Changes at the Southern Great Plains (SGP) atmospheric observatory near Lamont, Oklahoma, will provide additional spatial sampling of atmospheric and surface information to support a new ARM capability—the routine operation of high-resolution process-models. The result will be even more comprehensive scientific data and the processes and tools for scientists to more easily use the data for climate model development. Enhancements at the ARM Data Center will enable both the routine model simulations and analysis of the resulting data sets.
With substantial measurement capabilities, the SGP is already the world’s largest and most extensive climate research field site. The newly reconfigured site in combination with the high-resolution model simulations will better address next-generation science questions about the complex interactions among atmospheric circulations, thermodynamics, aerosols, clouds, and the land surface.
While this type of observation-model integration is not new at ARM sites, the application of this observation-model synergy on a routine basis will better exploit the long-term nature of ARM observations.