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Long-Term Observations of Land Surface Characteristics

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Long-Term Climate Monitoring by the Global Climate Observing System

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Abstract

There is a new awareness of the potential importance of land surface observations in climate studies. This paper suggests a three-pronged, (in situ, satellite, and numerical model-based) observation strategy for land surface observations in the Global Climate Observing System (GCOS). This strategy is based on the premise that the land surface’s importance lies in its links to the atmosphere and, in particular, in its role in determining and modulating the fluxes of momentum, sensible and latent heat and in the surface radiation budget. Specific suggestions include: (a) harnessing the potential of the WMO’s World Weather Watch to provide regular observations of key land surface properties i.e., soil moisture and soil temperature; (b) utilization of satellites to provide land surface ‘reference’ data sets and encourage development of stable satellite data sets for land surface monitoring; and (c) use of numerical-model-based data assimilation systems (DAS) to augment in situ and satellite observation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Climate Analysis Center, National Meteorological Center, Washington, D.C., 20233, USA

    Chester F. Ropelewski

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  1. Chester F. Ropelewski
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Climatic Data Center, 151 Patton Avenue, Room 120, Asheville, NC, 28801-5001, USA

    Thomas R. Karl

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© 1996 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht

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Ropelewski, C.F. (1996). Long-Term Observations of Land Surface Characteristics. In: Karl, T.R. (eds) Long-Term Climate Monitoring by the Global Climate Observing System. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-0323-7_15

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-0323-7_15

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-94-010-4143-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-011-0323-7

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