Research Handouts
![View PDF](img/psl.png)
About the Physical Sciences Laboratory
PSL analyzes and diagnoses physical processes that influence weather and climate, to better understand and make predictions on global-to-local scales.
![View PDF](img/theme-marine-resource-mgt.png)
Physical Science for Marine Resource Management
Marine resources and ecosystems are important to a variety of sectors. There is a need for improved monitoring and prediction of weather, climate, and water conditions impacting the marine environment.
![View PDF](img/theme-water-resource-mgt.png)
Physical Science for Water Resource Management
The stress of too little and too much water can be destabilizing at local, regional and national scales. Accurate water monitoring and predictions are critical.
![View PDF](img/theme-s2s-prediction.png)
Physical Science for Predicting S2S Extremes
Improved prediction of subseasonal-to-seasonal (S2S) extreme weather and climate is a high priority to help NOAA meet mission responsibilities.
![View PDF](img/efrep.png)
21st Century Observations and Modeling in CA
Since 2008, ESRL has partnered with the California Department of Water Resources to address water resource and flood protection issues.
![View PDF](img/aqpi.png)
Advanced Quantitative Precipitation Information (AQPI)
Improving monitoring and forecasting of precipitation and cloastal floding in the San Francisco Bay area.
![View PDF](img/atmos_rivers.png)
Atmospheric Rivers
Narrow corridors of concentrated moisture transported in the atmosphere are a key process linking weather and climate.
![View PDF](img/atomic.png)
Atlantic Tradewind Ocean–Atmosphere Mesoscale Interaction Campaign (ATOMIC)
A field experiment to investigate atmospheric shallow convection and air-sea interaction in the tropical North Atlantic east of Barbados.
![View PDF](img/calwater.png)
CalWater 2015
A study of phenomena that play key roles in water supply availability and extreme precipitation events along the US West Coast.
![View PDF](img/ca-drought.png)
Causes/Predictability of 2011-2014 CA Drought
According to this NOAA-sponsored study, natural oceanic and atmospheric patterns are the primary drivers behind California's ongoing drought.
![View PDF](img/co-nm-reps.png)
CO—NM Regional Extreme Precipitation Study
Improving extreme precipitation estimates to enhance dam safety and community resilience.
![View PDF](img/nwm-soil-moisture.png)
Development of NWM Soil Moisture Products
Prototype products being designed to inform/enhance NOAA drought monitoring and outlooks.
![View PDF](img/enrr.png)
El Niño Rapid Response Field Campaign
An unprecedented field campaign in 2016 to study El Niño while the event was ongoing.
![View PDF](img/upper-co-drought.png)
Explaining Climate Extremes of 2017-18 Upper CO Drought
A preliminary assessment of Colorado River Basin snowpack evolution during 2017-18.
![View PDF](img/2011-mrb-flood.png)
Explaining Climate Extremes of 2011 MRB Flood
A study of meteorological causes for the Missouri River Basin flood event to better understand its causes and predictability.
![View PDF](img/2016-mrb-hydro-extremes.png)
Explaining Hydrologic Extremes in the Upper MRB
Studying the physical causes for the recent increase of high annual runoff in the Upper Missouri River Basin and present their findings in a new assessment report.
![View PDF](img/sea-ice-forecasting.png)
Experimental Sea Ice Forecasts
PSL produces 0-10 day forecast guidance products during the fall freeze-up season (Sep-Nov) from a coupled model, which takes
![View PDF](img/firo.png)
Forecast-Informed Reservoir Operations
FIRO is a management strategy that uses data from watershed monitoring and modern weather and water forecasting to help water managers selectively retain or release water from reservoirs in a manner that reflects current and forecasted conditions.
![View PDF](img/fews-net.png)
Famine Early Warning Systems Network
FEWS NET works with NOAA and other U.S. government science agencies, national government ministries, international agencies and nongovernmental organizations to produce food security outlooks.
![View PDF](img/hurricane-intensity.png)
Improving Hurricane Intensity Forecasts
Studies to develop, test and improve measurements of air-sea momentum & heat fluxes to help better predict hurricane track and intensity.
![View PDF](img/wfip2_hydro-fip.png)
Improving Wind and Extreme Precipitation Forecasting
An overview the Wind Forecast Improvement Project (WFIP) and Hydromet Forecast Improvement Project (Hydro-FIP).
![View PDF](img/attribution.png)
Interpreting Weather and Climate Conditions
Identifying the major sources of observed climate and weather patterns.
![View PDF](img/2011-mrb-fcst-skill.png)
MRB Seasonal Precip Forecasts
An assessment of operational and experimental forecast system skill and reliability in the Missouri River Basin.
![View PDF](img/mosaic.png)
Multidisciplinary Drifting Observatory for the Study of Arctic Climate (MOSAiC)
A ship-based ice camp that will drift for one year with central Arctic ice pack to collect coordinated observations.
![View PDF](img/psd-soda.png)
Studying the Coupled Arctic System
PSL contributes to the Stratified Ocean Dynamics of the Arctic (SODA) experiment.