Future of User Facility Discussed at Fall Workshop

Published: 15 January 2008

As a national user facility, ARM is accessible to scientists around the globe for interdisciplinary research related to earth systems. In a continuing effort to meet users’ scientific needs, as well as to provide measurable progress related to the U.S. Department of Energy’s climate change research missions, ARM sponsored a “User Workshop” on October 31 and November 1, 2007. Thirty-four scientific experts, including both ARM and non-ARM users, took part in the workshop to assess how ARM might expand and enhance its observational network for providing data to improve climate models. Discussions during the workshop resulted in recommendations in the following topic areas: new fixed site locales; two more mobile facilities; expansion of the Aerial Vehicles Program; and a number of enhancements related to data products.

Expertise at the workshop encompassed all research areas of the U.S. Climate Change Science Program, including remote sensing, process studies, cloud system modeling, general circulation modeling, and decision support. The workshop was divided into three sessions, and each session consisted of four separate groups focused on the topics mentioned above. Participants were asked to provide recommendations for each area and priorities for an ARM expansion that would enable observations of key atmospheric processes involving radiative transfer in the atmosphere—clouds, aerosols, and water vapor properties—as well as carbon cycle measurements. The broad range of participants and perspectives resulted in a varied and balanced discussion about future plans for the user facility. More details about the workshop and specific recommendations are available in the full report.