I recently traveled to Manus to set up the instrumentation for the ancillary variability site for AMIE. As both a member of the DYNAMO Science Steering Committee and PI for the AMIE campaigns, I’ve been quite busy interacting with the DYNAMO folks. In addition, I’ve been working with Lynne Roeder and the ARM Education and Outreach folks on the development of the AMIE website, signage, and education and outreach materials. With a tremendous amount of effort on everyone’s part, things are really coming along!

AMIE-Manus
Both Kevin Widener and Nitin Bharadwaj are still on site working on the various radar installations. The C-band radar (C-SAPR) made it through acceptance testing and is currently producing data. While no data are yet available from the ARM Archive, thanks to Kevin and Nitin, quicklook plots are available upon request. One of the advantages to setting up the C-SAPR site at the Lombrum navy base is that there is no need for an additional wireless network for internet connectivity to the C-SAPR site, meaning less possibility of problems.

I must say that the Manus site is looking ship-shape. Along with all the recent instrument upgrades there have been some upgrades to the facilities as well, for instance new seatainers for the SACR and AERI. Things are looking good on Manus!

AMIE-Gan

The AMF2 for AMIE-Gan will occupy two sites. The main site is located at the Gan airport, next to the Gan Maldivian Meteorological Service (MMS) offices. The other ARM site will be near the main wharf for the atoll, about 8.8 km (5.5 mi) up the atoll to the north from the main site. This is where the X/Ka SACR and ECOR systems will be deployed, as well as the NCAR SPolKa radar. Mike Ritsche and some of the AMF2 crew are currently on the Addu Atoll working with local contractors and officials to get the infrastructure in place for the AMF2 equipment. They are also starting to install what has arrived so far at the main site located at the Gan airport.

The C-band SMART-R radar will be located further north at what has been named the “Spit Site” because it is a small skinny “spit” of land sticking out into the water. This placement allows for Range Height Indicator (RHI) scans from the SACR, SPolKa, and SMART-R C-band radars over the main site where the KAZR will be located. Plus all three scanning radars have a very good unblocked horizon view toward the east, which is into the DYNAMO study area.

Major kudos to everyone involved for all their efforts and hard work! If it can be done, they will get it done!

If you’ll be at the ASR Fall Working Group meetings, please plan on attending the MJO Breakout. Come with sleeves rolled up and ready to dig in! At long last AMIE is almost upon us. Time to get serious on how we can creatively put all the data to use toward improved understanding and modeling of the MJO.

Cheers,
Chuck Long

Editor’s note: The AMIE campaign is scheduled to begin on October 1, 2011, and run for 6 months. AMIE has two components, one on Manus Island, Papua New Guinea, and the other on the Addu Atoll in the Republic of the Maldives in the Indian Ocean. Both are associated with the larger DYNAMO and CINDY2011 campaigns to study the Madden-Julian Oscillation.