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What is 3D-PAWS?
Many surface weather stations across the globe suffer from incorrect siting, poor maintenance and limited communications for real-time monitoring. To expand observation networks in sparsely observed regions, the 3D-PAWS (3D-Printed Automatic Weather Station) initiative has been launched by the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR) and the US National Weather Service International Activities Office (NWS IAO), with support from the USAID Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA).
Goals of the 3D-PAWS initiative:
Build capacity to reduce hydrometeorology-related risk in developing countries
Observe and communicate weather and climate information to rural communities
Develop observation networks and applications to reduce weather related risk
System Overview
A very high quality 3D-PAWS surface weather station can be manufactured in about a week, at a cost of only $300-500, using locally sourced materials, microsensor technology, low-cost micro-controllers or single board computers, and a 3D printer. 3D-PAWS sensors currently measure pressure, temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, wind direction, precipitation, and visible/infrared/UV light. A range of options are available for data acquisition, data processing, and communications, including Arduino and Raspberry Pi based systems.
3D-printed wind speed anemometer and wind direction vane, tipping bucket rain gauge and radiation shield.
Benefits of a low-cost 3D-PAWS system:
Uses low-cost, reliable micro-sensors
Can be assembled locally at Met Offices or other local agencies
Components can be “re-printed” when systems fail
Local agencies take ownership in building and maintaining observation networks
Sensor Evaluation
3D-PAWS is being assessed at the NCAR Marshall Field Site in Boulder, CO, the NOAA Testbed facility in Sterling, VA, and at selected international locations. The Boulder site provides sampling conditions in a high-altitude semi-arid environment with subfreezing temperatures and frozen precipitation (the latter is not measured). The NOAA site provides sampling for a more temperate and humid climate near sea-level. The international 3D-PAWS sites provide an assessment of sensor performance in a variety of tropical and sub-tropical climate regimes.
Station Pilot Networks
3D-PAWS systems have been deployed in the United States and in more than 10 other countries around the world. The primary focus in the United States is on testing and evaluation. The two major "success stories" are in Kenya and Barbados - in Kenya the stations are co-located with schools as part of the Globe program, while the Barbados Meteorological Service (BMS) has built and installed more than 60 stations on the island with a goal of eventually reaching 100 sites.
Data Access
3D-PAWS real-time data are available on the CHORDS project data servers: http://3d-kenya.chordsrt.com (Kenya) and http://3d.chordsrt.com (for testing and evaluation). CHORDS (Cloud-Hosted Real-time Data Services for Geosciences) is a US National Science Foundation (NSF) Earthcube initiative to provide a platform for sharing geosciences datasets. It is supported and managed by the UCAR/National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) Earth Observing Laboratory (EOL).
Martin Steinson describes the function of the 3D-PAWS rain gauge for the students of St. Benedict's High School, Budalangi, Kenya.
Benefits, Impacts, and End Users
3D-PAWS observations can be used for a variety of hydrometeorological applications.
Example applications:
Regional weather forecasting. Observations from the 3D-PAWS network can be assimilated into regional numerical weather prediction systems such as the Weather Research and Forecast (WRF: http://www.wrf-model.org) model to improve mesoscale weather forecasts.
Early alert and regional decision support systems. Real-time monitoring of precipitation in ungauged or minimally gauged river basins can provide input to flash flood guidance and early warning decision support systems to support delivery of flood alerts.
Agricultural monitoring. 3D-PAWS can support water resource management tools to improve reservoir operation for fresh water supplies and the generation of hydroelectric power. Other applications include operation of irrigation systems (e.g., center pivots) and agricultural crop monitoring.
Health monitoring. 3D-PAWS can help monitor conditions leading to outbreaks of diseases such as meningitis and malaria.
Contact
For more information, please contact:
Paul A. Kucera, Ph.D. Martin Steinson
UCAR/COMET UCAR/COMET
P.O. Box 3000 Boulder, CO 80307 USA steinson@ucar.edu
+1. 303. 497. 2807
pkucera@ucar.edu