Earth System Research Laboratory: Introduction
![Economic and Greenhouse Gas trends.](news/2009/img/co2chart.s.png)
Greenhouse Gases Continue to Climb Despite Economic Slump
![Solar power facility.](news/2009/img/solar.s.jpg)
Atmospheric ‘Sunshade’ Could Reduce Solar Power Generation
![Tanker ship.](news/2009/img/ship2.s.jpg)
Maritime Shipping Makes Hefty Contribution to Harmful Air Pollution
![Projected changes in precipitation for north america.](news/2009/img/climatefigure.s.png)
New Study Shows Climate Change Largely Irreversible
More ESRL News Stories
NOAA Earth System Research Laboratory
Welcome to the Earth System Research Laboratory. ESRL was formed to pursue a broad and comprehensive understanding of the Earth system. This system comprises many physical, chemical and biological processes that need to be dynamically integrated to better predict their behavior over scales from local to global and periods of minutes to millennia.
At ESRL we are working toward a greater stewardship of the Earth through a number of themes aimed at understanding the Earth system processes and changes.
Understanding atmospheric mechanisms that drive the Earth's climate.
- Aerosols: Climate
- Carbon Cycle Science
- Radiative Forcing of Climate by Non-CO2 Atmospheric Gases
- Surface and Planetary Boundary Layer Processes
Assuring the continuing health and restoration of atmospheric resources.
Improving predictions through expanded climate and weather products.
- The Weather-Climate Connection
- Climate and Water Systems
- Regional and Local-scale Assimilation and Modeling
- Global Weather Assimilation and Modeling
- Hydrometeorological Testbed (HMT)
Advancing national research capabilities.
- Building a Service-based Grid Computing Infrastructure
- Information Systems
- Observing System Design, Simulation, and Demonstration