NSF Funding for Project Will Take Weather Knowledge, Predictions to New Heights
The NSF is providing $91.8 million for a project to build an Airborne Phased Array Radar.
- By Alex Saurman
- Jun 02, 2023
New funding from the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) will help one nonprofit reach for the stars—or in this case, the clouds.
According to NSF news, the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR) will receive a total of $91.8 million to be used for creating an Airborne Phased Array Radar (APAR), which will advance the knowledge of weather information and play a role in severe weather predictions.
Once crafted, the APAR will be used to see into clouds and storms to “get remarkably close 3D views” to a degree that current technology cannot provide, per the article.
The information obtained from the APAR, which can be strapped to any aircraft, will help researchers learn more about “the formation of rain, hail and snow,” know the contents of storm clouds, forecast any changes to a storm and test predictions, the article explained.
"By strategically investing in groundbreaking infrastructure like the Airborne Phased Array Radar, NSF is helping to revolutionize the future of U.S. weather forecasting, which is critical to our national and economic security,” NSF Director Sethuraman Panchanathan said in the article.
It’s estimated the project will be completed by May 31, 2028.
The funds are being awarded through the Mid-scale Research Infrastructure-2 award. In the same fiscal year, the EPA issued two other Mid-scale Research Infrastructure-2 awards.
About the Author
Alex Saurman is the Content Editor for Environmental Protection.