About YMC

About YMC

Objectives

The goal of the "Years of the Maritime Continent (YMC)" is to expedite the progress of improving understanding and prediction of local multi-scale variability of the MC weather-climate system and its global impact through observations and modeling exercises.

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Campaign Period

July 2017 - July 2019

* ... Several coordinated intensive observations will be conducted during this period. But some of them may extend their period beyond this.

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Five Science Themes

1) Atmospheric Convection

To advance understanding of physical processes governing diurnal, synoptic, intraseasonal and seasonal variability of atmospheric convection and their interaction under the influence of the complex land-sea distribution and topography.

2) Upper-Ocean Processes and Air-Sea Interaction

To advance understanding of controlling processes for the multi-scale diurnal, intraseasonal and seasonal variability of the ocean and air-sea interaction in the MC region under the influence of extremely complex bathymetry and islands.

3) Stratosphere-Troposphere Interaction

To advance understanding of processes governing the dynamical coupling of the stratosphere and troposphere and their mass exchanges over the MC.

4) Aerosol

To advance understanding of key processes by which the multi-scale variability and interaction of convection and circulation affect the production, transport, and disposition of aerosol and their interaction with clouds in the MC.

5) Prediction Improvement

To improve representations of key processes in weather and climate models through use of field observations and improved understanding.

For more details, please refer;

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Five Main Activities

1) Data Sharing.

We will build a 2-year comprehensive database through collecting, archiving, and sharing data from observing networks in the MC region, satellites and NWP products.

2) Field Campaign

We will collect special observations through a 2-year field campaign.

3) Modeling

We will quantify biases/errors of numerical models and potential for improvement of prediction and simulation skills through coordinated numerical experiments.

4) Prediction and Application

We will demonstrate potential prediction improvement. We will also study optimizations of targeted prediction products for users, information disassembling through modern media, and support to emergence management.

5) Outreaching and Capacity Building

We will inform the general public of the knowledge of MC weather-climate system on its local and global impact. We will also train the next generation of scientists, forecasters, and technicians.

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Science Steering Committee (SSC)

Co-chairs

Chidong Zhang (NOAA/PMEL)
Kunio Yoneyama (JAMSTEC)

Members

Edvin Aldrian (BPPT, Indonesia)
Olivia Cabrera (University of the Philippines)
Andreas Fink (Karlsruhe Institute of Technology)
Hans Huang (Meteorological Service Singapore)
Adrian Matthews (University of East Anglia)
Chung-Hsiung Sui (National Taiwan University)
Fredolin Tangang (The National University of Malaysia)
Matthew Wheeler (Australian Bureau of Meteorology)
Weidong Yu (First Institute of Oceanography, China)

Terms of Reference for the SSC

1. Develop the YMC science and implementation plans.
2. Promote, coordinate and oversee the YMC field campaign, data sharing, modeling, forecast improvement, and outreach/capacity building activities.
3. Provide scientific, technical and programmatic guidance to ensure that YMC progresses towards achieving its scientific objectives.
4. Coordinate YMC participating institutes to maximize the outcome of YMC activities.
5. Provide liaison between YMC research and operation components and promote research-operation collaboration.
6. Coordinate and provide oversight and guidance to YMC working groups.
7. Coordinate between YMC and other relevant international projects and programs to leverage resources and achieve common goals.
8. Organizing international workshops and meeting sessions on YMC sciences.
9. Report progress to international YMC oversight organizations.

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Implementing Advisory Board

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Observation Networks (Routine + Planned/Proposed)