E-PROFILE

OBSERVATIONS – E-PROFILE

Objectives

E-PROFILE is part of the EUMETNET Composite Observing System, EUCOS, managing the European networks of radar wind profilers (RWP) and automatic lidars and ceilometers (ALC) for the monitoring of vertical profiles of wind and aerosols including volcanic ash.

E-PROFILE coordinates the measurements of vertical profiles of wind from radar wind profilers (vertically pointing Doppler radars) and weather radars from a network of locations across Europe and provides the data to the end users. The main goal is to improve the overall usability of wind profiler data for operational meteorology and to provide support and expertise to both profiler operators and end users.
Due to technical advances of the last years ceilometers (automatic low cost lidars) provide nowadays not only cloud base height but also information on the vertical distribution of aerosols derived from the backscatter profile. To make available this new observation capacity E-PROFILE is developing a framework to produce and exchange profiles of attenuated backscatter profiles. Automatic lidars and ceilometers of stations across Europe are added to the operational network.

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Data Visualization

Interactive Live Visualisation of Wind, Aerosol and Cloud Observations:

https://e-profile.eu/

https://vprofiles.met.no/

Data Download (CEDA archive, registration required)

Wind Profiler network

Aerosol and Cloud Profiler Network

The tasks

The main tasks of E-PROFILE are:

– To operate the network hub for data processing and quality evaluation of wind data from radar windprofilers.

– To further develop the real time monitoring of availability, timeliness, quality.

– To continue the network management of the VAD/VVP winds products from the European weather radar network and liaise with OPERA on network performance and technical issues.

– To analyze the user requirements for backscatter data from automatic lidars and ceilometers.

– To integrate automatic lidars and ceilometers in an operational network according to the business case.

– To create and maintain expertise in radar and lidar remote sensing of vertical profiles of wind and aerosols and to make it available to all EUMETNET members through expert teams.

– To maintain an archive of communicated data and metadata for all systems connected to the network.

– To maintain the data exchange standards (BUFR code tables).

– To liaise with International Programmes.

– To liaise with EUMETFREQ on the protection of frequencies for wind profiler radars.

The organisation

The current phase of the E-PROFILE Programme started on the 1.1.2019 and will last until 31.12.2023. The coordinating member is MeteoSwiss and the programme manager is Alexander Haefele. The network data hub of E-PROFILE is operated by the UK Met Office.

Members

updated 2016-10-12

ZAMG, AUSTRIA – RMI, BELGIUM – DHMZ, CROATIA – CHMI, CZECH Rep. – FMI, FINLAND – Météo-France, FRANCE – DWD, GERMANY – OMSZ, HUNGARY – IMO, ICELAND – Met Éireann, IRELAND – USAM, ITALY – MeteoLux, LUXEMBURG – KNMI, NETHERLANDS – MET Norway, NORWAY – RHMSS, SERBIA – SHMÚ, SLOVAK Rep. – AEMet, SPAIN – SMHI, SWEDEN – MeteoSwiss, SWITZERLAND – Met Office, UNITED KINGDOM

To be part of the network, follow the procedure described in the E-PROFILE-quickstart. More information is available in this document. Data will be shared using the EUMETNET standard license agreement for research and education.

More information

OPERA Data production

During the previous OPERA phase (2019-2023), the data centre (ODYSSEY) was gradually replaced with three new production lines (CUMULUS/STRATUS CIRRUS, and NIMBUS).

New OPERA data production

Figure: The schematic structure of the new OPERA data production.

The three new production lines are:

• CUMULUS/STRATUS, a real-time data hub providing the incoming data back to members in approximately real-time for their own processing (e.g. regional composites or NWP assimilation) and to the other two production lines (CIRRUS and NIMBUS). The production line has been operational since Q2/2021.

• CIRRUS producing 5-minute instantaneous maximum reflectivity composite (dBZ) for current weather, severe weather alerts and aviation needs. It is replacing the ODYSSEY maximum reflectivity composite with improved spatial (now with 1 km gridding) and temporal resolution (from 15 – minutes to 5- minutes). The production has been operational in Q1/2024. Documentation regarding the CIRRUS maximum reflectivity product and its differences compared to the ODYSSEY maximum reflectivity product can be found here.

– OPERA_Max Reflectivity_Product Sheet_Ed-2.0.pdf

– OPERA5_Report_Cirrus-vs-Odyssey_Ed-2.0.pdf

• NIMBUS producing centrally the quality-controlled products; instantaneous rain rate (mm/h) and 1 – hour accumulation (mm) composites, and wind profiles (TBD Q4/2024), and additionally the quality-controlled volume data for NWP assimilation. It is replacing the ODYSSEY production for the above-mentioned products. The NIMBUS production has been operational in Q2/2024. Documentation regarding the NIMBUS composites and their differences compared to the corresponding ODYSSEY can be found here:

– NIMBUS_datasheet_composites_1.0_13062024.pdf

– NIMBUS_composite_vs_ODYSSEY_1.0_19062024.pdf

OPERA support can be reached through email to support.opera@emetnet.com. Responses from the service desk are provided on a best-effort basis.

Access to data

The members of OPERA and EUMETNET may use the composites for their official duties without a separate license. The Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP) modelers obtain the quality-controlled volume data directly from NIMBUS production line.

The OPERA products are also available under license to 3rd parties:

· For national weather services not participating in OPERA which want to use the products to support their public weather service, contact info@emetnet.com

· For a research and education licence, contact info@emetnet.com.

· For a license to exploit the products commercially, contact one of the EUMETNET members contact points(https://www.ecomet.eu/contact/members) or send a mail eumetdaps_secretariat@emetnet.com.

AVIMET

WG AVIMET: The Working Group for Aviation

Objectives

Aviation, consisting of a wide spectrum of aeronautical stakeholders, is a high priority customer group for most EUMETNET Members. Via co-operation, EUMETNET Members strive to improve the value and efficiency of aeronautical meteorological services to ensure performance benefits for the aviation industry as well as to reduce the negative impact of adverse weather conditions on the daily operations.

AVIMET is a Working Group of EUMETNET that was created to address issues of common interest within the aeronautical meteorological (MET) domain, especially in relation to the ongoing development of the political, technical and regulatory landscape under a Single European Sky (SES). In addition to this, the WG AVIMET aims to facilitate the exchange of information between members on aviation meteorological issues whilst developing common position statements of EUMETNET on aviation-related issues.

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Focus Areas

AVIMET has identified three main focus areas:

Improving the value and efficiency of aeronautical meteorological services to the aviation industry to ensure performance benefits through cooperation, innovation and investment for the future
Improving the perception of the MET service providers by the other aviation stakeholders
Responding in a cooperative, consistent and user-focused way to the demands of the implementation of the Single European Sky (SES) initiative

Membership & Organisation

Membership is open to all EUMETNET Members who may nominate one representative to the Working Group. In general, the representative should belong to an authorized and certified MET Service Provider which may be either the EUMETNET Member itself or another agency in that country. On 1st of January 2017 AVIMET has 33 members.

The Working Group tasks are coordinated by an elected WG Chairperson whose main roles are to:

Act as an external spokesman for WG AVIMET when required
Act as an internal rapporteur to other EUMETNET bodies as required
Provide advice to the EUMETNET Aviation Support on how aviation issues should be handled

The AVIMET Chair is assisted by 2 elected Vice-Chairs.

OBSERVATIONS – E-PROFILE

Wind Profiler Network

Aerosol and Cloud Profiler Network

Background Information

OPERA Data production

New production lines

Access to data

EUMETNET AMDAR coverage

OBSERVATIONS – OPERA

WG AVIMET: The Working Group for Aviation