Task and Support Teams

The implementation of the field programme is carried out through the establishment of Task teams (TT) and Support teams (ST).

The TTs responsiblities are:

• to design an observational strategy for a given subset of scales/variables of interest, as identified to be needed to reach the scientific objectives of the present International Science Plan;
• to monitor and have final responsibility for deployment of relevant instrumentation.

More specifically, this involves :

• to take into account the modelling and diagnostic studies in the development of the observation strategy
• to include other available observing platforms such as satellite data in the development of the observation strategy
• to update the overall observational strategy defined in the International Science Plan, taking into account operational needs and practical issues concerned with relevant instrumentation
• to contribute to the development and writing of the International Implementation Plan (IIP)
• to monitor and inform the ISSC of problems in a timely manner.

The actions of the TTs:

The TTs are composed of the PIs of the instruments planned to be deployed in the framework of the space/time scale covered by the TT. They consequently managed all the strategic, technical and operational issues related to these instruments.

Each TT wrote a TT document; the compilation of these TT documents constitute the backbone of the IIP.
They must set priorities in the deployment, adjust it in real time to the availability of funds and identify the associated logistical requirements.
They also have a key role in establishing and strengthening the collaboration between African and European/American scientists.

Overall coordination

The work of the task teams is coordinated by an International Coordination and Implementation Group (ICIG), coordinated by T. Lebel and D. Parker.

Organisation and reporting

The work of each task team is organised by a core group which designates a leader and, possibly, co-chairs, to coordinate the team.
Membership of the core group is examined and approved by the ISSC.
The task teams work in close collaboration with the scientific working groups in order to be sure to satisfy the AMMA scientific strategy and they report to the ISSC.
The lifetime of the task teams is defined by the time scale covered, taking into account the time needed to deliver in proper state so as to be used by the scientific WGs.

List of Task teams

The designation of TTs proceeds from a logical observation strategy, i.e. the space/time scale approach of AMMA, covering all the AMMA observations:

• TT1 EOP Soundings of the Atmosphere : A. Fink, S. Janicot + Core group already in action (TT1 site)
• TT2a Surface layer Observations :C. Lloyd, C. Taylor + Core group partly designated (TT2a site)
• TT2b Aerosol and associated radiation measurements : B. Marticorena, Francesco Cairo (TT2b site)
• TT3 EOP Gourma integrative studies : E. Mougin, J. Seghieri, Lassine Diara (TT3 site)
• TT4 EOP Niamey integrative studies : B. Cappelaere, L. Descroix, + Core group (TT4 site)
• TT5 EOP Ouémé integrative studies : C. Peugeot, S. Galle, C. Liousse (TT5 site)
• TT6 EOP oceanic campaigns : B. Bourles, B. Molinari (TT6 site)
• TT7 SOP-Dry season : J. Haywood, J. Pelon (TT7 site)
• TT8 SOP-Monsoon : D. Parker, C. Flamant, C. Mari, A. Protat, C. Reeves (TT8 site)
• TT9 SOP-Downstream : F. Roux, xx (TT9 site)

Support Teams

Their mission is :

1. to act in support of TTs
2. to look in more detail into operational matters and funding issues related to these "transverse" actions
3. to propose scheme of operations to be agreed upon by TTs leaders and to be submitted to the ISSC to verify that these schemes respect the integrity of AMMA.

List of support teams

• ST1 EOP site documentation and long term monitoring:: T. Lebel, E. Mougin
• ST2 SOP Operations: N. Raynal, A. Diedhiou, T. El Fahem
• ST3 Data Base: L. Eymard, M. Hoepffner, S. Williams, C. Reeves
• ST4 Training and capacity building: Cheikh Kane