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Scientists within Observations Based Research (OBR) undertake field
campaigns to gather research-quality observations of key physical
process within the atmosphere and at the Earth's surface. They also
use high-resolution numerical models to assist in the interpretation
of these results. These studies provide the necessary physical insight
required to develop improved parametrizations of these physical processes
within the Met Office Unified Model which is used for weather forecasting
and climate prediction. The observations are also used in research
aimed at enhancing the benefit for NWP from current and future satellite
instruments.
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BAe 146 aircraft
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Instrumentation at Cardington
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The observational work is based around two facilities; a group which
operates an aircraft and a group that operates a large range of surface-based
instrumentation including a tethered kite balloon. Both the aircraft
and the balloon are heavily equipped with instrumentation for determining
standard meteorological parameters and more-specialised instrumentation
for measuring turbulence, cloud, aerosol and radiation.
The Met Office has been involved in airborne research since the
creation of the High Altitude Flight in August 1942. In 2001 the
Met Office entered a new partnership with the Natural Environment
Research Council (NERC) for the jointly funded provision of a
state of the art atmospheric research aircraft. The new BAe 146-301
aircraft is operated out of the airfield at Cranfield University
and is known as the Facility for Airborne Atmospheric Measurements
(FAAM). The
aircraft went through a major conversion programme and started
scientific flying in 2004. The aircraft is used extensively by
scientists within OBR, based at the Met Office headquarters in
Exeter, and by university groups across the country.
Trans-national access to research aircraft by European research groups
has been strongly encouraged by the European Union over recent years
via STAARTE and CAATER contracts. European investigators are encouraged
to apply for flying hours on the BAe 146-301 and other European aircraft
via the EUFAR Framework
6 proposal.
Surface-based observations of turbulent and surface-exchange processes
in the boundary layer are carried out at Cardington together with
remote sensing of cloud and aerosol. This takes the form of both continuous
monitoring and field campaigns away from Cardington.
Met Office scientists at Exeter and Cardington conduct research in
the following areas.
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