The National Academies Press

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From page 1... ... ATTAINING A PREDICTIVE CAPABILITY Atmospheric chemistry research has supported policy decisions that have greatly improved human health and welfare. For example, research findings guided policies to reduce poor air quality in urban areas ("smog") Read the entire page →
From page 2... ... The goal of atmospheric chemistry research is to anticipate and prepare for future environmental challenges with an enhanced predictive capability that foresees environmental changes and societal impacts, rather than just reacting to them after they occur. THIS STUDY The last comprehensive report to examine the field of atmospheric chemistry as a whole (Global Tropospheric Chemistry: A Plan for Action [1984] Read the entire page →
From page 3... ... As shown in Figure S.1, these topics define core components of the scientific discipline of atmospheric chemistry. The report was developed for the NSF's Atmospheric Chemistry Program; however, the results presented will be of interest to other agencies and programs that support atmospheric chemistry research. Read the entire page →
From page 4... ... . Using this community input and a survey of today's research as the underlying basis, the Committee ultimately chose five Priority Science Areas that it believes will drive atmospheric chemistry research over the next decade. Read the entire page →
From page 5... ... In global climate models, the effects of atmospheric aerosol particle concentrations on radiation and the distribution and radiative properties of the Earth's clouds is the most uncertain component of overall global radiative forcing. Changes in atmospheric dynamics and circulation that are linked to changes in atmospheric composition (e.g., precipitation patterns, monsoon circulations) Read the entire page →
From page 6... ... The atmospheric chemistry community should expand interactions with the climate and weather research community to address these key scientific gaps: A. Determine the global distributions and variability of atmospheric trace gases and aerosol particles, and better understand their climate-relevant properties. B. Understand the role of aerosol particles as a modulator of cloud microphys ics and precipitation efficiency in natural and anthropogenically perturbed environments. Read the entire page →
From page 7... ... New laboratory and field studies are needed to characterize these atmospheric chemistry processes for future use in predictive models. The atmospheric chemistry community should expand interactions with the ocean, land surface, and other Earth science research communities to address these key scientific gaps: 7 Read the entire page →
From page 8... ... C. Identify important feedbacks between atmospheric chemistry and the bio sphere under global change. SUPPORTING PROGRAMMATIC AND INFRASTRUCTURE PRIORITIES FOR ADVANCING ATMOSPHERIC CHEMISTRY RESEARCH To understand the trends that are currently occurring in the field of atmospheric chemistry and the research emphases of different federal groups supporting work in this area, the Committee requested information from five government agencies. Read the entire page →
From page 9... ... and Small Business Innovation Research/ Small Business Technology Transfer Research (SBIR/STTR) programs have produced valuable breakthrough technologies that enabled improvements in atmospheric chemistry research. Read the entire page →
From page 10... ... to promote collaboration and coordination across agencies and different NSF divisions. Recommendation 1: The National Science Foundation should ensure adequate support for the development of the tools necessary to accomplish the scientific goals for the atmospheric chemistry community, including the development of new laboratory and analytical instrumentation, measurement platforms, and modeling capabilities. Read the entire page →
From page 11... ... NSF should also encourage and support new projects that use data mining to advance the science -- a cost-effective way to advance the atmospheric chemistry research agenda. For a fraction of the cost of a field study, NSF could dedicate funds to encourage analysis of existing high-quality datasets using powerful data mining techniques developed by the computer science community and perform detailed intercomparisons using satellites, field measurements, and models. Read the entire page →
From page 12... ... Recommendation 4: The National Science Foundation (NSF) should establish a data archiving system for NSF-supported atmospheric chemistry research and take the lead in coordinating with other federal and possibly state agencies to create a comprehensive, compatible, and accessible data archive system. Read the entire page →
From page 13... ... Working with underrepresented groups within the United States and with the international community is important for developing a global understanding of atmospheric chemistry and its impacts on human activities, especially as the importance of long-range transport of air pollution has become evident. Understanding the interface between the processes controlling regional air quality and global atmospheric chemistry often requires establishing experimental programs with communities not traditionally included in the atmospheric chemistry community, especially those outside of domestic borders. Read the entire page →
From page 14... ... This situation occurred at the same time that NCAR ACOM scientists have been pushed to provide instruments, measurements, and models for numerous projects, reducing the time for them to pursue their own research and/or development interests. The Committee believes that it is essential for NCAR to find its unique role in atmospheric chemistry research, complementing and enhancing research by the broader community, and engaging individual PIs from universities, federal labs, and the private sector. Read the entire page →
From page 15... ... This strategy should ensure that scientific leadership at NCAR has the latitude to set an energizing vision with appropriate personnel, infrastructure, and allocation of resources; and that the research capabilities and facilities at NCAR serve a unique and essential role to the NSF atmospheric chemistry community. FINAL THOUGHTS Similar to 30 years ago, the field of atmospheric chemistry research is in the midst of redefining its role in science and society. Read the entire page →
From page 16... ... The future of atmospheric chemistry research relies on the community to continue advancing our scientific knowledge and applying these findings to improve the world around us. Read the entire page →

From page 1...

... ATTAINING A PREDICTIVE CAPABILITY Atmospheric chemistry research has supported policy decisions that have greatly improved human health and welfare. For example, research findings guided policies to reduce poor air quality in urban areas ("smog")

Summary Pages 1-16

Summary
Pages 1-16