[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 18 (Thursday, January 27, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-1771]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: January 27, 1994]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Office of Energy Research

 

Energy Research Financial Assistance Program Notice 94-10; Global 
Change Research With Unmanned Aerospace Vehicles

AGENCY: U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).

ACTION: Notice inviting grant applications.

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SUMMARY: The Office of Health and Environmental Research (OHER) of the 
Office of Energy Research, U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) hereby 
announces its interest in receiving applications to support an 
experimental program in global climate change, i.e., the measurement 
and analysis of radiation and cloud/radiation effects. This program is 
being pursued in support of the U.S. Global Change Research Program 
(USGCRP) and supports the goals of the DOE Atmospheric Radiation 
Measurement (ARM) Program. Funding for this effort comes from both the 
Department of Defense (DoD) Strategic Environmental Research and 
Development Program (SERDP) and from DOE. In the initial phases of this 
effort leased Unmanned Aerospace Vehicles (UAV) will be instrumented 
and flights will be made in conjunction with ARM site activities. These 
initial missions will emphasize measurement of the vertical flux 
profile in the troposphere and the use of UAV-based measurements to 
calibrate satellite derived fluxes. Applications are sought to use the 
UAV-based data, in conjunction with ARM site and other data, to address 
key issues in the radiative heating of the atmosphere; for the use, 
modification, or development of UAV-compatible instruments for such 
radiation and cloud studies; to support instrument development; and for 
data analysis which support integration of the UAV-borne instrument 
data with ARM site and other data.
    These efforts are intended to supply information for the global 
change scientific community and satisfy DoD SERDP goals in Global 
Environmental Change.

DATES: Formal application submitted in response to this notice must be 
received by March 28, 1994, to permit timely consideration for award in 
Fiscal Year 1994.

ADDRESSES: Formal applications referencing Program Notice 94-10 should 
be forwarded to: U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy Research, 
Acquisition and Assistance Management Division, ER-64 (GTN), 
Washington, D.C. 20585, ATTN: Program Notice 94-10. The following 
address must be used when submitting applications by U.S. Postal 
Service Express Mail or any commercial mail delivery service, or when 
hand carried by the applicant: U.S. Department of Energy, Office of 
Energy Research, Acquisition and Assistance Management Division, ER-64, 
19901 Germantown Road, Germantown, MD 20874.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Patrick Crowley, Environmental 
Sciences Division, Office of Health and Environmental Research, U.S. 
Department of Energy, Washington, DC 20585, telephone (301) 903-3069.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The purpose of the ARM program is to improve 
the treatment of radiation and clouds in the models used to predict 
future climate, particularly the General Circulation Models (GCM). (The 
role of clouds in climate change is the highest science priority in the 
USGCRP.) The ARM program is one element of a major effort to improve 
the quality of current models and to support the development of sets of 
climate models capable of making regional prediction of climate and 
climate change. The major component of the ARM Program is an 
experimental testbed for the study of the terrestrial radiation field, 
properties of clouds, the full life cycle of clouds, and the 
incorporation of process-level models into climate models. This testbed 
is called the Clouds and Radiation Testbed (CART). The first ARM CART 
site began operation in calendar year 1992 with instruments spread over 
approximately 60,000 square kilometers centered in Lamont, Oklahoma. 
Sites planned for the Tropical Western Pacific Ocean and the North 
Slope of Alaska are expected to become operational over the next four 
years. The present effort supports ARM objectives by providing for 
instrumentation, collection and analysis of data on ARM relevant 
phenomena using UAVs as instrument platforms. The desirability of UAVs 
for this research lies in their potential to remain on station or make 
long range tracks for extended periods (>48 hrs) and/or to fly at 
altitudes slightly above the top of the troposphere. These advantages 
are achieved without concomitant risk to pilot or crew.
    The altitudes of interest for the present effort extend from about 
one thousand feet to the top of the troposphere. The lower altitude is 
governed by safety and control factors and the upper altitude is 
expected to be adequate for the study of most tropospheric and 
radiation budget investigations.
    Although mission schedules are currently being developed, they are 
expected to be flexible--three UAV flight missions are anticipated in 
the next 18 months. The first three missions will be over the Southern 
Great Plains ARM Site. These early missions will emphasize measurement 
of the vertical radiation flux profile and the use of UAV-borne 
instruments to calibrate satellite-derived measurements such as the 
top-of-the-atmosphere flux. The initial payloads include up and down-
looking, broadband solar and infrared, hemispherical flux radiometers; 
a nadir viewing spectral radiometer covering the 0.4 to 4.0 microns; 
and a meteorology package (temperature, pressure, and water vapor 
measurements). {The goal of the first missions is measurement of the 
vertical radiation flux profile and they will be conducted with 
instruments being integrated into payloads presently; these instruments 
include broad-band radiometers, a narrow band radiometer, and a 
meteorology package (temperature, pressure and water vapor 
measurement).} Later missions will be more flexible as to goals, 
mission profiles, and instrument payload. This notice requests 
applications to support two categories of effort; analysis of data and 
development of UAV instruments in pursuit of the experimental goals.
    Data analysis efforts should focus on making maximum use of UAV-
derived data, in conjunction with CART and other data sources, to 
address key radiative heating issues and to provide calibration/
validation of satellite derived data products. In addition, the 
investigators funded for these efforts are expected to assist in 
planning the future missions to include locations, mission profiles, 
and instrument complement. Mission planning will be conducted by these 
investigators, UAV instrument developers and interested members of the 
ARM science team, and the UAV mission planning group.
    Proposed instruments for the UAV missions should provide data 
relevant and of unique value to the mission's objectives. Instruments 
should be compatible with use on a small UAV as part of a multi-
instrument payload. Typically they should weigh less than 30 kg, draw 
less than 100 W, and occupy less than 1.01m\3\. Instruments must be 
capable of autonomous operation fully exposed to the ambient 
atmosphere. The UAV payload interface will provide power to the 
instrument through a DC Bus (voltage negotiable) and will also provide 
for telemetering the data stream to the ground. Applications for 
instrument development should include optimum conditions for taking 
data from the proposed instrument as well as requirements for other 
instruments on-board or required from other platforms (e.g., the ARM 
site). The proposed instruments will be subject to a review at six 
months after the award. A decision on which instruments to bring to 
operational capability will be made at the six month review.
    It is anticipated that approximately $3.5M will be available for 
awards for these activities contingent on availability of appropriated 
funds. Multiple year funding is expected, also contingent upon the 
availability of funds. The allocation of funds will depend on the 
number and quality of applications received. Typical Environmental 
Sciences Division awards are $200,000 per year, but range between 
$50,000 and $750,000.
    The technical portions of the applications should not exceed 
twenty-five (25) double-spaced pages, and should be accompanied by an 
abstract of not more than two paragraphs.
    Information on the development and submission of applications, 
eligibility, limitations, evaluation, selection process, and other 
policies and procedures may be found in the Application Guide for the 
Office of Energy Research Financial Assistance Program and 10 CFR part 
605. The Application Guide is available from the U.S. Department of 
Energy, Office of Health and Environmental Research, Environmental 
Sciences Division, ER-74 (GTN), Washington, DC 20585. Telephone 
requests may be made by calling (301) 903-4902

    .The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance number for this 
program is 81.049.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on January 14, 1994.
D.D. Mayhew,
Director, Office of Management, Office of Energy Research.
[FR Doc. 94-1771 Filed 1-26-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P