DOE user facility provides detailed weather and climate pattern data for more accurate prediction models.
On summer evenings, high above the surface of the southern Great Plains, a phenomenon occurs that contributes significantly to the climate dynamics of the region. Called low-level jets, these winds can reach speeds upward of 55 mph, and they play a role in the transport of heat and moisture into the region and contribute to the development of tornadoes and the generation of wind energy.
Obtaining continual profiles of wind, temperature and humidity associated with these low-level jets is important to improve the accuracy of atmospheric models like the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) High-Resolution Rapid Refresh model, which provides forecasts associated with hazardous weather.
NOAA and similar organizations around the world rely on the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) User Facility to provide these types of long-term observations of the atmosphere — whether in Oklahoma or Oliktok Point, Alaska. Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science, ARM’s mission is to advance our understanding of cloud, aerosol, precipitation and radiation processes and provide the data to better represent these phenomena in global-scale models.
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