WMOD00399

• Title: WMO Training Workshop on Weather Modification for Meteorologists - Lecture Notes
• Date: 12/1/1979
• Weather Modification - Doc Type: Report

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3.3.5 Experiment management: A clear tmderstanding of responsibility and authority of the
different components and levels within the organization of PEP is necessary for its success.
Another prerequisite is the availability of direct and open communication channels. While
the relative roles of the PEP Board (ovE!rall responsibility, particularly with regards to
resources), the EC Panel on Weather Modification (scientific responsibility), and the
Scientific Planning Group (planning of experim.ent and operation) have been established in
documents by Congress and EC, it is also clear that the responsibility of the field oper-
ation needs to be in the hands of a field site manager. He would be under the supervision
of the leader of the Scientific Planning Group (SPG) , and be assisted by a liaison officer
from the host country for the PEP site. The field manager should have day to day control
of the resources required to maintain the core programme. The SPG has the management
responsibility delegated by the Board and co-ordinates all sub-programmes.

The field operation needs a headquarters where all the information is received,
collected and validated (with the exception of information gained by sophisticated "visit-
ing" aircraft or specialized data processed by research teams which may handle their own
data processing). A regular forecast unit should be part of the headquarters of the field
operation. There will be other facilities which may be operated by groups from different
locations: seeding and cloud physics aircraft, radar, radiosonde units, mobile units,
satellite receiving station. It is obvious that direct communications need to be available
for day to day decision making and operations, consultation and data transmission.

3.3.6 Data management: There is a key requirement for responsible data quality control,
pre-processing and validation by mini-c(~puter and storage. Some data need to be directly
available for decision making (synoptic, radar, satellite). Other information (like rain-
gauge readings and recordings, radiosonde profiles, cloud physical parameters, etc.) needs
to be available as soon as feasible for ongoing research at the site.

The statistical evaluation neE!ds to be updated every year; this is also desirable
for the physical assessment. These studies should be prepared as much as possible during
the PEP field periods. The evaluation of sub-programme data sets collected by other count-
ries needs to be co-ordinated by the SPG with the help of the field manager and the advice
of the EC Panel. Evaluations might well be assisted by organized workshops of principal
scientists.

3.3.7 Resource and manpower requirements: Considerable equipment and facilities are
required for PEP. For seeding and the preliminary evaluation of its effects, the items
listed below are needed to accomplish the indicated tasks.

Core:

.

- seeding aircraft (serviceable, equipped for night-time flying, seeding
for each aircraft, and supply of seeding material for 5 seasons)
- ground generators (if judged adva~tageous, on mountain ridges)
- recording raingauges
Decision-making:
- synoptic meteorology laboratory with facsimile recorders and satellite
date receiver
- rawinsonde
- radiosonde transmitters, balloons, gas and associated equipment
(400 sondes per year)
- meteorology radar, digitized, possibly 'with mini-computer; 5 or lO cm
wavelength
Supporting activities:
cloud physics aircraft (l available equipped with automated measuring
systems + 1 sophisticated aircraft part-time)
- raindrop size spectrograph (I-mobile)
Data management and pre-evaluation:
- analysis centre, data collection and storage

generators

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5-10
50

1

2
2000

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1-2

2

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