A decade of antarctic science support through AMPS

AMPS has now been serving Antarctic scientific and logistical needs for over a decade. This mesoscale NWP system currently centers on a real-time implementation of the WRF model optimized for Antarctica. While AMPS was developed with the priority mission of supporting NSF forecasting, over the years it has expanded to a spectrum of applications. These include research, field campaigns, and emergencies. The original goals of the AMPS effort, all now accomplished, were as follows: to provide tailored, real-time model guidance for the USAP Antarctic forecasters; to improve model physics for Antarctic applications; to perform model verification; and to stimulate collaboration among forecasters, modelers, and researchers. The AMPS webpage freely provides products reflecting user input. The development of model polar modifications (e.g., Bromwich et al. 2009) has improved WRF for the worldwide user community. AMPS verification is performed periodically and has been done both via long-term review and case study (see, e.g., Bromwich et al. 2003, 2005; Powers 2007; Nigro et al. 2011b). The creation of the annual Antarctic Meteorological Observation, Modeling, and Forecasting Workshop has yielded a forum for fostering collaborations in Antarctic science and operations. AMPS has also been a context for operational meteorologists to work with the scientific community, fostering the collaboration of research and operations. Last, AMPS's support of Antarctic emergencies (e.g., medevac assistance) and special needs (e.g., research vessels and site planning) has been an unanticipated contribution. AMPS's ability to respond to immediate and changing requests has contributed to the effort exceeding the original goals.