9TH Meeting of the Ozone Research Managers of the Parties to the Vienna Convention

9TH Meeting of the Ozone Research Managers of the Parties to the Vienna Convention

Geneva, Switzerland, 14-16 May 2014.

Ecuador National Report

Geophysical Overview

The entire territory of the Republic of Ecuador is located amid the tropical region and features a vast zone with a complex topographic situation on its highland cities. The Ministry of Public Health has expressed major concern for high level of UV radiation, which easily reaches over 17 Perth index points, on certain Andean cities.

Consequently, Pan American Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) has requested Ecuadorian authorities to enable an UV public warning system for certain cities and public awareness campaigns on health risks for UV over exposure.

ACTIVITIES RELATED TO 8TH ORM RECOMMENDATIONS

The National Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology Affairs (INAMHI) has provided assistance to NOAA - Climate Monitoring and Diagnostics Laboratory, to operate radiosondes / ozonesondes at the San Cristobal Regional Station in WMO RA III.

Since 2013 INAMHI has deployed seven Automatic Weather Stations (AWS), equipped with UV radiation sensors. During 2014 INAMHI aims to revamp its solar radiation research capabilities by installing and integrating into the national weather observation grid, our first Brewer Spectrophotometer. Also, during 2014, it is expected for Ecuador to install three additional UV-AWS, and to develop an UV basic forecast program.

Finally, by 2015, Ecuador aims to strengthen its local capacities by implementing 20 additional UV-AWS on highland main populated areas, to improve solar radiation calibration procedures and training on proper equipment for its metrology laboratories.

1.  MONITORING.

Map shows the geographical location in which a Weather automatic station was installed with UV and Global Radiation sensors, Brewer Spectrophotometer and ozone radiosonde station:

Green: operative UV-AWS

Yellow: expected UV-AWS

Red: Brewer Spectrophotometer

Cyan: Ozone Radiosonde Station.

Estation name / Latitude / longitude / Altitude
(m.a.s.l. ) / Instruments
Pedernales / 00° 03’ 49.7” N / 80° 03’ 00.8” W / 25 / Operative UV-AWS
Santa Elena / 02° 14’ 00.6” S / 80° 52’ 30.3” W / 44 / Operative UV-AWS
Pichilingue / 01° 04’ 27.5” S / 78° 29’ 34.5” W / 81 / Operative UV-AWS
La Argelia / 04° 01’ 11.0” S / 79° 12’ 04.0” W / 2.160 / Operative UV-AWS
Cuenca / 02° 53’ 50.1” S / 79° 00’ 12.1” W / 2.587 / Operative UV-AWS
Izobamba / 00° 21’ 57” S / 78° 33’ 10.0” W / 3.058 / Brewer Spectrometer, UV-AWS
El Puyo / 01° 30’ 27” S / 77° 56’ 38” W / 960 / Operative UV-AWS
Riobamba / 01° 39’ 00” S / 78° 39’ 00” W / 2.760 / Expected UV-AWS
Rumipamba / 00° 01’ 05” S / 78° 35’ 32” W / 2.680 / Expected UV-AWS
San Gabriel / 00° 36’ 15” N / 77° 49’ 10” W / 2.960 / Expected UV-AWS
San Cristobal / 00° 54’ 00” N / 89° 36’ 00” W / 6 / Ozone Radiosonde

·  Projects:

-  Ultraviolet National Network and UV Forecasting. Started on May /2012, supported by the National Authority on Science, Technology and Innovation (SENESCYT), with technological advice by the Atmospheric Physics Laboratory within the San Andrés University, La Paz, Bolivia.

-  Within Yachay, City of Knowledge (http://www.yachay.gob.ec/), SENESCYT plans to establish a major Atmospheric Physics and Chemistry Laboratory by 2015.

·  It is also relevant to mention the Ecuadorian Civil Aerospace Agency (EXA) and Quito´s Environmental Agency, which operates UV-AWS, generating local and national data.

2.  FUTURE PLANS.

On 2012 INAMHI was categorized as a Public Research Institute, and its mandate has shifted from a service to a scientific background. Since then it has embarked upon several research projects, such as UV National Monitoring Network, Meteorological Radars Grid, Atmospheric Modeling on Forecasting and Climate Change, climate facts on tropical disease proliferation on subtropical areas, etc.

3.  RECOMMENDATIONS.

Ecuador has identified an essential requirement on institutional strengthening, R&D technical assistance regarding: monitoring solar radiation, air chemistry, to identify and allocate scholarship opportunities for Ecuadorian public servants to boost our institutional capacities related to meteorological research.

Finally, Ecuador remains enthusiastic for the opportunity to log its newly acquire scientific capabilities and data emanating from our meteorological monitoring grid, within the World Ozone Monitoring Network, bidding for INAMHI to be considered among active participants for this thematic area.

Marcelo Ayabaca

12/05/2014

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