From understanding of small-scale cloud processes to improvements to global climate models, a new brochure highlights advances in atmospheric science during the past five years from two tightly linked components within the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Biological and Environmental Research: the Atmospheric System Research (ASR) Program and the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Climate Research Facility. These entities work cooperatively to connect observations and studies of Earth’s atmospheric system with the computer models that open a window to Earth’s future climate.
Available on the BER website, the brochure describes accomplishments in the following areas:
- Improvements to Global Climate Models
- New Techniques Improve Model Efficiency and Accuracy
- Improved Measurements of Infrared Radiation
- New Products for Evaluating Models.
Understanding Atmospheric Processes
- African Aerosols as Seeds for Hurricanes
- Vertical Motion Drives Cloud Lifetimes
- Dissecting Tropical Storm Clouds
- Unraveling the Mystery of Complex Arctic Mixed-Phase Clouds
- Confirming the Impact of Aerosols on Clouds and Precipitation
- Effects of Black Carbon on Heating
- Measuring Trends in Carbon Dioxide Concentrations
- Shedding Light on Organic Aerosols
- Getting on the Scale to Reduce Variability and Uncertainty
- Joining Forces to Address Global Climate Issues.
The brochure wraps up with a look to the future that emphasizes data and research for studying the life cycle of both clouds and aerosols, as well as their interactions. Applied to high resolution process modeling, advances in these areas will enhance the predictive capabilities of regional and global climate models.
To request a copy(ies) of the brochure, please contact armpubs@arm.gov.
This work was supported by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Science, through the Biological and Environmental Research program as part of the Atmospheric System Research program.