| Two
new upper air observing stations in critical data sparse areas of
the world have been activated as a part of the GCOS Upper Air
Network (GUAN), through the cooperative efforts of WMO, NOAA, UK
Met Office and GCOS. The new stations at Gan (Maldives) and
at Dar-es-Salaam (United Republic of Tanzania) began routine
operations during September 2004
NOAA, through the US Climate
Change Research Initiative, provided funding for both projects.
The island of GAN (Maldives) is
located just south of the equator in the Indian Ocean, a region of
no current routine observations for weather and climate. Gan
was last operational in 1983.
The Station at Dar-es-Salaam
(United Republic of Tanzania), on the east coast of Africa has not
been working since 1984 due to obsolescent equipment, and will now
provide critical observations for climate and weather in Africa, a
data sparse region.
Climate scientists considered
both locations essential for obtaining global coverage of the GUAN
and for essential information to understand and predict climate
change and its variability.
The UK Met Office managed the
project at Gan, including purchase and installation of the
equipment and the training of the local operations staff of the
Maldives Meteorological Service. Initial operation of the
system will include a year's supply of radiosondes.
WMO, through GCOS and TCO,
provided the project management for the system at Dar-es-Salaam.
WMO purchased the equipment, including a hydrogen generator, upper
air ground equipment, and an initial supply of radiosondes,
while the equipment suppliers provided for installation and
training of the local operations staff of the Tanzanian
Meteorological Service.
|
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Marine Stations [
EUMETNET
Composite Obervating System (EUCOS) [
The Global Observing System