Collaborative Research: Antarctic Automatic Weather Station Program 2016-2019

The Antarctic Automatic Weather Station (AWS) network is the most extensive ground meteorological network in the Antarctic, approaching its 30th year at several of its installations. Its prime focus as a long term observational record is to measure the near surface weather and climatology of the Antarctic atmosphere. AWS stations measure air-temperature, pressure, wind speed and direction at a nominal surface height of ~ 2-3m. Other parameters such as relative humidity, incoming sunshine, and snow accumulation may also be taken at selected sites. Observational data from the AWS are collected via Iridium network, or DCS Argos aboard either NOAA or MetOp polar orbiting satellites and thus made available in near real time to operational and synoptic weather forecasters. The surface observations from the Antarctic AWS network are important records for recent climate change and meteorological processes. The surface observations from the Antarctic AWS network are also used operationally, and in the planning of field work. The surface observations made from the network have been used to check on satellite and remote sensing observations.This project uses the surface conditions observed by the AWS network to determine how large-scale modes of climate variability impact Antarctic weather and climate, how the surface observations from the AWS network are linked to surface layer and boundary layer processes, and to quantify the impact of snowfall. Specifically, this project improves our understanding of the processes that lead to unusual weather events and how these events are related to large-scale modes of climate variability.