Enhanced Observing Period (EOP) and instruments

The Enhanced Observing Period (EOP, 2005-2007) is designed to serve as a link between the LOP and the SOP. Its main objective is to document over a climatic transect the annual cycle of the surface conditions and atmosphere and to study the surface memory effects at the seasonal scale. The EOP will be 2 - 3 year duration (2005-2007).

The EOP aims at providing a detailed documentation and analysis of the monsoon system over at least 2 complete annual cycles. This has involved the reinforcement of the LOP sites, including the radiosonde network; the installation of new, relatively high-maintenance sensors, such as flux stations; and oceanic measurements carried out by a reserach vessel during two annual cruises in the Gulf of Guinea (one in June and one in September of each EOP year).

The EOP builds upon the LOP setup and its mesoscale sites strategy associated with a regional monitoring. The enhancement of observations over the mesoscale sites is done at two levels:

1. a spatial densification of existing measurements and
2. the installation of instruments allowing for the measurement of variables not observed during the LOP, because these instruments are too costly to operate over such a long period.

The regional coverage is obtained through various actions:

1. a restoration and upgrade of the radiosounding network operated by ASECNA and national meteorological services;
2. installation of specific new instruments deployed in networks.

Some specific EOP instruments will remain in operation after the end of the EOP, which means that there will be more instruments in operation during the post-EOP LOP than during the preliminary 2001-2004 period.

EOP List of Instruments up

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