Congratulations to the 2011 OAR Employee of the Year Award Winners Congratulations to the 2011 OAR Employee of the Year Award Winners Each year, NOAA’s Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research holds a competition to identify federal employees to receive Employee of the Year Awards. This year, four individuals and one group are honored for promoting excellence in their support of the programs and operations of NOAA Research. Read more
NOAA researcher earns international honor for discoveries on the role of atmospheric water vapor in climate change NOAA researcher earns international honor for discoveries on the role of atmospheric water vapor in climate change Isaac Held, Ph.D., a senior research scientist with the NOAA Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory in Princeton, N.J., will receive the prestigious BBVA Foundation Frontiers of Knowledge Award for his contributions to improved understanding of climate change and atmospheric circulation systems. Read more
Dr. Robert Detrick named new assistant administrator of NOAA research office Dr. Robert Detrick named new assistant administrator of NOAA research office Robert Detrick, Ph.D, a marine geophysicist, was named the new head of NOAA’s research office today. Detrick will start as the assistant administrator of the NOAA Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research on Feb. 13. Read more
Chemical measurements confirm official estimate of Gulf oil spill rate Chemical measurements confirm official estimate of Gulf oil spill rate New NOAA-led analysis shows gases and oil in three chemically different mixtures deep underwater, in the surface slick, in the air By combining detailed chemical measurements in the deep ocean, in the oil slick, and in the air, NOAA scientists and academic colleagues have independently estimated how fast gases and oil were leaking during the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Read more
Colorado mountain hail may disappear in a warmer future Colorado mountain hail may disappear in a warmer future NOAA-led study shows less hail, more rain in region’s future, with possible increase in flood risk Summertime hail could all but disappear from the eastern flank of Colorado’s Rocky Mountains by 2070, according to a new modeling study by scientists from NOAA and several other institutions. Read more
Air pollution levels from Deepwater Horizon spill similar to large urban area Air pollution levels from Deepwater Horizon spill similar to large urban area The amount of air pollutants in the atmospheric plume generated by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill was similar to a large city according to a new NOAA-led study published today in a special issue of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Read more
Atmospheric Rivers: What are they and how does NOAA study them? 11Jan2023 Read more You may have heard of atmospheric rivers in the news lately due to the intense rainfall and flooding along the U.S. West Coast. These naturally occurring air currents can bring both severe disruption and great benefit through the heavy rain and mountain snows that contribute to regional water supply. NOAA studies atmospheric rivers to improve forecasting capabilities as well as to improve our understanding of atmospheric river impacts on communities and the physical environment. Read more
One facility makes a big contribution to Salt Lake’s winter brown cloud 25Jan2023 Read more The 2.4 million people who live along Utah’s Wasatch Front experience some of the most severe winter particulate matter air pollution in the nation. Now, analysis of measurements taken during NOAA research flights in 2017 indicates that emissions from a single source, a magnesium refinery, may be responsible for a significant fraction of the fine particles that form the dense winter brown clouds that hang over Salt Lake City. Read more
When volcanoes roar: protecting the public and tracking long-term climate impacts 5Jan2023 Read more 2022 was a busy year for volcanic eruptions with Hawaii's Mauna Loa and Kilaeau erupting simultaneously, along with Mount Semeru, Indonesia and the Hunga undersea volcano in Tonga. While the United States Geological Survey is the primary agency that monitors volcanic activity in the United States, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) oversees safety systems for tsunamis and other volcano-related threats, as well as studies the impact of volcanic gasses on our global climate. Read more
Towering wildfire clouds have big impacts on the stratosphere 23Feb2023 Read more Smoke from wildfire-generated thunderstorms has greater impacts on the stratosphre, lasts longer and acts differently than scientists previously thought, a new research paper in the journal Science concludes. Read more
Low ice on the Great Lakes this winter 17Feb2023 Read more Ice coverage has reached a record low in the Great Lakes for this time of year. Read more