PMEL Programs and Plans
Accomplishments in FY 96 and Plans for FY 97

TAO Project

Figures (a) TAO array, consisting of approximately 70 deep ocean moorings, provides high quality, in-situ, real-time data for short-term climate studies relating to El Nino, and (b) NOAA's newly commisioned research vessel Ka'imimoana is dedicated to servicing the TAO buoys.

Tropical Atmosphere-Ocean Program

Accomplishments in FY 96

The Tropical Atmosphere-Ocean (TAO) Array, consisting of approximately 70 deep-ocean moorings spanning the equatorial Pacific Ocean between 8N and 8S from 95W to 137E, was maintained at full strength. The purpose of the array is to provide high quality, in-situ, real-time data in the equatorial Pacific Ocean for short-term climate studies, most notably those relating to the El Nino/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) phenomenon. TAO measurements consist primarily of surface winds, sea surface temperature, upper ocean temperature and currents, air temperature, and relative humidity. Data are telemetered in real time via Service Argos, and a subset of these data is placed on the Global Telecommunications System (GTS) for distribution to operational centers for assimilation into weather and climate forecast models. A major step forward in long -term support for the array was the commissioning in FY 96 of the NOAA Ship Ka'imimoana, a research vessel dedicated to servicing TAO moorings between 95W and 165E. Also in FY 96, new Next Generation ATLAS moorings were introduced into the array.

TAO data support research efforts at institutions around the world on the causes and consequences of climate variability originating in the tropical Pacific. Work at PMEL during the past year has focused on describing the evolution of recent ENSO warm events, on analyzing upper ocean heat, salt and momentum balances in the western equatorial Pacific, on investigations of the mean seasonal cycle in the eastern equatorial Pacific cold tongue, on large scale ocean dynamical processes involving equatorial waves and currents, on defining tropical Pacifci surface layer hydrography and ocean mixed layer structure on seasonal to interannual time scales, on the combined use of TOPEX/POSEIDON altimeter and TAO moored measurements to understand large scale sea level and circulation patterns in the tropical Pacific, on assessments of TAO array design and sampling strategies for climate analyses and predictions, and on validation of recent ocean and atmospheric model reanalyses using TAO data. A historical overview of the development of the Tropical Ocean Global Atmosphere (TOGA) observing system was initiated. Specific plans for new measurement programs were advanced: for a Pilot Research Moored Array in the Tropical Atlantic (PIRATA) in collaboration with Brazil and France, for a moored ATLAS array as part of the South China Sea Monsoon Experiment (SCSMEX) in collaboration with Taiwan, and for the Triangle Trans Ocean Buoy Network (TRITON) in collaboration with Japan. The TAO project also established collaborations with the US Department of Energy/Atmospheric Radiation Measurements (DOE/ARM) program to provide long term solar radiation measurements in the western Pacific, with the NASA Scatterometer (NSCAT) program to provide in situ validation data and sensitivity testing of wind forced ocean models, with the NASA Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission ( TRMM) to provide basin scale in situ rainfall and salinity measurements, and with the NOAA Ocean Atmosphere Carbon Exchange Studies (OACES) program. These efforts all contribute to studies of ocean-atmosphere interaction and climate variability of central interest to PMEL.

The TAO project provides interactive access to TAO data, display software and graphics via the World Wide Web and workstation-based TAO Display Software. The TAO software features a point-and-click interface and a data subscription service providing remote users with automated daily updates to real time and historical TAO data, and is actively used at nearly 50 research institutions throughout the world. This year, time series of data from individual instruments on the TAO moorings have been made available on the World Wide Web. The TAO Project Office has also established a TOGA COARE moored data center, with Web access to nearly all moored time series collected during the COARE experiment.

Tropical Atmosphere-Oceans Program

Plans for FY 97

• Maintain the TAO Array in support of NOAA's Seasonal to Interannual Climate Prediction Program (SICPP), the NOAA/PACS program, GOOS, GCOS, and CLIVAR/GOALS.
• Continue the transition to Next Generation ATLAS moorings in the array. Build up radiation and rainfall measurement networks. Begin the collection of moored time series measurements in the tropical Atlantic and the South China Sea.
• Begin systematic moored bio-optical, nutrient and chemical measurements.
• Document phenomena and explore processes related to seasonal to interannual climate variations in the tropical Pacific, with emphasis on the equatorial cold tongue and the western Pacific warm pool.
• Continue modeling and TAO-based empirical studies to evaluate satellite wind and sea level products as part of the TOPEX/POSEIDON extended mission and the NSCAT mission.
• Continue evaluations of ocean and atmosphere reanalyses products, and of the impacts of TAO data on climate analysis and predictions.
• Rescue high resolution (15-minute) historical TAO current meter data and make these data available on the World Wide Web.
• Maintain and enhance on-line access to TAO data sets.