WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced a plan to provide $13.5 million for new studies of atmospheric processes aimed at improving the accuracy of today’s Earth system models. Studies are expected to rely on data gathered by the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement user facility, a DOE Office of Science user facility and the world’s leading facility for ground- and air-based observation of atmospheric processes.

“America’s leadership in the atmospheric sciences dates back to the post World War II era, and this effort will sustain that leadership,” said Sharlene Weatherwax, DOE Associate Director of Science for Biological and Environmental Research. “This research will lead to important new insights into the nature of Earth system variability and help strengthen the predictive power of both regional and global models.”

Research will focus on interactions between clouds and aerosols (tiny particles that contribute to cloud formation), atmospheric processes in the high Northern and Southern latitudes, and the development of new data products to render atmospheric data more usable and accessible to researchers.

Studies will include observational research as well as the development of new modeling and analysis approaches based on existing observational data. 

Applications will be open to universities, industry, federal agencies, and nonprofit research institutions. 

The Department anticipates that $13.5 million will be available for this program in Fiscal Year 2020, pending congressional appropriations. Funding is to be awarded competitively, on the basis of peer review, and is expected to be in the form of two- or three-year grants with total award amounts ranging from $200,000 to $900,000, beginning in the current fiscal year.

The DOE Funding Opportunity Announcements, issued by the Office of Biological and Environmental Research within the Department’s Office of Science, is to be found here.