News
The news provided in this section highlights program activities, achievements, and opportunities of interest to the ARM community and general public. Additional news for the ARM Climate Research Facility (ACRF) may be found at Operations Updates and recent ARM science results may be found at Research Highlights.
Current Stories
05/08/2008 - Cover Combines Images from Arctic Field Campaign
Cover of the latest report from the U.S. Interagency Arctic Research Policy Committee uses ACRF field campaign imagery.
An image collage representing the Mixed-Phase Arctic Cloud Experiment graces the cover of the latest report from the U.S. Interagency Arctic Research Policy Committee. The report, Arctic Observing Network (AON): Toward a U.S. Contribution to Pan-Arctic Observing, pinpoints where and how different Federal agencies are collecting environmental data as part of the implementation of the Study of Environmental Arctic Change (SEARCH). This study aims to understand the rapidly changing Arctic, improve predictive capability, and identify appropriate adaptive responses to change. Contributions from the ARM Climate Research Facility's North Slope of Alaska sites are included in the report.
The new report sets forth a plan to continue the AON in cooperation with local, State of Alaska, and international groups. For more information, see the report on the National Science Foundation website.
04/31/2008 - Arctic Aerosol Study Flies By
Ending its mission with a final flight on April 30, 2008, the Indirect and Semi-Direct Aerosol Campaign (ISDAC) flew a total of 103 research hours, completing 27 science flights primarily in the region around the ACRF North Slope of Alaska site in Barrow. These flights included several golden cases where both cloud and aerosol measurements were obtained above, within, and below mixed-phase cloud layers. In addition, the campaign successfully demonstrated first-time airborne deployments of key instruments for measuring aerosol properties. All of the campaign's primary objectives were met, plus some secondary objectives, to help answer the team's science questions related to Arctic cloud and aerosol interactions. To read more, see the April 30 edition of the ACRF Operations Update.
04/31/2008 - Team Scouts Graciosa Island for 2009 Mobile Facility Deployment Site
Indications from a scouting trip by the ARM Mobile Facility (AMF) science and operations management team are that an excellent site for the 2009 deployment may have been found. From April 8 through April 16, the team traveled to Graciosa Island in the Azores to scout sites for the Clouds, Aerosol, and Precipitation in the Marine Boundary Layer (CLAP-MBL) field campaign. To read more, see the April 30 edition of the ACRF Operations Update.
04/31/2008 - ACRF Outreach Materials Chosen for Earth Day Display in Washington DC
Earth Day is officially honored each year on April 22, however, many groups sponsor activities throughout the entire month of April. At DOE Headquarters in Washington DC, two ACRF posters were selected to join a poster display representing programs from numerous DOE offices. The display was featured in the Forrestal Building's ground-level and first floor lobby areas throughout the week of April 21. The posters were then displayed at DOE Headquarters' Germantown facility during the week of April 28. To read more, see the April 30 edition of the ACRF Operations Update.
04/23/2008 - FY 2009 ARM Science Solicitation Announced
DOE's Office of Biological and Environmental Research (BER) is now accepting applications to develop innovative methods for observational data analysis and utilize the resulting knowledge from such analyses to improve cloud parameterizations. The intent is to improve the modeling of cloud properties and processes and their impact on the atmospheric radiation balance. Selected research would be part of the ARM Program in BER's Climate Change Research Division.
Potential applicants are required to submit a two-page pre-application describing the research objectives and methods of accomplishment. Preapplications are due by 4:30 p.m. EST, May 21, 2008, and should be sent to Dr. Kiran Alapaty by email, kiran.alapaty@science.doe.gov. Please include "Lead PI name -- Preapplication -- DE-PS02-08ER08-23" in the subject line of the email. Formal applications are due by 8:00 p.m. EST, July 21, 2008. All applications must be submitted using Grants.gov for consideration.
The complete Funding Opportunity Announcement including instructions for both the pre-application and the complete formal application can be found on the DOE Industry Interactive Procurement System. A summary of the announcement can also be found on the DOE Office of Science Grants and Contracts website.
04/15/2008 - CLASIC Discussed at Workshop in Oklahoma
In June 2007, ACRF led the multi-agency Cloud and Land Surface Interaction Campaign (CLASIC) conducted at the ACRF Southern Great Plains site. With scientists beginning to analyze the data, the Cooperative Institute for Mesoscale Meteorological Studies at the University of Oklahoma hosted a workshop on March 26-27 for participants of CLASIC and others interested in the data collected. The purpose of the workshop, chaired by CLASIC principal investigator Mark Miller, was to discuss the availability and quality of data collected during CLASIC, review initial results, and coordinate followup research efforts. To read more, see the April 15 edition of the ACRF Operations Update.
03/31/2008 - Interagency Land Use Agreement Signed for North Slope of Alaska
After more than a year of discussions and negotiations, the ACRF has renewed its land use agreement with interagency partners to continue operations at its North Slope of Alaska site at Barrow. Signed by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the new agreement extends for 10 more years, with a provision for operations up to 40 years, contingent on an extension of the NOAA/USGS land use withdrawal agreement. The commitment of all parties to this agreement strengthens each organization's position in the Arctic research community. To read more, see the March 31 edition of the ACRF Operations Update.
03/31/2008 - 2008 ARM Science Team Meeting Sails Off into the Sunset
Set against panoramic river views in Norfolk, Virginia, the Eighteenth Annual ARM Science Team Meeting on March 10-14 brought together 270 ARM researchers, ACRF infrastructure members, and leading scientists from 10 countries around the world, including China; Japan; Australia; Niger, Africa; France; and Germany. The meeting provided ample opportunities to review progress on climate research, organize field campaigns, and plan future directions for ARM research. To read more, see the March 31 edition of the ACRF Operations Update.
03/15/2008 - New Radiometer Tested for Measuring Thin Clouds
A Thin-Cloud Rotating Shadowband Radiometer (TCRSR) has completed a month of testing at the ACRF Southern Great Plains (SGP) site to assess its ability to simultaneously retrieve measurements of the size and density of cloud droplets in "thin" clouds, i.e., clouds with water content less than 100 grams per square meter. To read more, see the March 15 edition of the ACRF Operations Update.
02/29/2008 - Scout Team Scopes Out Sites for 2009 Field Campaign in Chile
In February, a four-person scout team spent two weeks in Chile conducting initial site surveys and meeting with local contacts in preparation for phase two of the Radiative Heating in Underexplored Bands Campaign, or RHUBC-II. Planned to take place on the Chajnantor plateau between August and October 2009, this offsite field campaign will use spare ARM instruments, as well as guest instruments, to retrieve infrared radiation measurements across a broad portion of in the electromagnetic spectrum, including the elusive 17-100 microns and 6.7 microns regions. To read more, see the February 29 edition of the ACRF Operations Update.
02/29/2008 - Radar Focus Group Zeroes in on Data Quality
In 2007, the ACRF established a Radar Focus Group to address strategic needs related to the use of radars as a key component of the ACRF instrument suite. Based on needs identified by this group, a smaller team of science, engineering, and data quality staff met in early February in Santa Barbara, California, to determine methods that the Data Quality (DQ) Office can use to routinely monitor operation of the user facility's current cloud radars—namely, the millimeter wavelength cloud radar (MMCR) and W-band ARM Cloud Radar (WACR). To read more, see the February 29 edition of the ACRF Operations Update.
02/29/2008 - Wildlife Challenges Lead to Wireless Solutions
As reported in late 2006, a total precipitation sensor (TPS) was installed near the ACRF North Slope of Alaska (NSA) site in Barrow, to provide measurements of boundary layer (surface to 1000-m altitude) environmental conditions. After falling victim to curious and possibly hungry lemmings and other wildlife in the area, the fiber optic cable used to transfer data from the sensor to the Great White instrument shelter was recently replaced with a wireless data acquisition system and virtual access port. To read more, see the February 29 edition of the ACRF Operations Update.
02/29/2008 - Final Preparations Underway for Arctic Aerosol Field Campaign
With just one month before the start of the Indirect and Semi-direct Aerosol Campaign (ISDAC), the ARM Aerial Vehicles Program (AVP) is finalizing the necessary contract arrangements, instrumentation integration activities, and flight planning scenarios. More than 80 scientists and logistics personnel will gather in Fairbanks, Alaska, to participate in the April campaign, which will obtain airborne and ground-based measurements of aerosol and cloud properties in the vicinity of the ACRF site in Barrow, Alaska. To read more, see the February 29 edition of the ACRF Operations Update.
Updated 02/21/2008 - Request for Small Aircraft Preproposals
Requests are now being accepted for routine use of small aircraft, like this Cessna 206, in FY 2008-2010 at the Southern Great Plains site.
Note: The request for proposals is now closed. The call for proposals for FY 2011 will open in the late fall. Preproposals are now being accepted for scientific research at the U.S. Department of Energy's Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Climate Research Facility (ACRF) for FY 2008-2010 projects that require the routine use of small aircraft at the Southern Great Plains (SGP) field site. DOE has previously leased a Cessna 206 for collecting aerosol and carbon cycle gas measurements in the immediate vicinity of the SGP approximately three times per week. This lease will expire soon, unless there is a successful proposal for continued use of this aircraft. Proposals should focus on scientific issues that improve understanding of the interactions between clouds and atmospheric radiative fluxes and have the potential to lead to improved climate models. The due date for preproposals is February 15, 2008.
Preproposals should be submitted online using the field campaign form at http://www.arm.gov/acrf/fc.stm. A small number of full proposals may be invited, and they will be due on April 1, 2008. For more information on ACRF field campaigns, see the planning document at http://acrf-campaign.arm.gov/fieldcampaigns/documentation/IOPprocess.pdf. To be invited to submit a full proposal, the principal investigator should demonstrate in the preproposal that research funding for their effort has already been secured or that a proposal to a funding agency has already been submitted. ACRF supports facility use and logistical considerations, but does not support research effort, travel, or per diem. The principal investigator is expected to contribute substantially to the instrument integration costs.
01/21/2008 - ACRF Kicks Off 88th American Meteorological Society Annual Meeting at WeatherFest
Jim Mather, ACRF Technical Director, demonstrated "cloud in a jar" to interested WeatherFest participants.
On January 20, staff from the ARM Climate Research Facility (ACRF) participated in the 7th Annual WeatherFest, an interactive science and weather fair for the public. WeatherFest kicks off the 88th American Meteorological Society annual meeting in New Orleans for the week. During the four-hour event, more than 300 climate change activity and coloring books and over 100 lesson plans were handed out to teachers and students. ACRF Technical Director Jim Mather educated children and their parents about clouds using a "cloud in a jar" demonstration. Formal poster sessions and presentations take place Monday through Friday.
Events
There are no events at this time.
Employment Opportunities
03/25/2008 - Research Meteorologist for Atacama Large Millimeter/Submillimeter Array (ALMA)
The Universidad de Valparaiso in Chile invites applications for a regular, 2-year full-time post-doctoral position in Valparaiso, Chile. The incumbent will conduct research directed at improving meteorological forecast support for the Atacama Large Millimeter/Submillimeter Array, or ALMA, astronomical operations site. Special interest will be put in the forecast of precipitable water vapor (PWV), maintenance and ingest of text and binary data from different resources (e.g., the U.S. National Weather Service Forecast Office), improvements to the web-based weather data server, and supervising the Department's Weather Forecaster for the astronomical observatories. Annual salary is $25,000 (US dollars).
Applicants must have: a Ph.D. in Meteorology or a Ph.D. in physics/computer science with a Bachelors degree in meteorology (Ph.D. candidates may apply, but must submit evidence of Ph.D. completion upon hire); 2 years experience with mesoscale numerical weather prediction models (a plus for MM5 or WRF); knowledge of the mesoscale numerical weather prediction model; knowledge of Unix/Linux workstations and Unix/Linux programming; and the ability to work independently to make improvements to the mesoscale numerical weather prediction model and forecast products. For further information, contact Dr. Michel Cure, (michel.cure@uv.cl, www.dfa.uv.cl).
Interested applicants please send cover letter and referral source with narrative on your qualifications for the position; resume with salary history; names, phone numbers, and addresses of three supervisory references; and copy(ies) of degree(s)/transcripts/certificate(s) used to qualify for the position via email to michel.cure@uv.cl. Closing date for applications is May 15, 2008.
02/25/2008 - Postdoc Position at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory Now Available for the ARM Program
The Atmospheric Science and Global Change Division at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) is seeking a postdoctoral or post-masters scientist to assist with the analysis and application of measurements from the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Program, with an emphasis on the Tropical Western Pacific (TWP) sites. The successful candidate will join a research group that has a wide range of interests in cloud radiative forcing and feedbacks, including retrieval algorithm development, data analysis, and model development and evaluation, with an overall goal of using ARM measurements to improve the representation of clouds and radiation in climate models.
Potential research directions include development and implementation of optimal estimation cloud property retrieval algorithms, development of statistical methods to combine ground-based and satellite observations to provide spatial extension of ARM cloud and radiation measurements, and use of ARM data to evaluate cloud, radiation, and dynamics feedbacks in cloud resolving and global climate models. The successful candidate will be expected to contribute as a co-author or lead author on scientific journal articles and present work at scientific meetings.
Applicants should have a Ph.D. in atmospheric science, applied mathematics, or a related field, working knowledge of one or more programming languages such as Fortran, C, C++, Matlab, or IDL, and experience working in a Unix/Linux environment. Prior experience in developing remote sensing algorithms or use of ARM and/or satellite data sets is highly desirable. Highly qualified applicants with an M.S. in atmospheric science or a related field will be considered.
Please apply online at http://jobs.pnl.gov (ID #114647) or contact Dr. Sally McFarlane.
02/22/2008 - Stony Brook University Seeking Research Assistant Professor in Computational Atmospheric and Marine Sciences School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences
The School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences (SoMAS) at Stony Brook University, State University of New York, has an immediate opening for a non-tenure track faculty position in computational atmospheric and marine sciences. The position is a state-supported (9-month academic year salary) position to be filled at the research assistant professor level. Review of applications will begin April 15, 2008, and will continue until the position is filled.
A Ph.D. in the atmospheric and marine sciences, or a closely related technical field such as computer science, is required as well as at least 3 years of experience in general maintenance of UNIX/Linux systems. Candidates with familiarity of comprehensive oceanographic or atmospheric models (e.g., WRF, CAM, ROMS, and SWAN) will be preferred. The applicant is expected to: (1) collaborate with SoMAS faculty in using the New York BlueGene supercomputer (or other supercomputers) and Linux clusters for modeling research projects; (2) help develop and maintain oceanographic and meteorological data sets, their transfer, storage, visualization, and dissemination for teaching and public outreach; and (3) assist and advise SoMAS faculty in Linux/UNIX computer support of Linux and Unix workstations. Conditional upon fulfilling the above responsibilities, the incumbent has the option to develop externally funded research projects in marine or atmospheric sciences, and to teach undergraduate and graduate level courses during the academic year. He or she will have the option to generate summer salary by collaborating with SoMAS faculty in various research projects.
SoMAS faculty are currently engaged in research topics covering a broad spectrum of marine and atmospheric sciences. SoMAS in collaboration with Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) utilize a 100-teraflop Blue Gene/L supercomputer at BNL, which is the centerpiece for the New York Center for Computational Sciences (NYCCS). More information about SoMAS, BNL, and the NYCCS can be found at http://www.somas.stonybrook.edu/computersearch.
Applicants should send an application letter indicating computer and research experience, curriculum vitae with publication list, and names of three references to:
Gina Gartin
Research Faculty Search Committee
School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences
Stony Brook University
Stony Brook, NY 11794-5000
Fax: (631) 632-6251
