MMM researchers collect data that increase our understanding of mesoscale and microscale processes affecting weather and climate

Why is observational research so important?

Weather and climate models are becoming more accurate in forecasting the weather events and climate impacts that will affect us, thereby helping us to prepare and protect ourselves -- both personally, and as nations involved is vast planning efforts for productivity and defense. However, to continue to improve our models and forecasts, we first must understand the intricate atmospheric, oceanic, and terrestrial processes that interact to create our ever-changing weather and climate conditions. Weather processes can be broken down into microscale processes (very small processes such as how, and under what conditions, raindrops or ice crystals form in the atmosphere) to mesoscale processes (the dynamic interactions involved in thunderstorm or hurricane formation, and predicting their intensity and path). MMM's observational researchers conduct studies of wide-ranging phenomena, from air-sea interactions that cause turbulence in the marine boundary layer, the processes involved in when and if precipitation occurs, to how carbon release from soils accelerates as snowpack declines. These observational results are then used to improve weather and climate modeling within NCAR, and within research institutions across the globe.

For a listing of recent field research that MMM has participated in, see our Field Programs link.

MMM's Ned Patton acts as a spotter as Jim Edson climbs down the array frame of the air-sea interaction tower used during OHATS (Ocean Horizontal Array Turbulence Study). OHATS is part of a long term effort to examine air-sea interaction and in particular the coupling of surface layer turbulence in the marine (atmospheric) boundary layer with the underlying surface gravity wave field (water waves).