ACE-1 :: Southern Hemisphere Marine Aerosol Characterization Experiment :: 1995
The Southern Hemisphere Marine Aerosol Characterization Experiment (ACE-1) is the first in a series of experiments which will characterize the chemical and physical processes controlling the evolution and properties of atmospheric aerosols and the role in radiative climate forcing.
Dates :: 1 October- 25D December, 1995
Location :: Hoabrt, Australia to Hawaii
Facility :: NSF/NCAR C-130 Aircraft
http://data.eol.ucar.edu/codiac/projs?ACE-1

ACE-Asia :: Aerosol Characterization Experiments :: 2001
The Aerosol Characterization Experiments (ACE) are designed to increase our understanding of how atmospheric aerosol particles affect the Earth's climate system. ACE-Asia was the fourth in this series of experiments organized by the International Global Atmospheric Chemistry (IGAC) Program (A Core Project of the International Geosphere Biosphere Program).
Dates :: Spring, 2001
Location :: Off the coast of China, Japan & Korea
Facility :: NSF/NCAR C-130 Aircraft
http://saga.pmel.noaa.gov/Field/aceasia/

ACLAIM :: Airborne Coherent Lidar for Advanced In-flight Measurements :: 1998
The purpose of the ACLAIM program is ultimately to establish the viability of light detection and ranging (lidar) as a forward-looking sensor for turbulence. The goals of this fight test are to:
Demonstrate that the ACLAIM lidar system operates reliably in a fight test environment
Measure the performance of the lidar as a function of the aerosol backscatter coefficient
Use the lidar system to measure atmospheric turbulence and compare these measurements to onboard gust measurements
Make measurements of the aerosol backscatter coefficient, its probability distribution and spatial distribution
For more information :: http://data.eol.ucar.edu/codiac/projs?ACLAIM
Dates :: 24 March - 9 April, 1998
Location :: Broomfield, Colorado, US
Facility :: NSF/NCAR Electra Aircraft

ACME :: Airborne Carbon in the Mountains Experiment :: 2004
The Airborne Carbon in the Mountains Experiment was the first aircraft field campaign of a program supported by the NSF Biocomplexity Program and NASA Interdisciplinary Science. It took place in the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains in Colorado. The goal of the project is to understand carbon dynamics in montane forest regions by developing new methods for estimating carbon exchange at local to regional scales.
The project made measurements at the stand scale using eddy covariance, small catchment or "carbonshed" scale using measurements of CO2 concentrations within local airsheds, and regional scales using measurements of CO2 and other species from aircraft. The multi-scaled flux measurements were coordinated with a long-term ongoing program of carbon measurements and ecosystem process studies. The approach of the field campaign was to obtain the meteorological, mixing ratio, and flux data required to compare and validate a "carbonshed" ecosystem model of CO2 vertical and horizontal transports.
For more information :: https://wiki.ucar.edu/display/acme/ACME
Dates :: May - August 2004
Location :: Colorado Front Range of the Rocky Mountains
Facility :: NSF/NCAR C-130 Aircraft

ADELE/SPRITE :: Airborne Detector for Energetic Lightning Emission/Sprite Spectra:: 2009
ADELE / SPRITE is a field campaign combining two separate research project at the same location at the same time. The project will deploy out of Melbourne, FL. The ADELE part will operate during the day studying gamma rays near convective storms. The SPRITE part will operate at night time studying formation of sprites over the thunderstorms up to 200 km away from the flight track.
Dates :: 13 August - 9 September, 2009
Location :: Melbourne, FL
Facility :: NSF/NCAR Gulfstream V Aircraft

AESOP/TEXASAQS :: Texas Air Quality Study :: 2000
In August and September of 2000, a national team of researchers will undertake the largest air quality study ever done in the State of Texas. The study is designed to improve understanding of the factors that control the formation and transport of air pollutants along the Gulf Coast of southeastern Texas.
Plans call for six weeks of intensive sampling, beginning August 14. Measurements of gaseous, particulate, and hazardous air pollutants will be made at approximately 20 ground stations, located throughout the eastern half of the state. Additional sampling will be carried out with specially equipped aircraft that can detect air pollutants very quickly, at very low concentrations.
Experts in meteorology, atmospheric chemistry, and other areas of science will study the formation, composition, and day-night cycles of ozone and particulate matter, as well as how these pollutants are affected by weather. The large area covered by this study will also make it possible to examine long-range transport of air pollutants. Up to 250 researchers will be involved during the busiest stage of the project. Results of this study will be assembled into computer models for assessing the health effects of pollution and developing effective strategies to meet National Ambient Air Quality Standards.
For more information:
Dates :: 15 August - 15 September, 2000
Location :: Texas
Facility :: NSF/NCAR Electra Aircraft

AHATS :: Advection Horizontal Array Turbulence Study :: 2008
AHATS was a surface-layer turbulence study in the San Joaquin Valley, California, during the summer of 2008.
AHATS was the fourth in the series of Horizontal Array of Turbulence Studies (HATS). This series of experiments aims to improve large-eddy simulations (LES) of turbulence close to the Earth's surface, by collecting data that can be spatially filtered into scales that can be simulated by LES and those that must be parametrized.
For more information:
Dates :: 9 June - 16 August, 2008
Location :: San Joaquin Valley, California
Facility :: Integrated Sounding System (ISS) & Integrated Surface Flux System(ISFS)

AIRS :: Alliance Icing Research Study :: 1999-2004
The Alliance Icing Research Study (AIRS) is a collaborative effort involving several Canadian and U.S. research agencies and Universities. The main objectives of the project, in order of priority, are:
To improve our ability to remotely sense aircraft icing regions using satellite, aircraft or ground based systems.
To obtain additional data to characterise the icing environment which might be used in a revision of “Appendix C”, the criteria used to certify aircraft for icing conditions.
To improve our ability to forecast icing conditions and to understand how these conditions develop.
To obtain measurements of aircraft performance within icing conditions and shapes of ice accretion that might be used in verification of icing model codes or in wind tunnel studies that simulate icing conditions.
The AIRS 1999-2000 field project was conducted between November 29, 1999 and February 18, 2000. The research aircraft involved were based out of Ottawa, with an extensive array of remote sensing instrumentation based at Mirabel. The data set collected makes a unique and important contribution to existing aircraft icing research.
For more information: http://airs-icing.org/AIRS_99-00/AIRS_99-00.htm
Dates AIRS 1 :: November 19, 1999 - February 18, 2000
Dates AIRS 2 :: November 3, 2003 - February 20, 2004
Location :: Quebec, Canada
Facility :: NSF/NCAR C-130

ALLS :: American Low-Level jetS :: 2002-2003
The ALLS program is an internationally coordinated effort to monitor, quantify, and analyze low-level circulations that modulate regional rainfall. These circulations commonly assume a jet-like structure in the lower troposphere, referred to as the Low-Level Jet (LLJ). American Low-Level Jets (ALLS) are characterized by mesoscale cross-stream structure, and synoptic to continental scale along-stream dimension.
For more information: http://data.eol.ucar.edu/codiac/projs?ALLS
Dates :: 1 November, 2002 - 15 February, 2003
Location :: Bolivia
Facility :: GPS Advanced Upper-Air Sounding System (GAUS)

ALOHA I :: Airborne Lidar and Observations of Hawaiian Airglow :: 1990
During this project an airborne Rayleigh/Na lidar, airglow imager and airglow spectrometer were used to study stratosphere/mesosphere dynamics, polar mesospheric clouds (PMCs) and sporadic layering phenomena in the upper atmosphere.
These flights were designed to study gravity waves and sporadic Na layers. Numerous ground-based instruments and UARS provided correlative data during the campaign.
For more information: http://data.eol.ucar.edu/codiac/projs?ALOHA-90
Dates :: 15 March - 16 April, 1990
Location :: Maui, Hawaii, United States
Facility :: NSF/NCAR Electra Aircraft
Related Projects :: ALOHA II

ALOHA II :: Airborne Lidar and Observations of Hawaiian Airglow :: 1993
The Hawaiian phase of this program was a continuation of previous airborne observations to study stratosphere-mesosphere dynamics, polar mesospheric clouds, and sporadic layering phenomena in the upper mesosphere and lower thermosphere.
The primary research tool was the University of Illinois Rayleigh-sodium lidar. The NSF/NCAR Electra was used as an airborne platform for this large lidar system, and also carried its standard complement of instrumentation. The Hawaii base was used for nighttime flight missions to map the near-equatorial region.
Other missions included flight legs to Tahiti. Numerous ground-based instruments on Hawaii and Christmas Island provided concurrent data. The flight observations were also coordinated with satellite overpasses.
For more information: http://data.eol.ucar.edu/codiac/projs?ALOHA%20FY94
Dates :: 21 September - 3 November, 1993 (Fiscal Year 1994)
Location :: Maui, Hawaii, United States
Related Projects :: ALOHA I

AMTS :: Arctic Mesopause Temperature Study :: 1999
The Arctic Mesopause Temperature Study (AMTS) targeted the coldest part of the earth's atmosphere: the mesopause, about 85 kilometers (53 miles) above the North Pole in summer.
Before AMTS, the highest altitude at which polar temperatures had been measured was about 30 km, using balloons. To sample the mesopause NCAR's Research Aviation Facility developed and deployed a new instrument, the Iron Boltzmann Lidar. It took advantage of a layer of atomic iron in the mesosphere, the residue of meteors that burned up in this region. Iron absorbs light and re-emits it at certain wavelengths, giving a bright backscatter signal. The lasers in the lidar were tuned to two of those wavelengths. As the laser light passed through the iron layer, the resulting glow was detected by the lidar's two telescopes.
For more information: http://data.eol.ucar.edu/codiac/projs?AMTS
Dates :: 16 June - 9 July, 1999
Location :: Greenland

AOE :: Arctic Ocean Expedition :: 2001
The expedition's atmosphere program is a continuation and development of successful research carried out on previous Swedish icebreaker expeditions in the Arctic during the 1990s. The overall objective is to increase knowledge of the impact of aerosols on climate. Whilst greenhouse gases are responsible for increases in the Earth's temperature, aerosols have the opposite effect due to their impact on the radiation balance. Aerosol* particles can have both a direct and indirect effect by reflecting solar radiation and by functioning as cloud condensation nuclei forming clouds which in their turn also increase solar radiation reflection.
The main objective is to quantify the impact of aerosols on climate and to increase knowledge of how natural aerosol particles are produced and transported in the Arctic atmosphere. The research program is international and interdisciplinary and comprises five subprograms: marine biology, gas and aerosol chemistry, aerosol physics, meteorology and modeling these processes.
For more information: http://www.fysik.lu.se/eriksw/aoe2001/aoe2001.htm
Dates :: 22 July - 21 August, 2001
Location :: Quebec, Canada
Facility :: Integrated Surface Flux System (ISFS)

ATLAS :: Arctic Transitions in the Land-Atmosphere System :: 1998-2002
The Land-Atmosphere-Ice Interactions (LAII) has overall goals of understanding how the feedback processes within Arctic system affects global climate change, including changes in the hydrology, biochemical, plants animals, and ecosystems; as well as how these changes affect and are affected by human activities.
The overall goal of the LAII Arctic Transitions in the Land-Atmosphere System (ATLAS) program is to determine the geographical patterns and controls over climate-land surface exchange (mass and energy) and to develop reasonable scenarios of future change in the Arctic System. This objectives are significantly broader than that of the previous LAII studies in several respects:
We extrapolated climate, permafrost, vegetation, and mass and energy fluxes from the plot scale to the circumpolar Arctic
We developed reasonable scenarios of future trajectories of these ecosystem properties over the next 10-200 years
The guiding motivation of the research was to improve understanding of the coupled nature of the land and atmosphere in the Arctic System
For more information: http://www.eol.ucar.edu/projects/atlas/
Dates :: 1 May, 1998 - 31 December, 2002
Location :: Alaska
Facility :: Integrated Sounding System (ISS)

BAMEX :: Bow Echo and Mesoscale Experiment :: 2003
The study of long-lived (e.g., 6-24 hr.) mesoscale convective systems (MCSs) continues to be a prominent topic in meteorology, mainly because of the profound effect such systems can have on local weather. The spectrum of significant MCSs is approximately bracketed by bow-echoes at small scales, which can be responsible for generating large swaths of damaging surface winds, and mesoscale convective complexes with mesoscale convective vortices (MCVs) at larger scales, which can produce widespread heavy rainfall and flash flooding. Both are examples of convective systems that develop appreciable vertical components of vorticity and often are seen to evolve into comma shaped precipitation regions. Understanding how MCSs organize, propagate and regenerate has important implications for understanding the transport and cycling of water on regional (1000 km) scales.
Dates :: 20 May - 6 July, 2003
Location :: Mascoutah, Illinois
Facility :: U.S. Naval Research Laboratory P-3 Aircraft
http://www.eol.ucar.edu/dir_off/projects/2003/BAMEX.html

BASE :: Beaufort and Arctic Storms Experiment :: 1994
The Beaufort and Arctic Storms Experiment (BASE) study was a Canadian-led international field campaign to study the weather systems occurring in southern Beaufort Sea and surrounding areas of the Arctic near the outlet of the MacKenzie River. A combination of two aircraft, two Doppler radars, enhanced rawinsonde and other surface weather observations made measurements from 1 September through 13 October 1994 to understand weather systems, their clouds and their impact on the regional climate of the MacKenzie River Basin.
For more information:: http://gcss-dime.giss.nasa.gov/base/base.html
Dates :: 3 September - 13 October, 1994
Location :: Beaufort Sea

BuFEx :: Bunny Fence Experiment :: 2008
Southwest Australia, an area subject to extreme land use change in the last century, is an ideal test bed to investigate the influence of land use on regional climate. Clearing of native vegetation for agricultural purposes has resulted in a 700 km long sharp boundary between the croplands and the undisturbed vegetation areas.
This study is based on the hypothesis that human induced landscape changes in southwest Australia has a significant influence on the climate in this region.
Preliminary studies suggest that the drastic nature and large spatial extent of the land surface heterogeneity is conducive to the formation of secondary circulations that significantly influence the climate of this region. Replacement of native vegetation by agricultural crops alters the surface energetics impacting the cloud formation.
Dates :: 1 December, 2005 - 30 November, 2006
Location :: Southwestern Australia
Facility :: Mobile GPS Advanced Upper-Air Sounding System (MGAUS)
For more information :: http://www.nsstc.uah.edu/~nair/BUFEX05/index.html

Buoy Mounted RWP :: Buoy Mounted Radar Wind Profiler :: 1994
Quadrant Engineering developed a compact, low power, marine boundary layer radar wind profiler (MBL Profiler) suitable for installation on a small boat or on a buoy. The MBL-Profiler utilizes high-efficiency radar and data acquisition componentry to minimize power consumption, with the radar and data system requiring approximately 60 W for full power operation. Additional power of about 15 W will be required to operate a low power PC and telemetry system. If used intermittently, (30 minute consensus wind estimate, every 2 hours), the system will draw less than 20 W average power, making it suitable for battery-powered operation. Motion compensation is achieved entirely in software. During data acquisition the position of the antenna is constantly monitored by storing the output of two tilt sensors and a compass. This is sufficient information to provide an accurate estimate of average wind speed and direction.
For more information :: http://data.eol.ucar.edu/codiac/projs?BuoyMounted%20RWP
Dates :: 15 August - 15 November, 1994
Location :: Hadley, Massachusetts
Facility :: Buoy Mounted Radar Wind Profiler

CACHE :: Cloud and Aerosol Chemistry Experiment :: 1994
The Cloud and Aerosol Chemistry Experiment (CACHE) was designed to probe the remote marine atmosphere, and investigate its interaction with a montane, coastal forest on the Olympic Peninsula of Washington State. The prime objective of this experiment was to make in situ measurements of cloud water fluxes to the forest canopy, and to identify the governing processes for cloud water deposition. Other goals included analysis of the relationship between cloud microphysics and precursor aerosol, and quantification of carbon dioxide exchange between forest and atmosphere.
For more information :: http://www.eol.ucar.edu/isf/projects/cache/
Dates :: 1 August - 23 September, 1994
Location :: Olympic Peninsula of Washington State
EOL Facility :: Data Management

CAINE :: Community Aerosol Inlet Evaluation Program :: 1995
Based on both in-flight measurements and a fluid dynamics model, airflow in the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) Community Aerosol Inlet (CAI) is similar to fully developed pipe flow. Distortions of the velocity field were pronounced when suction to inlet tubes was shut off, but conditions were otherwise insensitive to all flight parameters but airspeed. The principal value of the multiuser CAI system for NCAR's C-130 aircraft is that it decelerates air with no curves until the velocity has been reduced to 10 m/s. It then supplies uniformly modified air (after turbulent losses) to all users, enabling valid closure experiments.
For more information :: http://data.eol.ucar.edu/codiac/projs?CAINE
Dates :: 12 March - 31 March, 1995
Location :: Broomfield, Colorado, United States
EOL Facility :: NSF/NCAR C-130 Aircraft

CAINE 2A/2C :: Community Aerosol Inlet Evaluation Program Phase II :: 1998
Based on both in-flight measurements and a fluid dynamics model, airflow in the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) Community Aerosol Inlet (CAI) is similar to fully developed pipe flow. Distortions of the velocity field were pronounced when suction to inlet tubes was shut off, but conditions were otherwise insensitive to all flight parameters but airspeed. The principal value of the multiuser CAI system for NCAR's C-130 is that it decelerates air with no curves until the velocity has been reduced to 10 m/s. It then supplies uniformly modified air (after turbulent losses) to all users, enabling valid closure experiments.
For more information :: http://data.eol.ucar.edu/codiac/projs?CAINE-2A%2f2C
Dates :: 10 February - 28 February, 1998
Location :: North Island, California, United States
EOL Facility :: NSF/NCAR C-130 Aircraft

CAMPS :: Colorado Airborne Multi-Phase Cloud Study :: 2011
The Colorado Airborne Multi-Phase Cloud Study (CAMPS) project will focus on in situ and remote sensing measurements of wintertime clouds over the Park Range of the Rocky Mountains in northern Colorado. These clouds are generally mixed-phase; the combination of ice, liquid and water vapor presents challenges both to measurements and modeling, and consequently, to understanding their impact on atmospheric radiation and on precipitation. CAMPS will use the University of Wyoming King Air instrumented with both remote (cloud radar and cloud lidar) and in situ sensors (cloud and particle probes, total water hygrometer) to elucidate the vertical and horizontal structure of cold mixed-phase clouds.
Dates :: January 3 - March 15, 2011
Location :: Park Range, Northern Colorado
EOL Facilities :: University of Wyoming King Air, Wyoming Cloud Radar & Wyoming Cloud Lidar

CAMEX-3 :: Convection And Moisture EXperiment :: 1998
The Convection And Moisture EXperiment (CAMEX) was a series of field research investigations sponsored by the Earth Science Enterprise of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The third field campaign in the CAMEX series (CAMEX-3) was based at Patrick Air Force Base, Florida from 6 August - 23 September, 1998. CAMEX-3 successfully studied Hurricanes Bonnie, Danielle, Earl and Georges. CAMEX-3 collected data for research in tropical cyclone development, tracking, intensification, and landfalling impacts using NASA-funded aircraft and surface remote sensing instrumentation.
For more information :: http://camex.nsstc.nasa.gov/camex3/
Location :: Patrick Air Force Base, Florida
EOL Facility :: Data Management
Related Projects :: CAMEX-4

CAMEX-4 :: Convection And Moisture EXperiment :: 2001
CAMEX-4 is focused on the study of tropical cyclone (hurricane) development, tracking, intensification, and landfalling impacts using NASA-funded aircraft and surface remote sensing instrumentation. The primary aircraft used during CAMEX-4 were the NASA DC-8 and ER-2 research airborne platforms. These instrumented aircraft flew over, through, and around selected hurricanes as they approached landfall in the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and along the east coast of the United States. The NASA aircraft investigated upper altitude regions of the hurricane not normally sampled.
For more information :: http://camex.msfc.nasa.gov/
Location :: Jacksonville Naval Air Station, Florida
EOL Facilities :: University of Wyoming King Air & Data Management
Related Projects :: CAMEX-3

CAREER :: Research on Convective Snow in the Central United States :: 2005-2008
Thundersnow events (snow attended by lightning and thunder) will be examined with a multi-scale approach using standard meteorological platforms (e.g., rawinsonde network, National Lightning Detection Network), observations in the field (integrated sounding system, snow crystal collection), and with numerical model simulations. The project will begin by examining archived cases (1961-1990) of thundersnow to understand the synoptic environment that produces it. Ensuing years will be spent in the field, in pursuit of thundersnow events so that we may sample them directly and attempt to determine some fundamental characteristics of the cloud that engenders them. Direct observations of thundersnow events will reveal not only cloud microphysical structure, but also the stability and vertical velocity profiles that accompany them. Simulations with the Workstation Eta and MASS numerical weather prediction models will help to clarify the synoptic scale and meso-alpha scale forcing mechanisms for vertical motion.
For more information :: http://solberg.snr.missouri.edu/ROCS/ROCS.html
Dates :: 15 January - 31 January, 2008
Location :: University of Missouri-Columbia
EOL Facility :: Data Management

CASES :: Cooperative Atmospheric Surface Exchange Study :: 1997
A Cooperative Atmosphere-Surface Exchange Study (CASES) site was established to enable scientists to observe, understand and model linkages among the atmosphere, hydrosphere and terrestrial biosphere on time scales from minutes to years. CASES also served as a focal point to provide field experience for students of the natural sciences. The location of the CASES site is the upper Walnut River watershed north of Winfield, Kansas which is within Department of Energy's well instrumented ARM/CART research area. Here, boundary layer profilers will be deployed coincident with the natural boundaries of the watershed. Such positioning simplifies efforts to close the surface water balance since the net runoff can be measured at one point. This, in turn, also helped to verify other atmosphere/surface linkages. Surface flux and radiation data obtained within the watershed, in conjunction with WSR-88D radars, satellite data, stream gages, soil moisture data, topographic and land use data, surface meteorological data, biophysical data, and atmospheric-hydrologic-ecologic models, will allow for detailed descriptions of surface-atmosphere linkages and exchange processes between the watershed and the atmosphere.
For more information :: http://www.eol.ucar.edu/projects/cases/cases.html#Cases
Dates :: 22 April - 22 May, 1997
Location :: Walnut Watershed, Kansas
EOL Facility :: Integrated Sounding System (ISS)
Related Projects :: CASES99

CASES :: Cooperative Atmosphere-Surface Exchange Study :: 1999
The concept of CASES99 was borne out of a scientific interest in stable atmospheric conditions. The stable atmosphere, due to its generally weak or intermittent turbulence (`bursting'), is the source of a number of outstanding problems in atmospheric science, agricultural meteorology, and signal propagation, among others. As such, CASES-99 focussed it's Intense Observing Periods during the clear sky, light near-surface wind, nocturnal boundary layer (NBL) conditions, which are conducive to stable (Ri > 0.25) and very stable conditions (Ri > 1.0). There are also significant components that will study the transition periods (from daytime, unstable to nighttime, stable conditions and vice-versa).
For more information :: http://www.eol.ucar.edu/projects/cases99/
Dates :: 1 October - 31 October, 1999
Location :: Leon, Kansas
EOL Facilities :: Integrated Surface Flux Facility (ISFF) & Integrated Sounding Facility (ISS)
Related Projects :: CASES97

CEPEX :: Central Equatorial Pacific Experiment :: 1993
Of the so-called atmospheric greenhouse gases, water vapor is the most effective in producing surface-atmospheric warming. Water-vapor concentrations increase rapidly over the tropical oceans when sea surface temperatures (SSTs) begin to rise (as in global warming scenarios, for example). This effect is greatest over the huge "warm pools" of the Pacific Ocean. The water- vapor content of the atmosphere above the ocean increases by about 15—20% for each 1% of increase in SST. These increasing concentrations of water vapor trap more and more heat, which causes the ocean's surface temperature to rise even further, thus creating a "super-greenhouse effect." Unchecked, this feedback mechanism would result in runaway warming. This is not what is observed, however; even in the "warm pool," SSTs never exceed 304 K (31ºC). This suggests that some kind of "thermostat" might exist. Furthermore, deep intensive convection over the tropical ocean—with cloud tops reaching altitudes of 18 to 20 km—only when SSTs exceed about 300 K. These observations raise two central questions:
Why do maximum SSTs in the tropical oceans remain within a few degrees of the 300 K threshold SST for deep convection?
What are the restoring forces that limit SST and deep convection to observed tropical Pacific values?
For more information :: http://www-c4.ucsd.edu/cepex/index.html
Dates :: 7 March - 7 April, 1993
Location :: Fiji
EOL Facility :: NSF/NCAR Electra Aircraft

CHATS :: Canopy Horizontal Array Turbulence Study :: 2007
The objective of CHATS was to make spatial measurements of the velocity and scalar turbulence fields in a uniformly vegetated canopy, using arrays of sonic anemometer/thermometers augmented with fast response water vapor and carbon dioxide sensors. With this spatial information, the three-dimensional fields of velocity and scalar fluctuations can be studied to quantify turbulence transport processes and coherent structures throughout the canopy layer. An ancillary goal was to characterize the turbulent structure of the fields of wind, temperature, humidity, and trace chemical species within and above the orchard canopy.
For more information ::
Dates :: 15 March - 15 June, 2007
Location :: near Dixon, California

CiS :: Careers in Science :: 2010
Careers in Science (CiS) was a targeted education and outreach program during 2010 & 2011 that exposed students from accredited postsecondary minority institutions to career opportunities within the areas of science and science support.
Multi-day visits were conducted to campuses in the east and southeast of the United States to meet with small groups of students who are interested in science and technology and to expose them to field campaigns, observing facilities and various job categories that are needed to successfully conduct research. The educational deployment of the Doppler on Wheels supported the CiS activity with hands-on demonstrations and data collection.
For more information ::
Dates :: 27 - 29 October 2010
Location :: Chicago, Illinois, United States
EOL Facility :: Center for Severe Weather Research Doppler on Wheels (DOW)

CLIMODE :: ClIvar Mode Water Dynamic Experiment :: 2005-2007
CLIMODE is a project to study the dynamics of 'Eighteen Degree Water' (EDW), the subtropical mode water of the North Atlantic. EDW is but one example of a pervasive tendency for mode waters to form adjacent to strong baroclinic fronts in all the world's oceans. EDW is a canonical example of a subtropical mode water, all of which are found in regions of significant air-sea exchange. EDW is created in the winter just south of the Gulf Stream, by convection in the presence of strong shear, with competing effects of vertical/lateral mixing and advection/stirring colluding to set its properties. This project stems from two years of CLIVAR planning (with advice and support of both the Atlantic and US CLIVAR committees) to develop an experiment to attack a key process that is poorly understood and poorly represented in ocean climate models - i.e. the treatment of convection, eddy and mixing processes in setting properties of subtropical mode waters, the associated air-sea interaction, and the exchange of fluid between the mixed layer and the upper ocean. The scientific goals of CLIMODE are focused in 4 areas:
Air Sea Interaction
Eddies and Mixing
Subduction & Circulation
Modeling
Our program is a mix of in situ and satellite-based observations, and modeling which will, over a 5 year period beginning October 2004, lead to improved parameterization of air-sea fluxes in a high exchange region of the oceans, and improved ocean physics in climate models, capturing the eddy-mixed layer interactions in a region with both strong flows within the ocean and atmosphere and large wintertime exchange between the ocean and atmosphere.
For more information :: http://www.climode.org/index.html
Dates :: 9 November 2005 - 19 November, 2007
Location :: various research vessels based out of Woods Hole, Massachusetts
EOL Facilities :: Integrated Sounding Systems (ISS) & Data Management
Related Projects :: VOCALS

Cloud Isotope :: Stable Isotopes in Cloud Tops :: 1992
Stable Isotopes in Cloud Tops flew the Sabreliner (Tail Number N307D) to determine the vertical transport of ice in clouds and the clouds' mechanism in controlling the concentration of water vapor in the upper troposphere. A stable isotope method was used, ice and vapor samples were collected simultaneously, and the project was supported by in situ thermodynamic, cloud physics, and satellite data. The project goal was to determine the formation altitude of ice in the tops of winter frontal and summer convective clouds and the relative role of cloud ice and vapor as a supplier of water vapor in the upper troposphere.
For more information :: http://data.eol.ucar.edu/codiac/projs?Cloud%20Isotope
Dates :: 1 October - 21 October, 1992
Location :: Mid-Western United States
EOL Facilities :: NCAR Sabreliner Aircraft & Data Management

Cloud Seeding :: Numerical Simulation of Weather Modification by Cloud Seeding :: 1999
In April 1999, SSSF's Mobile GLASS supported the Cloud Seeding project for Harold Orville and Richard Farley from the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology (SDSMT). Scientists at SDSMT develop and use various types of models to simulate the formation and development of convective clouds under various atmospheric conditions. The models have been applied to several atmospheric situations including cloud seeding by silver iodide or dry ice or hygroscopic particles and their effect on rainfall and hail-fall from various types of clouds. The results of these model runs are then compared with observations made by aircraft, radar and ground instrumentation.
For more information :: http://www.eol.ucar.edu/dir_off/asr99/asr99_projects.html
Dates :: 1 April - 30 April, 1999
Location :: Black Hills, North Dakota

CM3 :: Coordinated Mesoscale Measurements in Mississippi :: 2011
The Coordinated Mesoscale Measurements in Mississippi (CM3) project will take place in February/March 2011 in the vicinity of Ross Barnett Reservoir in Jackson, Mississippi. Upper level students from Jackson State University in a Mesoscale Meteorology course will be introduced to various aspects of radar data processing and analysis using one of the Doppler on Wheels (DOW).
The scientific interest will be focused on small-scale frontal structures that are passing over heterogeneous landscape including a body of water, turbulent fluxes, nocturnal boundary layer structure and severe storms environment.
For more information ::
Dates :: 21 February - 11 March, 2011
Location :: Jackson, Mississippi, United States
EOL Facility :: Center for Severe Weather Research Doppler on Wheels (DOW)

CMMRP :: Cloud Microphysical Measurements and Radar Polarization :: 1987
The major objective of this project was to improve the understanding of the mechanisms of precipitation formation via the ice phase, especially for frontal and upslope conditions near the Alps.
The experimental technique was to obtain well coordinated data from the University of Wyoming King Air 2D-PMS probe particle images and the polarimetric DFVLR (German for "German Test and Research Institute for Aviation and Space Flight") radar. Another goal was to experimentally determine best radar polarization sampling needed to classify cloud hydrometeors and precipitation elements at various stages of development.
For more information :: http://data.eol.ucar.edu/codiac/projs?CMMRP
Dates :: 12 November - 7 December, 1987
Location :: Alps
EOL Facility :: University of Wyoming King Air (UWKA) & Data Management

COAST :: Coastal Observation And Simulation with Topography :: 1993 & 1995
The Coastal Observation and Simulation with Topography (COAST) program has examined the interaction of both steady-state and transient cool-season synoptic features, such as fronts and cyclones, with the coastal terrain of western North America. Its objectives include better understanding and forecasting of landfalling weather systems and, in particular, the modification and creation of mesoscale structures by coastal orography. In addition, COAST has placed considerable emphasis on the evaluation of mesoscale models in coastal terrain. These goals have been addressed through case studies of storm and frontal landfall along the Pacific Northwest coast using special field observations from a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration WP-3D research aircraft and simulations from high-resolution numerical models. The field work was conducted during December 1993 and December 1995. Active weather conditions encompassing a variety of synoptic situations were sampled. This article presents an overview of the program as well as highlights from a sample of completed and ongoing case studies.
For more information :: http://data.eol.ucar.edu/codiac/projs?COAST
Dates :: December 1993 & December 1995
Location :: Coastal Terrain of Western North America

COBRA :: CO2 Budget and Regional Airborne Study :: 2003
The objective of COBRA 2003 was to test concepts for observations and data assimilation to determine the large scale sources and sinks of greenhouse gases and ozone-destroying gases from North America. The study covered spatial scales from regional to continental. Gases of interest include CO2, CO, CH4, N2O, chlorofluorcarbons (CFCs), chlorinated solvents (CH3CCl3, CCl4 ), SF6, ozone (O3), and molecular hydrogen (H2).
For more information :: http://www.fas.harvard.edu/~cobra/
Dates :: 20 May - 1 July, 2003
Location :: Bangor, Maine, United States
EOL Facility :: University of Wyoming King Air (UWKA) & Data Management

The main goal is to provide validation data to improve the usage of polar-orbiting satellite data over Antarctica, in particular IASI radiances. On board the European satellite MetOp-A launched in October 2006, IASI is a sounder instrument measuring the infrared spectrum with an improved accuracy for temperature and humidity sounding in the troposphere and stratosphere. The other areas of interest are the fine scale meteorological and climatic studies of the Antarctic plateau, the study of the influence of better polar area predictions over lower latitudes and over the ozone simulation, together with the monitoring of the polar vortex at the end of winter, thanks to additional stratospheric measurements. Working towards these goals will contribute to establish a sustainable observing system for climate over Antarctica, taking into account the potential of advanced sounders such as IASI.
For more information :: http://www.cnrm.meteo.fr/concordiasi/
Date :: December 2001 - March 2002
Location :: McMurdo Station, Antarctica
Facility :: Driftsonde System

COPE :: Coastal Ocean Probing Experiment :: 1995
The Coastal Ocean Probing Experiment (COPE) was a follow-on experiment to SCOPE. It was held in September/October, 1995 along the northern Oregon coast and also involved the NOAA/D radar but with the addition of the NOAA/K radar. These radars were operated from an elevated site 744 m above the ocean and just 4 km from the shore. A much more comprehensive array of atmospheric and oceanographic instruments were operated from FLIP and from the R/V Snow Goose as well as from a blimp. Northern Oregon was selected because of the high terrain near the coast giving an excellent view of tidally-forced internal waves (IW) propagating shoreward from a source region near the continental shelf.
For more information :: http://data.eol.ucar.edu/codiac/projs?COPE95
Dates :: 10 September - 10 October, 1995
Location :: Northern Oregon Coast

CPS :: Cloud and Precipitation Study:: 2008
NCAR/EOL deployed an Integrated Sounding System (ISS) to the Cloud and Precipitation Studies (CPS) project in Miami, Florida for August and September 2008. The study examined convective storms in the Miami area, such as thunder storms originating in the Everglades, sea-breeze initiated convection, and outer rain-bands of passing tropical storms. A variety of radars at various wavelengths were used, allowing, for example, the relationship between up and down drafts and rain drop-size distributions to be examined, with the aim of improving the understanding of sub-tropical/tropical precipitation. The ISS included balloon-borne radiosonde soundings and Multiple Antenna Profiler Radar (MAPR), a 915 MHz wind profiler radar capable of making the rapid measurements required to examine the quickly evolving structure of convective storms.
For more information :: http://www.eol.ucar.edu/isf/projects/CPS/iss/
Dates :: August & September 2008
Location :: Miami, Florida, US

CRYSTAL-FACE :: Cirrus Regional Study of Tropical Anvils and Cirrus Layers - Florida Area Cirrus Experiment :: 2002
Carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases from human activities warm our climate. Two effects of this warming are the increase of clouds and the rise of water vapor in the atmosphere. Both of these in turn influence the impacts of the man-made gases on global warming. Clouds can reflect the sun rays away from the surface, cooling the climate, but they also act as “blankets,” trapping sun’s radiative heat. These various interactions are complex and not fully understood. However, the processes are crucial in determining the eventual overall effect of manmade greenhouse gases on the earth’s climate. The detailed measurements from the Crystal-Face mission will assist in improving our climate models. Six aircraft will be equipped with state-of-the-art instruments to measure characteristics of clouds and how clouds alter the atmosphere’s temperature. These measurements will be compared with ground based radars, satellites, and the results of advanced atmospheric models, in order to improve our ability to forecast future climate change. This large multi-agency experiment will unite seven NASA centers, NOAA, National Science Foundation, Department of Energy, Office of Naval Research, U.S. Weather Research Program, Universities and other government weather researchers in this well coordinated study of our environment.
For more information :: http://www.espo.nasa.gov/crystalface/
Dates :: 1 April - 21 July, 2002
Location :: Southern Florida
EOL Facilities ::
Electra Doppler Radar (ELDORA)
Dropsonde System
Data Management

CSTRIPE :: Coastal Stratocumulus Imposed Perturbation Experiment :: 2003
CSTRIPE is field experiment designed to quantify the effect aerosol has on the microphysics, precipitation and dynamics of marine stratocumulus (MSc). The CIRPAS Twin Otter aircraft will be deployed in a three week mission off the coast of Monterey, California in July, 2003. The strategy is a blend from two previous field experiments, MAST and ACE-2, that were directed towards aerosol-MSc interactions.
MAST (Monterey Area Ship Track Experiment) was successful in that it targeted ship tracks. Use of a localized aerosol perturbation, such as ship tracks, obviates the difficulty of separating aerosol-forced signals from meteorologically forced signals.
ACE-2 (The second Aerosol Characterization Experiment) was successful in that it used a number of well articulated closure studies to evaluate state-of-the-art models including: hygroscopic and CCN activity of aerosol; cloud activation; the effect of entrainment mixing on the vertical and horizontal distribution of cloud microphysics; and the link between cloud microphysics and the radiative properties of the clouds (i.e. both albedo and bidirectional reflectance used by satellites to retrieve cloud optical properties).
By using both a closure strategy, as in ACE-2, and the contrast provided by a localized aerosol perturbation, as in MAST, it is hoped to achieve an unprecedented degree of success with relatively modest resources. A new element added to the strategy is the use of hygroscopic cloud seeding flares as a controlled and well characterized perturbation. CSTRIPE is supported by the Office of Naval Research.
For more information :: http://www.cstripe.caltech.edu/
Dates :: 1 July - 21 July, 2003
Location :: Monterey, California

CTW :: Coastally Trapped Waves :: 1996
The Coastal Waves 1996 experiment was designed to study coastal atmospheric phenomena along the California coast. This study was designed to address several problems, including the cross-shore variability and turbulent structure of the marine boundary layer, the influence of the coast on the development of the marine layer and clouds, the ageostrophy of the flow, the dynamics of trapped events, the parameterization of surface fluxes, and the supercriticality of the marine layer. Based in Monterey, California, the National Center for Atmospheric Research NSF/NCAR C-130 Hercules and the University of North Carolina Piper Seneca obtained a comprehensive set of measurements on the structure of the marine layer. The study focused on the effects of prominent topographic features on the wind. Downstream of capes and points, narrow bands of high winds are frequently encountered. The NCAR-designed Scanning Aerosol Backscatter Lidar (SABL) provided a unique opportunity to connect changes in the depth of the boundary layer with specific features in the dynamics of the flow field.
For more information :: http://data.eol.ucar.edu/codiac/projs?CTW
Dates :: 1 June -3 July, 1996
Location :: Monterey, California
EOL Facilities :: NSF/NCAR C-130 Aircraft & Data Management

CuPIDO :: Cumulus Photogrammetric, In-Situ and Doppler Observations :: 2006
Cumulus Photogrammetric, In-Situ and Doppler Observations (CuPIDO) is an observational program designed to examine the onset and development of orographic thunderstorms associated with the North American Monsoon. The CuPIDO field program used digital visible spectrum cameras, surface mesonet stations, high temporal resolution soundings and aircraft data.
For more information :: http://www.eol.ucar.edu/projects/cupido/
Dates :: 1 July - 31 August, 2006
Location :: Tucson, Arizona
EOL Facilities :: University of Wyoming King Air, Integrated Surface Flux System (ISFS), & Data Management

DASH :: DAta confirmation of Solar telescope for HAO :: 2004
In an effort to build the last large (4m) solar (viewing the sun; obviously during the day) telescope. This telescope will have about 1000 actuators to dynamically adjust for atmospheric interference, but they have limitations, so it is necessary to site this scope where atmospheric turbulence (characterized by the refraction structure parameter, C_n^2) is minimal.
Data have been taken at 6 candidate sites over the past 2 years using two types of scintillometers, but are highly sensitive to corrections used in the near-field of view of these instruments. The magnitude of these corrections is enough to change a site from being determined to be usable to unusable or vice versa.
Thus, a verification data set is needed to determine if any of these correction schemes produce values which are good enough for site evaluation. In situ measurements (either from a tower or balloon) of C_n^2 (from C_T^2 and C_q^2) should produce unambiguous results. Sodar measurements of C_n^2 also may provide adequate measurements.
For more information :: http://www.eol.ucar.edu/isf/projects/dash04/index.html
Dates :: 5 January - 31 January, 2004
Location :: Boulder Atmospheric Observatory in Erie, Colorado
EOL Facilities :: Integrated Surface Flux Facility (ISFF) & Data Management

DOMEX :: Dominica Experiment :: 2011
The overall science objective of the Dominica Experiment (DOMEX) is to understand the physics of convective initiation and precipitation in a simple steady tropical environment.
The triggering of convection and the physics of precipitating clouds remain two of the most challenging problems in atmospheric science. Even for “simple” orographic precipitation, the relationship between forced ascent and embedded convection remains unclear. In the full tropics, where convection may be slightly simpler, little work has been done on orographic precipitation. Progress will require the study of the simplest possible natural system, as a bridge to more complex systems. To pursue this reductionist strategy, the island of Dominica (15N) has recently been identified as an accessible “natural laboratory” for orographically forced moist convection.
Where :: Commonwealth of Dominica
Facilities ::
University of Wyoming King Air (UWKA)
Wyoming Cloud Radar (WCR)
Wyoming Cloud Lidar (WCL)
XXX

DOWNEWS :: DOW Observations of New England Storms :: 2011
The Doppler On Wheels (DOW) Observations of New England Storms (DONEWS) project will take place in February 2011 at Lyndon College in Northern New England.
This educational deployment will allow students to be introduced to the components and operation of the mobile radar; plan, forecast, and lead the deployment of multiple missions designed to collect data on winter storms; and analyze the data as part of small group projects that will be presented in a Remote Sensing course.
Dates :: 31 January - 18 February, 2011
Where :: Lyndonville, Vermont, United States
Facilities :: Center for Severe Weather Research Doppler on Wheels (DOW)

DOWNWASH94 :: Combustion Turbine Plume Rise and Building Downwash Model Development :: 1994
Combustion Turbine Plume Rise and Building Downwash Model Development (DOWNWASH94) was an EPRI-funded program with principal investigator Lloyd Schulman (Sigma Research Corporation). This program was designed to provide data for the development of a new computer model to represent the plume rise and building-induced downwash from power plants, especially those with "less than Good Engineering Practice" stack heights. In particular, the research goal was to define conditions under which the exhaust plume from a combustion turbine would be drawn downward due to the turbulence induced by the structure housing the turbine.
Dates :: 11 January - 14 April, 1994
Location :: Sayreville, New Jersey
EOL Facilities :: Atmosphere/Surface Turbulent Exchange Research (ASTER) facility & Data Management

DROPS :: Doppler on Wheels Research Radar at Purdue :: 2009
The Doppler on Wheels was at the Purdue campus for an educational deployment to support an EAS Radar Meteorology course offered to upper-level undergraduate and graduate students.
As part of this course, students were introduced to the components and operation of a research radar. Small student teams planned several research projects related to the occurrence of isolated severe and non-severe thunderstorms, mesoscale convective systems, frontal rainbands and lake-effect snowfall.
Dates :: 21 October - 18 November, 2009
Location :: Lafayette, Indiana, United States
EOL Facilities :: Center for Severe Weather Research Doppler on Wheels (DOW)

DYCOMS-II:: Dynamics and Chemistry of Marine Stratocumulus Phase II :: 2001
The Second Dynamics and Chemistry of Marine Stratocumulus field study (DYCOMS-II) was specifically designed to provide:
A suite of test cases for subsequent simulation
Tests of LES derived entrainment parameterizations
Secondary objectives included:
Testing a new technique to measure large-scale divergence
Increasing our understanding of the diurnal cycle
Quantifying precipitation and its effect on cloud structure
Evaluating aerosol effects on precipitation and clouds
For more information :: http://www.atmos.ucla.edu/~bstevens/dycoms/dycoms.html
Dates :: 7 July - 28 July, 2001
Location :: WSW of Los Angeles, California
EOL Facilities :: NSF/NCAR C-130 Aircraft, Dropsonde System, & Data Management

EDUCT :: Education in Complex Terrain Meteorology :: 2008
EDUcation in Complex Terrain Meteorology (EDUCT) was a joint project between the University of Virginia and the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) Earth Observing Laboratory (EOL).
NSF funded the educational deployment of EOL's Mobile Integrated Sounding System (MISS) to the University of Virginia to support two meteorology classes. The Mountain Meteorology class, which is an upper-level undergraduate course, included an observational section based at the Shenandoah Park meteorological station Pinnacles, where the university operates a lidar, an instrumented tower and other facilities.
Location :: University of Virginia; Shenandoah National Park, United States
EOL Facilities :: Mobile Integrated Sounding System (MISS)

EPIC :: Eastern Pacific Investigation of Climate :: 2001
The U.S. Climate Variability and Predictability (CLIVAR) program sponsored the field experiment East Pacific Investigation of Climate Processes in the Coupled Ocean-Atmosphere System 2001 (EPIC2001), which has the goal of providing the observational basis needed to improve the representation of certain key physical processes in models.
In addition to physical processes, EPIC2001 research is directed toward a better understanding and simulation of the effects of short-term variability in the east Pacific on climate. This variability is particularly important in the region because conditions in the inter-tropical convergence zone are highly variable on daily to intraseasonal time scales. The effects of such variability rectify strongly onto climate time scales in this region.
For more information :: http://www.eol.ucar.edu/projects/epic/
Dates :: 1 September - 15 October, 2001
Location :: Regionally from Huatulco, Mexico to the Galapagos Islands
EOL Facilities :: NSF/NCAR C-130 Aircraft & Data Management

ERICA :: Experiment on Rapidly-Intensifying Cyclones over the Atlantic :: 1988-1989
This project deals with examining the role of the baroclinic boundary layer processes in explosive cyclogenesis. The hypothesis was an important process in conjunction with other (large scale) forcing. Another objective of the project was to compare and study the pre-storm PBL structure during ERICA with those studied during GALE offshore cyclogenesis cases.
For more information :: http://data.eol.ucar.edu/codiac/projs?ERICA
Dates :: 9 December, 1988 - 12 February, 1989
Location :: Northern North America
EOL Facilities ::
NCAR Sabreliner Aircraft
NSF/NCAR Electra Aircraft
Data Management

FASTEX :: Fronts and Atlantic Storm Track Experiment :: 1997
The primary goal of the FASTEX field program was to advance the scientific understanding necessary to enable detailed diagnosis and prediction of the life cycles and effects of eastern oceanic storms and their associated cloud and precipitation systems.
The scientific objectives of FASTEX included:
Increase the scientific understanding of the intensification process of eastern Atlantic extra-tropical cyclones and the role performed by precipitating clouds
Provide a test for various "adaptive" observational strategies designed to place dropsonde observations in places crucial to improved numerical forecasts of cyclone development
Provide a quantitative description of the mesoscale organization, of precipitation at various stages of the life-cycle of the extratropical cyclone, and tropopause folds and dry intrusions
Construct 3-D kinematic fields over the cyclone domain suitable for input into mesoscale data assimilation models
Gather datasets from which heat and moisture budgets and the vertical distribution of heating by cloud systems can be calculated
For more information :: http://data.eol.ucar.edu/codiac/projs?FASTEX
Dates :: 1 January - 28 February, 1997
Location :: Shannon, Ireland & North Atlantic Ocean
EOL Facility ::
NSF/NCAR Electra Aircraft
Electra Doppler Radar (ELDORA)
Integrated Sounding System (ISS)
Data Management

FIFE :: First ISLSCP Field Experiment :: 1987
The First ISLSCP (International Satellite Land Surface Climatology Project) Field Experiment (FIFE) was a large-scale climatology project conducted on the Konza Prairie in Kansas from 1987 through 1989.
The general objectives of FIFE were to:
Improve understanding of carbon and water cycles
Coordinate data collected by satellites, aircraft, and ground instruments
Use satellites to measure carbon and water cycles
For more information :: http://daac.ornl.gov/FIFE/fife.shtml
Dates :: 26 May - 16 July, 1987
Location :: Konza Prairie, Kansas
EOL Facility :: University of Wyoming King Air (UWKA) & Data Management

FIRE :: First ISLSCP Regional Experiment :: 1986
The First ISCCP Regional Experiment (FIRE; ISCCP is the International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project) was organized by a group of atmospheric scientists and federal agencies in 1984 to address fundamental processes involving clouds and radiation in the climate system.
The coordinated research effort sought to expand the basic knowledge of the interaction between clouds and climate, to improve the understanding of radiative and physical processes climatically important cloud systems, and to improve satellite-based cloud-radiative monitoring systems (i.e., ISCCP) and global climate model parameterizations.
That cloud systems play crucial roles in the Earth's climate system is universally accepted. The complexity of these roles demands a continuing, methodical, and scientific set of investigations in order to reach the goal of being able to understand, simulate, and anticipate global climate change.
For more information :: http://asd-www.larc.nasa.gov/fire/index.html
Dates :: 13 October - 2 November, 1986
Location :: Wisconsin, United States
EOL Facilities ::
University of Wyoming King Air (UWKA)
NCAR Sabreliner Aircraft
Related Projects :: FIRE II

FIRE-II :: First ISCCP Regional Experiment (FIRE) II-Cirrus :: 1991
<="http://asd-www.larc.nasa.gov/fire/images/fire2.1.gif" width="" align="right">FIRE (First ISCCP Regional Experiment) is an ongoing multi-agency program designed to promote the development of improved cloud and radiation parameterizations for use in climate models, and to provide for assessment and improvement of International Satellite Cloud Climatology Program (ISCCP) products. The first five years of FIRE and ISCCP have yielded significant progress toward these objectives. ISCCP has designed a methodology for monitoring cloudiness from space; this methodology has been employed to collect a near-global cloud climatology since 1983. This data set is now being used by scientists studying cloud and climate questions. For the future, the relationship between clouds and climate has been identified as the top research priority for the U.S. Global Change Research Program. FIRE offers one of the best multidisciplinary strategies for addressing this research program.
FIRE is a multi-agency effort, enjoying support from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the National Science Foundation (NSF), the Office of Naval Research (ONR), the Department of Energy (DOE), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the United States Air Force (USAF), and other elements of the Department of Defense (DOD). Although FIRE is principally a United States national project, it benefits from important contributions by scientists from the United Kingdom and France.
For more information :: http://asd-www.larc.nasa.gov/fire/fire2.html
Dates :: 3 January - 30 November, 1991
Location :: Southeast Kansas
EOL Facilities :: University of Wyoming King Air (UWKA) & Data Management
Related Projects :: FIRE

FLATLAND :: Flatland Observatory Project :: 1995
Two Integrated Sounding Systems (ISS) were deployed in support of the FLATLAND project in central Illinois. These systems were used by the investigators at National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration's(NOAA) Aeronomy Laboratory in conjunction with a third 915 MHZ wind profiler already located at the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana's Flatland observatory to measure boundary layer entrainment velocities. As part of the effort, the data taken during this project will be used to test the effectiveness of deriving convergence from a triangular configuration of wind profilers. The ISS sites provided surface measurements, wind and virtual temperature profiles, and CLASS sounding capability. Over 140 successful CLASS soundings were taken during FLATLAND.
Dates :: 29 July - 30 September, 1995
Location :: Central Illinois
EOL Facilities :: Integrated Sounding System (ISS) & Data Management
Related Projects :: FLATLAND II

FLATLAND II :: Flatland Observatory Project II :: 1996
The 1996 Flatland Atmospheric Boundary Layer Experiment, FLATLAND96, was an investigation of the structure and dynamics of the planetary boundary layer. The scientific objectives of the study were:
To measure entrainment velocity in the convective boundary layer
To measure the spatial and temporal variations of boundary layer height
To measure the thickness and time evolution of the entrainment zone
To measure the turbulent heat flux
To measure temperature advection term of the heat budget
To measure heat storage term of the heat budget
To measure or estimate the boundary layer-top heat flux and entrainment parameter
To compare cloud-topped and cloud-free boundary layers
To measure surface flux differences between corn and soybean fields
For more information :: http://www.eol.ucar.edu/isf/projects/flatland96/
Dates :: 20 June - 19 August, 1996
Location :: Central Illinois
EOL Facilities :: Integrated Sounding Systems (ISS) & Data Management
Related Projects :: FLATLAND

FLOSS :: Fluxes Over Snow Surfaces :: 2001-2003
The FLOSS project, studied the surface meteorology of snow-covered rangeland in the North Park region of Colorado, near Walden, from December 2001 to March 2002, and again during phase II in 2003.
Dates of Phase I :: December 2001 - March 2002
Dates of Phase II :: December 2003
Location :: Park Range, Northern Colorado
Facilities :: University of Wyoming King Air, Wyoming Cloud Radar & Wyoming Cloud Lidar
http://www.eol.ucar.edu/isf/projects/FLOSS/
Looking east toward Medicine Bow mountains from FLOSS site.

Forest ABL :: Forest ABL Coupling Experiment :: 2001-2003
The objectives of the Forest ABL coupling experiment are to observe and simulate how surface processes and boundary-layer development interact to modulate Net Ecosystem Exchange (NEE) of CO2. Also to Derive tropospheric CO2 mixing ratios via estimates of the entertainment flux and compare the modeled values. Also to see if the the results vary across North America and/or ecosystems.
For more information :: http://data.eol.ucar.edu/codiac/projs?Forest%20ABL
Dates :: 1 September, 1997 - 30 August, 2000
Location :: Wisconsin
Facilities :: Integrated Sounding System (ISS) & Data Management

FraWST :: Front Range Weather Study :: 2007
FRaWSt (the Front Range Winter-weather Study) was an informal project using the S-Pol radar located at Marshall field site in Boulder County Colorado headed by Dr. Gywon Lee. Collocated with the radar were particle size disdrometers and a snow gauge network. The goals of the project were to document upslope snow storms and the evolution of the particle size distributions.
For more information :: http://data.eol.ucar.edu/codiac/projs?FraWST07
Dates :: 10 January - 31 March, 2007
Location :: Boulder, Colorado
EOL Facilities :: S-POL Radar & Data Management

GCIP/EAOP :: Continental-scale International Project (GCIP) Enhanced Annual Observing Period :: 1998 & 1999
The Global Energy and Water Cycle Experiment (GEWEX) Continental-scale International Project (GCIP) Enhanced Annual Observing Period - 1998 (EAOP-98) takes place in the Ohio-Tennessee River basins as a data collection effort in a Large Scale Area (LSA) of the entire Mississippi River basin. The Ohio-Tennessee River basins provide a number of watershed areas that are potentially useful for focused hydrologic studies. The EAOP-98 dataset constitutes the fourth GCIP ESOP dataset during the GCIP five year Enhanced Observing Period (EOP) and the first in the Ohio-Tennessee River basins.
The primary objectives for EAOP are:
To develop a comprehensive meteorologic and hydrologic dataset for diagnostic, evaluation, and modeling studies
Develop coupled hydrologic/atmospheric models,
Conduct diagnostic studies of energy and water budgets
Improve the hydrometeorological prediction and water resources management.
For more information :: http://data.eol.ucar.edu/codiac/projs?GCIP%2FEAOP-98
1998 Dates :: 1 October, 1997 - 30 September, 1998
1999 Dates :: 1 October, 1998 - 30 September, 1999
Location :: Ohio-Tennessee River Basins

GOTEX :: Gulf Of Tehuantepec Experiment :: 2004
When high pressure is over the Gulf of Mexico in the Caribbean, a circulation sets up forcing strong winds through the Chivela mountain pass, creating an off-shore jet over the Pacific Ocean. The wind can blow out for 500-600 km offshore for several days giving rise to strongly-forced fetch-limited wave conditions.
In February 2004, groups from Scripps Institution of Oceanography (UCSD), UC Irvine, NASA/EG&G, NCAR and the National Autonomous University of Mexico collaborated to conduct the Gulf of Tehuantepec Experiment (GOTEX) to measure the coupled development of the atmospheric boundary layer and the surface wave field out over the Gulf of Tehuantapec, off southern Mexico's Pacific coast.
The NSF/NCAR C-130Q Hercules aircraft was equipped with a suite of sensors for measuring surface waves and wave breaking, including a downward-looking scanning lidar (Airborne Terrain Mapper, or ATM), video cameras, inertial motion sensors, and radome gust probe wind measurements. (Taken from Melville, W.K. "Extreme wave events in the Gulf of Tehuantapec" Pp2 [Available online April 2010 from
For more information :: http://data.eol.ucar.edu/codiac/projs?GOTEX
Dates :: 25 January - 29 February, 2004
Location :: Tehuantepec, Mexico
EOL Facilities :: NSF/NCAR C-130 Aircraft & Data Management

HARP :: Hawaiian Rainband Experiment :: 1990
The Hawaiian Rainband Project (HaRP), conducted in July and August of 1990, used aircraft, radar, surface, and upper-air measurements to investigate the formation and dynamical and microphysical structure of rainbands offshore of the Big Island. One goal of HaRP was to study the warm rain process by relating the microphysical evolution of these rainbands to their dynamical structure.
For more information :: http://data.eol.ucar.edu/codiac/projs?HARP1990
Dates :: 19 July - 22 August, 1990
Location :: Hawaii
EOL Facilities :: NSF/NCAR Electra Aircraft & Data Management

HEFT :: HAIS Experimental Flight Test :: 2008 & 2010
HEFT-08 is one of the series of airborne projects that are conducted by EOL Research Aviation Facility to allow instrument developers flight time on the NSF/NCAR Gulfstream V.
Initially, HEFT projects were put in place to provide test flight opportunity to the HIAPER HAIS instrument developers. Presently, HEFT projects accommodate other developers as well. HEFT projects are not considered research field experiments and do not have an important scientific objective. Their goal is instrument validation, performance testing and preparation for research field deployments.
For more information on HEFT 2008 ::
For more information on HEFT 2010 ::
HEFT 2008 Dates :: 1 February - 29 February, 2008
HEFT 2010 Dates :: 1 December - 16 February, 2010
Location :: Broomfield, Colorado
EOL Facilities :: NSF/NCAR Gulfstream V Aircraft & Data Management

HIPPO :: HIAPER Pole-toPole Observations :: 2009-2011
The “HIAPER Pole-to-Pole Observations (HIPPO) of Carbon Cycle and Greenhouse Gases Study” will measure cross sections of atmospheric concentrations approximately pole-to-pole, from the surface to the tropopause, five times during different seasons over a three year period. A comprehensive suite of atmospheric trace gases pertinent to understanding the Carbon Cycle will be measured. The program will provide the first comprehensive, global survey of atmospheric trace gases, covering the full troposphere in all seasons and multiple years.
HIPPO is a landmark study for many reasons, not the least of which is it is the first time scientists have attempted to systematically map global distribution of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
For more information:: http://hippo.ucar.edu/
Dates of HIPPO I :: January 2009
Dates of HIPPO II :: October 2009
Dates of HIPPO III :: April - May 2010
Dates of HIPPO IV :: June - July 2011
Dates of HIPPO V :: August - September 2011
Location :: Pole-to-Pole Over Greater Pacific Basin
Facility :: NSF/NCAR Gulfstream V Aircraft & Data Management
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HVAMS :: Hudson Valley Ambient Meteorology Study :: 2003
For the last fifty years it has often been argued that studies of the lower atmosphere should concentrate on understanding the most elementary situations; we are to attack the more difficult problems later. Following this line, many projects continue to be set in unforested places with little topographic variation. Studies of meteorology in "complex terrain" have focused on extremely mountainous regions, such as the Rockies or the Alps. Between these extremes is a large expanse of regions with moderately complex topography and more complicated land surfaces, places where people live and weather and pollution forecasts must be made. With the rapid increase in quality and quantity of remote sensing imagery, many are proposing techniques to reduce surface boundary conditions to counting tiles in the appropriate mosaic. How will these approaches be tested? In this project, we turn deliberately to study this intermediate ground. We believe that many of the problems associated with the lack of horizontal homogeneity can be offset by the appearance of regular local winds, which make it easier to form useful composites.
For more information :: http://sequoia.asrc.cestm.albany.edu/jrgroup/jrgHVAMS.htm
Dates :: 4 September - 4 November, 2003
Location :: Hudson River Valley, New York
EOL Facilities :: Integrated Surface Flux Facility (ISFF) & Data Management

ICE-L :: Ice in Clouds Experiment - Layer Clouds :: 2007
The objective of the ICE-L experiment is to show that under given conditions, direct ice nucleation measurement(s), or other specific measurable characteristics of the aerosol, can be used to predict the number of ice particles forming by nucleation mechanisms in selected clouds. The PIs also seek improved quantitative understanding of the roles of thermodynamic pathway, location within the cloud, and temporal dependency.
For more information :: http://www.eol.ucar.edu/projects/ice-l/
Dates :: 1 November - 31 December, 2007
Location :: Front Range of Colorado and Wyoming
NSF/NCAR C-130 Aircraft
Wyoming Cloud Radar (WCR)

ICE-T :: Ice in Clouds Experiment :: 2011
More than 50% of the earth’s precipitation originates in the ice phase. Ice nucleation, therefore, is one of the most basic processes that lead to precipitation. ICE-T will study the tropical convective clouds, where both primary and secondary ice formation processes may play significant roles in the ice formation process.
Dates :: May 2011
Location :: St Croix, Virgin Islands
Facilities ::
NSF/NCAR C-130 Aircraft
Dropsondes
Wyoming Cloud Radar (WCR)
Wyoming Cloud Lidar (WCL)

IceNu :: Spontaneous Ice Nucleation :: 1989
This study continued prior investigation of spontaneous ice nucleation to further the understanding of cirrus cloud behavior. High altitude atmospheric samples were collected by aircraft in clear air and upwind of lenticular clouds for use in this laboratory program. Aerosol bag samples were collected and introduced into cloud chambers and used as cloud condensation nuclei to form supercooled droplets for freezing studies. Ice crystal samples were collected, studied and compared to crystals formed in the lab. Air filter samples were also taken to identify chemical constituents in our air and particle samples. The NCAR Sabreliner flights provided raw materials for use in laboratory experiments.
For more information :: http://data.eol.ucar.edu/codiac/projs?IceNu
Dates :: 9 November -16 December, 1989
Location :: Mid-Western United States
EOL Facilities :: NCAR Sabreliner Aircraft & Data Management

IDEAS :: Instrument Development and Education in Airborne Science :: 2002 & 2003
The "idea" for the Instrument Development and Education in Airborne Science (IDEAS) program came from the annual UCAR Members' Meeting in the fall of 2000. A review of facility needs was conducted at this meeting, and one major discussion issue was that university faculty and students want more opportunities to participate in instrument development efforts. In particular, they wish to have the opportunity to access facilities that are not easily available to them, such as research aircraft, but are essential for testing new instruments they have or are developing. Previous UCAR Members' Meetings identified another need: to train students in observational science. There are few opportunities for students to fly on research aircraft and to actually participate in airborne measurements of clouds or other constituents of the atmosphere.
For more information :: http://www.eol.ucar.edu/raf/Projects/IDEAS/
IDEAS I Dates :: 5 April - 14 May, 2002
IDEAS II Dates :: 3 October - 1 November, 2002
IDAES III Dates :: 15 August - 22 September, 2003
Location :: Broomfield, Colorado

IHOP :: International H2O Project :: 2002
The International H2O Project (IHOP 2002) is a field experiment that took place over the Southern Great Plains (SGP) of the United States from 13 May to 25 June 2002. The chief aim of IHOP was improved characterization of the four-dimensional (4-D) distribution of water vapor and its application to improving the understanding and prediction of convection. The region was an optimal location due to existing experimental and operational facilities, strong variability in moisture, and active convection.
For more information :: http://www.eol.ucar.edu/dir_off/projects/2002/IHOP.html
Dates :: 13 May - 25 June, 2002
Location :: Southern Great Plains, United States
EOL Facilities :: Electra Doppler Radar (ELDORA), Integrated Sounding System (ISS), S-POL Radar, & Data Management

IMPROVE I :: Improvement of Microphysical Parameterization through Observational Verification Experiment :: 2001
IMPROVE-1, the Washington Offshore Frontal Field Study, was carried out off the coast of Washington State during the period 4 January--14 February 2001. The advantage of studying frontal systems over an oceanic domain with weak sea-surface temperature gradients is that they are driven by large-scale dynamical processes, which are typically well simulated in mesoscale models. Furthermore, because the lower boundary is spatially uniform, the structures of precipitation features can often be verified by observations in spite of modest position errors.
For more information :: http://improve.atmos.washington.edu/
Location :: Coastal Regions of Washington State
EOL Facilities :: S-POL Radar, Integrated Sounding System (ISS), & Data Management
Related Projects :: IMPROVE II

IMPROVE II :: Improvement of Microphysical Parameterization through Observational Verification Experiment :: 2001
IMPROVE-2, the Oregon Cascades Orographic Field Study, was carried out in the Oregon Cascade Mountains during the period 26 November--22 December 2001. Orographic precipitation systems are good candidates for IMPROVE studies because much of the forcing is tied to the terrain, and the terrain is precisely known. Thus, in situations where essentially steady flow impinges on a topographic barrier and the upstream conditions are known, the dynamical response to that flow is highly deterministic, provided the forecast model can properly resolve the key terrain-forced dynamics (Colle and Mass 1996). In addition, terrain-forced flow produces large gradients in cloud microphysical variables and processes, providing a good test bed for the model microphysics.
For more information :: http://improve.atmos.washington.edu/
Location :: Coastal Regions of Washington State
EOL Facilities :: S-POL Radar, Integrated Sounding System (ISS), & Data Management
Related Projects :: IMPROVE I

INDOEX :: Indian Ocean Experiment :: 1999
Regional consequences of global warming depend critically on the potentially large cooling effect of another pollutant, known as aerosols. These tiny particles, of about a millionth of a centimeter or smaller in diameter, scatter sunlight back to space and cause a regional cooling effect. These aerosols consisting of sulfates, soot, organic carbon and mineral dust are produced both naturally and by human activities. Results of numerous global warming models suggest that the aerosol cooling is one of the largest, if not the largest, sources of uncertainty in predicting future climate. Still, the complex influence of aerosol cooling on global warming is not clearly understood. This issue will remain a mystery unless field experiments, such as the Indian Ocean Experiment (INDOEX), are undertaken to collect in-situ data on the regional cooling effect of sulfate and other aerosols.
For more information :: http://www-indoex.ucsd.edu/index.html
Dates :: 1 January - 31 March, 1999
Location :: Maldive Islands

Infrared Solar Corona:: Infrared Solar Corona :: 1998
The project is an effort from an aircraft platform at the total solar eclipse of 18 February 1998 with the following objectives:
To survey the intermediate infrared spectral region for coronal emission lines, toward the goal of adding diagnostic capability in coronal studies;
To carry out photometric measurements of the IR coronal radiance, so as to specify the relative roles of thermal emission and scattering from the F-coronal dust;
To measure the spectral shift of Fraunhofer lines in the coronal signal in order to determine the motion of interplanetary dust near the sun and to understand previously reported variations from Keplerian orbital motion;
To study the HE I 1083 nm radiation observed at the 1994 eclipse in the outer coronal by means of line profile measurements.
Dates :: 5 January - 10 March, 1998
Location :: Panama

INTEX-B :: Intercontinental chemical transport Experiment :: 2006
INTEX-B was conducted during a 10-week period from March 1 to May 15, 2006. The first phase of the study was performed during March and focused on Mexico City pollution outflow, while the second phase was performed during April and May and focused on Asian pollution outflow.
For more information :: http://www.espo.nasa.gov/intex-b/
Dates :: March 1 - May 15, 2006
Location :: Regionally near Mexico City, Mexico

ISCAT :: Investigation of Sulfur Chemistry in the Antarctic Troposphere :: 2000
For more information :: http://www.eol.ucar.edu/isf/projects/iscat2000/
Dates :: 22 November - 28 December, 2000
Location :: South Pole, Antarctica
EOL Facilities :: Integrated Surface Flux Facility (ISFF) & Data Management

ISPA :: Inhibition of Snowfall By Pollution Aerosols :: 2001, 2002, 2007 & 2010
Inhibition of Snowfall by Pollutant Aerosols (ISPA) studies the link between pollution aerosols and snowfall rates in the Mount Werner area near Steamboat Springs, Colorado in 2001, 2002, 2007, & 2010.
The study will help to determine the connection with pollution and snowfall amounts, as some pollutants decrease snowfall levels. The project is being carried out for the Desert Research Institute's Storm Peak Laboratory (SPL) on Mount Werner.
ISPA 2001 Dates :: 3 February - 3 March, 2001
ISPA 2002 Dates :: 13 January - 3 March, 2002
ISPA 2007 Dates :: 2 January - 28 February, 2007
ISPA 2010 Dates :: 14 January - 28 February, 2010
Location :: Steamboat Springs, Colorado
Facilities ::
Multiple Antenna Profiler Radar (MAPR)
Integrated Sounding System (ISS)
GPS Advanced Upper-Air Sounding System (GAUS)

ITEX :: International Tundra Experiment :: 2002
The International Tundra Experiment is a scientific network of experiments focusing on the impact of climate change on selected plant species in tundra and alpine vegetation. Currently, research teams at more than two dozen circumpolar sites carry out similar, multi-year plant manipulation experiments that allow them to compare annual variation in plant performance with respect to phenological response to climate conditions.
For more information :: http://www.geog.ubc.ca/itex/index.php
Dates :: 1 January, 1993 - 31 December, 2002
Location :: Arctic Tunda Regions

ITOP :: Interactions of Typhoons and Oceans Project :: 2010
This project studied the interaction between typhoons and the underlying ocean with specific regard to the 4-dimensional response of the ocean underneath and behind the storm. It is a follow-on to the successful T-PARC TCS-08 Project but will emphasize the ocean responses to typhoon growth and movement in the western Pacific Ocean.
For more information :: http://www.eol.ucar.edu/projects/itop/
Dates :: August - September, 2010
Location :: Guam & Operations Center in Monterey, CA
Facility ::Support from EOL's Field Project Services and Computer Data Services

ITOP :: Interactions of Typhoons and Oceans Project :: 2010
This project studied the interaction between typhoons and the underlying ocean with specific regard to the 4-dimensional response of the ocean underneath and behind the storm. It is a follow-on to the successful T-PARC TCS-08 Project but will emphasize the ocean responses to typhoon growth and movement in the western Pacific Ocean.
For more information :: http://www.eol.ucar.edu/projects/itop/
Dates :: August - September, 2010
Location :: Guam & Operations Center in Monterey, CA
Facility ::Data Management

JETEX :: Low-level Jet Experiment :: 1997
In JETEX-97, the PIs seek to improve the ability of the NCAR/Pennsylvania State University MM5 mesoscale model to replicate the low level jet. Dennis Ojima of Colorado State University conducted runs using the CENTURY model to assess ecosystem controls on water, carbon, and other trace gases into the atmosphere, using historical data from the CASES area, and CASES-97 data, in preparation for more ambitious measurements later on.
For more information :: http://data.eol.ucar.edu/codiac/projs?JETEX%2097
Dates :: 1 May - 31 May, 1997
Location :: Southeast United States
EOL Facility :: Integrated Sounding System (ISS) & Data Management

Juneau :: Project Juneau :: 1996-2001
NCAR/RAP investigators requested the use of an Integrated Sounding System (ISS) wind profilers at a site near the Juneau, Alaska airport. In Situ Facility personnel set up the system, optimized its operation in order to reduce ground clutter, and monitored the data in Boulder remotely during the project.
Another leased profiler (from Radian Corporation) was installed in another area near the airport. RAP is using the profiler and anemometer data from several key mountain-top instruments to better understand the turbulence generated by high-wind events and to develop an operational system for better prediction and warning of turbulence events. This system consists of turbulence-detecting algorithms and a turbulence display system for the Juneau Area Weather System (JAWS). Data from the two profilers were taken from mid-December 1996 through April 1997. Several suitable turbulent wind events occurred during that time period.
For more information :: http://data.eol.ucar.edu/codiac/projs?Juneau
Dates :: 5 December, 1996 - 30 June, 2001
Location :: Juneau, Alaska
EOL Facility :: Surface and Sounding Systems Facility (SSSF) & Data Management

LPB :: La Plata River Basin :: 2007
CLIVAR/VAMOS and GEWEX/GHP identified the Río La Plata Basin (LPB) as a climate-hydrology system with components that are potentially predictable with useful skill from seasons in advance, and whose variability has important impacts on human activities.
LPB provides a framework for integration of regional projects leading to improved predictions of the climate and hydrology system, and the coordination of those projects at the highest international level (WMO/WCRP).
For more information :: http://www.eol.ucar.edu/projects/lpb/
Dates :: 1 January, 2007 - 31 December, 2015
Location :: La Plata River Basin, South America

LABEX :: Lake Breeze Experiment :: 1995
Three ISS were deployed around Lake Okeechobee in southern Florida in support of the LABEX. The experiment was designed by investigators at Iowa State University to examine boundary layer circulations and thermodynamic changes induced by lakes of small to moderate size. The ISS installations provided surface data, wind and virtual temperature profiles, and balloon-borne CLASS soundings. Approximately 20 CLASS soundings were taken during this one week experiment.
For more information :: http://www.eol.ucar.edu/isf/projects/labex95/labex95.html
Dates :: 7 July - 14 July, 1995
Location :: Southern Florida
University of Wyoming King Air (UWKA)
Integrated Sounding System (ISS)
Cross-Chain LORAN Atmospheric Sounding Systems (CLASS)

LABSEA :: Airborne Measurements of Oceanic Wind-Vector Fields Over the Labrador Sea :: 1997
<The Airborne Measurements of Oceanic Wind-Vector Fields Over the Labrador Sea using Passive Polarimetric Radiometry (LABSEA) experiment was a test of the Georgia Tech scanning polarimetric microwave radiometer and its ability to measure ocean surface winds.
The radiometer was flown on the NASA DC-8 in January 1997 over a site in the Labrador Sea that contained a moored instrument platform. The moored platform collected various data including wind speed and direction, air and water temperatures, barometric pressure, and directional wave spectra. The original request for dropsondes was for the use of the LOD2 Omega system but in further conversations with the PI it was determined that near-surface wind measurements were critical to the experiment. The near-surface winds measured by Omega are not very highly resolved because of the long smoothing interval (240 sec) required for the noisy Omega data. SSSF was able to put together a two-channel GPS dropsonde system for use on this project that provided the necessary boundary-layer wind measurements with high resolution and accuracy.
For more information :: http://data.eol.ucar.edu/codiac/projs?LABSEA
Dates :: 1 January - 31 January, 1997
Location :: Labrador Sea
EOL Facility :: Surface and Sounding Systems Facility (SSSF) & Data Management

Lake-ICE :: Lake-Induced Convection Experiment :: 1997-1998
The primary goals of Lake-ICE are to determine the mechanisms which control the structure and evolution of mesoscale convective circulations in boundary layers over Lake Michigan and to determine interrelationships between these mesoscale circulations, fluxes throughout the depth of the boundary layer, and cloud and precipitation development. Additionally, Lake-ICE seeks to identify the processes by which heat and moisture fluxes from each of the Great Lakes augment large-scale atmospheric processes (including the development of Mesoscale Aggregate Vortices - MAVs).
For more information :: http://www.eol.ucar.edu/dir_off/projects/1998/LakeICE.html
Dates :: 1 December, 1997 - 24 January, 1998
Location :: Madison, Wisconsin
NSF/NCAR Electra Aircraft
Electra Doppler Radar (ELDORA)
GPS Advanced Upper-Air Sounding System (GAUS)

Leonids :: Airborne Leonids Meteor Storm Campaign :: 1998
Astrobiologists on a NASA mission to study the Leonid meteors were in the right place at the right time to study a rare natural phenomenon -- a meteor storm. At the peak of the storm, which occurred at 02:10 GMT, Nov. 18, the Leonid meteors were falling from the sky at a rate of 2,200 per hour. A total of 15,251 meteors were counted during the six-hour observation period on the overnight flight from Israel to the Azores.
For more information :: http://data.eol.ucar.edu/codiac/projs?Leonids
Dates :: 6 November - 25 November, 1998
Location :: Israel to the Azores
EOL Facilities :: NSF/NCAR Electra Aircraft & Data Management

LIFT :: Lidars in Flat Terrain :: 1996
Fine-scale remote probing of the atmospheric boundary layer (the lowest 1-3 km above the surface) is important for understanding thunderstorm generation, air pollution meteorology, and exchange of gases and energy between the surface and the free atmosphere.
During the summer of 1996, scientists from the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) Atmospheric Technology Division (ATD) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Environmental Technology Laboratory (ETL) deployed three lidars, operating at wavelengths ranging from the UV to the middle infrared, at a University of Illinois field site near Champaign to observe high resolution structure of aerosol, winds, and ozone as the boundary layer evolved from early morning to late evening. The data gathered during the one month experiment will be used to evaluate the combination of different types of lidar measurements for quantifying boundary layer height, turbulence, fluxes, and entrainment.
For more information :: http://www.eol.ucar.edu/rsf/LIFT/general/lift_overview.html
Dates :: 15 June - 30 August, 1996
Location :: Champaign, Illinois
EOL Facilities :: Scanning Aerosol Backscatter Lidar (SABL) & Data Management

LUCIE :: Land Use and Cloud Interaction Experiment :: 2003
Observations and numerical modeling studies in the past suggested that land use modulates formation and development of convective and orographic clouds in northern Costa Rica. During the dry season of March, satellite observations in this region show suppression of cumulus cloud formation over deforested areas. Orographic clouds show sensitivity to lowland deforestation in numerical modeling experiments. Thus lowland deforestation in this region has serious implications since harvesting of water from the orographic clouds by vegetation is a major source of dry season moisture for the ecologically sensitive tropical montane cloud forests.
For more information :: http://data.eol.ucar.edu/codiac/projs?LUCIE
Dates :: 1 March - 31 March, 2003
Location :: Costa Rica
EOL Facility :: GPS Advanced Upper-Air Sounding System (GAUS) & Data Management

MACAWS :: Multi-Center Airborne Coherent Atmospheric Wind Sensor :: 1995
The Multicenter Airborne Coherent Atmospheric Wind Sensor (MACAWS), installed in the NASA Dryden Flight Research Center DC-8 Airborne Laboratory. Combines technology elements from the JPL ABL, the NOAA Environmental Technology Laboratory (Boulder, Colorado) Windvan Doppler Lidar, and the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (Huntsville, Alabama) Airborne Doppler Lidar System.
For more information :: http://data.eol.ucar.edu/codiac/projs?MACAWS
Location :: Dryden Flight Research Center

MAP :: Mesoscale Alpine Programme :: 1999
The Mesoscale Alpine Programme (MAP), the first WWRP Research and Development Project (RDP), is an international research initiative devoted to the study of atmospheric and hydrological processes over mountainous terrain. It aims towards expanding our knowledge of weather and climate over complex topography, and thereby to improve current forecasting capabilities. A large-scale field phase in the Alpine region took place from 7 September to 15 November 1999.
For more information :: http://www.map.meteoswiss.ch/
Dates :: 7 September - 15 November, 1999
Location :: Switzerland
S-POL Radar
Scanning Aerosol Backscatter Lidar (SABL)
Dropsonde System

Mar. Atm. Chem.:: Marine Atmospheric Chemistry :: 1994
A single Surface and Sounding Systems Facility (SSSF)Cross-Chain LORAN Atmospheric Sounding System (CLASS) station was deployed on Christmas Island in summer 1994. The CLASS was used to support an experiment designed to better understand sulfite processes occurring in the ocean-atmosphere environment.
The Principal Investigator (Alan Bandy, Drexel University) was primarily interested in boundary layer data, and so a special ballast device was used to maintain low ascent rates (1-3 m/s) through the boundary layer and normal ascent rates (~5 m/s) after a set period of time. The system performed well and achieved the desired results.
For more information :: http://data.eol.ucar.edu/codiac/projs?Mar.%20Atm.%20Chem
Dates :: 1 July - 1 October, 1994
Location :: Christmas Island
EOL Facility :: GPS Advanced Upper-Air Sounding System (GAUS) & Data Management

Marine Stratus :: Marine Stratus Cloud Tops Experiment :: 1994
The objective of this research was to study the physics of marine stratus clouds which exist over large portions of the ocean adjacent to the Americas. The competing effects of radiative exchange; vertical motion within the clouds and the heat exchange at the sea surface need to be evaluated experimentally.
The necessary measurements were made using NSF/NCAR C-130 aircraft. In particular, a new (spectral) radiometer will be used, which should help to determine the relative importance of infrared cooling from the cloud tops.
For more information :: http://data.eol.ucar.edu/codiac/projs?Marine%20Stratus
Dates :: 1 August - 31 August, 1994
Location :: Monterey, California, United States
EOL Facility :: NSF/NCAR C-130 Aircraft & Data Management

MESA :: Monsoon Experiment South America :: 2001
MESA is a component of the CLIVAR-VAMOS program, and its main goal is to investigate the main characteristics and variability of the South American Monsoon Systems (SAMS).
The main hypothesis driving MESA is that SAMS provides a physical basis for determining the degree of predictability on short- and long timescales over the region. MESA's science agenda prioritizes research in monsoon evolution and variability that spans the diurnal, the mesoscale, the intraseasonal, the interannual and the longer time scale variabilities that is inclusive of the anthropogenic climate change.
The main goal of MESA is to improve the current skills of simulating and predicting SAM at all spatio-temporal scales through improved understanding of this monsoon phenomenon. The objectives of MESA are to provide a detailed analysis of the temporal cycles of circulation and convection of the SAMS, the interaction amongst its circulation features, such as interactions between the SALLJ, ITCZ and the SACZ, and the dynamic implication of these interactions. In addition MESA has outlined to provide quantitative and qualitative estimates of the role of remote and local forcing on the SAMS that includes the role of the Andes, the land surface processes, aerosols from biomass burning, and the role of clouds .
For more information :: http://data.eol.ucar.edu/codiac/projs?MESA
Location :: South America

METCRAX :: Meteor Crater Experiment :: 2006
The Meteor Crater Experiment (METCRAX) was a 3-year meteorological research program supported by the Mesoscale Dynamics Division of the National Science Foundation (NSF). The program is investigating the structure and evolution of temperature inversions or cold-air pools that form on a daily basis in topographic basins and valleys.
As part of this research a one-month-long field experiment was conducted in October 2006 in Arizona's Meteor Crater, a simple near-ideal topographic basin formed by the impact of a meteor. In this basin, the physical processes leading to the buildup and breakdown of temperature inversions and the formation of atmospheric seiches (atmospheric oscillations in the basin caused by wind disturbances at the basin crest) could be studied without the complications introduced by more complex topography.
For more information :: http://data.eol.ucar.edu/codiac/projs?METCRAX
Dates :: 25 September - 1 November, 2006
Location :: Arizona
Integrated Surface Flux Facility (ISFF)

MexCAPS :: Mexico City Air Pollution study :: 1991
The Mexico City Air Pollution study was the first comprehensive program designed to provide substantive recommendations for improving the air quality of Mexico City. This effort begun under the joint auspices of Los Alamos National Laboratory and the Instituto Mexicano del Petroleo.
The program, which was funded for 2 and a half years, consists of meteorological and chemical modeling, data gathering and development of mitigation strategies, followed by an assessment of the costs of those strategies and their socioeconomic impact. The role of the airborne measurements was to obtain information on the temporal and special variability of some of the primary constituents and the meteorological fields at altitudes above ground level. The aircraft measurements have played an important role to determining to what extent measurements of airflow and pollutant concentrations at the ground are representative of the conditions in the air above the city.
For more information :: http://data.eol.ucar.edu/codiac/projs?MexCAPS
Dates :: 9 February - 27 February, 1991
Location :: Mexico City, Mexico

MICROFRONTS :: Microfronts Experiment :: 1995
The objectives of the MICROFRONTS Experiment are:
To determine the dissipation of kinetic energy in the surface layer under varying conditions;
To determine, from dissipation range data, the kinetic energy dissipation in a frontal zone as a check on previous estimates based on lower resolution data;
To examine the nature of the coherent structures and microfronts that are revealed in daytime observations for the case of surface heating in order to perform a closer examinitation of near neutral case existing surface layer similarity theory and to determine the exchange coefficient in the bulk aerodynamic prediction of the surface heat flux;
To study and modify the bulk aerodynamic relationship for use with the surface radiative temperature;
To study the dynamic and thermodynamic effects on the atmosphere arising from the contrast of a small lake with the surrounding land, with special attention to the effects of small lakes on the development or suppression of daytime convective cloudiness;
To observe the occurrences of breakdowns of the stable boundary layer and the occurrences of atmospheric gravity waves to examine the unverified hypothesis that there exists a relation between the instability of the nighttime planetary boundary layer and the occurrence of gravity wave activity.
For more information :: http://data.eol.ucar.edu/codiac/projs?MICROFRONTS
Dates :: 26 February - 31 March, 1995
Location :: Kansas
Integrated Surface Flux Facility (ISFF)
GPS Advanced Upper-Air Sounding System (GAUS)
Atmospheric Surface Turbulent Exchange Research (ASTER)

MILAGRO :: Megacity Initiative: Local and Global Research Observations :: 2006
The Megacity Initiative: Local and Global Research Observations (MILAGRO) project brought an international research team of hundreds of scientists and students including Mexican investigators and collaborating Mexican government agencies to the Mexico City area and Veracruz in March 2006. The goal of MILAGRO was to conduct measurements of pollutants and other trace gases, aerosol particles, and to study the atmospheric processes leading to the formation of secondary aerosols from precursor gases, and the transport and transformations of these gases and aerosols on local, regional, and global scales. MILAGRO along with model studies will integrate this vast amount of information into new insights on the chemistry of the atmosphere in a large urbanized region, as well as the impact of these on larger geographical scales. The MILAGRO Campaign was done in close collaboration with four simultaneous measurement campaigns: Mexico City Metropolitan Area - 2006 Experiment (MCMA-2006), Megacity Aerosol Experiment (MAX-Mex), Megacity Impacts on Regional and Global Environments (MIRAGE-Mex), and Intercontinental Chemical Transport Experiment-B (INTEX-B).
For more information :: http://www.eol.ucar.edu/projects/milagro/
Dates :: 1 March - 30 March, 2006
Location :: Mexico City, Mexico
Related Projects :: MIRAGE Mexico

MIRAGE Mexico :: Megacities Impact on Regional and Global Environment :: 2006
The MIRAGE-Mex field campaign (March 2006) is designed to examine the chemical and physical transformations of gases and aerosols in the polluted outflow from Mexico City. The campaign coordinates and integrates observations from ground stations, aircraft, and satellites, and provides a rich data base for improving regional and global models of the transport and transformations of aging urban pollutants.
MIRAGE-Mex is organized by NCAR-ACD on behalf of the atmospheric sciences community. MIRAGE is part of MILAGRO, a larger set of coordinated field campaigns that together enable investigation of megacity outflow chemistry on a variety of scales.
For more information :: http://mirage-mex.acd.ucar.edu/index.shtml
Location :: Mexico City, Mexico
Related Projects :: MILAGRO

MLO CN2 :: Mauna Loa Seeing Study :: 2006
Sonic anemometers were deployed during Summer 2006 at the Mauna Loa Observatory, Hawaii to quantify the atmospheric seeing quality, to help NCAR/HAO plan current and future telescope observations. This study was intended to replicate measurements made previously for planning the Advanced Technology Solar Telescope (ATST). Deployment and operations for this study were done by HAO staff, and ISFF provided equipment and some data management support.
For more information :: http://www.eol.ucar.edu/isf/projects/MLO_CN2/
Location :: Mauna Loa, Hawaii

MOHPREX :: Monsoon Himalayan Precipitation Experiment :: 2002
In the spring of 1999, a network of sixteen meteorological stations were installed at elevations ranging from 500 to 4,500m from the leading edge of the Himalayas to the accessible headwaters of the Marsyandi river basin in Central Nepal. Two types of stations were installed:
High-stand stations, which were placed at elevations above 1,000m;
Low-stand stations at lower elevations
The high-stand stations consist of 10-m towers equipped with temperature and relative humidity probes, wind speed and wind direction sensors, a sonic ranger to make snow-depth measurements above the expected thick snow cover, and a solar panel. Tipping bucket rain gauges are on separate stands away from the towers. The snow instrumentation is augmented with passive gamma-ray loggers at high elevations. The low-stand stations consist of 1-m towers on which temperature and relative humidity probes, and a tipping bucket rain gauge were installed. Both station types have autonomous data-logging systems, and high altitude stations are backed up by solar panels. Streamflow is monitored at the outlet of several catchments within the Marsyandi.
For more information :: http://data.eol.ucar.edu/codiac/projs?MOHPREX
Dates :: 15 May - 15 June, 2002
Location :: Nepal
EOL Facility:: Data Management

Momentum Flux :: Momentum Flux Intercomparison :: 1992
Momentum Flux Intercomparison project flew the University of Wyoming King Air to evaluate the performance of the interferometric NCAR profiler during one week in November 1992.
UHF wind profilers have proven their usefulness for atmospheric boundary layer studies by providing continuous and accurate estimates of the mean 3-D wind profile. However, the Doppler beam swinging technique commonly used assumes an homogenous wind field over its multiple beam directions. NCAR is developing a boundary layer Doppler interferometric profiler which implements interferometric techniques by using multiple receivers in order to derive the three wind components from a single transmitted beam direction.
This innovative method should also prove extremely well suited for accurate estimations of the momentum flux in the atmospheric boundary layer. In this experiment, we evaluate the performance of the interferometric profiler by comparing its results with in-situ measurements of the momentum flux obtained by aircraft. These airborne measurements are crucial to the success of the experiment as aircraft are the scientifically accepted standard for measuring momentum fluxes in the boundary layer.
For more information :: http://data.eol.ucar.edu/codiac/projs?Momentum%20Flux
Dates :: 10 November-17 November, 1992
Location :: Mid-Western United States
EOL Facilities :: University of Wyoming King Air (UWKA) & Data Management

NAMEP :: NAME Model Assessment Project :: 1990
The purpose of the NAME Model Assessment Project (NAMAP) is to provide focus to high-resolution modeling activities in support of the North American Monsoon Experiment (NAME). NAMAP Phase I consists of simulations of the single 1990 warm season when the SouthWest Area Monsoon Experiment (SWAMP) campaign was carried out.
NAMAP will document the ability of models to simulate the life cycle and intensity of the southwest area monsoon, examine topographic influence on convective precipitation in the core monsoon region, investigate within-model variability of this relationship through year-to-year variability studies and ensemble prediction studies, compare existing parameterization schemes and models using NAME observations for validation, improve physical parameterizations (e.g., convection/boundary layer) that influence precipitation, with a focus on defining relationships of such parameterizations to topography, and define new observational requirements for improving the parameterizations.
For more information :: http://data.eol.ucar.edu/codiac/projs?NAMAP
Dates :: 1 June - 30 September, 2004
Location :: Southwestern Regions of North America
EOL Facility :: Center for Severe Weather Research Doppler on Wheels (DOW)
Related Projects :: NAME

NAME :: North American Monsoon Experiment :: 2004
The North American Monsoon Experiment (NAME) is an internationally coordinated, joint CLIVAR-GEWEX process study aimed at determining the sources and limits of predictability of warm season precipitation over North America, with emphasis on time scales ranging from seasonal-to-interannual. It focuses on observing and understanding the key components of the North American monsoon system and their variability within the context of the evolving land surface-atmosphere-ocean annual cycle. It seeks to improve understanding of the key physical processes that must be parameterized for improved simulation with dynamical models. NAME employs a multi-scale (tiered) approach with focused monitoring, diagnostic and modeling activities in the core monsoon region, on the regional-scale and on the continental-scale. NAME will be part of the CLIVAR/VAMOS program, US CLIVAR Pan American research, and the GEWEX America Prediction Project (GAPP).
For more information :: http://www.eol.ucar.edu/projects/name/
Dates :: 1 June - 30 September, 2004
Location :: Southwestern Regions of North America
EOL Facility ::
S-POL Radar
Related Projects :: NAMEP

Nauru :: Nauru ARM Experiment :: 1999
Nauru99 continues a series of intensive field studies in support of the DOE/Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) program in the tropical Western Pacific (TWP). Centered around the island of Nauru, the NOAA R/V Ronald H. Brown and the JAMSTEC R/V Mirai measured surface and radiation fluxes at sea, for comparison with the land-based ARCS systems and the TAO buoy array.
For more information :: http://data.eol.ucar.edu/codiac/projs?Nauru99
Dates :: 15 June - 17 July, 1999
Location :: Nauru, Tropical Western Pacific
Multiple Antenna Profiler Radar (MAPR)
Doppler Beam Swing (DBS) Wind Profiler Radar
Data Support

NDTP :: North Dakota Thunderstorm Project :: 1989
The purpose of this project was to continue studies of the influence of convective clouds and thunderstorms on the distribution of tropospheric trace gases, including NOy, CO, NMCH, O3, and on the distribution of solar UV radiation. The aircraft measurements were the primary data set for a combined effort of both chemists and meteorologists to measure and interpret the observations. The field measurements were conducted within the framework and in support of the Hailswath II experiment conducted in North Dakota.
For more information :: http://data.eol.ucar.edu/codiac/projs?NDTP
Dates :: 21 June - 31 July, 1993
Location :: North Dakota
EOL Facilities :: &
NCAR Sabreliner Aircraft

NIWOT02 :: Niwot Ridge Pilot Experiment :: 2002
Scientific Goals:
To understand the significance of the horizontal transport of CO2 in the nocturnal boundary layer
To study correlations between CO2 transport and surface heteorogeneity
The expected results will help to better understand the global carbon balance.
For more information :: http://www.mmm.ucar.edu/abl/forest/
NIWOT 2002 Dates :: 21 June - 31 July, 1993
Location :: Niwot Ridge Research Station, Colorado
Related Projects :: NIWOT07 & NIWOT08

NIWOT07 :: Niwot Ridge Pilot Experiment :: 2006-2007
In support of a NSF-supported project to investigate the use of sensor networks for biogeoscience research, NCAR and CU are deploying additional equipment at the Univ. Colo. Flux Facility (CUFF) in the Univ. Colo. Mountain Research Station (MRS). Initial equipment setup started in Summer 2006, with the majority of measurements to be made in Spring/Summer 2007.
This will be the first real deployment of the new NCAR/EOL TRAnsect Measurement (TRAM) system. Two TRAM transects currently are planned for this study. The first crosses Como Creek and a few other minor drainages from north to south. It is about 105~m each way along one line of 11 towers, with measurements at 1m above ground (low trunk space) one way and 5m above ground (middle of dense foliage) returning. This transect supports the study of nocturnal transport of CO2 by drainage flows.
For more information :: http://www.eol.ucar.edu/isf/projects/niwot07/
Location :: Niwot Ridge Research Station, Colorado
EOL Facilities :: NCAR/EOL TRAnsect Measurement (TRAM) & Data Management
Related Projects :: NIWOT02 & NIWOT08

NIWOT08 :: Niwot Ridge Experiment :: 2008
The Oklahoma Mesonet (Brock et al., 1995), a system of 115 automated measurement stations across Oklahoma, is serving as the foundation for the Oklahoma Atmospheric Surface-layer Instrumentation System (OASIS) Project. OASIS (Brotzge et al. 1999a; Richardson et al., 1999) is a 3-year project (October 1997 to October 2000) designed to enhance the Mesonet's capability to measure boundary layer fluxes of sensible, latent, and ground heat, as well as the radiation balance.
Approximately 90 Mesonet sites will directly measure the net radiation and ground heat flux and indirectly estimate the sensible heat flux (using similarity theory); latent heat flux will be calculated as a residual from the conservation of energy equation. In addition, nine of the 90 sites also will use eddy correlation techniques to determine the sensible and latent heat fluxes and measure net radiation using a four-way net radiometer.
For more information :: http://data.eol.ucar.edu/codiac/projs?NIWOT08
Location :: Niwot Ridge Research Station, Colorado
Related Projects :: NIWOT02 & NIWOT07

OASIS :: Oklahoma Atmospheric Surface-layer Instrumentation System :: 2000
The Oklahoma Mesonet (Brock et al., 1995), a system of 115 automated measurement stations across Oklahoma, is serving as the foundation for the Oklahoma Atmospheric Surface-layer Instrumentation System (OASIS) Project. OASIS (Brotzge et al. 1999a; Richardson et al., 1999) is a 3-year project (October 1997 to October 2000) designed to enhance the Mesonet's capability to measure boundary layer fluxes of sensible, latent, and ground heat, as well as the radiation balance.
Approximately 90 Mesonet sites will directly measure the net radiation and ground heat flux and indirectly estimate the sensible heat flux (using similarity theory); latent heat flux will be calculated as a residual from the conservation of energy equation. In addition, nine of the 90 sites also will use eddy correlation techniques to determine the sensible and latent heat fluxes and measure net radiation using a four-way net radiometer.
For more information :: http://data.eol.ucar.edu/codiac/projs?OASIS
Dates :: 1 October, 1997 - 1 October, 2000
Location :: Oklahoma
Related Projects :: OASIS98

OASIS98 :: Oklahoma Atmospheric Surface-layer Instrumentation System :: 1998
The two main objectives of the OASIS Surface-layer Intercomparison of Fluxes (SIF) Project were to:
Examine the uncertainties associated with the measurement of surface fluxes made in the OASIS Project
Validate the reference sensors used at the OASIS intercomparison facility
NCAR's ASTER facilities were requested to provide a reference for intercomparison with OASIS-measured fluxes. This was done by carefully comparing the estimated surface fluxes obtained using OASIS instrumentation with those directly measured by ASTER. Measurement of the following parameters by ASTER were required: momentum, sensible heat, and water vapor fluxes by eddy-correlation; vertical profiles of wind, temperature, and humidity; net radiation, soil heat flux, soil temperature, and soil moisture.
For more information :: http://data.eol.ucar.edu/codiac/projs?OASIS98
Location :: Oklahoma
EOL Facilities :: Atmospheric Surface Turbulent Exchange Research (ASTER) & Data Management
Related Projects :: OASIS

OHATS :: Ocean Horizontal Array Turbulence Study :: 2004
Ocean Horizontal Array Turbulence Study (OHATS) is part of an ongoing effort to investigate wind-wave interactions and improve our ability to assess the impacts on weather forecasts and climate variability. The investigation utilizes the Air-Sea Interaction Tower (ASIT) located off the coast of Martha's Vineyard as a platform for the continuous collection of atmospheric and ocean surface data.
For more information :: http://www.whoi.edu/science/AOPE/dept/OHATS/intro.html
Location :: Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts
EOL Facilities :: Integrated Surface Flux System (ISFF) & Data Management

OHHI :: Oceans and Human Health Initiative :: Ongoing
The mission of the Oceans and Human Health Initiative is to improve understanding and management of the ocean, coasts and Great Lakes to enhance benefits to human health and reduce public health risks. The OHHI investigates relationships among environmental stressors, coastal condition, and human health to maximize health benefits from the ocean, improve the safety of seafood and drinking water derived from the Great Lakes, reduce beach closures, and provide early warning of emerging health threats.
Currently, the OHHI focus on leading development in three overarching areas:
Early warning systems to forecast threats and predict long-term risks to human health throughout U.S. coastal and Great Lakes waters;
Health benefits from the sea, including pharmaceuticals, natural products, and seafood;
A robust oceans and human health science and management community working across disciplines and institutions to improve public health
For more information :: http://www.eol.ucar.edu/projects/ohhi/
Dates :: 1 January, 2004 - Present
Location :: U.S. coastal and Great Lakes waters

OKMESO :: Soil Moisture and Surface Meteorological data :: 1977-2007
The Oklahoma Mesonet is a permanent mesoscale observing network. The Mesonet consists of 115 stations, including at least one station in each of Oklahoma's 77 counties. The average station spacing is 32 km. Mesonet sites are predominantly located in rural areas, as free from anthropogenic influences as possible (Shafer et al, 1993). A system of soil-moisture sensors was installed at 60 Mesonet sites. The system was designed to provide information about the soil-water status at several depths in the soil profile. The system is designed to operate in remote locations, providing automated, continuous measurements with little or no maintenance required.
For more information :: http://data.eol.ucar.edu/codiac/projs?OKMESO
Dates :: 1 January, 1977 - 31 December, 2007
Location :: Oklahoma

P-CAPS :: Persistent Cold-Air Pool Study :: 2010
The research objectives of PCAPS are to determine processes responsible for formation, maintenance and destruction of multi-day wintertime temperature inversions or cold-air pools, evaluate their influence on pollutant transport and mixing, and determine how models can be improved to make more accurate forecasting of persistent cold-air pool events.
Dates :: December 2010 - February 2011
Location :: Salt Lake Basin, Utah
Facilities :: Integrated Sounding System (ISS) & Integrated Surface Flus System (ISFS)

PACDEX :: PACific Dust EXperiment :: 2007
The long range transport of dust and anthropogenic aerosols (e.g, black carbon, organics and sulfates, and air pollution from Eurasia, across the Pacific Ocean, into North America is one of the most wide spread and major pollution events on the planet. This plume passes through the Pacific Ocean extra tropical cloud systems, which are important climate regulators through their large radiative cooling effect. The effect of this mixed dust-pollution plume on the Pacific cloud systems and the associated radiative forcing is an outstanding problem for understanding climate change and has not been explored. The primary reason is the lack of an airborne platform that can sample the evolution of this plume in situ all the way across the Pacific Ocean.
For more information :: http://www.eol.ucar.edu/projects/pacdex/
Dates :: 29 March - 24 May, 2007
Location :: North Pacific Ocean
EOL Facility :: NSF/NCAR Gulfstream V Aircraft

PCAPS :: Persistent Cold-Air Pool Study :: 2007
The research objectives of PCAPS are to:
Determine processes responsible for formation, maintenance and destruction of multi-day wintertime temperature inversions or cold-air pools
Evaluate their influence on pollutant transport and mixing
Determine how models can be improved to make more accurate forecasting of persistent cold-air pool events
Dates :: December 2010 - February 2011
Location :: Salt Lake Valley, Utah, United States
Integrated Surface Flux System (ISFS)

PACE :: Pacific Atmospheric Sulfur Experiment :: 2007
The Pacific Atmospheric Sulfur Experiment (PASE) is a comprehensive study of the chemistry of sulfur in the remote marine troposphere. A major part of PASE is devoted to the chemistry and physics (primarily of sulfur) in a cloud free convective boundary layer (CBL). During the first phase, PASE investigators studied the chemistry and physics of gases and aerosols in a cloud free environment. During Phase II, the PIs focused on developing a better understanding of the formation of new particles in the cloud outflow of marine cumulus.
For more information :: http://www.eol.ucar.edu/projects/pase/PASE_HomePage.html
Location :: Christmas Island
EOL Facilities :: NS/NCAR C-130 Aircraft & Data Management

PACS :: PanAmerican Climate Studies :: 1995-2004
The Pan American Climate Studies (PACS) Program is a United States Federal Program in the 1995 to 2004 time frame directed towards the goal of improving the skill of operational seasonal-to-interannual climate prediction (with emphasis on precipitation) over the Americas. Although the principal focus of PACS is on seasonal and interannual variability on a regional (>500 km) scale, higher frequency phenomena such as the diurnal cycle and the 40-60 day Madden-Julian Oscillation and mesoscale phenomena such as sea breeze circulations and circulations forced by orography, coastal geometry, and contrasts in vegetation will be taken into account, as needed, with reference to the maintenance of the mean state and in the interpretation, diagnosis, and modeling of variability on the seasonal to interannual time scale. PACS falls within the scope of the U.S. Global Ocean-Atmosphere-Land System (GOALS) Program, but because of its emphasis on continental precipitation it will also have a close connection with the Global Energy and Water cycle EXperiment (GEWEX) and its subprograms.
For more information :: http://data.eol.ucar.edu/codiac/projs?PACS
Location :: Tropical Atlantic and Eastern Pacific Oceans

PELTI :: Passing Efficiency of the Low-Turbulence Inlet :: 2000
In July, 2000 NCAR tested the new porous-diffuser low-turbulence inlet (LTI), developed at the University of Denver, by flying it and three other inlets on the NSF/NCAR C-130 in the Caribbean, using both dust and sea salt as test aerosols. Aerosols were analyzed using bulk chemical analysis of ions on filters, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of filters, TSI aerodynamic particle sizers (APSs), and FSSP-300 (300) optical particle counters.
For more information :: http://www.eol.ucar.edu/raf/Projects/PELTI/
Location :: St. Croix US Virgin Islands

PLOWS :: Profiling of Winter Storms :: 2010
Nationwide, nearly 7000 deaths, 600,000 injuries, and 1.4 million accidents per year are due to adverse road weather, mostly during winter, and costs associated with a single blizzard can range from $0.1M to $3.0B. Improvement of 0-48 hr cool season quantitative precipitation depends on obtaining a greater understanding of the mesoscale structure and dynamics of cyclonic weather systems.
The PLOWS research program is targeted directly at this problem. The field campaign will also provide new insight concerning remote sensing of winter weather systems that can translate directly into better operational interpretation and observation strategies of winter weather mesoscale features. Furthermore, the study will provide a unique dataset which can be used to interpret data from the next generation of operational polarization diversity Doppler radars to be deployed in the next decade. Our modeling studies with the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model will determine if modeled precipitation substructures are consistent with observed features in winter storm systems and provide a better understanding of processes responsible for the occurrence of those substructures.
For more information :: http://www.atmos.illinois.edu/plows/
Dates :: November 1, 2009 - February 28, 2010
Location :: Mid-Western United Sates
Facility ::
NSF/NCAR C-130 Aircraft
Dropsonde System

POST :: Physics of Stratocumulus Top :: 2008
The objective of POST is to improve the understanding of the physical processes that occur near the tops of stratocumulus clouds, and that influence the entrainment process and boundary-layer evolution. The processes include:
Wind shear
Entrainment rate
Cloud-top entrainment instability
Solar and infrared radiation
Hydrometer
Cloud condensation nuclei effects
Formation and role played by the entrainment interface layer
For more information :: http://www.eol.ucar.edu/projects/post/
Dates :: July 14 - August 15, 2008
Location :: Eastern Coast of California
Facility :: Data Management

Pre-EXPRESSO :: Pre-Experiment for Regional Sources and Sinks of Oxidants :: 1994
To pave the way for EXPRESSO field work, scientists went to Africa to scout potential study regions in January 1994. In January, the visitors covered over 2,000 kilometers in surveying the region.
The trips helped the researchers to focus the science for the intensive observing periods. On his most recent visit, Klinger and his colleagues collected volatile organic carbon emissions from a wide range of plant species and sampled ambient air concentrations.
For more information :: http://data.eol.ucar.edu/codiac/projs?Pre-EXPRESSO
Location :: Hayden, CO
EOL Facilities :: Integrated Sounding System (ISS) & Data Management

PRECIP98 :: Precipitation Project :: 1998
PRECIP98 (also called TEFLUN-B by NASA) was an experiment in the Melborne, FL area. The corresponding Principal Investigator for the S-POL component is Dr. Edward Brandes, NCAR Research Applications Program. Many other investigators were involved with this program. The S-Pol component of PRECIP98 was sponsored by the U.S. National Science Foundation.
For more information :: http://data.eol.ucar.edu/codiac/projs?PRECIP98
Location :: Melbourne, Florida, United States
EOL Facilities :: S-POL Radar & Data Management

PREAMBLE :: Precision Atmospheric Marine Boundary Layer Experiment :: 2012
The purpose of this study is to examine in detail the atmospheric dynamics associated with the summertime marine atmospheric boundary layer (MABL) near Point Conception using an airborne measurement platform.
Dates :: May - June 2012
Location :: Point Conception, California
Facilities :: University of Wyoming King Air (UWKA)

PREDICT :: Pre-Depression of Cloud Systems in the Tropics :: 2010
Prediction and understanding of tropical cyclogenesis remains one of the most challenging aspects of atmospheric science. A multitude of tropical disturbances emerge from the West African coast every year near the Cape Verde islands, but only a few of these develop into tropical depressions, storms, or hurricanes.
The PRE-Depression Investigation of Cloud-systems in the Tropics (PREDICT) field experiment will deploy the NSF/NCAR Gulfstream V aircraft in the Atlantic basin in the heart of hurricane season, August 15 - September 30, 2010 to explore multi-scale interactions in tropical wave-like disturbances that promote or hinder the development of a tropical depression vortex.
For more information :: https://www.eol.ucar.edu/predict
Dates :: August 15 - September 30, 2010
Location :: St. Croix, US Virgin Islands
Facilities :: &
NSF/NCAR Gulfstream V Aircraft

PROPHET :: Program for Research on Oxidants: Photochemistry, Emissions and Transport :: 2000 & 2001
The Program for Research on Oxidants: PHotochemistry, Emissions, and Transport (PROPHET) was created in 1996, as a coordinated research effort aimed at investigation of the relationships between atmospheric odd nitrogen, ozone, and forest-atmosphere interactions. The motivating science questions for PROPHET are described below.
How well do we understand the relationships between nitrogen oxides concentrations and ozone production efficiency in the midwest?
Do we understand the partitioning of nitrogen, and are there missing or uncharacterized atmospheric nitrogen sinks?
How well do we understand the role of biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) with respect to ozone formation, and atmospheric nitrogen sequestration?
What is the impact of ozone deposition on forest productivity?
Do we understand the environmental controls on BVOC emissions, and can they be adequately simulated?
In the summers of 1997, 1998, and 2000, measurement intensives were conducted to explore our understanding of the relationships between forest-generated volatile organic compounds, atmospheric nitrogen processing, and ozone and other oxidants. These studies involved collaborations among researchers from more than 15 universities and other labs. Results from some of those studies were published in a PROPHET special section of JGR-Atmospheres, in the October 27, 2001 issue.
For more information :: http://data.engin.umich.edu/prophet/
PROPHET I Dates :: 20 June - 21 August, 2000
PROPHET II Dates :: 25 June - 21 August, 2001
Location :: University of Michigan Biological Station
EOL Facilities :: Integrated Sounding System (ISS) & Data Management

PROW :: Polarization Radar Observatory for Winter Storms :: 1997
During the PROWS (Polarimetric Radar Observations of Winter Storms) project both the CSU-CHILL and the NCAR S-POL dual polarization S-band research radar systems participated in the project. The NCAR/S-POL component of the project was directed by NCAR scientist Roy Rassmussen and Jim Wilson. CSU- CHILL operations were supervised by CSU Profs. Steven Rutledge and V. Chandrasekar.
The experiment was designed to collect polarimetric radar data sets that could be compared with ground based precipitation observations (i.e., hydrometeor types, sizes, accumulation rates, etc.). These surface observations offered a verification standard against which various radar-derived characterizations of winter precipitation could be tested. Dedicated surface weather observations were made at the state climate network station on the CSU campus, and at NCAR's Marshall field installation near Boulder. The S-POL radar was operated from the Eastlake site (approximately 55 km southwest of CSU-CHILL). Coordinated dual Doppler scans were conducted by the two radars at 30 minute intervals. The overall data set collected in PROWS should usefully expand techniques for remotely sensing winter season precipitation with dual polarization radars.
For more information :: http://data.eol.ucar.edu/codiac/projs?PROWS97
Location :: Boulder, CO
EOL Facilities :: S-POL Radar & Data Management

RAINEX :: Hurricane Rainband and Intensity Change Experiment :: 2005
One of the primary outstanding problems in hurricane dynamics is the tendency of mature storms to undergo rapid intensity changes. These intensity changes appear to be related to dynamical interactions between the inner-core region of the storm (eyewall) and rainbands located outside the eyewall region.
The NSF sponsored Hurricane Rainband and Intensity Experiment (RAINEX) is an aircraft investigation of hurricane intensity changes associated with eyewall-rainband interactions. The objective of RAINEX is to understand hurricane intensity changes. Observational data obtained from research aircraft such as Doppler radar and dropsonde kinematics and thermodynamics as well as supporting operational datasets such as NEXRAD will be compared to model output from a University of Miami version of MM5 as well as the WRF model. These comparisons will be used to determine the accuracy of the research model forecasts and will help extend the diagnosis of the observational data.
For more information :: http://www.eol.ucar.edu/projects/rainex/
Location :: Gulf of Mexico
US Naval Research Laboratory P-3 Aircraft

REFRACTT :: Refractivity Experiment For H2O Research And Collaborative operational Technology Transfer :: 2005 & 2006
REFRACTT includes scientific research and operational application goals. Both have the goal of greatly enhancing the observed field of water vapor over the nation thus leading to improved precipitation forecasts.
The scientific goal is to utilize multiple radars and GPS receivers to simultaneously obtain very high resolution measurements of water vapor variability and transport in the convective boundary layer and to assess potential improvements these enhanced water vapor measurements may have in numerical model forecasts of quantitative precipitation.
The applications goal is to demonstrate the ability to collect radar refractivity data on the NEXRAD (WSR-88D) radars and to demonstrate the forecast value of this field to NWS forecasters. The ultimate goal is to implement radar refractivity measurements on the national network of operational radars.
For more information :: http://www.eol.ucar.edu/projects/refractt/
REFRACTT 2005 Dates :: 24 May - 4 August, 2005
REFRACTT 2006 Dates :: 5 June - 11 August, 2006
Location :: Northeast Colorado
EOL Facilities :: &
S-POL Radar
Colorado State University CHILL Radar

Reno Basin :: Reno Basin/Desert Research Institute Education Project :: 2002
Reno Basin 2002 investigated air flow and stability in Nevada in conjunction with a course in atmospheric measurements taught by John Hallett at the University of Nevada, Reno. The project provided in depth training for graduate students in the use of Integrated Sounding Systems (ISS) instruments, data collection, and data analysis. The course included lectures on the theory and practice of meteorological measurements including instrument design, construction, deployment, and operation.
For more information :: http://www.eol.ucar.edu/isf/projects/reno2002/
Dates :: 25 February - 26 March, 2002
Location :: Reno, Nevada
EOL Facilities :: Integrated Sounding Systems (ISS) & Data Management

RICO :: Rain in Cumulus Over the Ocean :: 2004-2005
Shallow, maritime, cumulus convection is one of the most prevalent cloud types on the planet. Trade wind cumuli typically extend to no greater than 4 km altitude, the height of the tropical trade wind inversion, and are dominated by warm rain processes. They are ubiquitous over much of the tropical oceans, and characterizing their properties is important to understanding the global energy balance and climate.
The objective of RICO in the broadest sense is to characterize and understand the properties of trade wind cumulus at all scales, with particular emphasis on determining the importance of precipitation. All range of scales from the microphysical/cloud scale, to the cloud-interaction scale, to the ensemble cloud field scale are inextricably linked and the nature of these linkages is an important aspect of RICO.
For more information :: http://data.eol.ucar.edu/codiac/projs?RICO
Dates :: 24 November, 2004 - 24 January, 2005
Location :: Barbuda
Integrated Surface Flux Facility (ISFF)

The purpose of this program was to determine the role of hydrocarbons and NOx in the formation of ozone in the southern environment. The role of natural hydrocarbons vs anthropogenic hydrocarbons was investigated.
A ground site located 7 miles north of Pennington Alabama, provided an intense suite of chemical and meteorological measurements to investigate these interactions on a more local scale while the aircraft, equipped with NO, NO2, NOy, O3, and hydrocarbon sampling equipment provided a regional view. The aircraft were based out of Meridian, Mississippi.
For more information :: Meridian, Mississippi
ROSE-Air I Dates :: 13 June - 28 June, 1990
ROSE-Air II Dates :: 8 June - 6 July, 1992
Location :: Southeastern united States
EOL Facilities :: NCAR Sabreliner Aircraft & Data Management

SALLJEX :: South American Low-Level Jet Experiment :: 2002-2003
A field campaign aimed at obtaining an improved temporal and spatial description of the tropospheric flow over central South America was essential for the validation, and improvement of, short- and long-term predictions in the region.
For more information :: http://www.eol.ucar.edu/projects/salljex/
Dates :: 15 November, 2002 - 15 February, 2003
Location :: Bolivia, South America

SBI :: Western Arctic Shelf Basin Interactions Project :: 2002-2006
The Western Arctic Shelf-Basin Interactions (SBI) project is a contribution of the Ocean-Atmosphere- Ice Interactions (OAII) component of the National Science Foundations (NSF) Arctic System Science (ARCSS) global change program. The overarching rationale for the Western Arctic SBI project is that global change will especially influence physical and biological linkages between arctic shelves and their adjacent ocean basins. As such, SBI field efforts will converge on the zone comprised of the outer shelf, shelf break and slope, where key processes control water mass exchange and biogeochemical cycles, and where the greatest responses to warming and altered arctic ice cover are expected.
The Western Arctic SBI study area covers the Chukchi and Beaufort seas. It is anticipated that the understanding obtained will permit extrapolation to a Pan-Arctic perspective.
For more information :: http://www.eol.ucar.edu/projects/sbi/
Location :: Chukchi and Beaufort Seas

SCM :: Small Cumulus Microphysics Study :: 1995
One of the goals of the Small Cumulus Microphysics Study (SCMS), which was conducted in the summer of 1995 near Cape Canaveral, Florida, was to study warm cumuli in their earliest stages, with the goal of understanding the factors that control the time to onset of precipitation. There were significant variations from day to day in the cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) concentrations, ranging from more maritime conditions to continental conditions (Hudson and Yum 2001, hereafter HY01). In the SCMS clouds higher cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) concentrations suppressed drizzle formation.
For more information :: http://www.eol.ucar.edu/isf/projects/scms95/scms95.html
Location :: Eastern Florida
Integrated Surface Flux System (ISFS)
Portable Automated Mesonet (PAM)

SEET :: Study of Electrical Evolution in Thunderstorms :: 1999
The main goal of the Study of Electrical Evolution in Thunderstorms was to measure the evolution of principal charge regions inside small thunderstorms that occurred over central New Mexico.
In order to meet his needs, the Surface and Sounding Systems Facility (SSSF) modified their GPS dropsondes to be used in a balloon-borne, "up-sonde" mode of operation, tracking four sondes simultaneously to permit multiple, simultaneous, electric field soundings. Three to six sondes were launched into each thunderstorm with individual launches separated by 5 to 10 minutes. Each balloon carried an electric field meter to provide electric field data and the dropsonde to provide position data and thermodynamic sounding throughout the cloud. To meet positioning requirement, an OEM code-correlating GPS receiver was replaced by the standard codeless GPS receivers, i.e., full GPS position calculations happened with in the sonde itself rather than in the ground- or air-based receiver system. An air flow scoop was also added to the sonde for ventilation of the temperature and relative humidity sensors.
For more information :: http://data.eol.ucar.edu/codiac/projs?SEET
Location :: New Mexico
EOL Facilities :: Dropsonde System & Data Management

SGP :: Southern Great Plains Hydrology Experiment :: 1997
The Southern Great Plains 1997 (SGP97) Hydrology Experiment originated from an interdisciplinary investigation, "Soil Moisture Mapping at Satellite Temporal and Spatial Scales" (PI Thomas J. Jackson, USDA ARS). The core of this field experiment involves the deployment of the L-band Electronically Scanned Thinned Array Radiometer (ESTAR) for daily mapping of soil moisture over an area >10000 km2 and a period on the order of a month. The region selected for investigation is the best instrumented site for surface soil moisture, hydrology and meteorology in the world. This includes the USDA/ARS Little Washita Watershed, the USDA/ARS facility at El Reno, Oklahoma, the ARM/CART central facility, as well as the Oklahoma Mesonet.
The primary objectives for SGP97 are:
To establish that the retrieval algorithms for surface soil moisture developed at higher spatial resolution using truck- and aircraft-based sensors can be extended to the coarser resolutions expected from satellite platforms;
To verify spatial-temporal estimators of soil moisture and to examine the utility of pedotransfer function in hydrologic modeling;
To examine the feasibility of inferring soil moisture and temperature profiles using surface observations in conjunction with in situ measurements,
To examine the effect of soil moisture on the evolution of the atmospheric boundary layer and clouds over the Southern Great Plains during the warm season.
For more information :: http://data.eol.ucar.edu/codiac/projs?SGP97

SGP :: Southern Great Plains Hydrology Experiment :: 1999
There are current and near future satellite observing systems that, while not ideal for soil moisture measurement, can provide information for some conditions. These systems include the Special Sensor Microwave/Imager (SSM/I), the Tropical Rainfall Monitoring Mission (TRMM) Microwave Imager (TMI), and the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer (AMSR). Of these instruments, AMSR holds the greatest promise for soil moisture.
Soil moisture retrieval algorithms for AMSR have been proposed but they have not been rigorously evaluated. There are few data sets available for this purpose. This is a critical issue that needs to be addressed for both algorithm development and validation. For this reason, a joint project is being initiated between EOS IDS teams studying soil moisture processes and the EOS AMSR-E Science Team.
The primary objectives for SGP99 are:
Understand how to effectively interpret and utilize the less than optimal sources of satellite microwave data that are available now or will be in the near future,
Explore new approaches that may enhance the ability to measure soil moisture from space
For more information :: http://data.eol.ucar.edu/codiac/projs?SGP99

SGS :: Sub-Gridscale Studies :: 2000
A field experiment is proposed to study the response of small turbulent eddies to large turbulent motions and to develop better subgrid-scale (SGS) models for large eddy simulation (LES). LES is a popular numerical tool for studying turbulence; in this technique, a turbulent flow field is divided between resolved-scale eddies (which are also referred to as the filtered field or large eddies) and unresolved eddies (also referred to as the SGS or small eddies). The large eddies are explicitly calculated, while the effect of SGS eddies on the resolved-scale flow field is parameterized. Developing such a SGS model requires data that separate the turbulent motion into two components: filtered and SGS fields.
For more information :: http://www.mmm.ucar.edu/community/sgs2000.html
Location :: San Joaquin Valley, California

SHEBA :: Surface Heat Budget of the Arctic Ocean Project :: 1997-1998
SHEBA is motivated by the large discrepancies among simulations by global climate models (GCMs) of the present and future climate in the arctic and by uncertainty about the impact of the arctic on climate change. These problems arise from an incomplete understanding of the physics of vertical energy exchange within the ocean/ice/atmosphere system. To address this problem, the SHEBA project is focused on enhancing understanding of the key processes that determine ice albedo feedback in the arctic pack ice and on a applying this knowledge to improve climate modeling.
The scientific objectives of SHEBA included:
To develop accurate physical and mathematical relationships between the state of the ice cover and albedo, for any given incident short-wave radiation
To determine how the state of the ice cover changes in response to forcing from the atmosphere and the ocean
To relate the surface forcing to conditions within the atmospheric and oceanic boundary layers
To extend the relationships determined in Objectives 1-3 from local scales to the aggregate scales suitable for climate models
To establish a basic data set suitable for developing and testing climate models that incorporate the processes SHEBA is proposing to study.
For more information :: http://www.eol.ucar.edu/projects/sheba/
Dates :: 15 September, 1997 - 1 November, 1998
Location :: Arctic Ocean
Portable Automated Mesonet (PAM)

SIT :: Sulfur Instrumentation Test :: 1999
During October and early November 1999, Alan Bandy from Drexel University installed a new atmospheric pressure ionization mass spectrometer (APIMS) on the NCAR/NSF C130 for determination of sulphur dioxide and dimethyl sulphide (DMS) with a time resolution of at least one measurement per second. This test was an evaluation program flown locally out of Jefferson County Airport from 4 to 25 October, and from 5 through 12 November, with one excursion in the marine boundary layer near San Diego.
The APIMS was compared to an older gas chromatograph/mass spectrometer, which had a time response of three minutes. During the test flights, the APIMS successfully met the goal of measuring sulphur dioxide in less than one second. Time response and precision of the DMS measurements appear to be similar to that of the sulphur dioxide measurements. Work will continue on the APIMS to develop modifications to avoid chemical interferences for the reaction scheme for DMS.
For more information :: http://data.eol.ucar.edu/codiac/projs?SIT
Dates :: 1 October - 12 November, 1999
Location :: Broomfield, Colorado, United States

SMEX :: Soil Moisture Experiments :: 2002
Soil moisture is the most significant boundary condition that controls summer precipitation over the central US and other large mid-latitude continental regions, and essential initial information for seasonal predictions. A common goal of a wide range of agencies and scientists is the development of a global soil moisture observing system. Providing a global soil moisture product for research and application remains a significant challenge. Precise in-situ measurements of soil moisture and sparse and each value is only representative of a small area. Remote sensing, if achievable with sufficient accuracy and reliability, would provide truly meaningful wide-area soil wetness or soil moisture data for hydrological studies over large continental regions.
For more information :: http://hydrolab.arsusda.gov/smex02/
Location :: Iowa, United States
Related Projects :: SMEX 2003

SMEX :: Soil Moisture Experiments :: 2003
SMEX03 will provide validation data for a wide range of vegetation conditions ranging from well understood grass and wheat in Oklahoma to new observations of the Amazon rainforests. In addition it will provide a test bed for other new satellite instruments such as the Envisat ASAR and aircraft based prototype satellite instruments.
For more information :: http://hydrolab.arsusda.gov/smex03/
Dates :: 20 June - 31 December 2003
Location :: U.S. sites in Oklahoma, Georgia and Alabama in June and July; Brazil in December.
Related Projects :: SMEX 2002

SMEX :: Soil Moisture Experiment :: 2004
In much of the interior of the North American continent, summer precipitation is a dominant feature of the annual cycle. Surface boundary conditions play an important role in initiation and maintenance of the North American Monsoon System (NAMS), which controls summer precipitation over much of this region.
Understanding these processes is a focus for the North American Monsoon Experiment. A working hypothesis is that among the land surface antecedent boundary conditions that control the onset and intensity of the NAMS is soil moisture. The influence of the land surface is relayed through surface evaporation and associated surface cooling (dependent on soil moisture), terrain, and vegetation cover. Soil moisture and, in particular, surface wetness, can change dramatically after heavy rain events. Increased soil moisture after precipitation promotes evapotranspiration between storm events. This may contribute to enhanced convection and further precipitation.
As part of NAME there will be an intensive observing period in the summer of 2004 over the Tier I domain. The intention of SMEX04-NAME is to enhance the terrestrial hydrology component of NAME by facilitating development of soil moisture. Specific activities include the provision of soil moisture products from the existing in situ network in Arizona and the development of an equivalent network within a study region in Mexico, and soil moisture products derived from existing satellite sensors on Aqua and TRMM. An intensive ground and aircraft field campaign will take place during August 2004 that will provide validation of the in situ and satellite products. SMEX04-NAME will also address important algorithm and validation issues for existing satellite based soil moisture products from the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer and future low frequency instruments.
For more information :: http://hydrolab.arsusda.gov/smex04/
Location :: Southwestern Arizona & Northwestern Mexico

SMILE :: Shelf MIxed Layer Experiment :: 1989
The SMILE program was a cooperative, integrated study designed to address the fundamental question of how the surface boundary layer over the continental shelf responds to atmospheric forcing, i.e., the input of momentum, turbulence, and heat through the sea surface. To resolve the atmospheric forcing, measurements were collected from an NCAR research aircraft, NCAR PAM stations and, instrumented buoys. The aircraft will provide the majority of the overwater observations.
For more information :: http://data.eol.ucar.edu/codiac/projs?SMILE
Location :: Northern California Shelf; California, United States
EOL Facilities :: University of Wyoming King Air (UWKA) & Data Management

SMT :: Sulfur Measurement Studies :: 1988
In this experiment three sulphur dioxide monitoring instruments, flame photometric, enhanced filter, and gold film were tested for suitability for aircraft use. A pulsed fluorescence monitor was also tested. Sampling was made under clean and polluted conditions. A common inlet manifold with standard S02 spikes was used to cross compare calibrations. This was an important development program for improved capabilities to support atmospheric chemistry program.
For more information :: http://data.eol.ucar.edu/codiac/projs?SMT
Dates :: 3 August - 11 August, 1988
Location :: Colorado

SNOWBAND :: Snowband Dynamics :: 1997-1998
SNOWBAND seeks to understand the dynamic and thermodynamic structures of heavy precipitation bands in the northwest quadrant of cyclones and in the "reverse lake-effect" regions west of Lake Michigan.
The goal of the project is to determine the relative roles of isentropic ascent, conditional symmetric instability, and transverse ageostophic circulations associated with frontogenenesis in the production and maintenance of the heavy snowbands associated with cyclones. A second goal is to determine how boundary layer fluxes of heat and moisture from the lake modify frontal structure, stability, and precipitation band dynamics in the vicinity of the lake during the approach of cyclones from the west.
For more information :: http://www.eol.ucar.edu/dir_off/projects/1998/Snowband.html
Dates :: 1 December, 1997 - 31 January, 1998
Location :: Madison, Wisconsin, United States

SNOwD-UNDER :: Student Nowcasting and Observations of Winter Weather with the DOW at University of North Dakota Education in Research :: 2010
The Student Nowcasting & Observations of Winter Weather with the educational deployment of the DOW at University of North Dakota Education in Research (SNOwD UNDER) was an educational deployment that took place from 15 November to 6 December, 2010 at the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks, ND.
The project introduced undergraduate and graduate students in the Department of Atmospheric Sciences to the planning and implementation of components of a field experiment by using one of the Doppler on Wheels in connection with other observational facilities including the UN Citation. Data collected by the radar was implemented in several meteorology classes within the Department during the Fall 2010 and Spring 2011 semesters.
Location :: University of North Dakota - Grand Forks, North Dakota, United States
EOL Facilities :: Center for Severe Weather Research Doppler on Wheels (DOW)

Snowfall Rate :: Snowfall Rate Reduction by Pollution Aerosols :: 2001
SNOWFALL-ISS studied the effects of pollution aerosol loading has on snowfall rates in winter storms that are solely orographic or have a "feeder/seeder" cloud couplet with an orographic cloud component.
For more information :: http://www.eol.ucar.edu/isf/projects/snowfall/
Location :: Steamboat Springs, Colorado, United States

SPIN :: Spontaneous Ice Nucleation II :: 1991
The Spontaneous Ice Nucleation II (SPIN) project flew the NCAR Sabreliner in a continuation of earlier efforts to study high altitude atmospheric aerosols via sample collections and in-flight experiments, predominantly in wave clouds, where the time history of droplet and ice particle growth can be reconstructed (the "Spontaneous Ice Nucleation problem").
Liquid water microphysics were measured and compared with that predicted on the basis of a droplet growth model. Ice crystal samples were collected, studied, and compared with crystals formed in the laboratory. Air filter samples were taken to identify chemical constituents in the air and particle samples. A laboratory investigation of spontaneous ice nucleation was undertaken to further the understanding of cirrus cloud behavior.
For more information :: http://data.eol.ucar.edu/codiac/projs?SPIN
Dates :: 4 November - 30 November, 1990
Location :: Rocky Mountains, United States

SRP :: Sierra Rotors Experiment :: 2004
The Sierra Rotors Project is an NSF-funded project to study mountain-wave induced rotors in the lee of the Sierra Nevada in Owens Valley. The rotors, intense horizontal vortices with strong turbulence, can pose severe aeronautical hazards. The eastern slopes of the southern Sierra Nevada make up the tallest, steepest, quasi-linear topographic barrier in the contiguous United States, and are well-known for generating large-amplitude mountain waves and strong rotors over the Owens Valley. The main objective of this project is to establish quantitative characteristics of the rotor behavior as well as to evaluate the extent to which current operational mesoscale models can reliably forecast the occurrence of rotors.
For more information :: http://www.mdml.dri.edu/
Location :: Owens Valley, California, United States
EOL Facility ::

START :: Stratosphere-Troposphere Analyses of Regional Transport :: 2008
The Stratosphere-Troposphere Analyses of Regional Transport (START08) studied the chemical and transport characteristics of the extratropical upper tropospheric and lower stratospheric (ExUTLS) region using the NSF/NCAR Gulfstream V aircraft. In the ExUTLS, multi-scale dynamics, coupled with chemistry, controls and redistributes a suite of radiatively important trace species, including ozone, water vapor, and CO2 in addition to aerosols and particles.
The primary objective was to characterize the contribution of transport to the chemical-microphysical structure of the ExUTLS region. START08 had a joint payload and flight operation with the Pre-HIPPO experiment.
For more information :: http://www.acd.ucar.edu/start/
Dates :: 21 April - 28 June, 2008
Location :: Broomfield, Colorado, United States
EOL Facility :: NSF/NCAR Gulfstream V Aircraft & Data Management

STEPS :: Severe Thunderstorm Electrification and Precipitation Study :: 2000
STEPS had two broad goals concerning storm electricity:
To improve understanding of how severe storms become electrified
o better understand how variations in the type and flash rate of lightning relate to the type of severe storm and its evolution.
Of particular interest were severe storms that produce unusual lightning activity. Unusual lightning includes ground flashes that lower positive charge to the ground instead of the usual negative charge and cloud flashes whose polarity of electric current is reversed from the polarity normally found in a given storm region.
For more information :: http://www.nssl.noaa.gov/observations/projects/steps.html
Location :: Colorado-Kansas border, United States
Colorado State University CHILL Radar
South Dakota School of Mines and Technology (SDSMT) T-28 Aircraft

STERAO :: Stratosphere-Troposphere Experiments: Radiation, Aerosols, and Ozone :: 1996
To investigate the chemical and physical nature of thunderstorms and their inflows and outflows over NE Colorado to gauge the effect they have on the composition of the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere.
For more information :: http://www.eol.ucar.edu/dir_off/projects/1996/STERAO.html
Location :: Northeastern Colorado, United States
Mobile CLASS Radar

STORM-FEST :: USWRP/STORM Fronts Experiment Systems Test :: 1992
Mesoscale field experiment conducted in the central U.S. during February and March 1992. The overall goal is to evaluate, in a very focused field experiment, the various research components critical for the success of the STORM Program.
Investigate the structure and evolution of fronts and associated mesoscale phenomena in the central U.S. with emphasis on precipitation and severe weather.
Ensure that component efforts of the system test are integrated into a focused research and development effort for mesoscale weather analysis and prediction.
Advance the understanding of mesoscale prediction and limitations in active frontal regions with emphasis on improving forecasts.
For more information :: http://data.eol.ucar.edu/codiac/projs?STORM-FEST
Location :: Central United States

STORM-WAVE :: USWRP/STORM Weather Assimilation and Verification Experiment :: 1995
The U.S. Weather Research Program (USWRP), formerly the Storm-scale Operational and Research Meteorology (STORM) Program, Weather Assimilation and Verification Experiment (STORM-WAVE) is a data collection effort focused on constructing a unique research-quality data set from operational data streams. STORM-WAVE is a collaborative effort in conjunction with the VORTEX-95 and GCIP/ESOP-95 projects.
The objectives of STORM-WAVE are to:
Collect and provide a research quality data set to support storm-season mesoscale research in the central United States
Collect high-resolution (spatial and temporal) continuous observations for model verification and sensitivity studies
Provide a research-quality database for use in the evaluation of the NOAA/NWS Modernization Program
Collect selected hydrological data during a critical part of the water year (spring/early summer)
For more information :: http://data.eol.ucar.edu/codiac/projs?STORM-WAVE
Dates :: 1 April - 15 June, 1995
Location :: Central United States

STRATO-CHEM-L :: Chemical Layering in the Lower Stratosphere :: 1991
Fine scale layering in the lower stratosphere has been observed in the temperature, condensation nuclei and water vapor structure. The Chemical Layering in the Lower Stratosphere program used the NCAR Sabreliner to make measurements of the above parameters and ozone as an indicator of stratospheric air. The ultimate goal of this study was to provide more information on mixing and diffusion processes which control exchange near the tropopause.
For more information :: http://data.eol.ucar.edu/codiac/projs?STRATO-CHEM-L
Dates :: 21 December, 1990 - 24 January, 1991
Location :: North Central United States

The South Dakota School of Mines and Technology (SDSMT) armored T-28 aircraft was operated under cooperative agreements between SDSMT and the National Science Foundation (NSF) Lower Atmospheric Observing Facility program. The T-28 supported over 20 field programs, mainly under NSF sponsorship, but also included field programs sponsored by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The scientific motivation for the T-28 aircraft was to better understand the microphysical and dynamical processes governing the development and growth of hail in thunderstorms. The field programs that the T-28 supported were concerned with development of rain and hail, atmospheric electricity, remote detection of convective turbulence, transport and dispersion of cloud seeding material within storms, effects of cloud seeding on storm microphysical evolution, and verification of polarimetric radar hydrometeor signatures.
For more information :: http://data.eol.ucar.edu/codiac/projs?T-28
Location :: Regionally throughout North America
South Dakota School of Mines and Technology (SDSMT) T-28 Aircraft
Colorado State University CHILL Radar

T-PARC :: THORPEX Pacific Asian Regional Campaign :: 2008
While T-PARC encompasses varying time and space scales, the primary objectives of each region are the same (i.e., to increase understanding of the mechanisms that will lead to improved predictive skill of high impact weather events) . This multi-scale approach is desirable as these two regions have strong dynamical links.
Date :: August 1 - September 30, 2008
Location :: Guam, Hawaii, and Japan
US Naval Research Laboratory P-3 Aircraft
For more information :: http://met.nps.edu/~tparc/

T-REX :: Terrain-induced Rotor Experiment :: 2006
The main scientific objective of T-REX is a comprehensive study of the coupled mountain-wave, rotor, and boundary-layer system. Some complimentary scientific issues include stratospheric-tropospheric exchange and structure and evolution of the complex terrain boundary layer in the absence of rotors. The comprehensive T-REX data sets will also represent a unique test bed for the validation of numerical models, and are expected to be instrumental in achieving further significant improvements in mesoscale and microscale modeling and in the prediction of aviation hazards, downslope windstorms, and aerosol transport and dispersion.
For more information :: http://www.eol.ucar.edu/projects/trex/
Location :: Owens Valley, California
NSF/NCAR Gulfstream V Aircraft
Integrated Surface Flux System (ISFS)
Raman-shifted Eye-safe Aerosol Lidar (REAL)

TBLMTN :: Table Mountain Experiment :: 1999
A single flux-PAM station was deployed near the middle of Table Mountain to support NCAR/NOAA lidar development. Momentum, sensible, and latent heat flux measurements were made and used to scale wind and moisture profiles (and their statistics).
For more information :: http://data.eol.ucar.edu/codiac/projs?TBLMTN98
Dates :: 18 November, 1998 - 31 January, 1999
Location :: Boulder, Colorado, United States

TELEX :: Thunderstorm Electrification and Lightning Experiment I :: 2003
TELEX is the first of two sequential spring field programs, the second to be held May - June 2004 during the Joint Polarization Experiment. The broad objective of TELEX is to learn how lightning and other electrical storm properties are dependent on storm structure, updrafts, and precipitation. This information will point to new ways for the National Weather Service to use lightning observations to improve forecasts and warnings of hazardous weather.
For more information :: http://www.nssl.noaa.gov/projects/telex/
Dates :: 1 May - 20 June, 2003
Location :: Norman, Oklahoma
EOL Facilities :: Dropsonde System & Data Management

TEXMEX :: Tropical Cyclone Initiation Experiment :: 1991
The Tropical Cyclone Initiation experiment (TEXMEX) was conducted during the summer of 1991 of the west coast of Mexico. The main goal of TEXMEX was to test the hypothesis that the elevation of theta-e in the middle troposphere just above the near-surface vorticity maximum is a necessary and perhaps sufficient condition for tropical cyclogenesis.
For more information :: http://data.eol.ucar.edu/codiac/projs?TEXMEX
Location :: West Coast of Mexico

TELEX :: Thunderstorm Electrification and Lightning Experiment II :: 2004
Day and night during the month of May, a crew of fourteen (including OU students), scrambled to get in position beneath storms to launch instrumented balloons. The balloons were part of TELEX, the Thunderstorm Electrification and Lightning EXperiment. TELEX is the first of two sequential spring field programs, the second to be held May - June 2004 during the Joint Polarization Experiment. The broad objective of TELEX is to learn how lightning and other electrical storm properties are dependent on storm structure, updrafts, and precipitation. This information will point to new ways for the National Weather Service to use lightning observations to improve forecasts and warnings of hazardous weather.
For more information :: http://www.nssl.noaa.gov/projects/telex/
Location :: Norman, Oklahoma
EOL Facilities :: Dropsonde System & Data Management

TIMREX :: Terrain-influenced Monsoon Rainfall Experiment :: 2008
Taiwan and United States conducted a joint field experiment during the period of May 15 to June 30, 2008 at the western plain and mountain slope region of southern Taiwan, which was called the Southwest Monsoon Experiment/Terrain-influenced Monsoon Rainfall Experiment (SoWMEX/ TiMREX).
The goal of the program is to improve the capability of quantitative precipitation estimation and forecasting (QPE/QPF) during the Asian Summer Monsoon season. The localized heavy rainfall events frequently lead to floods and landslides resulted in casualty and heavy property damage in the Taiwan area. SoWMEX/TiMREX provides a unique opportunity to advance our basic understanding of physical processes leading to development of heavy orographic precipitation through intensive field observation campaign. SoWMEX/TiMREX provides an unprecedented opportunity for complementing the science of previous investigations in the general area of orographic precipitation.
The primary observational facilities to be deployed at southern Taiwan include: NCAR SPOL (S-band polarimetric Doppler radar system), TEAM-Radar (X-band mobile polarimetric Doppler radar system), and MRR (Micro rain radar systems). In addition to these advanced radar systems, Taiwan will provide upstream soundings by operating dropsondes and ship soundings over the northern boundary of South China Sea.
For more information :: http://data.eol.ucar.edu/codiac/projs?TIMREX
Dates :: 30 April - 30 June, 2008
Location :: Taiwan

TOCS/JAMSTEC :: Tropical Ocean Climate Study/Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology :: Ongoing
On April 1, 2004, Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC) was inaugurated as one of the independent administrative institutions upon re-organized from its former organization, Japan Marine Science and Technology Center. JAMSTEC has the main objective to contribute to the advancement of academic research in addition to the improvement of marine science and technology by proceeding the fundamental research and development on marine, and the cooperative activities on the academic research related to the Ocean for the benefit of the peace and human welfare.
For more information :: http://data.eol.ucar.edu/codiac/projs?TOCS%2fJAMSTEC
Location :: Beaufort Sea
EOL Facilities :: Scanning Aerosol Backscatter Lidar (SABL) & Data Management

TOGA-COARE :: TOGA Coupled Ocean Atmosphere Response Experiment :: 1992-1993
The Tropical Ocean Global Atmosphere (TOGA) Coupled Ocean-Atmosphere Response Experiment (COARE) has as its goal an improved understanding of the role of the western Pacific Ocean warm water pool in the mean and transient state of the tropical ocean/global atmosphere system. Project objectives:
The principal processes responsible for the coupling of the ocean and the atmosphere in the western-Pacific Ocean warm-pool system;
The principal atmospheric processes that organize convection in the warm-pool region;
The oceanic response to combined buoyancy and wind stress forcing in the western Pacific Ocean warm-pool region;
The multiple-scale interactions that extend the oceanic and atmospheric influence of the western Pacific Ocean warm-pool system to other regions and vice-versa.
For more information :: http://data.eol.ucar.edu/codiac/projs?TOGA%20COARE
Dates :: 1 November, 1992 - 28 February, 1993
Location :: Honiara, Solomon Islands

TOM :: Teaching flow Over Mountains :: 2011
The Teaching flow Over Mountains (TOM) educational deployment is a collaborative effort between the Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Science (ATOC) at the University of Colorado (CU) and the Department of Marine, Earth, and Atmospheric Sciences (MEAS) at North Carolina State University (NCSU).
They have requested the Rapid Scan DOW to be deployed in the Boulder, CO area to observe snow storms along the foothills during the spring semester 2011. The instrument will be used in the CU undergraduate courses ATOC 1050 (Weather and the Atmosphere) and ATOC 4500 (Weather Analysis and Forecasting). The resulting data will be used in the aforementioned CU courses and the NCSU course MEA511 (Introduction to Meteorological Remote Sensing).
Location :: Boulder, Colorado, United States
EOL Facilities :: Center for Severe Weather Research Doppler on Wheels (DOW)

TOPSE :: Tropospheric Ozone Production about the Spring Equinox :: 2000
The Tropospheric Ozone Production about the Spring Equinox (TOPSE) experiment was conducted in 2000 to study the evolution of tropospheric chemistry at mid to high latitudes over North America.
The experiment used airborne in situ and remote sensing measurements of trace gases, radiation, and aerosols, combined with model simulations, to describe the major processes that control evolution of ozone and oxidants during the winter-spring transition.
Among the significant findings of the experiment was that tropospheric ozone increases from winter to spring were dominated by in situ photochemical production in the troposphere, rather than by transport from the stratosphere. Also unique observations of widespread surface ozone depletion events, and of seasonal evolution of trace gases and aerosols as a function of latitude and altitude, were obtained over the course of the mission.
For more information :: http://data.eol.ucar.edu/codiac/projs?TOPSE
Dates :: 4 February - 23 May, 2000
Location :: Northern Regions of North America

Transitions :: Spatial and Temporal Transition of Climate and Ecosystems in the Circumpolar Arctic :: 2000
This project is designed to test the primary hypothesis that the surface energy and moisture exchange between atmosphere, ecosystem, snow, permafrost, and soil is the principal mechanism for coupling the land surface to the climate on seasonal to decadal timescales. Understanding the characteristics, mechanisms and feedback processes of this exchange is necessary to incorporate their effects into predictive tools for pan-Arctic climate change.
This proposal will take a comprehensive view of the study of the land surface energy and moisture budgets, involving collection of field data, detailed data analysis, model development, and spatial and temporal extrapolation. The Principal Investigators plan to integrate the field work closely with the simulation work, and investigations of ecosystems and physical climate systems are undertaken together.
For more information :: http://data.eol.ucar.edu/codiac/projs?Transitions
Location :: Arctic Regions

TRMM-LBA :: Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission, Large-scale Biosphere-Atmosphere :: 1999
The experiment was a major component of the NASA TRMM ground validation program and focused on the dynamical, microphysical, electrical and diabatic heating characteristics of tropical convection in the Amazon region. Data collected from TRMM-LBA is being used in part to validate products from the TRMM satellite and numerical cloud models.
Observational platforms involved in the experiment included the NCAR S-POL radar, the NASA TOGA radar, atmospheric sounding and tethersonde systems, the NASA ER2 and UND Citation aircraft, a lightning location and detection network, rain gauges, disdrometers, and NOAA Aeronomy Laboratory UHF and S-band profilers. TRMM/Brazil was conducted in parallel with the wet season component of the Large Scale Biosphere-Atmosphere Experiment in Amazonia.
For more information :: http://radarmet.atmos.colostate.edu/lba_trmm/
Location :: Amazonia

UIDOW:: University of Illinois DOW Education, Research and Outreach Project :: 2008
The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign was granted the request for a 21-day campus educational deployment of a Doppler on Wheels (DOW) for classroom-instruction, outreach, and research.
The classroom-instruction involved ATMS 410: Radar Meteorology, collecting and analyzing data from the DOW, gaining real-world experience. Outreach efforts were in the form of tours of the facility given to hundreds of undergraduates in ATMS 100: General Meteorology and ATMS 120, Severe and Hazardous Weather. Additionally, 4-6 undergraduates used the data for ATM 492, Capstone Undergraduate Research Experience, in Spring 2011 following the deployment.
The University of Illinois DOW Education, Research and Outreach (UIDOW) Project had three principal objectives:
Classroom Instruction: Enhance instruction in ATMS 410, Radar Meteorology
Outreach: Introduce a broad spectrum of students to state of the art meteorological radar technology
Research: Provide data for research analysis in ATMS 492 Capstone Experience for Seniors
Dates :: 1 - 21 November, 2010
Location :: University of Illinios - Urbana, IL, United States

UMRBPP :: Upper Missouri River Basin Pilot Project :: 1999
The Upper Missouri River Basin Pilot Project (UMRBPP) was an observational and modeling field experiment that focused on the coupled atmospheric, surface hydrology and subsurface hydrology issues in the Black Hills region of South Dakota and Wyoming.
Objectives:
Assess the importance of "deep" groundwater in subsurface aquifers to water budgets and water resources in the GCIP LSA-NW
Determine the resolution required in atmospheric and coupled models to represent adequately precipitation and other components of the water budget in orographic terrain.
Examine sensitivities and important spatial scales for impacts due to variations is evapotranspiration and moisture advection
Determine the uncertainties in atmospheric components of water budgets on ISA and larger scales in orographic terrain
For more information :: http://data.eol.ucar.edu/codiac/projs?UMRBPP
Dates :: 5 April - 5 May, 1999
Location :: Black Hills region of South Dakota and Wyoming, United States

UNDEO :: University of Nebraska DOW Education and Outreach Project :: 2008
The University of Nebraska DOW Education and Outreach (UNDEO) project was conducted in November of 2008. UNDEO was an NSF-funded collaboration between the Department of Geosciences at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln (UNL) and the Center for Severe Weather Research (CSWR) that allowed for a 15-day on-campus educational deployment of a Doppler on Wheels (DOW) for classroom-instruction and hands-on experience. UNDEO had two principal objectives:
Education: To provide undergraduate and graduate students in Radar Meteorology an opportunity to use a sophisticated research radar to collect invaluable data
Outreach: To exhibit a new and valuable platform in the NSF deployment pool to a broad audience of current and future scientists and members of the general public
UNDEO I Dates :: 10 November - 21 November, 2008
UNDEO II Dates :: 27 March - 10 April, 2011
Location :: University of Nebraska - Lincoln, NE, United States

VAMOS :: Variability of the American MOnsoon Systems :: 2001-2008
Monsoon systems provide a framework for studies on the predictability of precipitation during the warm season. The Variability of the American Monsoon Systems (VAMOS) project emphasize the interplay between the atmosphere, oceans and continental surfaces to improve understanding of:
The American monsoon systems in the context of the global climate system
The capacity for seasonal to interannual climate predictions
The impacts of Anthropogenic climate change
VAMOS is organized as three integrated components that focus on different geographical regions but complement each other in scope:. NAME, MESA, and VOCALS.
For more information :: http://www.eol.ucar.edu/projects/vamos/
Dates :: 1 February, 2001 - 1 December, 2008
Location :: Americas
Related Projects :: NAME, MESA, & VOCALS

VOCALS :: VAMOS Ocean-Cloud-Atmosphere-Land Study :: 2008
The VAMOS Ocean-Cloud-Atmosphere-Land Study (VOCALS) took place in October - November 2008 off of the western coast of Chile, in South America. VOCALS was an international Climate, Variability and Predictability (CLIVAR) program, the major goal of which is to develop and promote scientific activities leading to improved understanding of the Southeast Pacific coupled ocean-atmosphere-land system on diurnal to inter-annual timescales. The principal program objectives were:
To improve understanding and regional/global model representation of aerosol indirect effects over the Southeast Pacific
To eliminate systematic errors in the region of coupled atmospheric-ocean general circulation models, and improved model simulations and predictions of the coupled climate in the Southeast Pacific and global impacts of the system variability
Dates :: October - November 2008
Location :: Western Coast of Chile, South America
Related Projects :: VAMOS & CLIMODE

VORTEX 94 :: Verification of the Origins of Rotation in Tornadoes Experiment :: 1994
VORTEX was held in the central and southern Plains of the US during the spring season of 1994. It was designed to address current research questions relating to tornadogenesis and tornado dynamics. Also see VORTEX-95 for information of the 1995 VORTEX field season. The objectives of VORTEX were stated in terms of testable, refutable hypotheses for which adequate data could be collected. The hypotheses were related to:
The role of the environment
Tornadogenesis
Tornado Dynamics
Tornado debris deposition
Adjunct experiments
For more information :: http://data.eol.ucar.edu/codiac/projs?VORTEX
Location :: Central and Southern Plains of the United States
EOL Facilities :: GPS Advanced Upper-Air Sounding System (GAUS) & Data Management
Related Projects :: VORTEX95, & VORTEX 2

VORTEX 95 :: Verification of the Origins of Rotation in Tornadoes Experiment :: 1995
VORTEX-95 was held in the central and southern Plains of the US during April 1 - June 15, 1995. It was designed to address current research questions relating to tornadogenesis and tornado dynamics. The objectives of VORTEX were stated in terms of testable, refutable hypotheses for which adequate data could be collected. The hypotheses were related to: 1) The role of the environment; 2) Tornadogenesis; 3) Tornado Dynamics; 4) Tornado debris deposition; and 5) Adjunct experiments.
For more information :: http://data.eol.ucar.edu/codiac/projs?VORTEX-95
Dates :: 1 April - 15 June 1995
Location :: Central and Southern Plains of the United States
CLASS Mobile Radar
Related Projects :: VORTEX94, & VORTEX 2

VORTEX 2:: Verification of the Origins of Rotation in Tornadoes Experiment :: 2009-2010
The Verification of the Origins of Rotation in Tornadoes Experiment 2 (VORTEX2) is the largest tornado research project in history to explore how, when and why tornadoes form. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the National Science Foundation (NSF) are supporting more than 100 scientists and students and staff from around the world to collect weather measurements around and under a supercell thunderstorm.
VORTEX2 teams are used a fleet of 10 mobile radars, and 70 other instruments all equipped with cutting-edge communication and computer technologies. Much about tornadoes remains a mystery, and researchers hope this data will help them better understand tornadoes and lead to further improvements in tornado warning skill.
For more information :: http://www.nssl.noaa.gov/vortex2/
Facilities :: &
Center for Severe Weather Research's Doppler on Wheels (DOW)
Related Projects :: VORTEX94, & VORTEX95
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VTMX :: Vertical Transport and Mixing :: 2000
VTMX (Vertical Transport and MiXing) is a program of the Department of Energy's Environmental Meteorology Program (EMP). It is concerned with vertical transport and mixing in the boundary layer, particularly in stably stratified conditions, weak or intermittent turbulence, and morning/evening transitions.
VTMX is centered primarily around urban basins or valleys and will investigate phenomena such as formation and evolution of inversions and motion of pollutants around layers trapped in valleys. The first field campaign for VTMX was centered on the Salt Lake Valley over the month of October, 2000. NCAR is one of several groups participating in this program.
For more information :: http://data.eol.ucar.edu/codiac/projs?VTMX
Dates :: 1 October - 31 October 2000
Location :: Salt Lake Valley, Utah, United States
EOL Facilities :: Integrated Surface Flux Facility (ISFF), Scanning Aerosol Backscatter Lidar (SABL), Multiple Antenna Profiler Radar (MAPR), Tethered Atmospheric Observing System (TAOS), & Data Management

WAMME :: West African Monsoon Modeling and Evaluation :: 2000-2005
West African Monsoon Modeling and Evaluation (WAMME) is a Coordinated Enhanced Observing Period (CEOP) Inter-Monsoon Model Study (CIMS) initiative. We plan to initiate a West African Monsoon Modeling and Evaluation project (WAMME) using GCMs and regional climate models (RCMs) to address issues regarding the role of land-ocean-atmosphere interaction, land-use and water-use change, vegetation dynamics, as well as aerosol, particularly dust, on WAM development. In the WAMME project, we plan:
To evaluate the performance of current GCMs and RCMs in simulating WAM precipitation and relevant processes at diurnal, intraseasonal, to interannual scales, as well as its onset and withdrawal
To identify the common discrepancies and provide better understanding of fundamental physical processes in WAM
To conduct sensitivity experiments to isolate important key physical processes for interannual and interdecadal variations of WAM
To demonstrate the utility and synergy of CEOP and AMMA field data in providing a pathway for model physics evaluation and improvement
To evaluate the nested RCMs ability of downscaling West African regional climate simulations
For more information :: http://data.eol.ucar.edu/codiac/projs?WAMME
Dates :: 1 April 2000 - 31 October 2005
Location :: Western Africa

WAMO :: Western Airborne Mercury Observations :: 2010
This project will develop, evaluate, and utilize an airborne instrument to measure two of the most important chemical forms of mercury: gaseous elemental mercury (GEM) and reactive gaseous mercury (RGM).
Dates :: 25 September - 16 October 2010
Where :: Mather, CA

Wave :: Convective Waves over Ocean :: 1990
This project is a continuation of earlier efforts to study convection waves using multiple-aircraft observations. The multi-aircraft investigation takes advantage of the availability of the Lidar equipped NASA Electra which is be capable of remotely observing the eddy activity in the convective boundary layer and displacement of the capping inversion. The University of Wyoming King Air and NCAR Sabreliner simultaneously monitored the 3-D structure of the gravity wave systems in the troposphere and stratosphere during this project.
The joint flight had the objective to verify numerical and analytical results and specifically to:
Determine the magnitude of the vertical momentum flux through the depth of the troposphere and stratosphere
Investigate, by Lidar, the convective structure inside the boundary layer and the characteristics of the capping inversion
Explore the effect of directional shear on the horizontal and vertical structure of gravity waves over banded convection
To determine, in cold air outbreaks over the ocean, the fetch dependence of the scales of vertical motion within the marine boundary layer in relation to the boundary layer depth and convention wavelength
For more information :: http://data.eol.ucar.edu/codiac/projs?Wave
Dates :: 26 January - 18 February 1990
Location :: East Coast, United States

WCEP :: Weather and Climate Education Program :: 2009
The Weather and Climate Education Program (WCEP) was developed for 5th and 6th graders in Routt and Moffat Counties in January/February of 2009 by the Storm Peak Laboratory (SPL). The overall goal of the program was to inspire local students with science, while teaching them skills needed for success. They encourage the students to be lifelong learners in science and gain an understanding of the methodology of science, rather than factual recall.
This educational deployment of the Mobile GPS Advanced Upper-air Sounding (MGAUS) system provided hands-on, outdoor education experiences for public school children by organizing a 3-day program. As part of this exercise, educators and SPL scientists visited classrooms to introduce the concepts of climate and weather and teach students the use of scientific equipment. The students then went on a field trip and visited Storm Peak Laboratory to make temperature, pressure, relative humidity, wind speed and particle concentration.
Dates :: January & February 2009
Location :: Routt & Moffat Counties, Colorado, United States
EOL Facilities :: Mobile GPS Advanced Upper-air Sounding (MGAUS) system

WIFE-Test :: Wild Fires Experiment - Test :: 1998
The WiFE test program was conducted on the NSF/NCAR C-130 aircraft during six weeks in September and October of 1998. The program was intended to access the viability of various remote sensing devices in the study of wildfire behavior in complex terrain.
The aircraft traveled to wildfire sites throughout the intermountain west and California. The instrumentation package included a digital thermal camera, a US Forest Service spectral radiometer, remote surface temperature sensors and the full suite of RAF state parameters to record 3-D wind fields and humidity profiles. NCAR's microwave scanning device AIMR was used to estimate the amount of biomass surrounding the fires and also directly measured brightness temperatures while passing over the fires. Additional measurements of certain key chemical species, such as the CO/CO2 ratio and NMHC's provided information on combustion efficiencies.
For more information :: http://data.eol.ucar.edu/codiac/projs?WiFE-Test
Dates :: 1 September - 15 October 1998
Location :: Intermountain West, United States

WISP 04 :: Winter Icing and Storms Project :: 2004
The 2004 Winter Icing and Storms Project, or WISP-04, sought to understand how hazardous in-flight icing conditions form within clouds, and how we can remotely detect those conditions. In-flight icing occurs when an aircraft flies through super-cooled liquid cloud drops.
The NOAA Environmental Technology Laboratory (ETL) deployed its Ground-based Remote Icing Detection System (GRIDS) at a field site near Erie, Colorado, which is approximately 35 km northwest of Denver. GRIDS combines a very sensitive, polarimetric Doppler cloud radar with a microwave radiometer and temperature profile information from the NOAA Rapid Update Cycle analysis, to find liquid within clouds and determine if it is super-cooled liquid.
For more information :: http://data.eol.ucar.edu/codiac/projs?WISP04
Dates :: 17 February - 4 April 2004
Location :: Front Range, Colorado, United States
Related Projects :: WISP 1994

WISP 94 :: Winter Icing and Storms Project :: 1994
The Winter Icing and Storms Project, 1994 (WISP94) was conceived, organized and managed by the NCAR Research Applications Program (RAP). Many other entities participated in the Project, including the University of Wyoming, Colorado State University, the University of Illinois, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, MMM and ATD (Divisions within NCAR), and a few others. Funding was provided by the Federal Aviation Administration and United Airlines, with facility support and additional grant support from the National Science Foundation.
For more information :: http://data.eol.ucar.edu/codiac/projs?WISP94
Dates :: 15 January - 31 March 1994
Location :: Front Range, Colorado, United States
EOL Facilities :: , , &
CLASS Mobile Radar
Related Projects :: WISP 2004

WISPIT :: Winter Icing Storms Project Instrumentation Test :: 1993
The Winter Icing and Storms Project Instrumentation Test (WISPIT) project tested a number of instruments planned for use aboard the NCAR King Air in a major field program in 1994. It focused on outstanding microphysical questions from the previous field seasons, especially the origin of ice crystals in winter clouds.
For more information :: http://data.eol.ucar.edu/codiac/projs?WISPIT
Dates :: 16 February - 11 March 1993
Location :: Front Range, Colorado, United States
EOL Facilities :: NCAR/University of Wyoming King Air (UWKA) & Data Management

WVSS :: Water Vapor Sensing System :: 1999-2005
Atmospheric water vapor measurements from commercial aircraft are now available to complement the real-time winds and temperatures available from the Aircraft Communication, Addressing and Reporting System (ACARS). The technology of this first-generation system (WVSS-I) is a modified Vaisala thin-film sensor. It is considered to be equal to or better than existing radiosonde humidity data and especially so at the upper levels of the troposphere. A second-generation system (WVSS-II) is in progress.
For more information :: http://data.eol.ucar.edu/codiac/projs?WVSS
Dates :: 1 July 1999 - 31 December 2005
Location :: Unites States