Month: November 2011

Like many of the streams and rivers he studies, the source of Dr. Sujay Kaushal’s passion isn’t entirely obvious. Kaushal said he’s been interested in streams and rivers since his childhood in Tennessee, but has a deeper, cultural connection to them as well.  His family comes from the Indian state of Punbaj, literally meaning “land of five rivers.” Today, he is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Geology at the University of Maryland and a scientist

The WCRP Workshop on CMIP5 Model Analysis to be held 5-9 March 2012 in Honolulu, Hawaii, USA. Abstract submission is now open, with deadline 14 December, 2011.  Attendance is limited by the size of the venue (approx. 150 people) and format of workshop. Participation will be invitation-only based on abstracts that are selected for presentation.  All details and update information can be found at http://cmip5.wcrp-climate.org/workshop. The workshop is organized by the WCRP/CLIVAR Working …

COLLEGE PARK, Md. – The University of Maryland is creating a new Council on the Environment, to help coordinate the institution’s expanding high-level research in the various aspects of global change. Antonio Busalacch, Director of the University of Maryland Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center (and a professor in the Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Science), will serve as its chair. The Council on the Environment will operate as an advisory group on research, education, …

COLLEGE PARK, Md. – Increases in air pollution and other particulate matter in the atmosphere can strongly affect cloud development in ways that reduce precipitation in dry regions or seasons, while increasing rain, snowfall and the intensity of severe storms in wet regions or seasons, says a new study by a University of Maryland-led team of researchers. The research provides the first clear evidence of how aerosols — soot, dust and other small particles in the atmosphere — can affect …

Researchers: Li, Zhanqing; Cribb, Maureen; Trishchenko, Alexander

Surface albedo is needed for satellite remote sensing of the surface radiation budget and for climate modeling. Determination of areal-mean surface albedo is challenging. Over the Southern Great Plains (SGP), a primary challenge lies in the inhomogeneity associated with different land cover types. Over the North Slope of Alaska (NSA), persistent cloud cover renders remote sensing of surface albedo difficult. We tackle both challenges following two different approaches. Over the SGP, we use data

Report detailing main goals of ESSIC and its establishment as well as details about achievements from the past year and programs that ESSIC has been involved with.