SPARC

The World Climate Research Program (WCRP) has been going through its review in this period. The new programme is not finally established but the role of SPARC (Stratospheric Processes and their Role in Climate) has been very strongly endorsed. It is perceived as a success story addressing key need and the facilitation of SHARP for the German contribution to SPARP is well recognised. The next phase of the initiative CCMVal (Chemistry Climate Model Validation) is being planned and the German models used in SHARP are tacitly being assumed to participate. The DynVar (Dynamics and Variability) is coordinating communication between leading modelling groups worldwide. The modelling activities planned for Phase II of SHARP address the needs of these international activities. Appropriate participation strengthens these developments and increases the visibility of German research groups in the international community, providing the evidence base for the parties to the Montreal protocol and its amendments and their policy evolution on ODS and also for the development of the UNFCCC and the provision of a post Kyoto agreement, which is at the time of writing being discussed at the COP in Durban. Internationally coordinated activities are crucial drivers for the modelling results included in the IPCC and WMO Ozone Assessment Reports. Nationally organised projects to meet these needs enable German scientists to play an active role in such world stage.

SHARP-OCF contributes directly to extending consolidated and validated databases of ozone profile and column data and key intermediates from the GOME, SCIAMACHY, and GOME-2 instruments on the European early morning sun synchronous platforms that have now made over 16 years of measurements and are operational. SHARP-OCF also uniquely provides key data for the assessment of VSLS in a changing climate. SHARP-WV is contributing to the SPARC water vapour assessment, which is now planned for completion in the next two years. The construction of homogenised decadal water vapour data records and time series from MIPAS/ SCIAMACHY/HALOE/SAGE data extending from the troposphere to the mesopause remains a key issue. Similarly the SHARP scientists have been participating in the SPARC data initiative which went operational in 2010. These activities strengthen the international visibility of the European satellite instruments MIPAS and SCIAMACHY and their scientific exploitation in Germany and throughout the international SPARC Community. Several members of the SHARP consortium are involved in SPARC assuring an active exchange between SPARC and SHARP. John Burrows is member of the SPARC Scientific Steering Group and initiated the SPARC Ad hoc Limb Retrieval Group. Ulrike Langematz and Martin Dameris are members of the SPARC Stratospheric Temperature Trends Assessment Group. Björn-Martin Sinnhuber is co-chair of the SPARC Halogen Initiative and co-author of the SPARC Lifetimes Assessment. Mark Weber is part of the WMO Ozone SAG.