What is HUPAS?What is HUPAS?

What is HUPAS?What is HUPAS?( Howard University ( Howard University

Program in Atmospheric Program in Atmospheric Sciences )Sciences )Cassie StearnsCassie Stearns

February 17, 2010February 17, 2010

HU-DC AMSHU-DC AMS

Howard University Program in Howard University Program in Atmospheric Sciences (HUPAS)Atmospheric Sciences (HUPAS)

First program at a historically black college or university (HBCU) or First program at a historically black college or university (HBCU) or minority institution (MI) offering the terminal degree in minority institution (MI) offering the terminal degree in Atmospheric Sciences Atmospheric Sciences

Interdisciplinary program drawing from departments of Chemistry, Interdisciplinary program drawing from departments of Chemistry, Engineering, and PhysicsEngineering, and Physics

Powerful program with links with and opportunities for students to Powerful program with links with and opportunities for students to be involved in projects with NASA, NCEP, NCAR, and NWS (to be involved in projects with NASA, NCEP, NCAR, and NWS (to name a few).name a few).

It has produced “the largest classes of African-American and It has produced “the largest classes of African-American and Hispanic PhDs in atmospheric science on record (Williams et al. Hispanic PhDs in atmospheric science on record (Williams et al. 2007).”2007).”

Since the program began in 1998 HUPAS has awarded (approx):Since the program began in 1998 HUPAS has awarded (approx):• 11 MS degrees (including 4 Hispanics and 7 of African descent) 11 MS degrees (including 4 Hispanics and 7 of African descent) • 12 PhD degrees (2 Hispanic and 10 of African descent)12 PhD degrees (2 Hispanic and 10 of African descent)

To compare: From 1984-2004, the approximate total number of To compare: From 1984-2004, the approximate total number of degrees in atmospheric science (according to NSF data) was:degrees in atmospheric science (according to NSF data) was:• 11 (African descent)11 (African descent)• 10 (Hispanic)10 (Hispanic)

About equal representation of men and womenAbout equal representation of men and women

HUPAS Faculty & Areas of HUPAS Faculty & Areas of ResearchResearch

ProfessorProfessor Area of ResearchArea of Research

Belay DemozBelay Demoz Desert Research/Cloud Aerosol Physics Desert Research/Cloud Aerosol Physics

Emmanuel GlakpeEmmanuel Glakpe Fluid/Thermal Sciences Fluid/Thermal Sciences

Gregory JenkinsGregory Jenkins Regional modeling in West Africa/Geophysical Fluid DynamicsRegional modeling in West Africa/Geophysical Fluid Dynamics

Everette JosephEverette Joseph**

(Current Director)(Current Director)Cloud-Aerosol Interaction, Radiative Forcing and Regional Cloud-Aerosol Interaction, Radiative Forcing and Regional Modeling/Atmospheric Physics, Radiation, Remote SensingModeling/Atmospheric Physics, Radiation, Remote Sensing

Vernon R. MorrisVernon R. Morris Atmospheric Aerosols and Atmospheric ChemistryAtmospheric Aerosols and Atmospheric Chemistry

Sonya SmithSonya Smith Theoretical &Computational Fluid Dynamics Theoretical &Computational Fluid Dynamics

William StockwellWilliam Stockwell Chemical Mechanisms & Air Quality Modeling/Atmospheric Chemical Mechanisms & Air Quality Modeling/Atmospheric Chemistry Chemistry

Demetrius VenableDemetrius Venable Optics/ Radiative Transfer, lidarOptics/ Radiative Transfer, lidar

Tsann-Wang YuTsann-Wang Yu Numerical Weather Prediction & Data Assimilation/Atmospheric Numerical Weather Prediction & Data Assimilation/Atmospheric Modeling and Numerical Weather PredictionModeling and Numerical Weather Prediction

Areas of Student Research/InterestAreas of Student Research/Interest

Development of Air Quality models and assimilation of Development of Air Quality models and assimilation of chemical data chemical data

Effects of Saharan dust and/or African biomass burning on Effects of Saharan dust and/or African biomass burning on climate, air quality, and tropical cyclogenisisclimate, air quality, and tropical cyclogenisis

Measurement and modeling of African Easterly waves and Measurement and modeling of African Easterly waves and their large-scale effectstheir large-scale effects

Boundary layer processesBoundary layer processes Weather modification due to surface modificationWeather modification due to surface modification Development of mesoscale models and data assimilation Development of mesoscale models and data assimilation

testing (including participation in the LEAD project).testing (including participation in the LEAD project). Engineering of next-generation technology for the remote Engineering of next-generation technology for the remote

measurement of the atmospheremeasurement of the atmosphere

Resources: Beltsville Research SiteResources: Beltsville Research Site 103-acre campus in 103-acre campus in

Beltsville, Maryland Beltsville, Maryland Located in an area of with Located in an area of with

industrial, rural, and urban industrial, rural, and urban influenceinfluence

Center for both routine Center for both routine atmospheric measurements atmospheric measurements as well as cite for field as well as cite for field campaigns and a testbed for campaigns and a testbed for new research toolsnew research tools

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Latitude: +39º 03’ 15.117’’Longitude: -76º 52’ 39.448’’

Elevation: 53.2 m

Radiation BldgGPS (X2)CeilometerMWRAll Sky

Office/Shops/Labs

MDE C-Band RadarProfiler

Full Air Quality

Lidar Laboratory

RamanALVIS/ATSTROZGLOW

8-levels T/RH

Flux, Net rad

Soil Moisture

Chemistry

PDBRSOSCORS

NASA

GSFC

GLOW

GoddardLidar Observatory Winds

LaRCVALidationLIDAR

Resources: Beltsville Research SiteResources: Beltsville Research Site Field Campaigns with NOAA, NASAField Campaigns with NOAA, NASA Regular participation in air quality Regular participation in air quality

monitoring programs, upper air monitoring programs, upper air monitoringmonitoring

Testbed station for new Testbed station for new instruments including wind lidar, instruments including wind lidar, ceilometers, and radiosondesceilometers, and radiosondes

HU is one of seven stations HU is one of seven stations selected by WMO to be a selected by WMO to be a reference Upper Air Stationreference Upper Air Station..

Education/Training Support:Education/Training Support:• Over 100 students have participated in Over 100 students have participated in

training/research at NCAS Beltsville training/research at NCAS Beltsville facilityfacility

• MS and PhD research MS and PhD research • Instrumentation workshopsInstrumentation workshops• Support of instrumentation and Support of instrumentation and

measurement coursesmeasurement courses• NCAS Weather CampNCAS Weather Camp• Undergraduate InternshipsUndergraduate Internships

Field Campaigns: WAVESField Campaigns: WAVES Field campaigns during the Summer of Field campaigns during the Summer of

2006/2007 and winter 20082006/2007 and winter 2008 Took place in many different locations Took place in many different locations

simeoultanteously, including NASA-Goddard simeoultanteously, including NASA-Goddard Space Flight Center, University of Maryland Space Flight Center, University of Maryland Baltimore College, and Baltimore College, and Howard University Howard University Beltsville Research SiteBeltsville Research Site

More than 200 upper air soundings were More than 200 upper air soundings were conducted in conjunction with other conducted in conjunction with other instruments such as LIDAR; most of the instruments such as LIDAR; most of the support was by studentssupport was by students

Science Goals:Science Goals:• Acquire high quality research grade observations of Acquire high quality research grade observations of

upper air water vapor and ozone concentration to upper air water vapor and ozone concentration to validate sensors on the NASA AURA satellite validate sensors on the NASA AURA satellite

• Characterize water vapor and aerosol variability on Characterize water vapor and aerosol variability on the sub-pixel scale using ground-based Raman LIDAR the sub-pixel scale using ground-based Raman LIDAR systems (stationed at UMBC, Beltsville and GSFC) and systems (stationed at UMBC, Beltsville and GSFC) and airborne LIDAR measurements. airborne LIDAR measurements.

• Study the performance of the NWS Radiosonde Study the performance of the NWS Radiosonde Replacement System with respect to other sensors, Replacement System with respect to other sensors, particularly in respect to water vapor measurementsparticularly in respect to water vapor measurements

• explore the link between soil moisture, PBL-height explore the link between soil moisture, PBL-height and tower flux measurements. and tower flux measurements.

• Validate PBL parameterizations in the WRF model by Validate PBL parameterizations in the WRF model by performing case studies of regional scale performing case studies of regional scale meteorological events combining distributed Raman meteorological events combining distributed Raman lidar measurements of water vapor and aerosols and lidar measurements of water vapor and aerosols and WRF modeling.WRF modeling.

WAVES 2006Beltsville, MD

Field Campaigns: PBL Variability Field Campaigns: PBL Variability ExperimentExperiment

NOAA-NWS Experiment NOAA-NWS Experiment DC-Baltimore Area, Sept 14-22, 2009DC-Baltimore Area, Sept 14-22, 2009 Radiosondes were launched on observation days Radiosondes were launched on observation days

every 2 hours from 9am-5pm from RFK stadium, every 2 hours from 9am-5pm from RFK stadium, Howard University main campus and BeltsvilleHoward University main campus and Beltsville

Radiosondes were compared to other instruments Radiosondes were compared to other instruments including radars, mircrowave radiometers, and lidarincluding radars, mircrowave radiometers, and lidar

Science Goals:Science Goals:• Investigate the evolution and spatial variability of the Investigate the evolution and spatial variability of the

urban atmospheric boundary layer mixing height.urban atmospheric boundary layer mixing height.• Evaluate various instrument platforms for detecting Evaluate various instrument platforms for detecting

mixed layer height.mixed layer height.

Field Campaigns: AEROSEField Campaigns: AEROSE Annual Intensive Field Campaign 2005-PresentAnnual Intensive Field Campaign 2005-Present

• Generally month-long, takes place in Generally month-long, takes place in Spring/Summer Spring/Summer

Conducted aboard the NOAA Ship Conducted aboard the NOAA Ship Ronald H. Ronald H. Brown Brown in the Atlantic Ocean in the Atlantic Ocean

Ground (well, ship-deck) and airborne Ground (well, ship-deck) and airborne measurements were taken for water vapor and measurements were taken for water vapor and chemical conistituents (including ozone and chemical conistituents (including ozone and particulate matter)particulate matter)

Number of MS and PhD Research is based on Number of MS and PhD Research is based on this campaignthis campaign

Main Science Questions:Main Science Questions:• (1) What is the extent of change in the mineral (1) What is the extent of change in the mineral

dust and smoke aerosol distributions as they dust and smoke aerosol distributions as they evolve physically and chemically during trans-evolve physically and chemically during trans-Atlantic transport? Atlantic transport?

• (2) How do Saharan and sub-Saharan aerosols (2) How do Saharan and sub-Saharan aerosols affect the regional atmosphere and ocean during affect the regional atmosphere and ocean during trans-Atlantic transport? trans-Atlantic transport?

• (3) How can we use these unique aerosol (3) How can we use these unique aerosol measurements to resolve or improve remote measurements to resolve or improve remote sensing algorithms and models of the above sensing algorithms and models of the above processes?processes?

AEROSE SAL Profile AnalysesAEROSE SAL Profile Analyses

From Nalli et al. (2004)

Field Campaigns: AMMAField Campaigns: AMMA Field campaign with NASA/NOAA in Field campaign with NASA/NOAA in

August and September of 2006August and September of 2006 Took place in Senegal and Cape VerdeTook place in Senegal and Cape Verde Students and faculty participated by Students and faculty participated by

taking ground and aircraft taking ground and aircraft measurements and by doing real-time measurements and by doing real-time forecastingforecasting

Science Goals:Science Goals:• What are the effects of African Easterly Waves What are the effects of African Easterly Waves

on tropical cyclogenisis?on tropical cyclogenisis?• Understand rain characteristics along the Understand rain characteristics along the

Atlantic coast of West Africa including Atlantic coast of West Africa including intensity, type, duration and microphysical intensity, type, duration and microphysical propertiesproperties

• Examine precipitation systems in transition Examine precipitation systems in transition between land and ocean areasbetween land and ocean areas

• Understand the antecedent conditions Understand the antecedent conditions (thermodynamic and dynamic) of the (thermodynamic and dynamic) of the atmosphere associated with the precipitating atmosphere associated with the precipitating systemssystems

• Examine the links between Saharan dust Examine the links between Saharan dust outbreaks and these precipitating systemsoutbreaks and these precipitating systems

• Define the uncertainty of rainfall estimates Define the uncertainty of rainfall estimates from the precipitation radar and radiometers from the precipitation radar and radiometers onboard TRMMonboard TRMM

Thanks!Thanks!