ARL, part of the Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric
Research, is a distributed Laboratory with its headquarters in
Silver Spring, Maryland and divisions in Idaho Falls, Idaho, Las Vegas,
Nevada, and Oak Ridge, Tennessee.
ARL Headquarters develops and improves dispersion and air
quality models; collects research-grade air quality and deposition
measurements of select air quality parameters, and provides
climate-relevant datasets and assessments of climate variability
and trends. Some products developed by ARL augment the operational
product suites of the NOAA service-oriented line offices,
particularly the National Weather Service. Other products are
state-of-the art, web-based assessment tools that serve university
researchers, federal research agencies, and international
partners.
ATDD concentrates on air quality and climate-related research
directed toward issues of national and global importance. In their
air quality research, ATDD develops better methods for predicting
transport, dispersion, and air-surface exchange of air pollutants;
applies these methods to increasingly realistic situations including
nighttime cases, complex terrain, and non-uniform surfaces; and
tests these methods against data to determine the confidence limits
and uncertainties which apply. ATDD's climate-related research
includes reference-grade measurement of climate change and related
physical and chemical processes.
FRD conducts experiments to better understand atmospheric
transport and dispersion, improves both the theory and models of
air-surface exchange processes, and develops new technologies and
instrumentation to carry out its mission. In a cooperative
agreement with the Department of Energy, the Division supports the
Idaho National Laboratory with meteorological forecasts and
emergency response capabilities.
SORD conducts basic and applied research in atmospheric
dispersion, particle re-suspension, particle deposition, and the
effects of airborne particles on atmospheric opacity. The Division
supports issues of mutual interest to NOAA and the Department of
Energy that relate to the Nevada Test Site, its atmospheric
environment, and its emergency preparedness and emergency response
activities.
