FY 2002 Annual Operating Plan

Updated: October 9, 2002

These ETL project milestones are tracked under Program Elements of NOAA's Strategic Plan:

Short-term Warnings and Forecasts

Tornado detection using atmospheric infrasound: documentation phase

• Submit two papers on infrasonic observations of tornadoes to journals.
  Objective 3 - Enhance Observations and Predictions
  Second Quarter
  A. Bedard
   
  
• Submit paper on sounds from laboratory and aircraft wake vortices to journal.
  Objective 3 - Enhance Observations and Predictions
  Fourth Quarter
  A. Bedard

Technique and Technology Research and Development

• Publish results showing improved accuracy of a new radar technique for quantitative rainfall measurements. This paper will use data from the Wallops Island campaign (Feb-April 2001) and ETL's new combined polarimeteric estimator for the X-band radar.
  Objective 3 - Enhance Observations and Predictions
  Third Quarter
  S. Matrosov
   
  
• Critically assess the impact of improving range resolution on wind profiling radars through imaging techniques.
  Objective 3 - Enhance Observations and Predictions
  Fourth Quarter
  A. Muschinski and P. Chilson

Optimal Mix/Data Assimilation/QPF

• Publish article documenting an important, previously unrecognized process that creates rainfall in coastal mountains without ice processes.
  Objective 3 - Enhance Observations and Predictions
  Second Quarter
  A. White

Recover Protected Species (RPS)

• Perform airborne lidar surveys of fish distributions within critical habitat of Steller's sea lions near Kodiak Island, Alaska.
  Objective 1 - Protect, conserve, andrestore coastal habitats and their biodiversity
  First Quarter
  J. Churnside

Decadal to Centennial Change

Early detection of improved air quality

• Complete analysis of ozone, aerosol, and wind lidar observations from the Texas 2000 Air Quality Study and characterize the role of the land/sea breeze flow on local air quality.
  Objective 5 - Provide the Scientific Basis for Improved Air Quality/Science Underpinning Air Quality Standard Setting
  Third Quarter
  C. Senff, R. Banta, and L. Darby

Implement Seasonal to Interannual Climate Forecasts

Respond to customer demand by increasing the number of operational and research datasets updated, developed, produced and delivered.

• Demonstrate cloud radar processor and polarization upgrades to enhance cloud observations for climate parameterizations, and to automatically discriminate insects from low clouds in the boundary layer.
  Objective 2 - Maintain and improve observing and datadelivery systems
  Third Quarter
  K. Moran

Improve understanding of atmospheric, oceanic, land surface and cryospheric processesthat contribute to seasonal-to-interannual climate variability.

• Deploy a lidar on the Ron Brown to measure low level winds and water vapor during the EPIC experiment.
  Objective 3 - Conduct Research for Improved Climate Predictions
  Second Quarter
  A. Brewer and J. Intrieri
   
  
• Gather ship and aircraft observations of air-ocean coupling and stratus clouds in the Eastern Pacific during the EPIC field experiment
  Objective 3 - Conduct Research for Improved Climate Predictions
  Third Quarter C. Fairall