What is HUPAS? What is HUPAS? ( Howard University Program in Atmospheric Sciences )

1. What is HUPAS?What is HUPAS?( Howard University Program in Atmospheric Sciences ) Cassie Stearns February 17, 2010 HU-DC AMS

2. Howard University Program in Atmospheric Sciences (HUPAS) • 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) • To compare: From 1984-2004, the approximate total number of degrees in atmospheric science (according to NSF data) was: • 11 (African descent) • 10 (Hispanic) • About equal representation of men and women

3. HUPAS Faculty & Areas of Research

4. Areas of Student Research/Interest • 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

5. x 1.1 km to Rt.1 R=1 km x 1.1 km Resources: Beltsville Research Site • 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

6. Aerial View of Site Office/Shops/Labs Latitude: +39º 03’ 15.117’’ Longitude: -76º 52’ 39.448’’ Elevation: 53.2 m Profiler MDE C-Band Radar Full Air Quality Radiation Bldg GPS (X2) Ceilometer MWR All Sky 31 Met Tower 8-levels T/RH Flux, Net rad Soil Moisture Chemistry Raman ALVIS/AT STROZ GLOW PDB RSOS CORS Lidar Laboratory

7. Resources: Beltsville Research Site • 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: • Over 100 students have participated in training/research at NCAS Beltsville facility • MS and PhD research • Instrumentation workshops • Support of instrumentation and measurement courses • NCAS Weather Camp • Undergraduate Internships Goddard Lidar Observatory Winds NASA GSFC GLOW LaRC VALidation LIDAR

8. Field Campaigns: WAVES • 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: • 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

9. Field Campaigns: PBL Variability Experiment • 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.

10. Field Campaigns: AEROSE • Annual Intensive Field Campaign 2005-Present • Generally month-long, takes place in Spring/Summer • 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?

11. AEROSE SAL Profile Analyses From Nalli et al. (2004)

12. Field Campaigns: AMMA • 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: • 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

13. Thanks!