[Federal Register: December 19, 2002 (Volume 67, Number 244)]
[Notices]
[Page 77755-77758]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr19de02-34]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Office of Science Financial Assistance Program Notice 03-09;
Environmental
Meteorology Component of the Atmospheric Science Program (ASP),
With focus on Vertical Transport and Mixing
AGENCY: Department of Energy.
ACTION: Notice inviting grant applications.
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SUMMARY: The Office of Biological and Environmental Research (OBER) of
the Office of Science (SC), U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), hereby
announces its interest in receiving applications for the Environmental
Meteorology Component of the Atmospheric Science Program (ASP), for the
Vertical Transport and Mixing (VTMX) Science Team. The research program
supports the Department's Climate Change Research Program, the U.S.
Global Change Research Program, and the Administration's goals to
understand the meteorological processes associated with air quality and
climate change.
DATES: Applicants are strongly encouraged to submit a brief
preapplication for programmatic review. The deadline for submission of
preapplications isApril 28, 2003. Early submission of preapplications
is encouraged.
Formal applications submitted in response to this notice must be
received by 4:30 p.m., E.D.T., June 3, 2003, to be accepted for merit
review and to permit timely consideration for award in Fiscal Year
2004. The applicants are also asked to submit an electronic copy of the
abstract in ASCII format by 4:30 p.m., E.D.T., June 3, 2003, to:
Rick.petty@science.doe.gov. The abstract should include the following
information: PI and co-PIs, their institutions, and a brief summary of
research.
Applicants are urged to review abstracts of proposals from DOE
Laboratory scientists that have been tentatively selected for funding.
Those selected proposals will be located at: http://www.science.doe.gov/ober/GC/atsi.html
by March 26, 2003. Additionally,
The VTMX Science Plan can be viewed at: http://www.pnl.gov/VTMX.
Applications that are collaborative with or complementary to DOE
Laboratory proposals are strongly encouraged.
ADDRESSES: Preapplications referencing Program Notice 03-09 may be sent
to the program contact, Rickey Petty, via electronic mail
at:Rick.petty@science.doe.gov or by U.S. Postal Service Mail at Climate
Change Research Division, Office of Biological and Environmental
Research, Office of Science, SC-74/Germantown Building, U.S. Department
of Energy, 1000Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20585-1290.
Electronic mail is recommended to speed up response to preapplications.
Formal applications in response to this solicitation are to be
electronically submitted by an authorized institutional business
official through DOE's Industry Interactive Procurement System (IIPS)
at: http://e-center.doe.gov/. IIPS provides for the posting of
solicitations and receipt of applications in a paperless environment
via the Internet. In order to submit applications through IIPS your
business official will need to register at the IIPS Web site. The
Office of Science will include attachments as part of this notice that
provide the appropriate forms in PDF fillable format that are to be
submitted through IIPS. Color images should be submitted in IIPS as a
separate file in PDF format and identified as such. These images should
be kept to a minimum due to the limitations of reproducing them. They
should be numbered and referred to in the body of the technical
scientific application as Color image 1, Color image 2, etc. Questions
regarding the operation of IIPS may be E-mailed to the IIPS Help Desk
at: HelpDesk@e-center.doe.gov or you may call the help desk at: (800)
683-0751. Further information on the use of IIPS by the Office of
Science is available at: http://www.sc.doe.gov/production/grants/grants.html
.
If you are unable to submit an application through IIPS please
contact the Grants and Contracts Division, Office of Science at: (301)
903-5212 in order to gain assistance for submission through IIPS or to
receive special approval and instructions on how to submit printed
applications.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rickey Petty, Climate Change Research
Division, Office of Biological and Environmental Research, Office of
Science, SC-74/Germantown Building, U.S. Department of Energy, 1000
Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20585-1290, telephone: (301)
903-5548, E-mail: Rick.petty@science.doe.gov, fax: (301) 903-8519. The
full text of Program Notice 03-09 is available via the Internet using
the following Web site address: http://www.sc.doe.gov/production/grants/grants.html
.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The scope of the research to be supported
under this notice is the investigation of atmospheric vertical
transport and mixing processes. The geographic focus for this research
will be on urban areas affected by nearby elevated terrain, with an
emphasis on studies of stably stratified conditions, periods with weak
or intermittent turbulence, and morning and evening transition periods.
Background
The measurement and modeling of vertical transport and mixing
processes in the lower atmosphere are of fundamental importance to
modeling air quality, climate and weather. The upward and downward
movements of air parcels in stable and residual layers of the
atmosphere and the interactions between adjacent layers are
particularly difficult processes to measure and characterize, and
significant difficulties also exist in describing the behavior of the
atmosphere during morning and evening transition periods. Limited
understanding of the effects of heterogeneous land surfaces and complex
terrain further limits our
[[Page 77756]]
ability to understand and simulate vertical transport and mixing
processes.
To address these issues a VTMX science team carried out field
campaign in the Salt Lake City region in October 2000. These
observations provide a data base for use in modeling and analytical
studies, including mesoscale modeling, large eddy simulations (LES),
direct numerical simulations (DNS), and conceptual modeling. Additional
information on VTMX activities up to the present time may be found at:
http://www.pnl.gov/VTMX/.
Although advances have been and continue to be made in
understanding and modeling vertical transport and mixing, the basic
VTMX goals remain the same: to increase understanding of the mechanisms
responsible for vertical transport and mixing; to improve our ability
to measure and quantify the processes that account for VTMX; and to
capture the improved understanding in vertical transport and mixing
models.
Our particularly interest in realizing these objectives is to
improve the ability to accurately simulate and predict the effects of
energy-related emissions on air quality in urban regions affected by
adjacent elevated terrain (e.g., urban basins or valleys). The emphasis
in this program area of the Atmospheric Science Program is on vertical
transport and mixing processes in stably stratified conditions, in
conditions of weak or intermittent turbulence, and during morning and
evening transition periods.
A significant component of this program revolves around
observations and data analyses from cooperative field measurement
campaigns in urban basins or valleys. Depending on the availability of
funds, the next major field experiment will most likely occur during
the fall of 2004, with the Salt Lake City region again being the most
likely study area.
Horizontal scales of interest are on the order of two hundred
kilometers or less. Vertical scales will depend on the height of the
daytime mixed layer and the elevation of any nearby terrain and will
generally be on the order of a few kilometers or less. It is realized,
of course, that processes involving larger scales may have to be taken
into account for a full understanding of smaller-scale ones.
Categories
Applications are solicited in one or more of three principal
categories: (1) Analysis of Existing Data Sets; (2) Field Experiments;
and (3) Improvement of VTMX Models and Modeling Approaches. Prospective
investigators should explicitly specify what category or categories are
addressed by their proposed research. Individuals or groups intending
to participate in field experiments should describe what measurements
they intend to make and what instruments will be used to make them.
Those intending to analyze data from one or more instruments or who
will use data in numerical or conceptual modeling should specify what
data are required for their purposes.
Category 1. Analysis of Existing Data Sets
In addition to the data available from the October 2000 Salt Lake
City VTMX field experiment, there are a large number of data sets
collected in other field campaigns that may be useful in the study of
vertical transport and mixing processes. Analyses or other use of these
data may directly contribute to the realization of the program's goals,
and they may also help to identify processes to be studied in future
field experiments and in the design of those experiments. Such analyses
are particularly useful if comparisons or contrasts with findings from
the next VTMX field experiments can then be made.
Category 2. Field Experiments
One or more experiments designed explicitly to investigate selected
vertical transport or exchange mechanisms will be conducted during the
course of the new funding cycle for this program. Measurements will
include observations of surface meteorological conditions; vertical
profiles of wind velocity, temperature, and humidity; turbulence;
surface energy balance, and other quantities that may be relevant to
the study of vertical transport or exchange. Measurements and
subsequent analysis of the data, in one or more of these areas is
encouraged. Novel approaches for obtaining and interpreting remote
sensing data, combining results from a variety of instrument platforms,
and relating these data to quantities that can be calculated using
numerical models are also areas of research that are encouraged.
Instrument development is not anticipated to be an area of research
supported by this program. To the extent that the novel use of an
instrument might provide crucial measurements for field experiments, or
that such experiments might provide an opportunity to apply new
instrument technologies developed under other programs, however,
support for such activities will be considered.
Category 3. Improvement of VTMX Models and Modeling Approaches
Parameterizations of vertical transport or exchange are often based
on assumptions about turbulence that are not applicable in all
circumstances or on results of simulations that have been ``tuned'' to
match a particular data set. In many cases the choice of parameter
values is left to the individual investigator. Numerical models are
particularly prone to failure as the atmosphere becomes more stable and
in areas where topographic and thermal forcing are significant. New
conceptual or numerical approaches may then be required to effect
significant improvements in model performance. There is a need not only
for further developments in numerical and conceptual modeling but also
for more systematic testing and evaluation of the parameterizations and
assumptions in these models. Whenever possible, such testing should be
based on field data and not simply on model vs. model comparisons.
Science Issues
Relevant science issues that are of interest for this solicitation
include:
[sbull] Identification of the fundamental processes that control
vertical transport for stable and transition boundary layers.
[sbull] Measurements to identify and quantify these processes.
[sbull] Simulation and prediction of momentum, heat, and moisture
surface fluxes in a stratified atmosphere with multiple layers.
[sbull] Improving numerical simulations and forecasts of vertical
transport and mixing during stable and transition periods.
[sbull] Develop formulations for describing vertical diffusion in
stable air.
[sbull] Improving understanding of how pollutants move through
residual layers above stable or convective boundary layers.
[sbull] Quantifying the sensitivity of current local dispersion
model predictions to variations in the treatment of vertical
diffusivity and turbulence, and identify what limits our ability to
forecast vertical transport in current numerical models.
[sbull] Quantify the effects of the thermal and roughness
properties of urban areas on the vertical structure of the boundary
layer.
[sbull] Determine the nature of (and where possible, quantify) the
interaction of synoptic or terrain-induced flows with cold air pools in
basins, and assess how such flows affect the formation and erosion of
those pools and the dispersion of pollutants in them.
[[Page 77757]]
[sbull] Improve estimates of surface flux energy budgets.
Programmatic Issues
Collaboration among funded investigators is strongly encouraged for
VTMX. Scientists from non-DOE laboratories and universities are
encouraged to explore potential areas of collaboration with scientists
from one or more of the DOE laboratories by reviewing the abstracts of
proposals from the DOE laboratory scientists that have been identified
as eligible for funding. The abstracts will be posted at: http://www.science.doe.gov/aber/GC/atsi.html
approximately March 26, 2003, two
months after the closing date of the Lab announcement. It is for this
reason that the submission dates for DOE and non-DOE scientists are
staggered. Alternatively, non-DOE participants may identify gaps in the
research that are not covered by DOE laboratory approved proposals.
Note that while independent investigations are anticipated in this
program, it is important to keep the programmatic scope (vertical
transport and mixing), geographic focus (urban basins or valleys), and
areas of emphasis (stable conditions, conditions of weak or
intermittent turbulence, and morning and evening transition periods) in
mind when proposing and pursuing a course of investigation. Many of the
principal research activities of this program will be associated with
one or more cooperative major field measurement campaigns conducted by
the VTMX community and with the subsequent analysis of the data
collected in them. In addition, efforts will be made to encourage
scientists funded by other agencies to participate in field experiments
and to share data and results with researchers in this program. An
annual meeting of program participants and other interested parties is
anticipated, and investigators funded under VTMX should plan to attend.
Additionally, favorable consideration will be provided to those
preapplications that show synergism with other research components of
the Atmospheric Science Program, i.e., Atmospheric Chemistry and
Tropospheric Aerosols.
Educational Opportunities
Opportunities exist for the financial support of undergraduate and
graduate students wishing to participate in this program through the
Department of Energy's Global Change Education Program. Information can
be obtained at: http://www.atmos.anl.gov/GCEP/ on the Internet.
Collaboration
Proposers are strongly encouraged to collaborate with researchers
in other institutions, where appropriate, and to include cost sharing
wherever feasible. Additional information on collaboration is available
in the Application Guide for the Office of Science Financial Assistance
Program that is available via the World Wide Web at: http://www.sc.doe.gov/production/grants/Colab.html
.
Program Funding
It is anticipated that approximately $1 million in first-year
funding will be available for multiple awards to be made early in
Fiscal Year 2004 in the categories described above, contingent upon
availability of appropriated funds. Applicants may request project
support up to four years, with out-year support contingent on
availability of appropriated funds, progress of the research, and
programmatic needs. The number of awards and range of funding will
depend on the number of applications received and selected for award.
Annual budgets are expected to range from $60,000 to $200,000 in total
costs.
Preapplications
Potential applicants are strongly encouraged to submit a brief
preapplication that consists of two to three pages of narrative
describing the research objectives and methods of accomplishment. These
will be reviewed relative to the scope and research needs of the EMP
Program. Principal Investigator (PI) address, telephone number, fax
number and e-mail address are required parts of the preapplication. A
response to each preapplication discussing the potential program
relevance of a formal application generally will be communicated within
15 days of receipt. Use of electronic mail for this communication will
decrease the possibility of delay in responses to the preapplication.
The deadline for the submission of preapplications is April 28,
2003. Applicants should allow sufficient time so that the formal
application deadline is met. SC's preapplication policy can be found on
SC's Grants and Contracts Web Site at: http://www.sc.doe.gov/production/grants/preapp.html
.
Merit Review
Applications will be subjected to formal merit review (peer review)
and will be evaluated against the following evaluation criteria which
are listed in descending order of importance codified at 10 CFR
605.10(d):
1. Scientific and/or Technical Merit of the Project;
2. Appropriateness of the Proposed Method or Approach;
3. Competency of Applicant's Personnel and Adequacy of Proposed
Resources;
4. Reasonableness and Appropriateness of the Proposed Budget.
The evaluation process will include program policy factors such as
the relevance of the proposed research to the terms of the announcement
and the agency's programmatic needs. Note, external peer reviewers are
selected with regard to both their scientific expertise and the absence
of conflict-of-interest issues. Both federal and non-federal reviewers
will often be used, and submission of an application constitutes
agreement that this is acceptable to the investigator(s) and the
submitting institution.
Submission Information
Information about development and submission of applications,
eligibility, limitations, evaluation, selection process, and other
policies and procedures may be found in 10 CFR part 605 and in the
Application Guide for the Office of Science Financial Assistance
Program. Electronic access to the Guide and required forms is made
available via the World Wide Web at: http://www.sc.doe.gov/production/grants/grants.html.
DOE is under no obligation to pay for any costs
associated with the preparation or submission of applications if an
award is not made.
The technical portion of the application should not exceed twenty-
five double-spaced pages and should include detailed budgets for each
year of support requested. Awards are expected to begin on or about
November 1, 2004. On the grant face page, form DOE F 4650.2, in block
15, also provide the PI's phone number, fax number and e-mail address.
Attachments include curriculum vitae, a listing of all current and
pending federal support, and letters of intent when collaborations are
part of the proposed research. Curriculum vitae should be submitted in
a form similar to that of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) or
the National Science Foundation
(NSF) (two to three pages). The applicants are asked to submit an
electronic copy of the abstract in ASCII format to:
Rick.petty@science.doe.gov. The abstract should include the following
information: PI and co-PIs, their institutions, and a brief summary of
research.
[[Page 77758]]
The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number for this program
is 81.049, and the solicitation control number is ERFAP 10 CFR part
605.
Issued in Washington DC, on December 10, 2002.
John Rodney Clark,
Associate Director of Science for Resource Management.
[FR Doc. 02-31931 Filed 12-18-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P