Chapter 7. Atmospheric and Oceanic Research in CIRES:
Atmospheric Physics, Cryospheric and Polar Processes,and Climate Dynamics
Contributions to Atmospheric Physics
The interest in waves in geophysical media that provided the intellectual
basis for founding CIRES included studies of lower atmospheric wave dynamics
by Franco Einaudi and John Wyngaard. Contributions in the areas
of interactions of internal gravity with mean flows by John Merrill
and with topography by Karl Taylor during terms as visiting fellows laid
the groundwork for subsequent boundary-layer theory projects. For example,
new modeling techniques for simulating atmospheric turbulence
and diffusion over complex terrain using finite-element methods were developed
by CIRES Fellow Robert Sani. Similarly, studies of the radiative
interactions of clouds and aerosols by C.M.R. Platt set the stage for
cloud/climate data analyses and modeling. The work of Stephen Warren
and Carole Hahn on the global climatology of cloudiness was one outgrowth
of these early projects.
The development and growth of the atmospheric and oceanic research
programs at CIRES has been enhanced significantly by their association
with NOAA activities, especially advances in observing systems. One example
from the late 1970s was related to the construction of the Boulder
Atmospheric Observatory (BAO), an instrumented 300 meter tower near
the town of Erie east of Boulder. The legacy of early studies of atmospheric
turbulence and its measurement at the "Boulder Tower" persists
today in the innovative approaches to lower-atmosphere observing systems
using kites and parachutes, pioneered by CIRES Fellow Ben Balsley.
While the BAO offered capabilities for near-surface measurements of
atmospheric turbulence and wave phenomena, it was necessary to develop
remote sensing techniques to investigate these phenomena in the
upper atmosphere. The early studies of wave dynamics (particularly vertical
propagation of gravity waves) and mean-flow interactions at CIRES
led to an interest in these problems by Susan Avery, who joined CIRES as
a visiting fellow in 1982. Her work on the use of high-powered Doppler
radar systems to measure gravity waves and tides in the upper atmosphere
represents one of the first CIRES contributions in the area of remote
sensing distinct from the large NOAA/ERL presence in this field.
Based on these studies and subsequent involvement at CIRES in remote
sensing using various techniques by Rod Frehlich and Michael Hardesty
(lidar), Roger Barry, S.J.S. Khalsa, and Konrad Steffen (passive microwave
instruments), Alex Goetz and Carol Wessman (hyperspectral re-
flectance sensors), and Ben Balsley and Earl Gossard (microwave
profilers), the Institute has become prominent in environmental remote
sensing (chapter six).
The CIRES-NOAA partnership led to a new memorandum of agreement
with NOAA's Environmental Technology Laboratory (1995) that
resulted in a $1 million upgrade of the Platteville Atmospheric
Observatory. This improved facility provides a test bed for advanced instrumentation,
as well as for radar andoptical studies of the atmosphere.
The number of completed projects is so great that no attempt is made
here to summarize each. The scope and depth of the research is documented
in the list of references (a small sample of the total) at the end of
this chapter.
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