NCAR

NCAR
Name	National Center for Atmospheric Research
Caption	The Mesa Laboratory in Boulder, Colorado, designed by I. M. Pei.
Established	1960
Type	Federally Funded Research and Development Center
Headquarters	Boulder, Colorado, U.S.
Director	Everette Joseph
Affiliation	University Corporation for Atmospheric Research
Website	ncar.ucar.edu

NCAR. The National Center for Atmospheric Research is a prominent Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC) managed by the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR) and primarily funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF). Its mission is to understand the behavior of the atmosphere and related physical, biological, and social systems, providing the research facilities, tools, and community leadership essential for advancing the atmospheric sciences. Headquartered in Boulder, Colorado, with additional major facilities in Wyoming and Alaska, it serves as a pivotal hub for collaborative research involving universities, government agencies, and the international scientific community.

History and establishment

The center was conceived in the late 1950s following recommendations from the National Academy of Sciences' Committee on Meteorology, which highlighted a need for a centralized national laboratory to elevate the United States' capabilities in atmospheric science. Established in 1960, its founding was spearheaded by the NSF, with UCAR formed as a consortium of universities to manage the new entity. The iconic Mesa Laboratory, designed by renowned architect I. M. Pei, opened in 1966 and became its symbolic home. Early leadership under directors like Walter Orr Roberts was instrumental in shaping its collaborative, university-focused ethos and establishing its initial research directions in numerical weather prediction, solar-terrestrial interactions, and climate science.

Research and scientific focus

Core research spans the fundamental processes of the Earth system, with major programs in weather and climate dynamics, atmospheric chemistry, solar physics, and the impacts of climate change. Scientists develop and utilize advanced computer models, including the flagship Community Earth System Model (CESM), to simulate and predict phenomena from tornadoes to global climate patterns over centuries. A significant focus is on severe weather research, improving forecasts for events like hurricanes and wildfires, and on understanding the hydrological cycle and air quality. Research also extends to the Sun's influence on space weather and its effects on telecommunications and power grids.

Major facilities and centers

The center operates several world-class observational and computational facilities. The Mesa Laboratory houses administrative offices and several research labs. The Foothills Laboratory campus is a primary center for computational science and engineering. The NCAR-Wyoming Supercomputing Center (NWSC) in Cheyenne, Wyoming, home to powerful supercomputers like Cheyenne and the upcoming Derecho, provides essential high-performance computing resources for the U.S. research community. The High Altitude Observatory (HAO) conducts research on the Sun and Earth's upper atmosphere. The Research Aviation Facility (RAF) maintains and operates aircraft like the NSF/NCAR C-130 and Gulfstream V for atmospheric field campaigns.

Key projects and contributions

It has been central to major national and international research initiatives. The development of the Weather Research and Forecasting model (WRF) is one of the most widely used atmospheric simulation systems globally. The center plays a leading role in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) assessments, providing critical climate model data. Historical field projects, such as the Winter Storms and Pacific Atmospheric Rivers (WISPAR) experiment and the Deep Convective Clouds and Chemistry (DC3) project, have revolutionized understanding of storm systems and atmospheric chemistry. Its instruments, like S-Pol radar, are deployed worldwide to study precipitation and cloud microphysics.

Organizational structure and funding

As an FFRDC, it is managed by UCAR under a cooperative agreement with the NSF, which provides the majority of its core funding. Additional support comes from other federal agencies like NASA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and the Department of Energy (DOE), as well as state and international partners. Research is organized into laboratories and programs, including the Climate and Global Dynamics Laboratory, the Atmospheric Chemistry Observations & Modeling Laboratory, and the Computational & Information Systems Laboratory. This structure is designed to foster interdisciplinary collaboration both within the center and with the broader university community.

Education and public outreach

A core component of its mission is training the next generation of scientists and enhancing public understanding of science. It hosts a robust undergraduate and graduate internship program, the Significant Opportunities in Atmospheric Research and Science (SOARS), aimed at increasing diversity in the geosciences. The center offers extensive resources for university educators and students, including open access to its software models and datasets. Public outreach is conducted through tours of its facilities, interactive exhibits at the Mesa Laboratory, and online educational materials that translate complex research on topics like climate change and extreme weather for general audiences.

Category:Research institutes in the United States Category:Atmospheric research organizations Category:Buildings and structures in Boulder, Colorado