HBCU-Excellence in Research: Howard University Beltsville Center for Planetary Boundary Layer Studies

该奖项支持在历史悠久的霍华德大学贝尔茨维尔校区（HUBC）观测点建立一个大气研究区域中心。该项目将增强大华盛顿-巴尔的摩地区的大气观测能力，通过一系列测量，如风速/风向、气温、水蒸气和气溶胶浓度，从地表到近10英里以上。收集的数据将用于通过观测数据分析和计算机模型来了解雷暴是如何发展的。该项目涉及来自霍华德大学、巴尔的摩马里兰大学和宾夕法尼亚州立大学的科学家和学生。通过该项目增强的观测能力将为代表性不足的学生提供参与国际社会进行尖端大气研究的机会。研究人员将更新NASA开发的ALVICE（用于验证、机构间协作和教育的大气激光雷达）拉曼激光雷达系统。除了ALVICE移动实验室的遥感观测外，霍华德大学还将定期发射无线电探空仪，作为参与国际全球气候观测系统参考高空网络（GRUAN）的一部分。PSU高分辨率WRF-EnKF数据同化（DA）系统也将与HUBC站点的观测和PECAN（平原夜间高架对流）现场活动收集的现场数据一起使用，重点关注对流启动，特别是“难以预测”的事件。该项目将增强hubc作为区域边界层研究中心的能力。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This award supports building a regional center for atmospheric studies at the historical Howard University Beltsville Campus (HUBC) observation site. The project will enhance the atmosphere observational capability in the greater Washington-Baltimore area with a suite of measurements such as wind speed/direction, air temperature, water vapor and aerosol concentrations from the surface to near 10 miles above. The collected data will be used to understand how thunderstorms develop through observational data analysis and computer models. The project involves scientists and students from Howard University, University of Maryland at Baltimore, and the Pennsylvania State University. The enhanced observation capabilities through the project would provide under-represented students the opportunity to be involved in an international community for cutting edge atmospheric research. The investigators will update the ALVICE (Atmospheric Lidar for Validation, Interagency Collaboration and Education) Raman Lidar system developed by NASA. In addition to the remote sensing observation from the ALVICE mobile laboratory, radiosondes will be launched regularly as part of Howard University’s participation in the international Global Climate Observing System Reference Upper-Air Network (GRUAN). The PSU high resolution WRF-EnKF data assimilation (DA) system will also be used with the observation from the HUBC site and field data collected from the PECAN (Plains Elevated Convection at Night) field campaign to focus on convection initiation, particularly on “difficult to predict” events. The project will enhance HUBCs ability to serve as a regional center for boundary layer research.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.