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Publication Details
AFRICAN RESEARCH NEXUS
SHINING A SPOTLIGHT ON AFRICAN RESEARCH
earth and planetary sciences
The Amma radiosonde program and its implications for the future of atmospheric monitoring over Africa
Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, Volume 89, No. 7, Year 2008
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Description
This article describes the upper-air program, which has been conducted as part of the African Monsoon Multidisciplinary Analysis (AMMA). Since 2004, AMMA scientists have been working in partnership with operational agencies in Africa to reactivate silent radiosonde stations, to renovate unreliable stations, and to install new stations in regions of particular climatic importance. A comprehensive upper-air network is now active over West Africa and has contributed to high-quality atmospheric monitoring over three monsoon seasons. During the period June to September 2006 high-frequency soundings were performed, in conjunction with intensive aircraft and ground-based activities: some 7,000 soundings were made, representing the greatest density of upper air measurements ever collected over the region. An important goal of AMMA is to evaluate the impact of these data on weather and climate prediction for West Africa, and for the hurricane genesis regions of the tropical Atlantic. Many operational difficulties were encountered in the program, involving technical problems in the harsh environment of sub-Saharan Africa and issues of funding, coordination, and communication among the many nations and agencies involved. In facing up to these difficulties, AMMA achieved a steady improvement in the number of soundings received by numerical weather prediction centers, with a success rate of over 88% by August 2007. From the experience of AMMA, we are therefore able to make firm recommendations for the maintenance and operation of a useful upper-air network in WMO Region I in the future. © 2008 American Meteorological Society.
Authors & Co-Authors
Parker, Douglas J.
United Kingdom, Leeds
University of Leeds
Fink, Andreas H.
Germany, Koln
Universität zu Köln
Janicot, Serge
France, Paris
Laboratoire D'océanographie et du Climat : Expérimentations et Approches Numériques
Ngamini, Jean Blaise
Senegal, Dakar
Asecna
Douglas, Michael
United States, Norman
Noaa National Severe Storms Laboratory
Afiesimama, E. A.
Nigeria, Abuja
Nigerian Meteorological Agency
Agustí-Panareda, Anna
United Kingdom, Reading
European Centre for Medium-range Weather Forecasts
Beljaars, Anton
United Kingdom, Reading
European Centre for Medium-range Weather Forecasts
Dide, Francis
Unknown Affiliation
Diedhiou, A. Bouramanding
France, Saint Martin D'heres
Institut Des Géosciences de L'environnement Ige
Lebel, Thierry
France, Saint Martin D'heres
Institut Des Géosciences de L'environnement Ige
Polcher, Jan
France, Paris
Cnrs Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique
Redelspergerk, Jean Luc
France, Toulouse
Centre National de Recherches Météorologiques
Thorncroft, Chris D.
United States, Albany
State University of new York Albany
Wilson, George Ato
Ghana, Accra
Gmet
Statistics
Citations: 106
Authors: 15
Affiliations: 12
Identifiers
Doi:
10.1175/2008BAMS2436.1
ISSN:
00030007
Research Areas
Environmental
Study Locations
Multi-countries