VAMOS-EPIC Report (Bretherton)

Chris Bretherton gave a brief report on recent meeting in San Jose, Costa Rica. The planning effort is pointing toward a three-pronged approach to work in VEPIC:

1. Work to improve climate models' treatments of boundary layer clouds.
2. Synthesize existing data sets in the eastern Pacific, bringing in the satellite data sets (TMI, Quikscat, ...) to add to the observational basis for characterizing the southeastern Pacific stratus region.
3. Develop plan for extended time observations. Since the time scales for ocean variability and oceanic roles in coupled systems include monthly (coastal trapped waves, Rossby waves) and longer (seasonal, interannual), there is the need for observations that continue for at least several years to capture and explore this variability. At present, this is the priority rather than an short, intense IOP. Potential elements for extended time observations:
   1. San Felix Island observations.
   2. Airsea flux, cloud property observations on ship servicing the 95 W TAO line and the 85 W, 20 S mooring, and sometimes going to San Felix Island.
   3. Long-running observations, including stratus mooring at 85 W, 20 S, and other elements.
   There is also considerable interest in aerosols in the region, which gives rise to the possibility of joint or coordinated field work, perhaps using aircraft.