Expert Team on Surface and Sub-surface Measurement (ET-SSM)

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Terms of Reference

Purpose: develop and maintain guidance material, best practices, standards, and specifications related to surface/subsurface measurements and related technologies to meet requirements from Members.
ToR:
Under the direction of the Chair of INFCOM/SC-MINT, the Expert Team on Surface- and Sub-Surface Measurement (ET-SSM) shall undertake tasks and provide advice on and support for the implementation of the WIGOS framework and the priorities of the WMO Strategic Plan (2024-2027), in accordance with the SC-MINT Terms of Reference ; in particular:
1. Develop and maintain guidance material, best practices, standards, and specifications related to surface/sub-surface measurements and related technologies to meet requirements from Members. (Specific needs were identified for measurement of soil moisture, urban observations, low-cost AWSs, environmental sustainability.)
2. Develop and maintain standards related to the ET activities, and related guidance on their use. Contribute to the identification and development of standards in co-operation with other international standardization organizations, such as ISO and BIPM, where appropriate.
3. Regularly review, and update as required, relevant parts of WMO-No.8 and other WMO guides related to surface/sub-surface measurements and instrumentation and ensure consistency with other WIGOS regulatory and guidance material.
4. Monitor, review, assist and encourage regional and national intercomparisons of surface/sub-surface instrumentation. Develop procedures for testing/intercomparison of (all-in-one) AWSs. Ensure that relevant findings from these intercomparisons are included in updated guidance material.
5. Review and publish performance results and recommendations relating to state-of-the-art operational measurement technologies, their calibration and measurement methods and their required supporting infrastructure.
6. Monitor, investigate and report on the performance of emerging measurement technologies and techniques, including low-cost technologies.
7. Promote developments related to instruments, automated measurement techniques and methods of manual observation of surface/sub-surface conditions suitable for all Members, including the least developed countries, in liaison with the Association of Hydro-Meteorological Equipment Industry, National Meteorological and Hydrological Services and other relevant scientific institutions.
8. Collaborate with Measurement Lead Centres (MLCs) in developing guidance material on best practices in WMO publications and relevant training material.
9. Review and make proposals on development of more robust instruments with greater resilience to extreme weather and/or climate conditions, and instruments with increased measuring range.
10. Liaise effectively with other Expert Teams on matters related to the ET Terms of Reference (e.g. ET-Hydrometry on the organization and assessment of regattas, SC-ON related to RRR, WIGOS Vision, etc.)

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