis on cooperative IABP deployment activities,
• procurement and deployment of 5-8 CES and/or ICEXAIR buoys and continued funding of the IABP Coordinator / Data Management function.
  
  

9.3 Arctic and Antarctic Research Institut (AARI) - I. Frolov

9.4 Alfred Wegener Institut (AWI) - H. Hellmer

In 1998, the AWI deployed 4 ICEXAIR buoys in the Arctic Ocean. Two of the buoys were air-dropped northwest of Svalbard. While one failed during set-up, the other left the Arctic Ocean soon via the East Greenland Current. The remaining 2 buoys were deployed by Polarstern close to the Russian economic zone on the eastern Siberian continental shelf. One buoy ceased operating after 3 months, but the other still collects standard variables witin the Transpolar Drift. At the moment buoy 14955 is at 160W 80N. See figure 2 of the Coordinator's report, Attachment 3.

The Polarstern is available for use by the IABP for deployment of buoys, and the schedule will be given to the Coordinator.

9.5 U.S. Navoceano - E. Horton

The (US) Naval Oceanographic Office does buoy deployments across many of the world's oceans and seas. Deployments for the IABP are fitted into the overall deployment strategy.

During the intersessional period, the (US) Naval Oceanographic Office (NAVOCEANO) deployed 7 ICEXAIR buoys provided by IABP Participants as requested by the Chairman of the IABP in a letter to the Commander, Naval Meteorology and Oceanographic Command. NAVOCEANO worked with the (Russian Federation) Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute (AARI) to deploy 3 prototype ice drifters built by them. AARI arranged for the drifters to be deployed in the Laptev Sea by icebreaker. Although there was a technical problem with the transmitters, AARI identified the problem and, overall, NAVOCEANO was pleased with these prototypes and their deployment. At present, NAVOCEANO are working with AARI to get two more ice drifters deployed, along with four fixed weather stations during the next intersessional period.

9.6 Collecte Localisation Satellites - C. Ortega

Service Argos presented the status of Argos enhancements on both space and ground segments:

• Better time response: satellite passes every half hour in polar area and every one hour or so in most other regions will be achieved through a constellation of 5 satellites in orbit, starting by the end of year 2000 with the launch of ADEOS-II. Throughput time is also shortened by installing regional stations worldwide and setting connections with existing ones.
  
  
• Sending commands to the platforms: this capability will be provided by end Y2000 with ADEOS-II launch when Argos will become a two-way system.
  
  
• Managing platform's transmission and power budget thanks to satellite pass detection and prediction. This capability is provided by the Argos downlink.
  
  
• More messages, longer messages:
  
  

• Volume of data collected will be increased by 50-100% by reducing platform's repetition period. This could start with the launch of NOAA-M in January 2000 as there will then be two satellites equipped with Argos-2 unit (wider bandwidth and 3-4 times greater capacity).
  
  
• It will also be increased by about 2 fold by using the interactive transmission mode - i.e. satellite acknowledges the message reception, available with the Downlink capability (ADEOS-II),
  
  
• The Argos- 3 units will provide a 4.6 kps high data rate channel, starting in 2003 with METOP-1 launch.
  
  

• New data processing and management systems for the Argos processing centers are being phased in. These will provide a more open system that lets users access and modify platform processing, program characteristics and access to results, via an improved user interface. First phase including the new user interface will be completed in early 2000.
  
  

9.7 Christien Michelsen Research and Norsk Polarinstitut - T. Lothe

9.8 World Climate Research Programme - V. Savtchenko

VS reported progress in establishing a WCRP Climate and Cryosphere (CLIC) project.

The World Climate Research Programme (WCRP) has as its main goal to understand and predict, to the extent possible, climate variability and change including human influences. To achieve this goal requires not only understanding the components of the physical climate system – atmosphere, hydrosphere, land surface and cryosphere – but also their interactions. The cryosphere is an integral part of the global physical climate system, with important feedbacks generated through its influence on surface energy and moisture fluxes, clouds, precipitation, hydrology, and atmospheric and oceanic circulation.

WCRP has several activities which include some, but not all, of the cryospheric components and processes. ACSYS is currently the most prominent WCRP activity studying the cryosphere and climate. However, its regional focus means that it does not include all aspects of the global cryosphere.

No climate related scientific programme currently exists which encompasses all components of the global cryosphere (sea ice, snow cover, ice sheets and shelves, glaciers, lake and river ice, seasonally frozen ground and permafrost).Cryospheric issues are not just polar or high-latitude regional issues. They are science issues which must be understood, modelled and monitored if we are to study climate variability and change.

A conference on the WCRP:Achievements, benefits and challenges (Geneva, 26-28 August 1997) recommended that co-ordination of cryosphere and climate studies is required, and that WCRP should take the lead in this effort. The JSC-XIX (March 1998) established a WCRP (JSC/ACSYS) Task Group on CLIC to formulate a science plan for a WCRP Climate and Cryosphere project and recommend how to co-ordinate the appropriate WCRP activities with relevant on-going or planned projects/programmes/activities outside WCRP.

The first meeting of the CLIC Task Group was held from 8-11 July 1998 at the Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Research, Utrecht, the Netherlands. The CLIC Task Group were asked by the JSC-XIX to develop a Science and Co-ordination Plan for CLIC and set out the framework for its implementation in the WCRP. The CLIC Task Group and invited experts reviewed the status of related WCRP cryospheric research components within ACSYS, GEWEX and CLIVAR and those of other programmes (SCAR, SCOR, IASC) and organizations/activities (IPA, GCOS/TOPC). They discussed key science questions in plenary and working group sessions. The following framework for the science questions was adopted:

Cryosphere - Global atmosphere interactions
Cryosphere - Global ocean interactions
Atmosphere - Ice - Ocean interactions
Atmosphere - Snow - Land interactions
Atmosphere - Snow - Ice interactions.

In addition, the scope of cryospheric indicators of climate change was discussed.

A draft report on the meeting was submitted to the ACSYS SSG-VII (November 1998, Tokyo, Japan) for review and comments. The ACSYS SSG recommended that the draft be split up into the following two documents:

1) Report on the Utrecht session of the CLIC Task Group (issued as a WCRP white cover informal report No.4/1999), and
2) A draft CLIC Science and Co-ordination Plan (put on the ACSYS Home Pages by the IAPO).

A second meeting of the CLIC Task Group will be arranged for 10-13 August 1999 in Grenoble, France, to revise the CLIC draft Science and Co-ordination Plan in response to community input.  The revised draft CLIC Science and Co-ordination Plan will be submitted to the eighth session of the ACSYS SSG (14-18 February 2000) for their final review (Kiel, Germany).  The final draft plan will be communicated to the JSC-XXI in March 2000 for the final review and a recommendation concerning the advisability of launching a CLIC programme as a separate WCRP component.

Some basic information on CLIC is available at the following ACSYS Web sites:

http://www.npolar.no/acsys/CLIC/statement.htm 
http://www.npolar.no/acsys/CLIC/clic_initiative.htm
http://www.npolar.no/acsys/CLIC/clic_draft.htm
http://www.npolar.no/acsys/CLIC/clic_draft.pdf

The last two sites contain (in different formats) the draft CLIC Science and Co-ordination Plan.

9.9 Japan Marine Science and Technology Center - K. Shimada

The IOEB observation has been conducted in collaboration between JAMSTEC and WHOI since 1992. In 1998, two IOEBs were working in the western Arctic Ocean. One of them was IOEB-1 that originally deployed off the Alaska coast in 1992 and was refurbished off Queen Elizabeth Island in April 1997 and drifted along the rim of Canada Basin. The IOEB-1 entered the Chukchi Sea in early 1998 and ceased its operation in November 1998. The other one was SHEBA/IOEB-2 that was deployed southeast of the initial SHEBA site in September 30, 1997. The SHEBA/IOEB-2 drifted across the Northwind Ridge and Chukchi Plateau, and finally was recovered in the northern Canada Basin in October 1. Both IOEBs collected not only atmospheric data but also oceanic data such as temperature, salinity, and velocities.

JAMSTEC will be ready to deploy four new buoys (J-CAD: JAMSTEC Compact Arctic Drifter) including both oceanic and atmospheric sensors in 2000. Currently, their deployment plan in the Arctic Ocean is under consideration. The diagram of the J-CAD will be provided to the IABP Coordinator.

10.0 Other Business

10.1 White Trident Deployment - E. Horton

10.2 DBCP Technical forum - E. Charpentier

Etienne Charpentier presented the newly established DBCP Internet technical forum (http://www-dbcp.cls.fr) which is a useful tool for discussing technical issues within the buoy community. Four basic themes of discussion are presently proposed:

• Argos
• DBCP
• GTS (e.g. what is GTS? how to distribute data on GTS?)
• SVPBW/Minimet evaluation group (wind measuring Lagrangian drifter)
  
  

Also two "teams" with restricted access for "team" members have been created on the forum:

• DBCP
• EGOS (European Group on Ocean Stations)
  
  

IABP members are invited to register on the forum, and use it for exchanging information, asking or replying questions. IABP is also invited to consider whether it would be useful to create a dedicated IABP "team" on the forum. An IABP "team" could for example be administered by the IABP coordinator.

10.3 Report on IPAB - V. Savtchenko

VS informed the participants in the meeting that 19 organisations, representing 12 countries, had subscribed to IPAB by submitting letters of intent to participate in the programme (Annex 1). Participant's contributions to the programme include not only data buoy activities, but can also take the form of data acquisition and processing, monetary contribution, logistic support for deployment, data communication services, data archiving, and scientific or technical advice. At present,only 3-4 of the participants in the programme are actively deploying buoys.

The second biennial session of the IPAB was held at the Istituto Universitario Navale in Naples, Italy, in May 1998. The Executive Committee of the programme, elected at the meeting, consists of a Chairman, Vice-Chairman, and two Committee members. The present Chairman is Dr C. Kottmeier, Germany. Dr I. Allison, Australia, is the present Co-ordinator of the programme, but the co-ordinator’s role is being transferred to Dr P. Wadhams, U.K.

After a relatively large number of buoy deployments under IPAB in 1995, the number of platforms deployed dropped in 1996, 1997 and 1998. Almost all IPAB drifters have been deployed as part of individual institutional research programmes, and there has been very little activity from operational meteorological agencies. Data from the majority of IPAB buoys are however contributed to forecasting agencies via the Global Telecommunications System.

Between January 1995 and August 1998 there have been a total of 67 buoys deployments under IPAB auspices. The annual breakdown of deployments is:

Year                       GTS buyos        Non-GTS         Total
1995                             18                   10                28
1996                               4                     9                13
1997                             11                     0                11
1998                               9                     6                15

The major foci of activity are the Weddell Sea and the East Antarctic sector between 20°E and 160°E. There have been few deployments under IPAB in the Bellingshausen, Amundsen or Ross Seas, until deployments in May 1998 by the Geophysical Institute, University of Alaska, USA. Even at a peak, the number of active drifters falls far short of the optimum requirement. Seasonally buoy numbers show a peak in late autumn when most are deployed from vessels. Buoy numbers drop steadily after the maximum due both to instrument failures, and to northward divergence, which takes many buoys out of the pack ice and out of the region of interest to IPAB. Although many drifters have sufficient battery power to operate for two or more years, only very few survive within the Antarctic pack to provide data for more than one ice season. Many of these longer lived buoys are in the Weddell Sea. Some buoys are designed specifically for ice deployment and do not survive in open water for a long time, and sometimes it has been difficult to directly determine whether the buoy is operating within the ice edge or not.

Detailed information on IPAB activities is available at:

http://www.antcrc.utas.edu.au/antcrc/buoys/buoys.html.

Buoy activity in 1999 is expected to continue at a somewhat increased level to the last few years. Planned routine deployments include 10-12 buoys to be placed in the Weddell Sea by the Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research, Germany, over two years. In addition, 4-5 meteorological buoys and a large number of drifters only are to be deployed around 145°E, as part of an Australian process study in the Mertz Glacier Polynya in July/August 1999.

Most IPAB data buoys report through System Argos. Data from the programme are archived in two streams. Three-hourly synoptic data from WMO-registered drifters in the programme are routed by Service Argos directly onto the GTS, from where they are taken for archiving and distribution by the MEDS (Canada). Participants in the programme  also gave permission to Service Argos to send a copy of all original data, in the monthly CLS-Argos Dispose" format, direct to the IPAB co-ordinating office at the Antarctic CRC, Hobart, Australia. These are used to assemble a research archive containing a uniform, quality controlled data set of ice motion and surface meteorology and oceanography, as required by the Antarctic research community. These time series for each platform include data from all available sensors, and for all valid transmissions from the platform. Data from a number of additional Antarctic drifters, not registered with IPAB at the time of their operation, are to be recovered and included in the IPAB research archive. A database, containing information on buoy characteristics and history (metadata) is also maintained for each platform. This research data set is currently being transferred to the National Snow and Ice Data Center/World Data Center A for Glaciology, Boulder, Colorado, USA for wider dissemination.

Taking into account  the need for wider support of the IPAB, the ACSYS SSG-VII (Tokyo, Japan, November 1998)  recommended  that the WCRP  JSC make a formal statement in support of the IPAB encouraging more active participation of the operational meteorological agencies in the programme. Annex 2 contains the JSC-XX ( March 1999) statement on the subject.

Responding to the request of the JSC-XX, the WMO Thirteenth Congress (Cg-XIII, May 1999) gave a strong encouragement to the IPAB. The following is an extract from the section 3.2.7.13 of the  Cg-XIII/PINK 3.2.7 document (World Climate Research Programme):

" Congress …particulary appreciated the value of the data being collected in the WCRP International Programme for Antarctic Buoys (IPAB) , not only to support research in the region, but also in providing valuable operational meteorological data in real-time and establishing a basis for monitoring atmospheric and oceanic changes in the Antarctic sea-ice zone. Congress urged national Meteorological Services having interests in the Southern Ocean and Antarctic to participate actively in IPAB by providing ice-resistant drifting buoys or by other appropriate means".

10.4 Reports and Representation at the DBCP Annual Meeting - D. Benner

10.5 IABP Brochure - E. Hudson

Updated brochures were produced for the following:

DBCP October 1998 Miami Meeting. Unfortunately these brochures did not get to the meeting.
WMO May 1999 Geneva Meetings
US/Canada Joint Ice Working Group May 1999 Monterey Meeting
IABP-9 June 1999 Bremerhaven Meeting

The brochure for the DBCP Meeting featured, for the first time, a “centerfold” of the integrated buoy and SSMI ice map (22 Sep 1998 map).

The 3 subsequent editions featured the 02 April 1999 buoy/ice map.

EC will continue to produce updated brochures for such meetings, the next being the fall 1999 DBCP meeting. No poster is planned but EC remains open to producing posters albeit of the 11 x 17 inch size rather than full size posters. Ed Hudson reiterated the need for photos, and buoy deployment photos in particular for future editions of the brochure and/or poster.

Ed Hudson stated that the latest integrated buoy/ice map as posted on the IABP web site is a key element of the brochures. He stated that the map would be even more useful if the map showed a boundary between 1^st year ice and multi-year ice and if the buoys were flagged by year via dot color.

In lieu of a poster for IABP 9, IABP hats were produced. The hats were presented to all attendees.

10.6 Location of 10th meeting

VS and Koji Shimada (KS) each offered to host the next two meetings. It was decided that IABP-10 (2000) will be held in Geneva, Switzerland and tentatively, IABP-11 (2001) will be held in Yokosuka, Japan.

HH noted that the European Geophysical Society meeting will be held on 3 - 7 April, 2000 in Florence Italy. The IABP meeting should be scheduled considering these dates.

11.0 Relationship to GCOS, and GOOS?

IR returned to the question of whether the IABP should more actively pursue ties with GCOS and GOOS. This topic was already discussed at length during agenda item 4.0, and it was decided that the IABP already implicitly supports these Programmes as an action group of the DBCP.

VS noted that we may need to reconsider explicit support of these Programmes in the future. It was agreed that representatives from GCOS and (Arctic) GOOS will be invited to the next meeting of the IABP in order to explore this relationship further.

12.0 New Directions

TG revisited the issue of pursuing projects to monitor ocean variables such as temperature and salinity. IR mentioned that in addition to the efforts of JAMSTEC, the Polar Science Center is also pursuing funding from NSF for long term monitoring of the ocean using buoys. IR recommended that the IABP be able to support these projects as necessary, and noted that these projects would be opportunities to deploy CES buoys.

HH brought up the issue of what data the IABP should include in its archives. For example, would ocean data from sub-surface floats (e.g. P-ALACE) be appropriate? TG noted that it is stated in the Operating Principles that in addition to the basic meteorological variables, other variables such as atmospheric pressure tendency, wind speed and direction, snow and sea-ice properties, as well as subsurface oceanographic characteristics are desirable.

It was noted that the IABP already collects as much data as it can from all Arctic buoys for which information is available, but because of the proprietary nature of some of the data, it is not allowed to re-distribute them. However, data which has been released to the community, will be re-distributed by the IABP through the internet.

13.0 Election of Officers

A nominations committee consisting of EH and IR determined that each member of the Executive Committee was willing to serve another year. They therefore nominated them to their current positions. Nominations were solicited from other attendees.

In accordance with the IABP Operating Principles, the following officers were elected:

Chairman: Timothy Goos, Canada

Vice Chairman: Thor Kvinge, Norway

Member: David Benner, USA

Member: Ivan Frolov, Russian Federation

Ignatius Rigor was re-appointed as the Coordinator of the IABP.

14.0 Review of Meeting and Recommendations - T. Goos

15.0 Draft and Approve Meeting Minutes

Prof. Thiede, the Director of AWI, welcomed the attendees and made a short presentation on some research at AWI using the IABP data.

TG thanked Prof. Thiede and AWI for hosting the meeting and for the continued support of the IABP.

Wednesday, 2 June 1999

0900 - 1200 IABP Business Meeting

1.0 Meeting Opens -- Chairman, T. Goos

1.1 Welcome (Prof. Augstein).

1.2 Call to order

1.3 Meeting Information (H. Hellmer)

2.0 Agenda Approval (T. Goos)

3.0 Approval of Minutes of the IABP 8th Annual Meeting - 1998 (I. Rigor)

4.0 Review and Approval of the IABP Operating Principles (I. Rigor)

5.0 Coordinator's Report (I. Rigor)

6.0 Report from Data Buoy Co-operation Panel (DBCP) (E. Charpentier)

1300 - 1700 IABP Technical Session

7.0 Talks

7.1 Export of sediment laden sea ice from Shelf Seas - J. Kolatschek

7.2 Modeling the Arctic ocean/sea ice system - M. Karcher

7.3 Argos downlink - C. Ortega

7.4 JAMSTEC Research plan in the Arctic Ocean using new buoy (J-CAD) - K. Shimada

7.5 AWI sea ice drift buoy - L. Sellmann

7.6 Develops in the Russian Air Drop buoy - S. Priamikov

7.7 ICEX and ICEXAIR Deployments 1997-1999 - T. Lothe.

Thursday, 3 June 1999

0900 - 1200 IABP Business Meeting (Continued)

8.0 Status Report on Membership and Letters of Intent (I. Rigor)

9.0 Status Reports from each Participant (T. Goos)

10.0 New Business (T. Goos)

10.1 White Trident Deployment

10.2 DBCP Technical forum (E. Charpentier)

10.3 Report on IPAB (V. Savtchenko)

10.4 Reports and Representation at the DBCP Annual Meeting (D. Benner)

10.5 IABP Poster (E. Hudson)

10.6 Location of 10th meeting (T. Goos)

1300 - 1700 IABP Business Meeting (Continued)

11.0 Reports on related programmes such as GCOS, GOOS, etc. (I. Rigor)

12.0 New Directions (T. Goos)

13.0 Election of Officers (T. Goos)

14.0 Review of Meeting and Recommendations (T. Goos)

Friday, 4 June

0900 - 1200 Conclusion

15.0 Draft and Approve Meeting Minutes

1. Status of the buoy array when we last met - July 1998 map, 33 buoys.

2. Lost 23 buoys, 6 of which were near SHEBA.

3. Deployed 15 buoys.

Expr	ID	GTS Header	Month	Year	WMO #	WD	P	T	Type
282	8356	SSVX06-KARS	Jul	98	25537	12	1	1	AARI
919	14954	SSVX01-LFPW	Jul	98	25573	21	1	1	ICEX-AIR
919	14955	SSVX01-LFPW	Jul	98	25574	21	1	1	ICEX-AIR
282	8357	SSVX06-KARS	Aug	98	25538	12	1	1	AARI
282	8358		Aug	98		12	1	1	AARI
29	1793	SSVX01-LFPW	Aug	98	48533	17	1	1	ICEX-AIR
314	3690	SSVX01-LFPW	Aug	98	25011	17	1	1	ICEX-AIR
484	1351	SSVX01-LFPW	Aug	98	48532	17	1	1	ICEX-AIR
557	1904	SSVX12-KARS	Aug	98	25524	21	1	1	ICEX-AIR
557	1905	SSVX12-KARS	Aug	98	25525	21	1	1	ICEX-AIR
557	1906	SSVX12-KARS	Aug	98	25526	21	1	1	ICEX-AIR
1053	3004	SSVX12-LFPW	Aug	98	25535	17	1	1	ICEX-AIR
1053	2388	SSVX12-KARS	Sep	98	25557	32	1	1	CES
627	5313	SSVX02-CWEG	Mar	99	47538	24	1	1	EC
627	5314	SSVX02-CWEG	Mar	99	48521	24	1	1	EC

4. Current status of the buoy array - May 1999 map, 25 buoys

5. Current buoy deployment plans:

6. Recent publications:

1. Present status of buoy programmes

During the last two weeks of April 1999, a total of 1327 drifting buoys reported through the Argos system. 740 of the buoys reported their data onto the GTS (i.e. about 56%). The remaining buoys (44%) do not report on GTS for the following reasons:

• GTS distribution not effective yet: 15%
• Confidential: 8%
• Not relevant (tests, short duration, oil spill tracking, fishing buoy): 10%
• Unknown: 10%
• Other (technical obstacle, poor quality, ending programme): 1%

Those 1327 drifting buoys belong to operators from 20 countries, namely:

• The TAO array (http://www.pmel.noaa.gov/toga-tao/home.html)
• The PIRATA Programme (http://www.ifremer.fr/orstom/pirata/pirataus.html)
• The TRITON Programme (http://www.jamstec.go.jp/jamstec/OCEAN/TRITON/index.html)

Among the drifting and moored buoys which are reporting on GTS, the following variables are being measured (valid for buoy data received from GTS at Météo France during the period 13-26 April 1999):

Variable	Buoys	Reports/day	Remark
Air pressure	286	5137
Sea Surface temperature	757	6012
Air temperature	201	2612
Wind	91	532	Mainly moored buoys
Air pressure tendency	225	2270
Air relative humidity or dew point temperature	70	182
Sub-surface temperatures	88	153	Mainly TAO array moored buoys; small number of drifting buoys with thermistor strings plus
Waves			Small number of buoys

Distribution by country is summarised in graphic below:

2. DBCP session and workshop

2.1. 14th DBCP session was held in Marathon, Florida, 12-16 October 1998. Scientific and Technical workshop was organised during the first 1 day and 1/2 of the DBCP Session. More than 50 people attended workshop and 20 presentations were made covering subjects such as (i) innovative concepts in moored and drifting buoy design and application, (ii) applications of and scientific results deriving from buoy data in research or operations, and (iii) buoy data as a complement to remote sensing, modelling, and other disciplines. Workshop's proceedings will be published in 1999 within DBCP document series.

2.2. DBCP noted with appreciation application from TIP to become an Action Group of the DBCP. This was then formalised by the Chairman of the DBCP prior to the DBCP session.

2.3. David Benner attended the DBCP session and presented the IABP, its objectives, operating principles, and activities. He reported that in October 1998, the IABP operated 34 buoys, 95% of which were reporting on GTS. Dave also mentioned that 1998 represented the 20th anniversary of the Arctic Buoy Program and that in celebration of this anniversary, the IABP hosted a DBCP-sponsored conference entitled «The Arctic Buoy Programme - Scientific Achievements from the first 20 years» in Seattle, Washington on August 3-4, 1998. Conference presentations highlighted the use of IABP data in various scientific research areas including: the role of the Arctic Ocean on climate, decadal changes in large-scale atmospheric forcing and sea ice drift, transport of pollutants entrained in ice, global model verification and studies on structural changes to polar oceanographic phenomena such as the Arctic Cold Haline Layer and North Atlantic Deep Water formation.

2.4. 15th DBCP session will be held in Wellington, New Zealand, 26-30 October 1999.

3. Global Implementation

3.1. GOOS/GCOS Implementation plan

The DBCP was informed of the proposals within WMO and IOC to merge the existing WMO Commission for Marine Meteorology (CMM) and the IOC/WMO Integrated Global Ocean Services System (IGOSS) into a new joint Commission for Oceanography and Marine Meteorology (JCOMM). This Commission would be the reporting and coordinating mechanism for the DBCP and other existing bodies such as TIP, SOOPIP, etc. The proposal was adopted by the IOC EC in November 1998, and will be submitted to the WMO Congress (April 1999) and the IOC Assembly (June/July 1999) for final approval in mid-1999. The panel gave its full support to the concept of JCOMM, and agreed that it should eventually use JCOMM as the overall coordinating and management mechanism for its input to and support for GOOS and GCOS.

The Workshop on the Implementation of Global Observations for GOOS/GCOS (Sydney, March 1998) had for primary objective to enlist the coordinated support of existing operational ocean observing system implementation and data management mechanisms for the implementation of specified requirements for global ocean physical data for seasonal and inter-annual climate monitoring and prediction. The workshop had reviewed and analysed the status and capabilities of these mechanisms in the context of the stated requirements, assessed a number of cross-cutting issues for all existing systems, and developed a set of immediate implementation action items. To oversee the implementation of these actions, finalise a detailed Implementation Action Plan for GOOS/GCOS, and begin the specification of coordination strategies, the workshop established an interim Implementation Advisory Group, chaired by the chairman of I-GOOS and including representatives of all existing mechanisms (the technical Coordinator for the DBCP).

This IAG held its first meeting in Paris, on 30 November 1998, and was hosted by Météo France. The meeting reviewed the draft "Global Ocean Observations for GOOS/GCOS, an action plan for existing bodies and mechanisms" document. The participants reported on the existing bodies and operational implementation mechanisms. Data management and exchange mechanisms were reviewed. Issues relating to initial observing systems for physical observation for GOOS/GCOS, including system analysis, categories (surface, sub-surface, sea level), and unifying networks were discussed in detail. Cross-cutting of observing systems, responsibilities, implementation coordination, and management were also discussed in detail. A new draft document was produced by the Secretariats and discussed at the GOOS Steering Committee in April 1999. Final version should be available at the first transition planning meeting for JCOMM which will be held in Saint Petersburg, 19-23 July 1999.

3.2. DBCP Implementation plan

The panel recognised the importance of the Sydney workshop, of the actions taken there, and of the follow-up mechanisms put in place, to the development of a fully coordinated approach to the implementation of GOOS/GCOS and ultimately to the development of truly operational oceanography. In the context of the proposed GOOS/GCOS Implementation Action Plan, the panel recognised the value of its own Implementation Strategy. It therefore reviewed the most recent draft of the strategy, prepared by Mr David Meldrum on the basis of comments offered at DBCP-XIII and of the results of the Sydney workshop. It approved this draft. DBCP implementation plan is now finalised and will shortly be published within the DBCP document series, as well as made available on the DBCP web site.

4. Information exchange

4.1. DBCP Web server

The DBCP web server (http://dbcp.nos.noaa.gov/dbcp) has been substantially upgraded in the last 12 months. New information added includes description and access to the monthly buoy monitoring statistics, status graphics, information regarding the GTS and how to practically insert buoy data on GTS, data flow monitoring tools, DBCP publications in electronic form, and a document describing existing and planned data collection and/or location systems potentially available for buoy applications.

The map showing the DBCP Action Groups is now clickable with links to the AG web sites (e.g. IABP for the Arctic Ocean) depending upon where you click on the map. A menu item has been added to describe Argos message formats recommended by the DBCP (see paragraph 7). Those recommended formats presently include:

Among possible improvements to the DBCP web site, MEDS, Canada, offered to provide access to archived QC messages produced by PMOCs in the context of the DBCP QC Guidelines.

IABP is invited to share its experience and submit information regarding the following issues in electronic form to the Technical Coordinator of the DBCP for publication via the DBCP web site:

IABP annual report to the DBCP should also be submitted in electronic form for publication via the DBCP web site.

4.2. DBCP Brochure

A brochure advertising the DBCP and its activities has now been published. Action groups are invited to express how many copies they desire for distribution by Chairmen, vice-Chairmen, Coordinators, and Participants.

4.3. DBCP Internet technical forum

In May 1999, the DBCP did open an Internet technical forum (http://www-dbcp.cls.fr) as a mean of debating on technical issues, answer technical questions, and exchange information among buoy operators or actors. The forum is a good complement to the DBCP web site and is directly linked to it. Documents, questions and answers can be exchanged over the forum while being accessible to anybody in the buoy community.

The forum presently includes the following themes:

If desired, new teams dedicated to DBCP Action Groups could be created on the forum with privileged access for AG Participants.

4.4. New DBCP publications:

The DBCP recently published the following documents within its Technical Document series:

The following documents will soon be published:

5. Buoy monitoring statistics

Algorithms for computing the buoy monitoring statistics produced by ECMWF, NCEP, UKMO, and Météo France have been substantially modified for greater consistency. A comprehensive report describing algorithms and remaining discrepancies is now available via the DBCP web site at http://dbcp.nos.noaa.gov/dbcp/monstats.html.

6. SVPBW evaluation group

A DBCP sub-group on SVPBW/Minimet has been created by the DBCP. Purpose of the sub-group is to deploy test drifters in all sorts of sea conditions, evaluate data, suggest hardware/software design changes, share experience, etc...

Sub-group will work through mail exchange and use the newly established DBCP technical forum (http://www-dbcp.cls.fr ) for basic open discussion, record of those discussions and publication of intermediary or final results.

A "SVPB/SVPBW evaluation" sub-forum has been created in the DBCP technical forum where only sub-group participants can upload discussion topics and documents while all documents posted are available to everybody.

The sub-group will meet at DBCP workshops.

Sub-group presently includes the following people:

The group is open to anybody who can provide something for the evaluation, namely:

Any other person interested in participating in the evaluation group should contact Elizabeth Horton.

7. GTS

7.1. BUFR

Report on DBCP views on BUFR was formally submitted to CBS by the chairman of the DBCP, and discussed at the CBS sub-group on data representation and codes, and CBS working group on data management. The proposal was formally adopted at the CBS extraordinary session in Karlsruhe, October 1998. Proposed changes are due for May 2000.

7.2. New GTS bulletin headers

The DBCP discussed a proposal from the NOAA GOOS center for a restructuring of the system of bulletin header assignment for buoy data distributed on the GTS. The present system essentially groups buoy reports into bulletins based on the geographical location of the buoys, which is advantageous particularly for small forecast centres concerned only with limited areas. The proposal was for reports to be grouped into bulletins based on specific programmes and/or action groups, which would greatly facilitate programme monitoring and remedial action to correct any problems detected. It was recognised that the proposal was technically feasible, that global processing centres would not be affected one way or the other since they took all the data in any case, and that programmes and action groups were usually regionally based, except for the GDP, for which two bulletin headers could be assigned under the proposal, one for each of the hemispheres. The panel therefore considered that the concept had merit, and requested the Technical Coordinator and Mr W. Woodward to prepare a specific proposal for a new set of bulletin headers within this concept, making as much use as possible of the existing header assignments.

A proposal has been circulated among key players. A new list has been agreed upon and is proposed for implementation on the 13 October 1999 at 15UTC:

• Table 1: Data distributed from the US Argos Global Processing Centre, Largo, USA
  

• Table 2: Data distributed from the French Argos Global Processing Centre, Toulouse, France
  

Remark concerning GDP: since GDP drifters deployed world-wide may also participate in a DBCP regional action groups (e.g. ISABP if deployed in the South Atlantic), we have to agree on a policy on what GTS bulletin header to choose. Considering that GDP header was created basically for tracking Lagrangian drifters, it sounds reasonable to recommend to have all Lagrangian drifters participating in GDP report under GDP bulletin header and not under the other DBCP Action Group it is participating in. For example, a Lagrangian drifter participating in both GDP and ISABP (South Atlantic) and which data are distributed from the French Argos Global Processing Center would report under SSVX13 LFPW (i.e. GDP) bulletin header, and not under SSVX03 LFPW (i.e. Southern Hemisphere).

Backup procedure: Backup procedure in case one of the two Argos global processing centres fails does not change. If one centre fails, the other centre processes all the data, i.e. the data it normally processed plus the data the other centre normally processes. Hence, when an Argos centre is in backup mode, it will generate bulletins with even and odd numbers (in normal mode, only even numbers are used by Largo, and odd numbers by Toulouse). In other words:

7.3. GTS Sub-system

Below is the list of recent improvements that have been realised with the Argos GTS sub-system:

Below is the list of improvements that are about to be realised within the Argos GTS sub-system:

8. Argos message formats

Météo France presented a new Argos message format, initiated at the request of EGOS, which could be proposed as a standard for buoy operators designing or planning their buoy programme. Proposed format permits flexibility and transmission of historical as well as real time data. Age of observation is encoded in the message and one message contains only one observation. Historical data are split among consecutive Argos messages. Message length is optimised in order to limit its size as much as possible so that power budget permits extension of buoy operating life time.

Considering past experiences in this regard, the panel decided that it was not in a position to recommend a particular standard format but recognised the advantages of standard formats as developed by Météo France, EGOS, GDP, and other buoy operators. It therefore decided that it was worthwhile to publish a list of available formats via its web server, including those listed above, and encouraged new buoy operators looking for advice or expertise to use one of those. Advantages of listed formats should also be detailed. Although buoy operators are free to develop and use their own formats, usage of existing formats permits to substantially speed up insertion of buoy data onto the GTS through the Argos users' guidance offices.

Present list available on the DBCP web site includes format proposed by Météo France, SVPB so called 2-page format, and SVP standard drifter. This list can be extended in case IABP expresses the desire of adding IABP standard formats.

9. Argos Joint Tariff Agreement

18th session of the Argos Joint Tariff Agreement (JTA) was held in Marathon, Florida, USA, 19-21 October 1998. Following important decisions were taken:

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Last modified on: Tuesday, August 17, 1999