Center for Clouds, Chemistry and Climate

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Abstract ATM-9405024 Ramanathan, V. Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UCSD Title: Center for Clouds, Chemistry and Climate (C4) NSF's Science and Technology Center for Clouds, Chemistry and Climate (C4) was established to develop theoretical, observational and modeling bases required to understand and predict Earth's changing climate as affected by clouds, radiation and atmospheric chemistry and their interactions, be these a result of natural causes and/or human activities. Although clouds are believed to play a central role in regulating radiative heating of the planet and in governing trace gase transport, they are poorly understood. This uncertain role of clouds is a primary reason for our inability to make accurate predictions of global warming. The Center brings together research groups in the United States and Germany that have made fundamental contributions in the areas of the greenhouse effect, atmospheric chemistry, climate, and global change. The consortium of universities (UCSD, University of Chicago, University of Maryland, Oregon State University) and research laboratories (MPI, Mainz, Forschungszentrum Juelich, NCAR, Boulder) that constitute C4 will conduct on joint airborne and shipbased measurements, global model studies, and analyses of satellite data in order to document and interpret processes related to climate and climate change. Through its research programs, and the exchange of data and scientists, the Center will reach out to mission agencies and national laboratories involved in global change research. The Center will help nurture a new generation of scientists capable of addressing fundamental problems in global change. The Center also collaborates with SIO's Stephen Birch Aquarium-Museum to establish a multi-disciplinary teacher training program. The Center is located on the SIO-UCSD campus with Professor V. Ramanathan as Director. Professor Paul Crutzen, Director of the Max-Planck Institut fur Chemie, Mainz, coordinat es European collaborative activities with the Center. Dr. Diana Baxter, Education Curator at the Aquarium-Museum oversees the K-12 global change education program. Mr. Hung Nguyen, Assistant Director, coordinates outreach and education activities.