NOAA funding research effort to develop global aerosol map NOAA funding research effort to develop global aerosol map A better map of dust in the wind will improve aerosol forecasts The University of Colorado has been awarded funding for development of an improved global map of smoke, dust and other aerosol particles. Read more
Wildfire Temperatures Key to Understanding Smoke Impacts Wildfire Temperatures Key to Understanding Smoke Impacts Findings will help 2019 NOAA-NASA wildfire campaign New research finds the temperature of a wildfire is a better predictor of what’s in the smoke than the type of fuel being burned - a surprising result that will advance a wildfire smoke-modeling tool currently under development. Read more
Studying wildfires by flying directly through the smoke Studying wildfires by flying directly through the smoke We already have the Hurricane Hunters, now make room for the Wildfire Hunters. Understanding how wildfires impact air pollution and the composition of Earth’s atmosphere is critical for communities near and far because smoke from wildfires can travel long distances and have adverse health impacts on citizens. Read more
Ready for summer heat? Study finds new primary driver of extreme Texas heat waves Ready for summer heat? Study finds new primary driver of extreme Texas heat waves Summer is finally here, and that means families all over the country are starting to fire up the barbecue grill and open up their beach chairs. But summertime also means hot weather — sometimes dangerously hot. Read more
Emissions of ozone-destroying chemical controlled by Montreal Protocol rising again, NOAA data shows Emissions of ozone-destroying chemical controlled by Montreal Protocol rising again, NOAA data shows Emissions of one of the chemicals most responsible for the Antarctic ozone hole are on the rise, despite an international treaty that required an end to its production in 2010, a new NOAA study shows. Read more
Study: Pollution from personal care products comparable to tailpipe emissions in Boulder Study: Pollution from personal care products comparable to tailpipe emissions in Boulder A a new NOAA study shows that during the morning rush hour in Boulder, Colorado, the trail of chemical vapors emitted by personal care products that commuters use on their skin and hair are comparable in magnitude to the emissions of major components of vehicle exhaust. Read more
When noise becomes signal 27Jul2018 Read more Last spring, Governor Jerry Brown declared an end to California’s historic drought that caused over $5 billion in damage to agriculture as well as substantial impacts to fisheries, infrastructure, human health, and vegetation. The drought was not only severe, but it also spanned the winters of 2015-16 and 2016-17, which had unusual and unexpected precipitation that affected the drought’s evolution. Read more
NOAA Arctic explorers sail North 8Aug2018 Read more This is the first in a series Dispatches from the Arctic on the August science cruise by NOAA and partner scientists aboard the Coast Guard icebreaker Healy. Today's post is from Emily Osborne, Arctic Program Manager at NOAA Research, Janet Hsiao, NOAA John Knauss Sea Grant fellow, and Meredith LaValley of the Interagency Arctic Research Policy Committee. Read more
NOAA organizes first agency-wide event to advance its modeling enterprise 27Aug2018 Read more NOAA constantly strives to improve its models of our changing environment in order to provide citizens, planners, emergency managers, and other decision makers with reliable information they can act on. But improving models takes time, money, and labor—tight budget constraints make this a challenging feat. Documents to download General Modeling Meeting and Fair Flyer(.pdf, 1.33 MB) - 403 download(s) Read more
Searching for the seeds of Arctic clouds 23Aug2018 Read more Editor's note: This is the sixth in a series Dispatches from the Arctic on the August science cruise by NOAA and partner scientists aboard the Coast Guard icebreaker Healy. Today's post is from Dr. Jessie Cremean of NOAA’s Earth System Research Laboratory. Read more
NOAA and partners test unmanned vehicle to detect harmful algal blooms in Lake Erie 23Aug2018 Read more Scientists from NOAA, the Cooperative Institute for Great Lakes Research, and the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute will launch and test an unmanned underwater vehicle equipped with technology capable of collecting and processing water samples that can be used to track harmful algal blooms in Lake Erie. Read more