Friday, January 29, 2016 - 11:15
Peter Thorne has been invited to become a full member of the GCOS Atmospheric Observations Panel for Climate. The panel meets annually and provides critical input on the ability to monitor a suite of atmospheric Essential Climate Variables. As stated at http://www.wmo.int/pages/prog/gcos/index.php?name=AOPC the key activities are:
- Assessing the current state of the atmospheric component of the global observing system for climate, and identifying its gaps and inadequacies;
- Securing the implementation of designated GCOS networks and promoting the establishment and enhancement of other systems to provide long-term and consistent data and information for atmospheric ECVs, such as Earth radiation budget, Surface radiation, Greenhouse gases, Water vapour, Cloud properties, and Aerosols;
- Liasing with relevant research, operational and end-user bodies in order to determine and maintain the requirements for data to monitor, understand and predict the dynamical, physical and chemical state of the atmosphere and its interfaces on seasonal to multi-decadal timescales, on both global and regional levels;
- Promoting the transfer and accessibility of data to the user community, as well as the rehabilitation of historical observational and proxy climate datasets.
This appointment further cements the nationally leading role of Maynooth University as a voice in international climate related activities.
