The First XBT Science Workshop: Building a Multi-Decadal Upper Ocean Temperature Record

Melbourne, Australia

7-8 July 2011

Organizers: Molly O. Baringer, Gustavo Goni, Ken Ridgway and Susan Wijffels (Contact)

NEW: Workshop Report (pdf)

The First XBT Science Workshop (XSW-1) will run two full days on 7-8 July 2011. The meeting will be hosted by Australia's Bureau of Meteorology in Melbourne and will be held immediately following the IUGG XXV General Assembly.

XSW-1 Schedule:

     • The abstract submission deadline is 1 May 2011.

     • Please let us know if you are planning to attend.

     • A draft agenda will be available no later than 1 June 2011.

     • The registration deadline is 10 June 2011.

If you have questions, please send us an email.

Objective

The goal of the meeting is to bring together scientists working on the upper ocean thermal structure to highlight the uses of XBT data. Topics include upper ocean heat budgets, transport, circulation and variability of near surface temperature and salinity. The use of multiple data types is encouraged that include novel inclusions of different instruments and is not strictly limited to XBT data alone. Abstracts about the advances in our understanding of upper ocean processes in general are encouraged and could include observations from altimetry, ARGO, drifters, thermosalinographs, etc as well as XBT/XCTD data.

The purpose of the meeting is to assess the general utility of the XBT data and its future direction and so we encourage presenters to spend a little time commenting on how well the project worked and, if possible, mention what changes to the program that might have improved the research.

We invite abstract submissions for oral or poster presentations on any topic and any region of the oceans provided that substantial use of XBT data is made. General Abstract Themes:

• Heat budgets on global to regional scales
• Seasonal to inter-annual variability of the upper ocean as seen by XBTs and other observational platforms
• The role of XBTs and other upper ocean thermal measurements in constraining Ocean Data Assimilation fields and/or model verification.
• Estimation of circulation fields on global to regional scales
• New technologies, including changes to the operation abilities of an XBT, fall-rate estimation and XCTDs or other topics that might arise

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Registration

The registration for this workshop is now open. To register please send us an email with the following information:

• Name
• Affiliation
• Address
• Telephone number
• Email address
• Whether you intend to submit an abstract

Upon registration, your name will appear in the List of Participants. The registration deadline is 10 June 2011.

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Abstract Submission

Please submit electronically, a one-page abstract in Microsoft Word or text format by email. Indicate your preference for an oral presentation or a poster. As the number of oral slots is limited, the Science Workshop Committee will select oral presentations from those who indicate that preference. Please keep in mind it may be necessary to have some abstracts presented as posters.

The deadline for abstract submission is 1 May 2011.

Please limit the abstract length to 200-500 words and no more than one figure. Font should be in 10 point Times New Roman. Please use the example template.

For questions about abstracts, send us an email. Authors of accepted presentations will be notified via email.

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Agenda (PDF), Abstracts and Presentations

Day 1 (Thursday July 7, 09:00AM - 06:00PM)

Chair: Molly Baringer (AM), Lisa Krummel (PM)

Rapporteur: Tim Boyer (AM), Pedro DiNezio (PM)

08:30AM-09:00AM	30 min.		Registration and Presentations Upload
09:00AM-09:05AM	5 min.	Molly Baringer	Introduction	Presentation
09:05AM-09:10AM	5 min.	Graeme Ball	Welcome/Logistics
09:10AM-09:25AM	15 min.	Gustavo Goni	The XBT Network Overview of Program Objectives	Presentation
09:25AM-09:40AM	15 min.	Helen Beggs	Use and Requirements for XBT Surface Temperature Observations by the Group for High Resolution SST (GHRSST)	Presentation
09:40AM-10:40AM	60 min.	Dean Roemmich	Ocean Circulation and the Mass, Heat, and Freshwater Budgets of Large Ocean Regions: The Synergies of High Resolution XBT Transects, Argo, and Satellite Altimetry	Abstract Presentation
10:40AM-11:00AM	20 min.		BREAK
11:00AM-11:30AM	30 min.	Janet Sprintall	Recent Science Highlights using Air-Sea Underway Observations in Drake Passage	Abstract Presentation
11:30AM-12:00PM	30 min.	Isabelle Ansorge	Understanding the ACC south of Africa	Presentation
12:00PM-01:00PM	60 min.		LUNCH
01:00PM-01:30PM	30 min.	Steve Rintoul	The Interannual Variability of the Indonesian Throughflow from 20 Years of XBT Data and The Survostral High Density XBT line South of Australia	Presentation
01:30PM-02:00PM	30 min.	Molly Baringer	Estimating the Meridional Heat Transport and Overturning Circulation from XBTs	Abstract Presentation
02:00PM-02:30PM	30 min.	Gustavo Goni	Variability of the Meridional Heat Transport and Overturning Circulation in the South Atlantic	Abstract Presentation
02:30PM-03:00PM	30 min.	Mathieu Hamon	Empirical Correction of XBT Data and Global Field Reconstruction Using EOFs	Presentation
03:00PM-03:20PM	20 min.		BREAK
03:20PM-04:20PM	60 min.	Peter Oke	Observing System Evaluation Activities under GODAE OceanView	Abstract Presentation
04:20PM-04:50PM	30 min.	You-Soon Chang	Basin Patterns of the Upper Ocean Warming for 1993-2008	Abstract Presentation
04:50PM-05:20PM	30 min.	V.V. Gopalakrishna	Inter annual and intra seasonal variability of upper layer temperature fields in the south eastern Arabian Sea	Presentation
05:20PM-05:50PM	30 min.	Alex Ganachaud	DISCUSSION - Sustaining the Observing System	Presentation
06:00PM			RECEPTION - Summit Café (700 Collins Street)

Day 2 (Friday July 8, 09:00AM - 05:45PM)

Chair: Graeme Ball (AM), Ann Thresher (PM)

Rapporteur: Janet Sprintall (AM), Rebecca Cowley (PM)

08:30AM-09:00AM	30 min.		Presentations Upload
09:00AM-09:30AM	30 min.	Pedro DiNezio	Observational Evidence for a Weakly Coupled Mode of Pacific Decadal Variability	Abstract Presentation
09:30AM-10:00AM	30 min.	Alex Ganachaud	Monitoring the Northern Limb of the Subtropical Gyre with High-Resolution XBT Surveys in the South Pacific Ocean	Abstract Presentation
10:00AM-10:30AM	30 min.	Katy Hill	Decadal Changes in the East Australian Current System - the Relationship to Changes in the South Pacific Gyre	Abstract Presentation
10:30AM-10:50AM	20 min.		BREAK
10:50AM-11:20AM	30 min.	Robert Helber	The U.S. Navy's Global Ocean Temperature and Salinity Climatology	Abstract Presentation
11:20AM-11:50PM	30 min.	Marlos Goes	Investigation of the Tropical Atlantic Variability during 1993-2010	Abstract Presentation
11:50PM-12:20PM	30 min.	Gustavo Goni	DISCUSSION - The Way Forward	Presentation
12:20PM-01:20PM	60 min.		LUNCH
01:20PM-01:50PM	30 min.	Tim Boyer	Effects of Different XBT Corrections on Historic and Recent Ocean Heat Content Calculations	Abstract Presentation
01:50PM-02:20PM	30 min.	Lijing Cheng	A New Analysis on Fall-Rate Coefficients in Historical XBT Data Based on Side-by-Side Comparisons	Abstract Presentation
02:20PM-02:50PM	30 min.	Rebecca Cowley	A New View of XBT Biases	Abstract Presentation
02:50PM-03:10PM	20 min.		BREAK
03:10PM-03:40PM	30 min.	Kimio Hanawa	Trial to Check XBT Fall Rate and to Develop Simple Numerical Model	Abstract Presentation
03:40PM-04:10PM	30 min.	Shoichi Kizu	An Assessment of the Effect of Variance in Probe Weight on the Fall-Rate of Expendable Bathythermograph and Pure Temperature Bias	Abstract Presentation
04:10PM-04:40PM	30 min.	Okuku A. Ediang	Decadal Marine Climate Prediction and Change in Nigeria	Abstract 1 Abstract 2
04:40PM-05:10PM	30 min.	Catia Domingues	The Importance of XBT Data to Climate Studies
05:10PM-05:40PM	30 min.	Molly Baringer	DISCUSSION - Wrap Up

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List of participants

The following is a list of confirmed participants. Upon registration, your name will be included in this list.

Isabelle Ansorge	(UCT, South Africa)
Graeme Ball	(BOM, Australia)
Molly Baringer	(NOAA/AOML, US)
Helen Beggs	(BOM, Australia)
Roger Bodman	(Unimelb, Australia)
Tim Boyer	(NOAA/NODC, US)
Gary Brassington	(BOM, Australia)
Jaclyn Brown	(CAWCR, Australia)
Wenju Cai	(CSIRO, Australia)
You-Soon Chang	(NOAA/GFDL, US)
Lijing Cheng	(IAP/AC, China)
Philip Chu	(NRL, US)
Colin Cooper	(LM Sippican, Australia)
Rebecca Cowley	(CSIRO, Australia)
Peter Dexter	(BOM, Australia)
Pedro DiNezio	(UM/CIMAS, NOAA/AOML, US)
Catia Domingues	(CSIRO, Australia)
David Fratantoni	(WHOI, US)
Alexandre Ganachaud	(IRD, France)
Marlos Goes	(UM/CIMAS, NOAA/AOML, US)
Gustavo Goni	(NOAA/AOML, US)
Max Gonzalez	(BOM, Australia)
V.V. Gopalakrishna	(NIO, India)
Ann Gronell Thresher	(CSIRO, Australia)
Mathieu Hamon	(IFREMER, France)
Kimio Hanawa	(Tohoku University, Japan)
Robert W. Helber	(NRL, US)
Katy Hill	(IMOS, Australia)
Xinmei Huang	(BOM, Australia)
Shoichi Kizu	(Tohoku University, Japan)
Lisa Krummel	(BOM, Australia)
Catia Motta Domingues	(CSIRO, Australia)
Hans Ngodock	(NRL, US)
Peter Oke	(CSIRO, Australia)	Invited Speaker
Ediang Okuku Archibong	(NIMET, Nigeria)
Greg Reed	(RAN, Australia)
Steve Rintoul	(CSIRO, Australia)
Dean Roemmich	(SIO, US)	Invited Speaker
Janet Sprintall	(SIO, US)
Susan Wijffels	(CSIRO, Australia)

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Logistics

XSW-1 will take place in the Conference Facilities in Room 3, 6^th floor of the Australian Bureau of Meteorology Headquarters Building, 700 Collins Street, Docklands. The building is on the edge of the Melbourne Central Business District, well served by all forms of transport and close to hotels, restaurants, etc (Map). It is located at about 50 m from the recommended hotel.

All visitors to the Bureau are required to sign in at the Bureau reception on Level 5 (Collins St), behind Summit Café, to obtain a visitor pass. They can then proceed directly to Conference Room 3 on Level 6, via the low-rise lifts.

• Hotels

We recommend the Travelodge Docklands, 66 Aurora Lane, Docklands, 3008, (adjacent to the Bureau building, near Etihad Stadium), Tel: +613 8615 1000, Fax: +613 9356 1085. It is situated directly behind the Bureau and 200 m from the SkyBus city terminal (Map). The hotel has a 4 star rating, with associated amenities. For details, visit their web site. The hotel has a breakfast room, but no restaurant; however there are many cafes and restaurants within a few meters. There is also a supermarket nearby.

A block booking of 35 rooms has been made for XSW-1. Rates are AUD 135 (or AUD 150 including breakfast for 1 person) for a standard King room per night. The booking is from Wednesday 6 July to Saturday 9 July (3 nights). These rooms will be held until 6 May 2011. Bookings can be made after this date - subject to availability. Please book directly through the hotel, quoting "XSW-1" or #7748601.

Other hotels near to the Bureau are:

1. The Holiday Inn on Flinders Hotel, 575 Flinders Lane (corner of Flinders Lane and Spencer Street), Melbourne, Tel: +613 9629 4111, Fax: +613 9629 7027, email: reservations.melbourne@ichotelsgroup.com. It is situated about 300 m from the Bureau and about 400 m from the SkyBus city terminal (Map). The hotel has a 4 star rating, with all the normal amenities expected in such hotel class. For details, visit their web site. The on-line room rate is AUD 198 per night, standard single/double. Reservations should be made directly with the hotel at their web site. Quoting the Bureau of Meteorology may contribute to obtain a slightly better rate.
2. Quality Batman's Hill on Collins, 623 Collins Street, Melbourne, 3000 (corner of Collins and Spencer Streets), Tel: +613 9614 6344, Fax: +613 9614 1189, email: res@batmanshill.com.au. It is situated about 200 m from the Bureau and about 300 m from the SkyBus city terminal (Map). The hotel has a 3 star rating, with all the normal amenities expected in such hotel class. For details and reservations, see their web site. The on-line room rate is AUD 107 per night, standard single/double. Reservations should be made directly with the hotel at their web site. Quoting the Bureau of Meteorology may contribute to obtain a slightly better rate.
3. Kingsgate Hotel, 131 King Street, Melbourne, 3000 (near corner of King and Bourke Streets), Tel: +613 9629 4171, Fax: +613 9629 7110, email: info@kingsgatehotel.com.au. It is situated about 400 m from the Bureau and 300 m from the SkyBus terminal (Map). The hotel has a 3 star rating, with all the normal amenities expected in such hotel class. For details and reservations, visit their web site. The on-line room rate is AUD 99 per night, standard single/double with breakfast extra. Reservations should be made directly with the hotel at their web site. Quoting the Bureau of Meteorology may contribute to obtain a slightly better rate.

• Airport

Melbourne International and Domestic Airport Tullamarine is located about 20 km to the north-west of the city center. Transport to the city is by SkyBus or taxi. For details you may visit SkyBus web site. The fare is AUD 16 one way, and the city terminal is around 200 m from the recommended hotel, via the Bourke Street elevated walkway over Southern Cross Station. A shuttle service also operates from the SkyBus city terminal to most city hotels at no extra cost. A taxi from the airport to the hotel will cost AUD 40-45, depending on the time of day.

• Visas

Visitors to Australia from most countries will require a visa or electronic travel authority (ETA) to enter the country. They should also be in possession of national passports valid for at least 6 months from the first date of travel. For visa requirements and other information on entry conditions you may visit Australia's Department of Immigration and Citizenship web site. Another useful web site: Acacia Immigration Australia

• Local contacts

Additional Information

• Money

The Australian currency is the Australian dollar (AUD) and cents. In January 2011:

   1 AUD = 0.996 US dollar
   1 AUD = 0.747 Euro

All major credit cards are accepted virtually everywhere.

Most restaurant, taxi and similar bills already incorporate some form of service charge, so additional tipping is not obligatory. Nevertheless, tips are always welcome, 5% of the bill is suggested.

• Melbourne

Melbourne is Australia's second largest city, with a population approaching 4 million, renowned for its parks and gardens, art and culture, sport and extensive tramway system. For more information on the city and its services, you may visit the City of Melbourne's web site.

The city transport system, comprising a network of tramways, rail and bus lines, is excellent (Map). For details of timetables, fares etc, you may visit Melbourne's public transport web site.

• Climate

Early July, in winter, is a the coldest time of year for visiting Melbourne, with normally cool to mild to cool days and cool to cold nights. Average conditions for July:

Mean daily max.:	13.4 ℃
Mean daily min.:	6.0 ℃
Mean monthly rainfall:	47.6 mm
Mean no. rain days:	9.8
Mean daily sunshine:	3.7 hours

For more detailed climate information, see BOM's Climate information for Melbourne. For daily weather forecasts and related information, see BOM's Victorian Weather and Warnings.

• Tourism

There are many cultural, entertainment and sporting events happening in and around Melbourne at any time of year, as well as interesting places to see and things to do in the city, surrounding areas and the State of Victoria in general. For up to date information on events, visit Melbourne's citysearch web site. For general tourist information on Victoria, visit Tourism Victoria's web site.

For those planning to spend time in Victoria before or after the meeting, one-day or longer excursions can be arranged to attractions in areas surrounding Melbourne such as the Healesville wildlife park; Phillip Island and the Fairy Penguin colony; the goldfields, Ballarat and Bendigo; the Great Ocean Road; wineries; etc. If anyone is interested in arranging such visits in advance, please contact the local organizers.

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