U.S. Department of Energy announced $14 million for 22 projects with an aim to improve climate change predictions.
These projects will "advance fundamental scientific understanding of atmospheric processes," such as cloud formation and Arctic weather, according to a July 7 news release. The projects, to be conducted at 18 universities and two research organizations, are in 11 states, the District of Columbia and Canada.
“Climate-fueled weather events from drought, to fires, to hurricanes and polar vortices are becoming more common and more intense and wreaking havoc on our communities,” Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm said in the release. “We must expand our understanding of changing weather patterns and equip scientists, researchers and lawmakers with every possible tool to tackle the climate crisis. President Biden and DOE are committed to protecting American communities from extreme weather events and fighting climate change through critical investments in science and research that illuminate pathways to decarbonization and broaden our scientific foundation.”
Projects were chosen by competitive peer review from proposals submitted for a funding opportunity under the Atmospheric System Research program, the release said.
“The projects focus on, for example, how clouds interact with aerosols, tiny particles suspended in the atmosphere such as volcanic ash and sea salt; how aerosols interact with thunderstorms; and how clouds and aerosols impact the amount of solar energy that reaches the Arctic and Antarctic surfaces,” the release reported.
“From tiny particles to huge clouds, our atmosphere has many components that interact in complex ways," the DOE Office of Science said in a post on Twitter. "@ENERGY is providing $14 million in funding for 22 projects in atmospheric sciences that can provide data to improve Earth system models."
