meteo
ESO Internal Workshop on
Forecasting Astronomical Observing Conditions
European Southern Observatory, Garching bei München, Germany
29-30 May, 1997
ESO Council Room
Executive Summary Now Available
SUMMARY
It is now understood that most future ground based observatories will make use of flexible scheduling tools to select the observing mode best adapted to the observing conditions.
ESO has been conducting a wide survey of existing and potential forecasting techniques and several feasibility studies are close to completion. It is thus time to prepare the specifications of the operational tools and services to be developped for the VLT.
As this work is of interest to the astronomical community at large, external observers/participants are welcome. Some time is also available for additional oral communications. Please forward this message to those of your colleagues which might be interested.
If you plan to attend, please register by E-Mail to Marc Sarazin at least 15 days in advance for conference room reservation. A more detailed agenda will be sent to you then.
Consult the list of speakers and of participants to know whom you will meet there.
PRELIMINARY AGENDA
Thursday 29 May, SESSION I: STATISTICAL METHODS
14h-15h- "Performance analysis of multivariate and Neural Network methods for the prediction of Temperature and Seeing at Astronomical Observatories" (M. Sarazin, ESO)
Thursday 29 May, SESSION II: SATELLITE IMAGERY
15h-16h-"Evaluation of Satellite Derived PWV Measurements - A Comparison with Antofagasta Radiosonde and Paranal Ground PWV monitor measurements" (A. Erasmus, Uni. of Northern Colorado) 16h-17h- "Development and Evaluation of an Improved Methodology for Forecasting Cirrus Cloud Cover and PWV above Paranal and La Silla" (A. Erasmus, Uni. of Northern Colorado)
Friday 30 May, SESSION III: NUMERICAL MODELLING
8h30-9h00- "Principles of the Feasibility study of a Meteorological Prediction Model for ESO observatories in Chile" (Pr. A. Speranza, CRS4 Cagliari) 9h00-9h30- "Comparison of ECMWF and ESO database over the period 1989-1993" (R. Deidda, CRS4 Cagliari) 9h30-10h00- "Post-processing ECMWF forecast -Kalman Filtering results at Paranal- " (M. Maroccu, CRS4 Cagliari) 10h00-10h30- "Results of a Limited Area Model on some test cases" (Pr. A. Speranza, CRS4 Cagliari) 10h45-11h30- "Principle of the Feasibility Study for predicting optical turbulence from mesoscale meteorological modelling" (Dr. J. Vernin, Uni. of Nice) 11h30-12h15- "Modelling optical turbulence over Paranal with Meso-nh: the first results" (E. Masciadri, Uni. of Nice)
Friday 30 May, SESSION IV: OPERATIONAL FORECAST SYSTEMS
13h30 "Welcome Words" by Prof. R. Giacconi, ESO Director General 13h30-14h30- "The ECMWF data assimilation and operational forecast scheme: a user guide" (Dr. Andreas Lanzinger, ECMWF Reading) 14h30-15h15- "Proposal for a system of operational forecast finalized to meteorological prediction for ESO observatories in Chile" (Pr. A. Speranza, CRS4 Cagliari) 15h15-16h00- "Proposal for an operational forecast of cloud cover and precipitable water vapour over ESO observatories in Chile" (Dr. A. Erasmus, Uni. of Northern Colorado)
SESSION V: DISCUSSION
TBD