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NOAA Research A to Z

NOAA’s Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR), is at the center of NOAA services. Our preeminent research provides value to society through improved weather forecasts, enhanced navigation and aviation safety, as well as support for a variety of ocean and coastal services. From remote sensing to climate research and ocean exploration – our world-class scientists conduct research that contributes to public safety, healthy ecosystems, and a robust economy. The following web links provide a snapshot of our exciting work. Get to know NOAA Research A-Z!

ABOUT NOAA RESEARCH – The Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR) or "NOAA Research" provides the research foundation for understanding the complex systems that support our planet. Working in partnership with other organizational units of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, a bureau of the Department of Commerce, NOAA Research provides better forecasts, earlier warnings for natural disasters and a greater understanding of the Earth. Our role is to provide unbiased science to better manage the environment, nationally and globally. http://www.oar.noaa.gov/aboutus/

A R L – Air Resources Laboratory conducts research on processes that relate to air quality and climate, concentrating on the transport, dispersion, transformation, and removal of trace gases and aerosols, their climatic and ecological influences, and exchange between the atmosphere and biological and non-biological surfaces. http://www.arl.noaa.gov/

AIR QUALITY – With the health of millions of Americans at stake, as well as the tens of billions of dollars invested each year to curb air pollution, it is easy to see the importance of NOAA’s research to identify sources of air pollution and to understand the processes and transfer in the atmosphere that affect efforts to control it. http://www.oar.noaa.gov/weather/t_understanding.html

A O M L – Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory conducts a basic and applied research program in oceanography, tropical meteorology, atmospheric and oceanic chemistry, and acoustics. http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/

AQUARIUS – Visit, and during science missions see live presentations from, the planet's only undersea science lab and habitat, Aquarius, owned by NOAA and operated by University of North Carolina at Wilmington. http://www.uncw.edu/aquarius/

AQUATIC INVASIVE SPECIES – Alien species of plants and animals that are introduced into an ecosystem can create unhealthy changes for native species. NOAA's mission to protect, restore, and manage the use of U.S. ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes resources drives its program to reduce economic and environmental impacts resulting from aquatic invasions. http://www.oar.noaa.gov/oceans/t_invasivespecies.html

AQUATIC INVASIVE SPECIES – Sea Grant Nonindigenous Species (SGNIS) “Nab the Aquatic Invader” – Kids participate in an interactive website where they make “arrests” to fight against invading aquatic plants and animals. For kids, grades 4–10 who want to help book these “bad guys” for their disruptive activities. http://www.sgnis.org/kids/

ARCTIC ECOSYSTEMS – Go on an adventure to the Bering Sea! The story of this 32-day adventure as recorded in daily logs, images, and research descriptions. http://www.pmel.noaa.gov/foci/ice06/

ARCTIC – Narwhals – Scientists attach sensors to deep-diving narwhals to uncover their secrets and better understand Arctic waters in Baffin Bay, a gateway for cold and fresh polar waters flowing south to the Labrador shelf, ultimately impacting the North Atlantic current, and where monitoring changes in this outflow is critical for understanding the impacts of a changing Arctic on the global ocean conveyer belt. http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/explorations/06arctic/welcome.html

ARCTIC – Ocean – Join an international team of explorers, scientists and ice divers on an icebreaker in the "Hidden Ocean" as they examined the diversity of life in the sea ice, water column and the seafloor for baseline information about organisms associated with the Earth's least known, most inaccessible, and fastest changing ocean area. http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/explorations/05arctic/welcome.html

ATLANTIC MULTIDECADAL OSCILLATION (AMO) – Frequently Asked Questions – Addresses various questions about the AMO, an ongoing series of long-duration changes in the sea surface temperature of the North Atlantic Ocean; NOAA Research has linked the AMO to decadal fluctuations in overall hurricane activity. http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/phod/amo_faq.php

ATMOSPHERIC COMPOSITION AND CLIMATE (ACC) – The Atmospheric Composition and Climate Program pursues two overall research objectives: (i) to improve the predictive understanding of the radiative forcing of the climate system by aerosols and by chemically active greenhouse gases, such as tropospheric ozone and methane, and (ii) to better characterize the recovery of the stratospheric ozone layer, including its role in climate change. http://www.climate.noaa.gov/cpo_pa/acc/

AVIATION WEATHER – Tactical Decision Aids (TDAs) – Read how Texas forecast decision makers used this valuable forecasting tool http://www.fsl.noaa.gov/media/hotitems/2007/07Jan29.html; for technical background information about TDAs see: http://tmu.noaa.gov/asdad/projects/tmu/

AVIATION WEATHER – Tropospheric Airborne Meteorological Data Reporting (TAMDAR) Efforts – This new meteorological sensor package was closely evaluated by award-winning NOAA team for their outstanding contributions to aviation weather safety research and development. Read about the developmental team award: http://www.fsl.noaa.gov/media/hotitems/2005/05Oct14.html

AVIATION WEATHER – Aviation Digital Data Service (ADDS) – Check out how NOAA helps the commercial aviation branch with this product that provides pilots with crucial weather information tailored to their navigational needs. http://adds.aviationweather.gov/

BEACHCOMBER’S COMPANION© – A fun twist on a field guide designed for beachcombers of all ages, each set features 50 marine invertebrates common to the Atlantic Coast (nearly all can be found from Florida to Maine). Cards help beachcombers identify a specimen by size, shape, features, and coloration; where to look for it; and fun and interesting facts (what it eats and what eats it, how it hides, how it defends itself). Visit the companion website at http://www.beachcomberscompanion.net

CARBON CYCLE – Projecting climate into the future and forecasting regional impacts depends on our understanding of the exchange of carbon dioxide between the atmosphere, oceans and land ecosystems. NOAA Research conducts the atmospheric measurements and analyses required to track the fate of carbon dioxide emissions caused by the burning of fossil fuels and biomass, and to reduce uncertainties in how the exchange of carbon responds to the variations and trends of climate and land use. http://www.esrl.noaa.gov/research/themes/carbon/

CARBON CYCLE – Global Carbon Cycle (GCC) program – The Climate Program Office's Global Carbon Cycle (GCC) program seeks to improve our ability to predict the fate of anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO2) and future atmospheric CO2 concentrations using a combination of atmospheric and oceanic global observations, process-oriented field studies and modeling. http://www.climate.noaa.gov/cpo_pa/gcc/

CARBONTRACKER – CarbonTracker as a scientific tool will, together with long-term monitoring of atmospheric CO2, help improve our understanding of how carbon uptake and release from land ecosystems and oceans are responding to a changing climate, increasing levels of atmospheric CO2 (the CO2 fertilization effect) and other environmental changes, including human management of land and oceans. http://www.esrl.noaa.gov/gmd/ccgg/carbontracker/

CAREERS – Ocean – Check out 35 different ocean-related careers in video interviews with scientists, technicians, and operators. http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/edu/oceanage/welcome.html

CAREERS – Marine Science – This informative website for kids introduces students to the marine science career fields and to scientists pursuing careers in those fields. Also provides information on salaries and additional resources. http://www.marinecareers.net

CAREERS – Working at the National Severe Storms Laboratory (NSSL) – Many people want to know who works at NSSL and what they do. These questions and more are answered here: http://www.nssl.noaa.gov/faq/faq_jobs.html

CLIMATE – Alaska Center for Climate Assessment and Policy (RISA) – The Alaska Center for Climate Assessment and Policy was created as part of NOAA’s Regional Integrated Sciences and Assessments (RISA) program to assess the socio-economic and biophysical impacts of climate variability in Alaska and make this information available to local and regional decision-makers. We strive to improve the ability of Alaskans to adapt to a changing climate. http://www.uaf.edu/accap/

CLIMATE – California Applications Program (CAP) – The California Applications Program (CAP) and the California Climate Change Center (CCCC), a NOAA Regional Integrated Sciences and Assessments (RISA) program, aim to develop and provide better climate information and forecasts for decision makers in California and the surrounding region. By working directly with users, CAP and CCCC are working to evaluate climate information needs and utility from the user perspective. http://meteora.ucsd.edu/cap/

CLIMATE – Climate Assessment Project for the Southwest (CLIMAS) – CLIMAS, the Climate Assessment Project for the Southwest (the largest NOAA RISA), brings together researchers who study the processes and effects of climate on the Southwest region with individuals and organizations who need climate information to make informed decisions. The project, located within the Institute for the Study of Planet Earth, is one of several initiatives that have been funded as pilot projects by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Climate Program Office. http://www.ispe.arizona.edu/climas/

CLIMATE – Climate change – Beyond the natural variability that occurs within Earth’s cycles, is an area of investigation in which NOAA Research takes the lead. For example, in the recently released Intergovernmental Panel on climate Change (IPCC) state-of-the-science assessment, NOAA Research scientists contributed to the conclusion that human activities are certainly leading to a warmer climate. http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2007/s2787.htm

CLIMATE – Climate Change Science Program (CCSP) Products – The US Climate Change Science Program (CCSP) Strategic Plan calls for the creation of a series of 21 synthesis and assessment reports. These products are listed at the CPO web site for additional information on the products developed by NOAA. (http://www.climate.noaa.gov/index.jsp?pg=./ccsp/index.html) For more information, see Information on Synthesis and Assessment Products: Summary Information (US CCSP) http://www.climatescience.gov/Library/sap/sap-summary.php

CLIMATE – Climate Impacts Group (CIG) – The Climate Impacts Group, a NOAA RISA, is an interdisciplinary research group studying the impacts of natural climate variability and global climate change (“global warming”) on the U.S. Pacific Northwest (PNW). Through research and interaction with regional stakeholders, the CIG works to increase the resilience of the Pacific Northwest to fluctuations in climate. http://www.cses.washington.edu/cig

CLIMATE – Global Climate Change & Greenhouse Effected (Graphics) – Are you looking for graphics related to explaining global climate change? Check these out! http://www.fsl.noaa.gov/outreach/education/climgraph/index.html

CLIMATE – Modeling – Climate refers to the average of weather conditions. It varies on timescales ranging from seasons to centuries – and longer. Fluctuations result naturally from interactions between the ocean, the atmosphere, the land, cryosphere (frozen portion of the Earth's surface), and changes in the Earth's energy balance. Computer models of the coupled atmosphere-land surface-ocean-sea ice system are essential scientific tools for understanding and predicting natural and human-caused changes in Earth's climate. http://www.oar.noaa.gov/climate/t_modeling.html

CLIMATE – Climate Prediction Program for the Americas (CPPA) – The Climate Prediction Program for the Americas (CPPA) is a competitive research program to improve operational intraseasonal to interannual climate prediction and the hydrological applications. This program is strongly motivated by the Nation's need for skillful intraseasonal to interannual predictions and the application of climate forecasts for regional and sectoral resource management. http://www.climate.noaa.gov/cpo_pa/cppa/

CLIMATE – Climate Program Office (CPO) – The office, created in October 2005, incorporates the Office of Global Programs, the Arctic Research Office, and the Climate Observations and Services Program and, coordinates climate activities across all NOAA. The new CPO focuses on developing a broader user community for climate products and services, provides NOAA a focal point for climate activities within NOAA, leads NOAA climate education and outreach activities, and coordinates international climate activities. http://www.climate.noaa.gov/

CLIMATE – Paleoclimatology Branch (NCDC) and (CCDD) – Paleoclimatology has been integrated with the Climate Change Data and Detection element. The instrumental and satellite record of climate variability extends back in time about 130 years, and is therefore not long enough to define the full range of natural climate variability. For this reason, NOAA implements a Paleoclimatology program that is tightly focused on using geological and biological records of past climate change to understand the complete patterns, processes and causes of natural interannual to century-scale climate variability. http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/paleo/ and http://www.climate.noaa.gov/cpo_pa/ccdd/

CLIMATE – Predicting seasonal climate variability and extreme events – what is seasonal variability, and how and why does NOAA Research conduct research to improve predictions of changes to climate over seasonal and regional scales? http://www.oar.noaa.gov/climate/t_prediction.html

CLIMATE – Regional Integrated Sciences and Assessments (RISA) – The Regional Integrated Sciences and Assessments (RISA) program supports research that addresses complex climate sensitive issues of concern to decision-makers and policy planners at a regional level. The RISA research team members are primarily based at universities though some of the team members are based at government research facilities, non-profit organizations or private sector entities. http://www.climate.noaa.gov/cpo_pa/risa/

CLIMATE – Research Highlights – Summaries, Graphics and Animations by NOAA’s Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory, highlighting our global climate modeling efforts in support of the IPCC and the US Climate Change Science programs. http://www.gfdl.noaa.gov/research/climate/highlights/

CLIMATE – Sector Applications Research Program (SARP) – Sector Applications Research Program (SARP) will identify and promote research and application priorities that foster improved decision support for fundamental climate-related issues in key socio-economic sectors. The SARP effort, which has its roots in the Human Dimensions of Global Change Research (HD); the Environment, Science and Development (ESD); and the Climate Variability and Human Health (CVHH) programs. http://www.climate.noaa.gov/cpo_pa/sarp/

CLIMATE – Southeast Climate Consortium – The mission of the Southeast Climate Consortium, a NOAA RISA, is to use advances in climate sciences, including improved capabilities to forecast seasonal climate, to provide scientifically sound information and decision support tools for agriculture, forestry, and water resources management in the Southeastern USA. http://secc.coaps.fsu.edu/

CLIMATE – Transition of Research Applications to Climate Services (TRACS) Program – The TRACS Program mission is to transition experimentally mature climate tools, methods, and processes from research mode into settings where they may be applied in an operational and sustained manner, generating continuous delivery of useful climate information products and services to local, regional, national, and international decision and policy makers. http://www.climate.noaa.gov/index.jsp?pg=/opportunities/opp_index.jsp&opp=info_tracs.jsp

CLIMATE – Variability and Predictability (CVP) program – The Climate Variability and Predictability (CVP) program seeks to observe, model and understand patterns of climate variability on intra-seasonal and longer time scales and to assess predictability of such climate variability. The ultimate goal of the program is to develop skillful predictions of climate variability and change on intra-seasonal to multi-decadal time scales and regional spatial scales for optimal use in resource planning and policy decision making. http://www.climate.noaa.gov/cpo_pa/cvp/

COAST RESOURCE GUIDE – Intended to be used by teachers to structure classroom activities, this guide is divided into two sections to reflect the different requirements of elementary and middle school programs, and high schools. http://www.coast-nopp.org/resource_guide/index.html

COOPERATIVE INSTITUTES – Through these programs, NOAA Research provides the research and technology development necessary to improve NOAA's weather and climate services, solar-terrestrial forecasts, and marine services. OAR's activities provide the scientific basis for national policy decisions in key environmental areas such as climate change, disaster reduction, air quality, non-indigenous species and stratospheric ozone depletion. http://www.research.noaa.gov/programs/joints.html

CORAL REEFS – ReefTalk – ReefTalks are free, monthly public service presentations cosponsored by the University of Hawai‘i Sea Grant College Program, School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology, the Malama Kai Foundation, the Hawai‘i Community Foundation and CZM/DBEDT. http://www.soest.hawaii.edu/seagrant/education/education.php

CORAL REEFS – Reef Watchers – Hawai‘i Sea Grant developed and obtained funding to support this vital, ongoing volunteer Kona coast coral reef monitoring program. ReefWatchers gather data requested by state resource managers. The strength of this program is the long-term data collection component. Volunteers commit to survey a site for multiple years, and are responsible for transferring their site to an alternate person if they cannot continue. http://www.soest.hawaii.edu/seagrant/education/education.php

CHEMICAL SCIENCES DIVISION – Industry uses NOAA’s chemical science for decision making, such as evaluating the "ozone friendliness" and "climate friendliness" of proposed new substitutes for chlorofluorocarbons, before expensive development costs are incurred by private industry, and determining the climate impacts of human-made substances with commercial or industrial applications. http://esrl.noaa.gov/csd/research.html

COASTAL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT (CCD) PROGRAM – This new Sea Grant program element focuses on the critical importance of community planning and growth management in coastal areas. The 30 Sea Grant programs provide services to coastal communities to aid in efforts to protect their environmental amenities, strengthen their economies and improve their quality of life. The goal of the Community Development Program investment is to realize a significant step-up in Sea Grant’s engagement at the coastal community decision-making level (municipalities, counties, state agencies, watershed management districts, etc.) by providing the enhanced science-based support needed to balance environmental, social and economic considerations. http://www.seagrant.noaa.gov/partnerships/partnerships.html

DEBRIS FLOWS – Hydrometeorology – See how improving debris flow and flash flood warnings are the target of the National Severe Storm Lab’s hydrometeorology team. http://www.nssl.noaa.gov/research/hydromet

DROUGHT – National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS) – National Integrated Drought Information System was signed by the president on December 20th, 2006 and it establishes that NOAA shall: (1) provide an effective drought early warning system; (2) coordinate, and integrates as practicable, federal research in support of such system; and (3) build on existing forecasting and assessment programs and partnerships. Related web sites: http://www.cpo.noaa.gov/ipcc/water_drought.html and http://www.drought.gov/

E-Currents ELECTRONIC NEWSLETTER – Check out the National Sea Grant College Program’s quarterly newsletter featuring highlights from our programs around the U.S and in Puerto Rico. http://www.coralreef.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=45&Itemid=90

EDUCATION – Explore real research data and web sites with Science with NOAA Research, an online site that provides middle-school science students and teachers with research and investigation experiences using web resources of NOAA and NOAA Research. Areas of exploration include: atmosphere, El Niño, fisheries, Great Lakes, oceans, and storms. http://www.research.noaa.gov/k12/

EDUCATION – Board the SoundsWaters – This New York Sea Grant site lets students board the schooner SoundWaters and help raise the sails, haul the nets, and examine firsthand the rich diversity of life that exists beneath the waves. http://www.seagrant.sunysb.edu/

EDUCATION – Bridge – A comprehensive site for marine education resources available on-line. The Bridge provides teachers with a convenient source of accurate and useful information on marine science topics. A search engine, site map and an alphabetized list of sites in this database are available. There are various lesson plans and activities for K-12 classrooms. http://www.vims.edu/bridge/

EDUCATION – Centers for Ocean Science Education Excellence (COSEE) – COSEE is a network of 10l centers that act locally and regionally to promote effective partnerships between research scientists and educators; disseminate effective ocean sciences programs; and promote a vision of ocean education as a charismatic, interdisciplinary vehicle for creating a more scientifically literate workforce and citizenry. http://www.cosee.net/

EDUCATION – Coral Literature Education & Outreach (CLEO) Educational Materials – Developed primarily for middle school classes, each module consists of three segments: background information, classroom experiment, and teacher's section. Current topics include: Coral Spawning, Coral Bleaching, and the Effects of CO2 of Coral Reefs. http://www.coral.noaa.gov/cleo/education.shtml

EDUCATION – Floating Classrooms: Texas Sea Grant – The R.V. Karma is a fully equipped, 57-foot teaching and research vessel. On deck, students can use otter trawls, plankton nets, water samplers and test kits, bottom corers, and video-enhanced microscopes to investigate topics such as marine biology, ecology, fisheries and environmental impact. http://floatingclassroom.tamu.edu/

EDUCATION – Island Explorers Program – A curriculum development and teaching project aimed at increasing science literacy among southern California urban students. http://www.usc.edu/org/seagrant/Education/IE.html

EDUCATION – LaMER (Louisiana Marine Education Resources) – A repository of regionally-relevant marine educational data, such as teacher and classroom resources, educational projects, and links to various educational organizations http://www.lamer.lsu.edu/

EDUCATION – Ocean – The research activities at NeMO (New Millennium Observatory) provide an extraordinary educational opportunity, both from the daily reports from expeditions at sea and from creative learning materials based on NeMO results. Curriculum materials are designed for high school and middle school students. http://www.pmel.noaa.gov/vents/nemo/education.html

EDUCATION – Ocean Expedition Education Modules – Find Ocean Expedition Education Modules and nearly 200 hands-on and standards-based lesson plans to bring entire classrooms "on board" http://www.oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/edu/modules/welcome.html

EDUCATION – ReefTeach – An ongoing volunteer program to reduce coral trampling at intensely used, highly popular, shallow snorkeling areas. ReefTeachers are adults and primary and secondary school students. Data collection and statistical analysis document a significant difference in the behavior of beach and reef users, such as snorkelers, who have and have not received the ReefTeach presentation. http://www.soest.hawaii.edu/seagrant/education/education.php

EDUCATION – SAM II – Download these educational activities in meteorology, climatology, and space science designed for middle-school students (grades 6 – 8). The activities can also be adapted and used for grades 4-12. http://www.fsl.noaa.gov/outreach/education/samii/SAM_II_Intro.html

EDUCATION – Sea Perch by MIT Sea Grant – The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Sea Grant's Sea Perch program introduces pre-college students to the wonders of underwater robotics. Part of the Office of Naval Research's initiative, "Recruiting the Next Generation of Naval Architects," this program teaches students how to build an underwater robot (called a Sea Perch), how to build a propulsion system, how to develop a controller, and how to investigate weight and buoyancy. http://web.mit.edu/seagrant/edu/seaperch/

EDUCATION – Severe Weather Primer – Do you have questions about tornadoes, thunderstorms, lightning, floods, winter weather and hail? NSSL’s Severe Weather Primer takes a close look at each of these weather phenomena and what NSSL is doing to contribute. http://www.nssl.noaa.gov/primer/

EDUCATION – Water on the Web – Allows high school and college students to monitor Minnesota lakes over the Internet and trains them to solve real world problems. http://wow.nrri.umn.edu

EDUCATION – Weather Lessons – A basic introduction to weather maps is provided at: http://www.nssl.noaa.gov/edu/lessons

EL NIÑO – Frequently Asked Questions – Addresses various questions regarding El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO), its history and regional climate impacts. http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/phod/enso_faq.php

EL NIÑO/LA NINA 101 – Ever wonder what El Niño and La Niña are? Want to know what is happening right now in the Pacific? What the impacts of El Nino and La Nina? Need diagrams to explain El Niño or La Niña? Look no further, the El Niño Theme Page gives you all this information and much more. http://www.pmel.noaa.gov/tao/elnino/nino-home.html and http://www.pmel.noaa.gov/tao/proj_over/diagrams/index.html

E S R L – Earth System Research Laboratory (ESRL) – ESRL represents a strategic repositioning of NOAA's broad climate and weather capabilities into four major divisions (Global Monitoring, Physical Sciences, Chemical Sciences, and Global Systems) to better undertake the complex, interdisciplinary research increasingly necessary to achieve scientific and technological breakthroughs in today's modern world. http://www.esrl.noaa.gov/

FIRE WEATHER – FX-Net – See how this meteorological PC workstation can help forecasters in the field predict fire weather in real time. http://www-tod.fsl.noaa.gov/fx_fire.html

FISHERIES – NOAA Research, in cooperation with its research partners, provides scientific results to help understand and manage our nation's ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes fisheries resources. Because commercial fishing activities contribute over $28 billion a year to the U.S. economy, and Americans spend about $25 billion a year on recreational marine fishing activities, it is important that science-based measures are implemented to protect, restore, and manage these valuable resources. http://www.oar.noaa.gov/oceans/t_fisheries.html

FLOODS – Hydrometeorology - See how improving debris flow and flash flood warnings are the target of the National Severe Storm Lab’s hydrometeorology team. http://www.nssl.noaa.gov/research/hydromet

FORECASTING WEATHER – see Weather Forecast Improvements

G F D L – Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory – GFDL conducts leading-edge research on many topics of great practical value, including weather and hurricane forecasts, El Niño prediction, stratospheric ozone depletion, and global warming. http://www.gfdl.gov/

G L E R L – Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory – GLERL conducts integrated, interdisciplinary environmental research in support of resource management and environmental services in coastal and estuarine waters, with a special emphasis on the Great Lakes. http://www.glerl.noaa.gov/

HAZARD WARNINGS – AWIPS HazCOLLECT – Did you know that NOAA is developing an automated message handling system to collect and disseminate non-weather hazardous event information to the public? Under the AWIPS HazCollect program, the system offers 17 different types of HazCollect messages, ranging from Earthquake and Avalanche Warnings, to Hazardous Materials and Radiological Hazard Warnings, to Amber Alert messages. http://www-md.fsl.noaa.gov/HazCollect/

GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE AND GREENHOUSE EFFECT (GRAPHICS) – Are you a teacher or pupil looking for graphics related to explaining global climate change? Check these out! http://www.fsl.noaa.gov/outreach/education/climgraph/index.html

GPS-MET – Learn how NOAA scientists use GPS in technological applications to improve forecasting. http://www.fsl.noaa.gov/media/hotitems/2007/07Feb23.html

HAZARDOUS WEATHER TESTBED – Shorter-timescale forecasting challenges are the focus of the Hazardous Weather Testbed at NOAA’s National Severe Storms Lab (NSSL), which provides the framework for development and implementation of new technologies that will have practical benefits: http://www.nssl.noaa.gov/projects/hwt

HISTORY – National Severe Storms Laboratory – Read stories written in celebration of NSSL’s 40th Anniversary including the history of weather radar development, how Twister put NSSL on the map, and more. http://www.nssl.noaa.gov/news/stories/index.html

HISTORY – Ocean – Explore the history of ocean exploration. http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/history/history.html

HISTORY – Weather Radar – Discover how radar technology designed to detect and locate hostile aircraft and missiles in WWII would serve as the basis for today’s advanced weather radar systems. http://www.nssl.noaa.gov/stories/radar.html

HURRICANE – Frequently Asked Questions – Addresses various questions regarding hurricanes, typhoons and tropical cyclones that have been posed to us as hurricane researchers over the years. http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/tcfaq/tcfaqHED.html

HURRICANES & CLIMATE – Frequently Asked Questions – The purpose of this document is to respond to frequently asked questions on the topic of Atlantic hurricanes and climate. This document reflects the current state of the science, which is based on official data sets and results presented in peer-reviewed publications. http://www.cpo.noaa.gov/cpo/news/story_092006-hurricanesclimatechange.pdf

HURRICANE – Flight Photo Gallery – The Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory’s on-line collection of photographs taken during the past decade of storms we have flown. Includes pictures of the aircraft, of NOAA personnel and our collaborators doing research, and of the storms we fly. http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/photo.html

INTERGOVERNMENTAL PANEL ON CLIMATE CHANGE (IPCC) – NOAA individuals and technology made major contributions to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) international climate science reports. The IPCC was created in 1988 by the World Meteorological Organization and the United Nations Environment Program to assess the risk of human-induced climate change, potential impact and options for adaptation and mitigation every six years. The report is issued throughout the year through the release of three chapters culminating in a synthesis report in November. http://www.cpo.noaa.gov/ipcc/index.html

LIGHTNING – Frequently Asked Questions – Does lightning strike from the sky down or the ground up? Can lightning strike the same place twice? Do you know the answers? Find out on the National Severe Storm Lab’s Lightning Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page. http://www.nssl.noaa.gov/faq/faq_ltg.php

LIGHTNING – Mobile Ballooning Laboratories – NOAA’s National Severe Storms Lab helps scientists launch weather balloons at any time at any location. This is important for collecting data on how thunderstorms produce lightning. Explore these and other mobile observing systems. http://www.nssl.noaa.gov/observations

LIGHTNING – Thunderstorm Electrification and Lightning Experiment (TELEX) – The National Severe Storm Lab (NSSL) learned more about lightning and other electrical properties of thunderstorms through the Thunderstorm Electrification and Lightning Experiment. Especially important in the project is the OK-LMA, a network of ten stations in central Oklahoma that continuously mapped the structure of all types of lightning. http://www.nssl.noaa.gov/projects/telex

NARWHALS – Arctic – Scientists attach sensors to deep-diving narwhals to uncover their secrets and better understand Arctic waters in Baffin Bay, a gateway for cold and fresh polar waters flowing south to the Labrador shelf, ultimately impacting the North Atlantic current, and where monitoring changes in this outflow is critical for understanding the impacts of a changing Arctic on the global ocean conveyer belt. http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/explorations/06arctic/welcome.html

N S S L – National Severe Storms Laboratory – NSSL conducts research to improve accurate and timely forecasts and warnings of hazardous weather events such as blizzards, ice storms, flash floods, tornadoes, and lightning. http://www.nssl.noaa.gov

NSSL – NSSL Briefings – Peruse the latest newsletter, providing federal managers, staff, and other colleagues in the meteorological community with timely information about NSSL activities and collaborations: http://www.nssl.noaa.gov/briefings/. Our NSSL Briefings archive contains all issues since the beginning of the publication in 1995…before the Internet! http://www.nssl.noaa.gov/briefings/archive.html

NSSL – Frequently Asked Questions – If you have a question about severe weather, see if it is answered here! This list represents a large portion of the correspondence NSSL receives about severe weather, weather data and careers in meteorology: http://www.nssl.noaa.gov/faq/

NSSL – Hot Items – Fresh articles about the latest NSSL science: http://www.nssl.noaa.gov/news/hotitems/

OCEAN ACIDIFICATION – Climate Change – The basic chemistry of the oceans is changing because of the uptake of carbon dioxide released by human activities. The oceans are becoming more acidic. What's affected? Ocean acidification, as the phenomenon is called, over time will create major negative impacts on corals and other marine life, with anticipated adverse consequences for fishing, tourism, and related economies. http://www.pmel.noaa.gov/pubs/PDF/feel2899/feel2899.pdf

OCEAN – Explorer of the Seas – This unique private, public, and academic partnership features the world's only cruise ship that also operates as a unique state-of-the-art oceanographic and atmospheric laboratory! http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/ocd/gcc/explorer_introduction.php

OCEAN EXPLORATION – Join with explorers and scientists as they send daily logs, still images and videos from sea describing ocean missions and discoveries from the planet's ocean which is still 95% unexplored. http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov

OCEAN EXPLORATION – Dive! Explore the Ocean – Dive to an active submarine volcano! This web site lets you dive with a remotely operated vehicle to the seafloor and back at Axial Seamount, an active submarine volcano. Dive! is an interactive experience using video and computer animation that allows you to explore black smoker vents, unusual life forms, and newly erupted lava flows. http://www.pmel.noaa.gov/vents/nemo/dive.html (requires free downloads of Apple Quicktime and Macromedia Shockwave)

OCEAN EXPLORATION – Fly through Submarine Volcanoes – Take a virtual "Fly-through" trip along undersea volcanoes in Mariana Arc. http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/explorations/04fire/background/marianaarc/marianaarc.html

OCEAN EXPLORATION – Fly through Undersea Chimneys – Take a virtual trip to explore the hydrothermal vents of the Magic Mountain Chimney Fields via a series of computer animations and videos of the seafloor. http://www.oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/explorations/02fire/logs/magicmountain/

OCEAN EXPLORATION – Hydrothermal Vents: Explore the Deep Frontier – Join an international team of researchers and crew on an amazing 21-day expedition to hydrothermal vents in the Pacific Ocean. http://www.ocean.udel.edu/expeditions/index.html

OCEAN EXPLORATION – Images - View hundreds of categorized images from ocean exploration. http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/gallery/gallery.html

OCEAN EXPLORATION – Madison JASON XI – “Underwater Exploration” is a source of aquatic science information for anyone interested in underwater exploration of the Great Lakes and the oceans. http://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/madisonjason11

OCEAN EXLPORATION – NeMO Explorer – The NeMO Explorer allows you to explore the NeMO seafloor observatory at Axial Seamount either geographically or by subject matter. Visit one of six virtual sites for an animated tour with links to video clips. Or browse a collection of information on research at NeMO organized by concept with links to imagery and movies. http://www.pmel.noaa.gov/vents/nemo/explorer.html

OCEAN EXPLORATION – Octopod Image – This stunning octopod seemed quite interested in the manned submersible ALVIN's port manipulator arm. Those inside the sub were surprised by the octopod's inquisitive behavior. (Image courtesy of Bruce Strickrott, Expedition to the Deep Slope) http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/explorations/06mexico/logs/may31/media/octopus_600.html

OCEAN EXPLORATION – Puzzled? - Play the ocean exploration "Ocean Challenge Puzzle," and reveal portions of an ocean puzzle picture as you successfully answer ocean-related questions. http://www8.nos.noaa.gov/oequizx/welcome.html

OCEAN MONITORING – Monitoring the global ocean using underwater acoustics. The PMEL Vents program brings the ocean's sounds to the web! Listen to whales, seismic sounds, man-made sounds and UNIDENTIFIED SOUNDS! http://www.pmel.noaa.gov/vents/acoustics/sounds.html

OZONE DEPLETION – From the discovery of the chemical process that causes ozone depletion over Antarctica, to the consistent, continual monitoring of ozone, and periodic assessments of the ozone layer and the treaties that protect it, NOAA is at the forefront of this research. http://esrl.noaa.gov/csd/strato3.html and http://www.oar.noaa.gov/climate/t_ozonelayer.html

P M E L – Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory – PMEL carries out interdisciplinary scientific investigations in oceanography, marine meteorology, and related subjects. http://www.pmel.noaa.gov/

POLAR RESEARCH – International Polar Year 2007-2008 (IPY) – Throughout the two year period of the International Polar Year (March 2007 to March 2009), NOAA will be involved in new explorations and experiments to better understand the Polar Regions, as well as continuing its work and long-standing, year-round presence in both the Arctic and Antarctic. http://www.ipy.noaa.gov/

RADAR – Check out the latest NSSL research in the development and testing of new radar technologies that are essential to improving predictions and warnings of high-impact weather: http://www.nssl.noaa.gov/research/radar/

RADAR – Doppler Radar – Read how NOAA’s National Severe Storms Lab (NSSL) recognized the potential of Doppler radar to improve detection and warning of severe weather and how NSSL built the first real-time displays of Doppler velocity data. http://www.nssl.noaa.gov/stories/radar3.html

RADAR – National Radar Mosaic – NOAA’s National Severe Storms Lab hydrometeorology research scientists seamlessly pieced together all 130 National Weather Service and Department of Defense radars across the U.S. See how NSSL is using this information to improve precipitation forecasts. http://www.nssl.noaa.gov/projects/q2/nmq

RADAR – Phased Array Radar (PAR) – Read about the future of weather radar – phased array technology. PAR has the potential to provide revolutionary improvements in National Weather Service tornado, severe storm, and flash flood warnings: http://www.nssl.noaa.gov/research/radar/par.php

RADAR – SMART-R – The Shared Mobile Atmospheric and Teaching Radars (SMART-R’s) can be driven near storms to provide scientists with valuable data that supports their research, and NSSL has two! The SMART-R’s have been used to study land-falling hurricanes, tornadic thunderstorms, squall lines, dust storms and heavy rain events. See photos of the SMART-R and other mobile observing systems used by scientists to study the weather: http://www.nssl.noaa.gov/observations/mobile.html

RADAR – Winter Weather Hydrometeor Classification Ground Truth Program – The public was invited to report winter precipitation observations so scientists could compare the observations with an experimental dual-polarized Doppler radar. It was the first project involving the public and was a huge success! http://www.nssl.noaa.gov/projects/winter06/

RIP CURRENTS TASK FORCE – NOAA’s National Sea Grant College Program and the National Weather Service (NWS), along with the U.S. Lifesaving Association (USLA) have partnered to leverage the expertise and resources of each organization to address the dangers of rip currents. ;The task force has developed a unified and consistent public education message and campaign, and is working to increase the dialogue among local beach patrols, coastal NWS forecast offices and Sea Grant Universities. The task force has developed a national rip current brochure, a public service announcement and an outdoor sign in English and Spanish.http://ripcurrents.noaa.gov

SCIENCE ON A SPHERE® (SOS) – Learn about Earth System science and more by viewing the home page and gallery of this unique educational tool, SOS, that creates the illusion of a planet, the Sun, a moon, or any other celestial body as if seen from space. View weather and geophysical data shown moving across the surface of the Earth and other planets. Homepage: http://sos.noaa.gov/index.html; Movie and photo gallery: http://sos.noaa.gov/gallery/ For educational activities related to SOS see:
http://www.fsl.noaa.gov/outreach/education/SOS_ActStudents_1.pdf
http://www.fsl.noaa.gov/outreach/education/SOS_ActStudents_2.pdf
http://www.fsl.noaa.gov/outreach/education/SOS_ActStudents_3.pdf
To read the NOAA 200th Anniversary special feature article about SOS see: http://celebrating200years.noaa.gov/magazine/science_sphere/welcome.html#con

SEA GRANT – National Sea Grant Library (NSGL) – The NSGL serves as an archive and lending library for Sea Grant funded documents (a total of 90,000) covering a variety of subjects, including oceanography, marine education, aquaculture, fisheries, limnology, coastal zone management, marine recreation and law. http://nsgd.gso.uri.edu/

SEA GRANT – National Sea Grant Law Center – The Law Center helps organizations and individuals navigate the complexities of our legal system by providing both legal research and advisory/outreach services. Established in 2002, this resource and its services are available to the legal community, state and federal agencies, Sea Grant programs and to individuals working in the field of ocean and coastal management and policy. http://www.olemiss.edu/orgs/SGLC/lawcenterhome.htm

SEVERE STORM RESEARCH – The National Severe Storm Lab’s successful history as the only federal government laboratory focused on severe and hazardous weather is celebrated on this list of Major Accomplishments: http://www.nssl.noaa.gov/aboutnssl.accomp.html

SEVERE WEATHER CLIMATOLOGY – NSSL’s Severe Weather Climatology page includes an interactive map to find the average risk of severe weather, or the time of year severe weather is most common in your area. http://www.nssl.noaa.gov/hazard/

SEVERE WEATHER SAFETY – What you need to know NOW! Be informed and check these web pages that provide basic quick decision-making information about flash flood, lightning, tornado, and winter weather safety: http://www.nssl.noaa.gov/edu/safety

SHIPWRECK – Alaska – The state’s continental shelf is the final resting place for more than 4,000 known shipwrecks, many of which have historical or archaeological significance. Visit at NOAA-supported mission. http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/explorations/06alaska/welcome.html and http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/explorations/04kadyak/welcome.html

SHIPWRECK – Slave Ship – Join the hunt for the final resting place of Trouvadore, a Spanish slaver that wrecked offshore of East Caicos island 165 years earlier, bringing the direct ancestors of some of today’s modern inhabitants to the islands. http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/explorations/06trouvadore/welcome.html

SHIPWRECK – Titanic – Join with famed explorer Robert Ballard and a team of scientists in a "Return to Titanic" mission to study how man and the environment were affecting the condition of the shipwreck site. http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/explorations/04titanic/welcome.html

STORM CHASING – Is it a career or can I ride along? NO! Find out why not. http://www.nssl.noaa.gov/faq/faq_chasing.php

SUPERCOMPUTERS – Take a look at these computers! NOAA’s High Performance Computing group promotes continued progress toward higher-resolution analyses and forecasts by porting complicated models to massive parallel processors. http://hpcs.fsl.noaa.gov/

THUNDERSTORM – Frequently Asked Questions – Why are some clouds darker than others? Are there winter thunderstorms? NSSL’s Thunderstorm FAQ page addresses these curiosities: http://www.nssl.noaa.gov/faq/faq_tst.php

TORNADO – First Tornado Forecast – Learn how two U.S. Air Force personnel correctly predicted that atmospheric conditions were ripe for tornadoes near central Oklahoma in 1948. This forecast was instrumental in advancing the nation’s commitment to protecting the American public and military resources from the dangers caused by natural hazards. http://www.nssl.noaa.gov/goldenanniversary/

TORNADO- Frequently Asked Question – How fast can a tornado go? Has every state had a tornado? Can tornadoes be stopped? Find the answers to these questions and more that are sent in to NSSL from people around the world: http://www.nssl.noaa.gov/faq/faq_tor.php

TORNADO – Vortex Storybook – Follow the story of the VORTEX Project (Verification of the Origins of Tornadoes EXperiment), a large field experiment designed to study rotation in tornadoes, from the idea to the conclusion of the project: http://www.nssl.noaa.gov/noaastory/

TROPICAL CYCLONE – see Hurricanes

TSUNAMI – How does the Deep Ocean Assessment and Reporting of Tsunamis (DART™) mooring work? Take an interactive tour and see! http://nctr.pmel.noaa.gov/Dart/Jpg/DART-II_05x.swf

UNDERWATER ROBOT – Learn more about the development, design and project work of Eagle Ray, NOAA’s Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) for deepwater operation to 2200 meters. http://www.uncw.edu/nurc/AUV/

UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS (UAS) – NOAA is working toward bringing UAS technology into their future atmospheric science programs. Learn about how our UAS program can revolutionize our ability to monitor the global environment by filling critical information gaps over expansive and remote reaches of the earth like the oceans and Polar Regions. http://uas.noaa.gov/

VOLCANIC ASH COORDINATION TOOL (VACT) – Did you know that there are over 100 active volcanoes in the North Pacific region and that approximately 200 flights per day traverse the region carrying 20,000 passengers and 6,000 tons of cargo? That’s why NOAA has developed the VACT, a tool to warn and advise the aviation branch about drifting ash clouds after volcanic eruptions. These can cause major flight delays and substantial damage to aircraft. For information on the VACT systems and installations: http://www-ad.fsl.noaa.gov/asdad/projects/vact/index.php

VOLCANIC ERUPTION (OCEAN) – Hear the excited voices of scientists as you join them in witnessing the first time that glowing lava has ever been seen from a submarine volcanic eruption! In this case, the lava is rising in the vent so fast that a small glimpse of red glow can be seen intermittently before it crusts over or is blown apart. http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/explorations/06fire/logs/april29/media/movies/nwrota_brimstone12_video.html

WATER RESOURCES – Western Water Assessment – Using multidisciplinary teams of experts in climate, water, law, and economics, the Western Water Assessment, a NOAA RISA, provides information about natural climate variability and human-caused climate change. This information – usually in the form of climate forecasts and regional vulnerability assessments – is designed to assist water-resource decision makers. http://wwa.colorado.edu/about/

WEATHER FORECAST IMPROVEMENTS – Developmental Testbed Center (DTC) – See why NOAA uses the DTC as the primary gateway through which promising, well-tested numerical weather prediction science and technology are selected for further development and evaluation. http://www.dtcenter.org/

WEATHER FORECAST IMPROVEMENTS – GPS-MET – Learn how NOAA scientists use GPS in technological applications to improve forecasting. http://www.fsl.noaa.gov/media/hotitems/2007/07Feb23.html

WEATHER FORECAST IMPROVEMENTS – Hazardous Weather Testbed – Shorter-timescale forecasting challenges are the focus of the Hazardous Weather Testbed at NOAA’s National Severe Storms Lab (NSSL), which provides the framework for development and implementation of new technologies that will have practical benefits. http://www.nssl.noaa.gov/projects/hwt

WEATHER FORECAST IMPROVEMENTS – International H2O Project (IHOP) – Not just pancakes! The National Severe Storms Lab hosted the International H20 Project, one of the largest-ever field experiments in North American history. Part of the goal was to learn what types of data are needed to make forecasts of thunderstorms and rainfall amounts more specific. http://www.nssl.noaa.gov/observations/projects/ihop.html

WEATHER FORECAST IMPROVEMENTS – Meteorological Assimilation Data Ingest System (MADIS) – Read about how MADIS improves weather forecasting, by providing support for data assimilation, numerical weather prediction, and other hydrometeorological applications. http://madis.noaa.gov/

WEATHER FORECAST IMPROVEMENTS – Mesoscale Alpine Project (MAP) – One of the largest weather field research projects in Europe involved NSSL scientists. They studied how wind flowing over the mountains affects precipitation and flooding. http://www.nssl.noaa.gov/briefings/vol3_no1/maps.html

WEATHER FORECAST IMPROVEMENTS – Severe Weather - Explore how NOAA’s National Severe Storms Lab works to improve forecast services for hazardous and severe weather events within NOAA’s National Weather Service. http://www.nssl.noaa.gov/divisions/forecast/

WEATHER FORECAST TOOLS – Local Analysis & Prediction System (LAPS) – See how this forecast tool integrates data from virtually every meteorological observation system into a very high-resolution gridded framework centered on a forecast office's domain of responsibility. http://laps.noaa.gov/

WEATHER FORECAST TOOLS – Real-time Verification System (RTVS) – Learn about this research tool that provides feedback on forecast quality to forecasters, model developers, and managers. http://rtvs.noaa.gov/

WEATHER MODELS – Rapid Update Cycle (RUC) – This feature article highlights how NOAA research develops numerical weather models and complex computer programs to process millions of weather observations and produce accurate and timely weather forecasts: http://www.esrl.noaa.gov/media/features/rr/. For more information on NOAA’s Rapid Refresh development group see: http://rapidrefresh.noaa.gov/

WEATHER PREDICTION – See Weather Forecast Improvements, Weather Forecast Tools, and Weather Warnings

WEATHER WARNINGS – Experimental Warning Program (EWP) - Learn about the National Severe Storms Lab’s EWP established to improve the nation’s hazardous weather warning services. http://ewp.nssl.noaa.gov

WEATHER WARNINGS – OK-WARN – A revolutionary program developed by an NSSL scientist to notify deaf and hard-of-hearing Oklahomans of hazardous weather via alphanumeric pagers and/or E-mail addresses. Info on OK-WARN, Weather Alert Remote Notification is at http://www.nssl.noaa.gov/edu/safety/pagers.html

WEATHER WARNINGS – RANET – RANET is an international collaboration to make weather, climate, and related information more accessible to remote and resource poor populations. RANET undertakes this mission in order to aid day-to-day resource decisions and prepare against natural hazards. The program combines innovative technologies with appropriate applications and partnerships at the community level in order to ensure that the networks it creates serve the entirety of community information needs. http://www.ranetproject.net/

WEATHER WARNINGS – WDSS-II – Discover how researchers develop and evaluate experimental applications in an operational setting with the Warning Decision Support System – Integrated Information (WDSS-II) system designed by NSSL and tested at National Weather Service Forecast Offices. http://www.nssl.noaa.gov/research/radar/wdssii.php

WEATHER WARNINGS – Warn-On-Forecast Strategy – Learn about the National Severe Storm Lab’s ambitious goal – to be able to issue a severe weather warning based on a forecast rather than on detection of an event. This will give the public even more time to prepare for severe weather. http://www.nssl.noaa.gov/projects/swap

WEATHER RADAR – see RADAR

ZOO PLANKTON – Aggregate of passively floating, drifting, or somewhat motile organisms occurring in a body of water, primarily comprising microscopic algae and protozoa, and zooplankton is the "animal constituent of plankton; mainly small crustaceans and fish larvae." To learn more about zoo plankton visit http://research.noaa.gov/spotlite/archive/spot_zooplankton.html