Tying images of a powerful ice storm to scenes of downed power lines and darkened homes does not take a great leap of imagination - but the science of their interrelationships is more complex. Computer software exists to predict weather, and other types explore vulnerabilities of infrastructure, but are they working together well? Can the public see the benefits of their science investments? These are among the issues to be addressed at a scientific workshop in Santa Fe February 27 and 28.
Los Alamos National Laboratory and the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) are for the first time bringing together scientists and engineers working on infrastructure-impact modeling with atmospheric scientists specializing in weather extremes such as hurricanes, ice storms, and extreme precipitation. The workshop will document requirements, build collaborations, identify research gaps, and propose new research -- all ultimately aimed at restoring communities' lights, heat, phones and natural gas after a major weather event.
"We are excited by the quality and diversity of the participants and expect that the workshop will help the two communities better form collaborations," said Brian Bush, one of the conference organizers and a member of the Los Alamos Decision Applications Division who is also a visiting scientist at NCAR.
"We're bringing together the atmospheric science and infrastructure impacts communities to map out improved forecasting and planning. The current state of science and engineering in these two fields is ripe for synergistic collaborations that can broadly benefit many sectors of society."
The workshop participants will produce a paper on suggesting the next generation of computer models for understanding the infrastructure effects of extreme wind, extreme precipitation, fire-related weather, and biochemical dispersion to help guide future research areas and investments.
The workshop will be held at the La Fonda Hotel, 100 E. San Francisco St. in Santa Fe. Read more online at the conference Web site at http://www.rap.ucar.edu/~bwb/weather-impacts/ online.
Los Alamos National Laboratory, a multidisciplinary research institution engaged in strategic science on behalf of national security, is operated by Los Alamos National Security, LLC, a team composed of Bechtel National, the University of California, The Babcock & Wilcox Company, and the Washington Division of URS for the Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration.
Los Alamos enhances national security by ensuring the safety and reliability of the U.S. nuclear stockpile, developing technologies to reduce threats from weapons of mass destruction, and solving problems related to energy, environment, infrastructure, health, and global security concerns.