Implementation phase

Regular MOSES campaign management

After the implementation phase, the MOSES facility will offer comprehensive instrumentation to carry out event-driven campaigns. Event-driven campaigns are developed in a kind of “bottom-up” approach by consortia made up of scientists from the participating centres. This mechanism already induces an internal self-regulation process with respect to the timing of campaigns and the related allocation of observation systems and trained personnel. These consortia might also include research partners from universities and other research organizations. Detailed campaign concepts are presented for approval to the steering committee and, after a general check, will be developed towards a campaign timeline together with the campaign coordinators. Support will be given by the logistics team. In the instance of competing initiatives, the steering committee derives a solution together with the respective coordinators.

For campaigns that plan to investigate ocean eddies and permafrost thaw cycles, it is more important to capture the right location than the right time period. Permafrost thaw events are investigated from spring until late autumn. Ocean eddy campaigns can be performed all year round, with preference during spring and summer algal blooms. These campaigns last from weeks to months.

Both events allow for a rather reliable time schedule. Heat waves and hydrologic extremes are less predictable with respect to both place and time. Yet, the probability of these events occuring more or less within one or two years in Central Europe is large enough to prepare campaigns for that time span. Observation systems for heat waves must be on alert (reserved) from spring to late autumn, and for hydrologic extremes, this span may last up to two years. These campaigns will have a duration of a few months. Since both events are rather unlikely to occur simultaneously in Central Europe, planned campaigns will not directly compete for observation systems. However, both communities must be on alert to catch either event if they appear within a short period.

A full campaign for each of the four event chains is to be carried out every two to three years so that at least one full MOSES campaign is carried out each year.

The figure above gives a schematic illustration of possible timings for full campaigns. Ocean eddies and heat waves do not compete for observation systems. Heat waves and hydrologic extremes are unlikely to occur at the same time in Central Europe, but observation systems could be on alert simultaneously. In periods between full campaigns, smaller or partial campaigns might be carried out and the observation systems will be available for smaller field experiments. In this case, the central coordinator is informed about the duration of usage and the operation sites. The information will be registered at the MOSES portal. During the reservation period of observation systems that are provided for heat wave and hydrologic event campaigns, the fast track procedure mentioned above is also available, but in such a case, there will be assurance that observation systems are available in due time.

The MOSES infrastructure is not restricted to the four event chain campaigns mentioned thus far. The campaigns serve as examples to develop the event-driven observation concept. Hence, additional events could be investigated.

National and international scientists are invited to participate in the conception and operation of MOSES campaigns through joint research projects. The MOSES facility provides an excellent basis to foster collaborative research initiatives, which could be eligible for national funding from bodies such as the German Research Foundation (DFG). Examples of such projects include the Collaborative Research Centre “Patterns in Soil-Vegetation-Atmosphere- Systems: Monitoring, Modeling and Data Assimilation”, which uses the TERENO infrastructure as well as the Priority Programme “Study of Earth system dynamics with a constellation of potential field missions (DynamicEarth)”. This program focuses on the SWARM Satellite Mission and is coordinated by GFZ. Additionally, the facility will be an ideal basis for the initiation and coordination of joint projects in Horizon2020 calls.