NCAR 1994 Annual Scientific Report NCAR Annual Scientific Report -- FY 1994 National Center for Atmospheric Research NCAR's Mission Statement A Message from NCAR's Director, Robert J. Serafin. The Annual Scientific Report This report has been accessed times since 12/31/94. Atmospheric Chemistry Division Significant Accomplishments Staff, Visitors, and Collaborators Publications Climate and Global Dynamics Division Significant Accomplishments Staff, Visitors, and Collaborators Publications Environmental & Societal Impacts Group Significant Accomplishments Staff, Visitors, and Collaborators Publications High Altitude Observatory Significant Accomplishments Staff, Visitors, and Collaborators Publications Mesoscale & Microscale Meteorology Division Significant Accomplishments Staff,Visitors, and Collaborators Publications Research Applications Program Significant Accomplishments Staff, Visitors, and Collaborators Publications Atmospheric Technology Division Significant Accomplishments Staff , Visitors, and Collaborators Publications Scientific Computing Division Significant Accomplishments https://web.archive.org/web/20051109081123/http://www.ncar.ucar.edu/archives/asr/ASR94/ASR94Home.html[12/23/2016 11:25:57 AM] NCAR 1994 Annual Scientific Report Staff, Visitors, and Collaborators Publications Educational Activities Significant Accomplishments Advanced Studies Program Staff, Visitors, and Collaborators Publications Community Service at NCAR Return to NCAR Home Page https://web.archive.org/web/20051109081123/http://www.ncar.ucar.edu/archives/asr/ASR94/ASR94Home.html[12/23/2016 11:25:57 AM] NCAR's Mission Statement NCAR's Mission: The National Center for Atmospheric Research focuses on important atmospheric research problems that require major commitments of resources and a wide range of scientific talent over extended periods of time. By housing scientific programs and providing a wide variety of research facilities, facilities support, and related services, NCAR serves the specialized needs of the university research community. Science Science programs are carried out by four scientific divisions: Atmospheric Chemistry, Climate and Global Dy namics, Mesoscale and Microscale Meteorology , and the High Altitude Observatory. Facilities Facilities are developed, operated, and maintained by two other divisions: Atmospheric Technology and Scientific Computing. Programs There are three additional programs. The Research Applications Program is working to improve predictions of a variety of weather hazards that affect aviation, and to develop forecasting and visualization products for the aviation indust ry. The Environmental and Societal Impacts Group is made up of scientists who research the impacts of climate change, bot h naturally occurring and man-made. The Advanced Study Program selects and appoints graduate and postdoctoral fellows fr om numerous disciplines who wish to broaden their research experience du ring a two year visit at NCAR. The center is dedicated, in partnership with the universities, to excellence in the atmospheric and related sciences to the benefit of humankind. Return to ASR Home Page https://web.archive.org/web/20041110220048/http://www.ncar.ucar.edu/archives/asr/ASR94/mission.html[12/23/2016 11:26:22 AM] NCAR Director's Message A Message from NCAR's Director Robert J. Serafin ... The National Center for Atmospheric Research is a federally funded research and development center which conducts research in the atmospheric and related sciences. NCAR focuses on important long-term atmospheric problems requiring major resource commitments and a wide range of scientific talent. NCAR additionally provides the scientific research community with major research facilities such as supercomputers, aircraft and ground based observing systems. In collaboration with university researchers, other federal laboratories and international scientists, NCAR conducts research in the areas of global climate change, atmospheric dynamics, solar-terrestrial interactions, ozone depletion and other important atmospheric chemical processes, mesoscale meteorology and weather hazards, and the societal impacts of climate and weather related events. Two major facility goals reached near-completion this year: restructuring of our research aviation aircraft fleet and enhancing our supercomputing capabilities. Our research aircraft fleet has been modernized with the acquisition of a C-130 aircraft capable of flying large instrument payloads for long distances and flight times. The C-130 became operational in September, 1994. A second research aircraft, the WB-57F, is undergoing modifications and will be placed in service in the near future. These two aircraft will make possible a series of observations previously unavailable to us. In supercomputing, we have established a Climate Simulation Laboratory, a suite of dedicated resources for long term simulations of climate and other highly complex numerical models. This laboratory will be available to the broadly-based climate research community in 1995. NCAR has initiated and participates in a spectrum of educational activities that encompasses K-12 and secondary education, through postdoctoral appointments. We have a vigorous and popular tour and exhibits program, and have developed innovative teacher training programs in the atmospheric sciences. Our commitment to improving science, mathematics and technology education forms the third of our four mission areas. Technology transfer and improved competitiveness are issues of strategic national importance. In 1994, NCAR began a collaboration with the new Hong Kong airport project. NCAR and other team members will utilize the latest research results and technologies to develop methods for predicting and mitigating aviation weather hazards at that site. Other national and international projects outlined in this report exemplify our ongoing efforts in this, our fourth mission area. This year marks the debut of the National Center for Atmospheric Research on the World Wide Web. We are happy to present our Annual Scientific Report for fiscal year 1994 through Mosaic. Complete, downloadable text is available for those who would like a shelf copy of the report. We invite you to explore some of the highlights of our accomplishments in Fiscal Year 1994. We hope you will also take the opportunity to read the written report and "visit" some of the other NCAR websites. NCAR's "homepage" will direct you to more information on the many aspects of the research, facility, education and outreach programs at NCAR. https://web.archive.org/web/20041110215020/http://www.ncar.ucar.edu/archives/asr/ASR94/dirmsg.html[12/23/2016 11:26:36 AM] Significant Accomplishments Experiments during ICECOLORS suggested that CO, OCS, and DMS concentrations in natural seawater could respond to ozone-induced changes in UV radiation in Antarctic marine ecosystems. Model calculations show that changes in stratospheric circulation can significantly impact temporal trends in tropospheric trace gases. Techniques were developed to use whole air tracer measurements to determine the age of stratospheric air and to further evaluate halogen partitioning in the polar stratosphere. Oscillatory solutions were identified in models of the tropospheric oxidizing chemical system. Estimations were made of ground-level UV-B increases due to stratospheric ozone reductions. Numerous model developments including a new three-dimensional chemical-transport model (CTM) of the troposphere and lower stratosphere, a telescoping resolution regional chemical model, integration of the carbon cycle into the CCM2, and the implementation of 3-D chemical code on a parallel processor computer. Assessment of the radiative effects of several trace gases were made, including CO2, CH4, N2O, methane, and several CFC's and HCFC's. The High Resolution Dynamics Limb Sounder (HIRDLS) completed its Instrument Technical Specification and selected Lockheed as its prime subcontractor as this EOS project prepares to enter the Execution Phase of instrument construction. An OH intercomparison yielded good agreement between both long path absorption and ion assisted OH measurement methods. https://web.archive.org/web/20040822150228/http://www.ncar.ucar.edu/archives/asr/ASR94/ACD/Significant.html[12/23/2016 11:27:07 AM] Staff/Visit/Collab Staff, Visitors, and Collaborators Staff Division Director's Office Guy Brasseur (director) Michael Coffey Teresa Rivas Donna Sanerib Paul Sperry Sharon Vieyra Analytical Measurements Eric Apel Timothy Gilpin James Greenberg Gary Hampton Patrick Zimmerman (leader) Ecosystem Studies Alex Guenther (leader) Elisabeth Holland Lee Klinger Atmospheric Odd Nitrogen Frank Grahek Brian Ridley (leader) James Walega Andrew Weinheimer HOx Measurements Christopher Cantrell Fred Eisele (leader) Richard Shetter David Tanner Laboratory Kinetics John Orlando Geoffrey Tyndall (leader) https://web.archive.org/web/20040822150613/http://www.ncar.ucar.edu/archives/asr/ASR94/ACD/ACDStaff.html[12/23/2016 11:27:19 AM] Staff/Visit/Collab UARS Charles Cavanaugh Cheryl Craig John Gille (leader) Lawrence Lyjak Steven Massie Daniel Packman William Randel MOPPITT Paul Bailey David Edwards John Gille (leader) Liwen Pan HIRDLS Philip Arter Michael Dials Selena Drum John Gille (leader) Chris Halvorson Karl Kneisel Joanne Loh Judy Oeltjenbruns David Wilson Douglas Woodard Stratospheric/Tropospheric Measurements Elliot Atlas (leader) Richard Lueb Walter Pollock Sue Schauffler Regional and Process Studies Chris Fischer Claire Granier Peter