ARM Call for White Papers on LASSO Expansion Options

Published: 19 February 2019

The Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) user facility is requesting white papers from researchers on options for expansion of the Large-Eddy Simulation (LES) ARM Symbiotic Simulation and Observation (LASSO) modeling framework.

LASSO enhances ARM observations by using routinely run LES modeling to provide context and consistent representation of the atmosphere surrounding an ARM facility. ARM applies LASSO to shallow convection at the Southern Great Plains (SGP) atmospheric observatory and is now looking to extend the application of LASSO to a new science target.

The goal of the requested white papers is to identify candidate LASSO scenarios of importance to a broad community.

The new LASSO scenario will involve high-resolution simulations focusing on either a different meteorological regime and/or ARM location. The white paper should capture the high-priority science drivers of the scenario—and the associated coupled observation–modeling strategies needed to address the drivers, with the modeling designed to complement the suite of ARM observations of the target phenomenon. The resulting suite of observations and model output will be packaged similarly to the data bundles from the current shallow convection LASSO scenario.

The intent is to add value to ARM observations and better link ARM observations to large-scale models. Therefore, white papers should briefly convey relevant ideas and have a strong emphasis on the observations accompanying any proposed simulations. Suggested model configurations should be based on reasonable expectations of model behavior. Sample simulations are not required.

Submissions should follow this template. White papers should be submitted to lasso@arm.gov by March 8, 2019.

White papers submitted to this request will supplement three white papers that have been specifically requested on the topics of deep convection, maritime, and arctic clouds. These were requested to ensure that these topics are addressed and have been solicited on interest expressed in these science themes over the past year. However, there are many different science drivers and modeling approaches for each of these topics, so additional input is welcomed. Also, other topics have not yet been suggested.

White papers will spur and inform discussion at an invitation-based workshop to be held in April 2019. Further open discussion will be held during the Joint ARM User Facility/Atmospheric System Research Principal Investigators Meeting this June, after which a formalized report will be produced for use by DOE to make the expansion decision. It is also anticipated that this report could be used to inform later expansion scenarios.

More information about LASSO can be found in the LASSO Recommendation Report, the Description of the LASSO Data Bundle Product, and the LASSO web pages. Some introductory information about expansion options can be found within the LASSO expansion blog series. Questions not answered by these sources can be sent to lasso@arm.gov.