NSF-MRI: Acquisition of a Microwave Radiometer for Arctic Atmospheric Boundary Layer Research & Education

This award is funded in whole or in part under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (Public Law 117-2).

This Major Research Instrumentation award is for the acquisition of a Microwave Radiometer to enhance high-latitude Atmospheric Boundary Layer (ABL) research and applied areas of Air Pollution Meteorology, Mesoscale Modeling and Low Level Cloud-ABL interaction. This instrument will enhance the research capabilities at the University of Alaska Fairbanks into important topics for Air Pollution and Human Health, connected to the ABL dynamics and Air Quality.

The instrument will also be used as an educational tool for use by a diverse cohort of undergraduate and graduate students including Alaskan Natives and underrepresented minority groups coming to Alaska seeking for an Arctic-focused research and education opportunity.

The research team will acquire the RPG-HATPRO-G5 from RPG Radiometer Physics, which is the latest generation of microwave radiometers with enhanced capability for low humidity atmospheres. The team will incorporate the Microwave Radiometer into the existing Arctic Facility for Atmospheric Remote Sensing at the Department of Atmospheric Sciences, University of Alaska Fairbanks and will be combined with Lidar and surface-based turbulence instrumentation.

The instrument will also be prepared to be deployed into a mobile unit for field studies. Topics of study that will be enhanced by this instrument acquisition includes: a) improve understanding of surface fluxes and ABL dynamic states; b) provide high resolution description of the ABL structure during the buildup and breakup of surface based temperature inversions; c) improve understanding of dynamic-radiative interaction between elevated synoptic temperature inversions layers and the surface based inversions; d) provide experimental observations of the winter ABL structure to support the International Global Atmospheric Chemistry - Alaskan Layered Pollution and Chemical Analysis (IGAC-ALPACA); e) support Fire Weather applications detailing the summer ABL structure and f) improve mesoscale modeling for renewable energy applications and, g) support educational programs including dynamic meteorology with Arctic focus.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.