Abstract
The quality of ground-based astronomical observations is significantly affected by local atmospheric conditions, and the search for the best sites has led to the construction of observatories at increasingly remote locations, including recent initiatives on the high plateaus of East Antarctica where the calm, dry, and cloud-free conditions during winter are recognized as amongst the best in the world. Site selection is an important phase of any observatory development project, and candidate sites must be tested in the field with specialized equipment, a process both time consuming and costly. A potential means of screening site locations before embarking on field testing is through the use of regional climate models (RCMs). In this study, we describe the application of the Polar version of the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model to the preliminary site suitability assessment of a hitherto unstudied region in West Antarctica. Numerical simulations with WRF were carried out for the winter (MJJA) of 2011 at 3- and 1-km spatial resolution over a region centered on the Ellsworth mountain range. Comparison with observations of surface wind speed and direction, temperature, and specific humidity at nine automatic weather stations indicates that the model performed well in capturing the mean values and time variability of these variables. Credible features revealed by the model includes zones of high winds over the southernmost part of the Ellsworth Mountains, a deep thermal inversion over the Ronne-Fincher Ice Shelf, and strong west to east moisture gradient across the entire study area. Comparison of simulated cloud fraction with a CALIPSO spacebourne Lidar climatology indicates that the model may underestimate cloud occurrence, a problem that has been noted in previous studies. A simple scoring system was applied to reveal the most promising locations. The results of this study indicate that the WRF model is capable of providing useful guidance during the initial site selection stage of project development.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Abahamid A, Jabiri A, Vernin J, Benkhaldoun Z, Azouit M, Agabi A (2004) Optical turbulence modeling in the boundary layer and free atmosphere using instrumented meteorological balloons. Astron Astrophys 416:1193–1200
Agabi A, Aristidi E, Azouit M, Fossat E, Martin F, Sadibekova T, Ziad A (2006) First whole atmosphere nighttime seeing measurements at dome C, Antarctica. Publ Astron Soc Pac 118:344–348
Aristidi E, Agabi A, Fossat E, Azouit M, Martin F, Sadibekova T, Travouillon T, Vernin J, Ziad A (2005a) Site testing in summer at dome C, Antartica. Astron Astrophys 444:651–659
Aristidi E, Agabi K, Azouit M, Fossat E, Vernin J, Travouillon T, Walden V (2005b) An analysis of temperatures and wind speeds above dome C, Antarctica. Astron Astrophys 430:739–746
Bely PY (1987) Weather and seeing on Mauna Kea. Publ Astron Soc Pac:99:560–570
Bonner CS, Ashley MCB, Cui X, Feng L, Gong X, Lawrence JS, Luong-van DM, Shang Z, Storey JWV, Wang L, Yang H, Yang J, Zhou X, Zhu Z (2010) Thickness of the atmospheric boundary layer above dome A, Antarctica, during 2009. Publ Astron Soc Pac 122:1122–1131
Bintanja R (1999) On the glaciological, meteorological, and climatological significance of Antarctic blue ice areas. Rev Geophys 37:337–359
Bromwich DH, Otieno FO, Hines KM, Manning KW, Shilo E (2013) Comprehensive evaluation of polar Weather Research And Forecasting performance in the Antarctic. J Geophys Res 118:274–292. doi:10.1029/2012JD018139
Bromwich DH, Nicolas JP, Hines KM, Kay JE, Key E, Lazzara MA, Lubin D, McFarquhar GM, Gorodetskaya I, Grosvenor DP, Lachlan-Cope TA, van Lipzig N (2012) Tropospheric clouds in Antarctica. Rev Geophys 50:1004. doi:10.1029/2011RG000363
Buckley, D. (2015) Astronomy developments and site testing in East Africa. Journal of Physics: Conference Series, 595, article id. 012005
Burton MG (2010) Astronomy in Antarctica. Astron Astrophys Rev 18:417–469
Chepfer H, Bony S, Winker DM, Cesana G, Dufresne JL, Minnis P, Stubenrauch CJ, Zeng S (2010) The GCM Oriented CALIPSO Cloud Product (CALIPSO-GOCCP). J. Geophys. Res 105:D00H16. doi:10.1029/2009JD012251
Connolley WM, Cattle H (1994) The Antarctic climate of the UKMO unified model. Antarct Sci 6:115–122
Ellerbroek BL (1994) First-order performance evaluation of adaptive-optics systems for atmospheric-turbulence compensation in extended-field-of-view astronomical telescopes. J Opt Soc Am A 11:783–805
Erasmus, D. and Sarazin, M. (2002) Utilizing satellite data for evaluation and forecasting applications at astronomical sites. In Astronomical site evaluation in the visible and radio range, 266:310.
Feofilov AG, Stubenrauch CJ, Delanoë J (2015) Ice water content vertical profiles of high-level clouds: classification and impact on radiative fluxes,. Atmos Chem Phys 15:12327–12344
Giordano C, Vernin J, Trinquet H, Muñoz-Tuñón C (2014) Weather Research and Forecasting prevision model as a tool to search for the best sites for astronomy: application to La Palma, Canary Islands. Mon Not R Astron Soc 440:1964–1970
Grenier P, Blanchet J-P, Munoz-Alpizar R (2009) Study of polar thin ice clouds and aerosols seen by CloudSat and CALIPSO during mid-winter 2007. J Geophys Res 114:D09201. doi:10.1029/2008JD010927
Hines KM, Bromwich DH (2008) Development and testing of Polar Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model. Part I: Greenland Ice Sheet Meteorology*. Mon Weather Rev 136:1971
Holtslag AAM, Svensson G, Baas P, Basu S, Beare B, Beljaars ACM, Bosveld FC, Cuxart J, Lindvall J, Steeneveld GJ, Tjernström M, Van De Wiel BJH (2013) Stable atmospheric boundary layers and diurnal cycles: challenges for weather and climate models. Bull Am Meteorol Soc 94:1691–1706
Janjić Z (2002) Nonsingular implementation of the Mellor–Yamada level 2.5 scheme in the NCEP meso model. NCEP Office Note No. 437, 60
Kerber, F., Rose, T., Chacon, A., Cuevas, O., Czekala, H., Hanuschik, R., Momany, Y., Navarrete, J., Querel, R. R., Smette, A., van den Ancker, M. E., Cure, M., and Naylor, D. A. (2012) A water vapour monitor at Paranal Observatory, SPIE Conference Series, 8446, 8463N
Lawrence JS, Ashley MCB, Tokovinin A, Travouillon T (2004) Exceptional astronomical seeing conditions above dome C in Antarctica. Nature 431:278–281
Lombardi, G. (2009) Astronomical site testing in the era of the extremely large telescopes, [Dissertation thesis], Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna Dottorato di ricerca in Astronomia, 21
Malczewski J (2004) GIS-based land-use suitability analysis: a critical overview. Prog Plan 62:3–65
Marks RD, Vernin J, Azouit M, Manigault JF, Clevelin C (1999) Measurement of optical seeing on the high antarctic plateau. Astron Astrophys Suppl Ser 134(1):161-172
Martin F, Conan R, Tokovinin A, Ziad A, Trinquet H, Borgnino J, Sarazin M (2000) Optical parameters relevant for high angular resolution at Paranal from GSM instrument and surface layer contribution. Astron Astrophys Suppl Ser 144(1):39–44
Masciadri E, Lascaux F (2012) MOSE: a feasibility study for optical turbulence forecast with the Meso-Nh mesoscale model to support AO facilities at ESO sites (Paranal and Armazones). Proc SPIE 8447. doi:10.1117/12.925924
Mellor GL, Yamada T (1982) Development of a turbulence closure model for geophysical fluid problems. Rev Geophys Space Phys 20:851–875
Morris EM, Vaughan DG (2003) Spatial and temporal variation of surface temperature on the Antarctic Peninsula and the limit of viability of ice shelves. Antarct Res Ser 79:61–68
Murphy J (1999) An evaluation of statistical and dynamical techniques for downscaling local climate. J Clim 12:2256–2284
Nicolas JP, Bromwich DH (2011) Climate of West Antarctica and influence of marine air intrusions. J Clim 24:49–67. doi:10.1175/2010JCLI3522.1
Parish TR, Bromwich DH (1991) Continental-scale simulation of the Antarctic katabatic wind regime. J Clim 4:135–146
Parish TR, Bromwich DH (2007) Reexamination of the near-surface airflow over the Antarctic continent and implications on atmospheric circulations at high southern latitudes. Mon Weather Rev 135:1961
Probst O, Cárdenas D (2010) State of the art and trends in wind resource assessment. Energies 3:1087–1141
Vernin J, Muñoz-Tuñón C (1995) Measuring astronomical seeing: the DA/IAC DIMM. Publ Astron Soc Pac 107:265–272
Saunders W, Lawrence JS, Storey JWV, Ashley MCB, Kato S, Minnis P, Winker DM, Liu G, Kulesa C (2009) Where is the best site on earth? Domes A, B, C, and F, and ridges A and B. PASP 121:976–992
Schöck M et al. (2009) Thirty Meter Telescope site testing I: overview. Publ Astron Soc Pac 121:384–395
Schöck, M., Nelson, J., Els, S., Gillett, P., Otarola, A., Riddle, R., Skidmore, W., Travouillon, T., Blum, B., Chanan, G., De Young, D., Djorgovski, S.G., Salmon, D., Steinbring, E., A. Walker: (2011), Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) site merit function, Revista Mexicana Conference Series, 41, Eds. M. Cure, A. Otarola, J. Marin, & M Sarazin, 41:32–35
Schwerdtfeger W (1975) The effect of the Antarctic Peninsula on the temperature regime of the Weddell Sea. Mon Weather Rev 103:45–51
Simmonds I, Law R (1995) Associations between Antarctic katabatic flow and the upper level winter vortex. Int J Climatol 15:403–421
Skidmore W, Els S, Travouillon T, Riddle R, Schöck M, Bustos E, Seguel J, Walker D (2009) Thirty Meter Telescope site testing V: seeing and isoplanatic angle. Publ Astron Soc Pacific 121:1151–1166
Serreze MC, Barry RG (2005) The Arctic climate system, 385 pp. Cambridge Univ, Press, New York
Steeneveld G-J (2014) Current challenges in understanding and forecasting stable boundary layers over land and ice. Front Environ Sci 2:41. doi:10.3389/fenvs.2014.00041
Steinbring E, Carlberg R, Croll B, Fahlman G, Hickson P, Ivanescu L, Leckie B, Pfrommer T, Schöck M (2010) First assessment of mountains on Northwestern Ellesmere Island, Nunavut, as potential astronomical observing sites. Publ Astron Soc Pac 122:1092–1108
Steinhoff DF, Bromwich DH, Monaghan AJ (2013) Dynamics of the foehn mechanism in the McMurdo Dry Valleys of Antarctica from Polar WRF. Q J R Meteorol Soc 139:1615–1631. doi:10.1002/qj.2038
Swain MR, Gallée H (2006) Antarctic boundary layer seeing. PASP 118:1197–1197
Tokovinin A, Kornilov V (2007) Accurate seeing measurements with MASS and DIMM. Mon Not R Astron Soc 381:1179–1189
Travouillon T, Jolissaint L, Ashley MCB, Lawrence JS, Storey JWV (2009) Overcoming the boundary layer turbulence at dome C: ground-layer adaptive optics versus tower. Publ Astron Soc Pac 121:880
Tomlin CD (1994) Map algebra: one perspective. Landsc Urban Plan 30:3–12
Acknowledgments
Patricio Rojo and Mark Falvey acknowledge the funding by the Instituto Antartico Chileno project INACH G19_11.We also acknowledge support from the BASAL CATA Center for Astrophysics and Associated Technologies PFB-06.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Falvey, M., Rojo, P.M. Application of a regional model to astronomical site testing in western Antarctica. Theor Appl Climatol 125, 841–862 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00704-016-1794-x
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00704-016-1794-x