Science Activity Examples

• Solar Physics - Space Weather (93 million miles away)
• Observation and model studies of the Sun’s interior (helioseismology) - far-side imaging
• Observation and model studies of solar magnetic fields, specializing in active regions and solar flares/Coronal Mass Ejections
• Thermosphere & Ionosphere - Space Weather (110 km up)
• Model studies on the effect of deep convection on the dynamics of the thermosphere and ionosphere
• Observation and model studies on the effect of solar activity on the ionosphere
• Modeling of electron density distribution & associated radio wave propagation effects
• Applications in HF Communication and Over-the-Horizon Radar
• VHF/UHF radar ionization-induced propagation effects
• Mesosphere & Stratosphere (10-110km up)
• Theoretical, model, and observation studies of planetary and gravity waves and the effects on climate
• Methods for estimating winds and temperatures remotely (satellite retrieval methods)
• Troposphere (mostly breathable stuff)
• Studies of "global dimming and brightening" and its implications in climate forcing and water/carbon feedbacks
• Atmospheric water cycle and climate change
• Aerosol and radiation measurements in urban environs and the effect on ecosystems
• Tropospheric climate effects from stratospheric change (e.g., effects of ozone depletion on high-latitude climate)
• Observational studies of the vertical coupling with Stratosphere/Mesosphere planetary waves and of tropical planetary waves
• Land-Ocean-Atmosphere Boundary Layer
• Solar energy flux assessment
• Micro-Meteorology
• Remote sensing of ocean surface winds, biological activity, surface-gravity waves
• Measurements, analysis, and modeling of heat flux in high-wind, spray conditions
• Operational Ocean Forecasting
• Oceanography
• Observations of eddies and waves in Lagrangian datasets
• Subpolar oceanography and mode water formation processes
• Observation and model studies of internal waves and turbulence
• Observation studies in nearshore waves, currents, and sediment transport - coastal erosion
• Sea Ice
• Development of sea-ice dynamic models for climate studies and for ice forecasting
• Measurements, analysis, and modeling of arctic surface fluxes
• Ocean Bottom
• Hot Thermal Vents: Observational studies of mass and energy transport into and out of the crust
• Classical Fluid Dynamics
• Laboratory, modeling, and observational studies of turbulence and vortices, including airplane wake vortices
• Theoretical studies - the transition from laminar to turbulent flow that is controlled by the stress state and generates velocity discontinuities in the flow (a.k.a. turbulence)
• Theoretical studies on the excitation of gravity waves from the divergence of horizontal flux of vertical momentum
• Applications in Signal Processing & Higher-Order Statistics
• Nonstationary signal analysis methods for physical processes
• Data Assimilation
• Bayesian Hierarchical Modeling
• EEG analysis of speech and intended speech
• Blind identification of communication signals (e.g., radio frequency scene analysis)