Tuesday 16 September 2008
Stellar Insights: Using the TeraGrid to Understand the Stars
Our understanding of the Sun, and other stars like it, has been continually growing. But the last 20 years have been revolutionary. Improved technologies and observational capacity have led to entire new fields of study like helioseismology and asteroseismology that look at the global oscillations of the Sun and other stars to deduce their internal structure.
Travis Metcalfe, a scientist at NCAR's High Altitude Observatory and CISL, is using the TeraGrid to analyze new data about solar and stellar oscillations from satellites. He is also validating the results by comparing them with ground-based observations.
Beijing Summer Olympics and the Forecast Demonstration Project
The Institute of Urban Meteorology (IUM) of the Beijing Meteorological Bureau (BMB) and NCAR are working collaboratively to transfer the AutoNowCaster (ANC) system to the BMB, and to develop it further to adapt to the local terrain and climate.
Hurricane Bertha’s Worrisome Arrival
Chris Mooney, online pundit at The Daily Green, writes of his conversation with NCAR Senior Scientist Greg Holland concerning the early arrival of such an intense hurricane. Bertha formed just before Independence Day last week, exploding into a powerful Category 3 major hurricane Monday with 120 mile per hour winds.
ARCTAS: Measuring the Arctic’s Haze and Smoke
The Arctic is often perceived as a pristine place, located as it is far from the world’s smokestacks. And yet its atmosphere serves as a receptor for air pollution from the industrial regions of North America, Europe, and Asia. The reddish-brown soup of pollution that peaks in late winter and early spring even has a name—Arctic haze. During the summer, smoke from wildfires joins the mix. This spring and summer, NCAR researchers from ESSL/ACD and EOL are supporting a NASA field project to investigate the chemistry of the Arctic’s lower atmosphere.
- WEATHER
- CLIMATE
- CHEMISTRY
- SOLAR
- EARTH SYSTEM
The Weather Research & Forecasting Model (WRF)
The Community Climate System Model (CCSM)
The Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model (WACCM)
Sun & Space Weather Modeling
Toward an Earth System Model
NCAR News
- Press Release: Tip Sheet: Experts on Hurricane Behavior, Impacts, and Possible Links to Global Warming [read more]
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Hurricane Ike’s Sprawl a Meteorological Mystery
Discovery Channel Online (15 September 2008)
Considering the vastly different dangers posed by [hurricanes], it's natural to wonder just why some storms get so big while others stay small, despite having the same hurricane-force winds. 'This is actually a very important and unresolved question in the science right now,' said senior scientist Chris Davis at the National Center for Atmospheric Research. There are a few theories out there, he said, some of which look to the number of cloud clusters around a storm in its early days. [read more]
- Why grayer equals greener
Philadelphia Daily News (September 10, 2008) - Cheyenne closer to getting computer
Wyoming Tribune Eagle (September 6, 2008) - Human activity, El Nino warming West Antarctic: study
Reuters (August 12, 2008) - Top climate-impacts programme shut
Nature (August 12, 2008) - China readies artillery to avert rain at Olympics, but some think idea's all wet
Palm Beach Post (August 4, 2008)
Today's Seminars
- Role of air-sea interaction in global warming and the muted hydrological
response
Shang-Ping Xie (University of Hawaii)
Tuesday, 16 September 2008 at 3:30 pm. Location: Main Seminar Room
Publications about NCAR
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Education & Outreach
You can explore the atmosphere, too. From the learning games on Kid's Crossing, to Windows to the Universe, there are many ways to learn about our atmosphere, and the scientists who study it.
There are opportunities for undergraduates with internship programs such as SOARS; and Post graduate students should explore the opportunities to work with NCAR, via the Advanced Study Program.
NCAR is committed to developing and enhancing public interest in and understanding of science. Educators can take an online course, view teaching resources by grade-level in the Educator's Bridge, or get up-to-speed on Weather & Climate Basics.