U.S. MOPEX DATA SET
A key step in applying land surface parameterization schemes is to estimate model parameters that vary spatially and are unique to each computational element. Improved methods for parameter estimation (especially for parameters important to runoff response) are needed and require data from a wide range of climate regimes throughout the world. Accordingly, the GEWEX Hydrometeorology Panel (GHP) endorsed the concept of an international Model Parameter Estimation Project (MOPEX) at its Toronto meeting, August 1996. Phase I of MOPEX was funded by NOAA in FY 1997, Phase II in FY 2000 and Phase III in FY 2003. MOPEX was adopted as projects of the IAHS/WMO Committee on GEWEX and of the WMO Commission on Hydrology (CHy) and now is a contributor to the Combine Enhanced Observing Period (CEOP) of the World Climate Research Program (WCRP). In 2004 MOPEX became a Working Group of the IAHS Prediction for Ungaged Basins (PUB) Initiative. MOPEX also is expected to contribute to the work of the Hydrologic Ensemble Prediction Experiment (HEPEX) (Franz et al, 2005). The primary goal of MOPEX is to develop techniques for the a priori estimation of the parameters used in land surface parameterization schemes of atmospheric models and in hydrologic models. A major early effort of MOPEX has been to assemble a large number of high quality historical hydrometeorological and river basin characteristics data sets for a wide range of river basins (500-10,000 km{sup 2}) throughout the world. MOPEX data sets are available via the Internet (ftp://hydrology.nws.noaa.gov). This paper documents the development of data sets for U.S. river basins. Several highly successful parameter estimation workshops have been organized by MOPEX. The first was held as part of the IAHS meeting in Birmingham, England in July, 1999. The second workshop was hosted April, 2002 in Tucson, AZ by SAHRA/University of Arizona. The third MOPEX workshop was held as part of the IAHS meeting in Sapporo, July, 2003. The fourth workshop, Paris, July,2005 was organized by the Cemagref in collaboration with the ENGREF, Meteo France, National Weather Service and the SAHRA/University of Arizona. The fifth workshop was held as part of the IAHS meeting, February, 2005, Foz do Iguacu, Brazil. The purpose of the future phases of the project is to: (1) continue collect additional international data sets; update data from the U.S. by adding recent years, including data for elevation zones in mountainous areas and refining energy forcing; (2) continue to conduct international MOPEX workshops; (3) provide leadership to develop a better scientific understanding of how to improve procedures for a priori parameter estimation, (4) make a significant hydrological contribution to CEOP and PUBS, and (5) demonstrate transferability of MOPEX results. The basic data collection strategy being used in MOPEX is to seek most readily available and highest quality data first. During the next 3 years analyses of the available MOPEX data sets by the international scientific community will be emphasized.
- Research Organization:
- Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-48
- OSTI ID:
- 899413
- Report Number(s):
- UCRL-JRNL-221228; TRN: US200708%%279
- Journal Information:
- IAHS Publication Series, vol. 307, N/A, November 1, 2006, pp. 9-28, Journal Name: IAHS Publication Series, vol. 307, N/A, November 1, 2006, pp. 9-28
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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