Transcript stearnspresentation_hupas_feb10

What is HUPAS?
( Howard University
Program in Atmospheric
Sciences )
Cassie Stearns
February 17, 2010
HU-DC AMS
Howard University Program in
Atmospheric Sciences (HUPAS)
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First program at a historically black college or university (HBCU)
or minority institution (MI) offering the terminal degree in
Atmospheric Sciences
Interdisciplinary program drawing from departments of Chemistry,
Engineering, and Physics
Powerful program with links with and opportunities for students to
be involved in projects with NASA, NCEP, NCAR, and NWS (to
name a few).
It has produced “the largest classes of African-American and
Hispanic PhDs in atmospheric science on record (Williams et al.
2007).”
Since the program began in 1998 HUPAS has awarded (approx):
• 11 MS degrees (including 4 Hispanics and 7 of African descent)
• 12 PhD degrees (2 Hispanic and 10 of African descent)
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To compare: From 1984-2004, the approximate total number of
degrees in atmospheric science (according to NSF data) was:
• 11 (African descent)
• 10 (Hispanic)
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About equal representation of men and women
HUPAS Faculty & Areas of
Research
Professor
Area of Research
Belay Demoz
Desert Research/Cloud Aerosol Physics
Emmanuel Glakpe
Fluid/Thermal Sciences
Gregory Jenkins
Regional modeling in West Africa/Geophysical Fluid Dynamics
Everette Joseph*
(Current Director)
Cloud-Aerosol Interaction, Radiative Forcing and Regional
Modeling/Atmospheric Physics, Radiation, Remote Sensing
Vernon R. Morris
Atmospheric Aerosols and Atmospheric Chemistry
Sonya Smith
Theoretical &Computational Fluid Dynamics
William Stockwell
Chemical Mechanisms & Air Quality Modeling/Atmospheric
Chemistry
Demetrius Venable
Optics/ Radiative Transfer, lidar
Tsann-Wang Yu
Numerical Weather Prediction & Data Assimilation/Atmospheric
Modeling and Numerical Weather Prediction
Areas of Student Research/Interest
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Development of Air Quality models and assimilation of
chemical data
Effects of Saharan dust and/or African biomass burning on
climate, air quality, and tropical cyclogenisis
Measurement and modeling of African Easterly waves and
their large-scale effects
Boundary layer processes
Weather modification due to surface modification
Development of mesoscale models and data assimilation
testing (including participation in the LEAD project).
Engineering of next-generation technology for the remote
measurement of the atmosphere
Resources: Beltsville Research Site
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103-acre campus in
Beltsville, Maryland
Located in an area of with
industrial, rural, and urban
influence
Center for both routine
atmospheric measurements
as well as cite for field
campaigns and a testbed for
new research tools
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1.1 km to Rt.1
R=1 km
1.1 km
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Aerial View of Site
Office/Shops/Labs
Latitude: +39º 03’ 15.117’’
Longitude: -76º 52’ 39.448’’
Elevation: 53.2 m
MDE
Profiler
C-Band Radar
Full Air Quality
31 Met Tower
Radiation Bldg
GPS (X2)
Ceilometer
MWR
All Sky
8-levels T/RH
Raman
ALVIS/AT
STROZ
GLOW
Flux, Net rad
Soil Moisture
Chemistry
PDB
RSOS
CORS
Lidar Laboratory
Resources: Beltsville Research Site
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Field Campaigns with NOAA, NASA
Regular participation in air quality
monitoring programs, upper air
monitoring
Testbed station for new
instruments including wind lidar,
ceilometers, and radiosondes
HU is one of seven stations
selected by WMO to be a
reference Upper Air Station.
Education/Training Support:
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Over 100 students have participated in
training/research at NCAS Beltsville
facility
MS and PhD research
LaRC
Instrumentation workshops
VALidation
Support of instrumentation and
LIDAR
measurement courses
NCAS Weather Camp
Undergraduate Internships
Goddard
Lidar
Observatory
Winds
Field Campaigns: WAVES
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Field campaigns during the Summer of
2006/2007 and winter 2008
Took place in many different locations
simeoultanteously, including NASA-Goddard
Space Flight Center, University of Maryland
Baltimore College, and Howard University
Beltsville Research Site
More than 200 upper air soundings were
conducted in conjunction with other
instruments such as LIDAR; most of the
support was by students
Science Goals:
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Acquire high quality research grade observations of
upper air water vapor and ozone concentration to
validate sensors on the NASA AURA satellite
Characterize water vapor and aerosol variability on
the sub-pixel scale using ground-based Raman LIDAR
systems (stationed at UMBC, Beltsville and GSFC) and
airborne LIDAR measurements.
Study the performance of the NWS Radiosonde
Replacement System with respect to other sensors,
particularly in respect to water vapor measurements
explore the link between soil moisture, PBL-height
and tower flux measurements.
Validate PBL parameterizations in the WRF model by
performing case studies of regional scale
meteorological events combining distributed Raman
lidar measurements of water vapor and aerosols and
WRF modeling.
WAVES 2006
Beltsville, MD
Field Campaigns: PBL Variability
Experiment
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NOAA-NWS Experiment
DC-Baltimore Area, Sept 14-22, 2009
Radiosondes were launched on observation days
every 2 hours from 9am-5pm from RFK stadium,
Howard University main campus and Beltsville
Radiosondes were compared to other instruments
including radars, mircrowave radiometers, and
lidar
Science Goals:
• Investigate the evolution and spatial variability of the
urban atmospheric boundary layer mixing height.
• Evaluate various instrument platforms for detecting
mixed layer height.
Field Campaigns: AEROSE
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Annual Intensive Field Campaign 2005Present
• Generally month-long, takes place in
Spring/Summer
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Conducted aboard the NOAA Ship Ronald
H. Brown in the Atlantic Ocean
Ground (well, ship-deck) and airborne
measurements were taken for water vapor
and chemical conistituents (including ozone
and particulate matter)
Number of MS and PhD Research is based
on this campaign
Main Science Questions:
• (1) What is the extent of change in the
mineral dust and smoke aerosol distributions
as they evolve physically and chemically
during trans-Atlantic transport?
• (2) How do Saharan and sub-Saharan
aerosols affect the regional atmosphere and
ocean during trans-Atlantic transport?
• (3) How can we use these unique aerosol
measurements to resolve or improve remote
sensing algorithms and models of the above
processes?
AEROSE SAL Profile Analyses
From Nalli et al. (2004)
Field Campaigns: AMMA
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Field campaign with NASA/NOAA in
August and September of 2006
Took place in Senegal and Cape Verde
Students and faculty participated by
taking ground and aircraft
measurements and by doing real-time
forecasting
Science Goals:
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What are the effects of African Easterly
Waves on tropical cyclogenisis?
Understand rain characteristics along the
Atlantic coast of West Africa including
intensity, type, duration and microphysical
properties
Examine precipitation systems in transition
between land and ocean areas
Understand the antecedent conditions
(thermodynamic and dynamic) of the
atmosphere associated with the precipitating
systems
Examine the links between Saharan dust
outbreaks and these precipitating systems
Define the uncertainty of rainfall estimates
from the precipitation radar and radiometers
onboard TRMM
Thanks!