[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 37 (Friday, February 23, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6986-6988]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-4143]



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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Office of Energy Research


Energy Research Financial Assistance Program Notice 96-11; 
Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Program

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 the 
experimental and theoretical study of radiation and clouds in 
conjunction with the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Program as 
part of the U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP). 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 (GCMs). This notice requests applications for grants 
to support:
    (Category 1): Continuation and enhancement of activities previously 
funded by DOE under Energy Research Financial Assistance Grant Program 
Notice No. 91-9 published in the Federal Register March 8, 1991, and 
Notice No. 93-14 published in the Federal Register April 1, 1993.
    (Category 2): The modeling of clouds and radiation including 
aerosol effects for use in General Circulation Models (GCMs) and 
related models. Analysis of ARM and other data for refining, 
supporting, and validating model development are key aspects of 
research sought in this category. These activities should be closely 
tied to the analysis and use of data from the current and planned 
facilities at the three Cloud and Radiation Testbed sites: the first is 
centered near Lamont, Oklahoma; the second will have instruments first 
on the Island of Manus, Papua, New Guinea, and later on other islands 
or buoys in the Tropical Western Pacific; and the third site in the 
North Slope of Alaska region.
    (Category 3): The development of new analytic methods and derived 
data products which combine ARM data and, if appropriate, other data 
such as satellite data to support the efforts of ARM Science Team 
members. Of high current interest are new algorithms and procedures 
that can be automated for the processing of ARM data streams. 
Successful applications will involve algorithms that take advantage of 
current or projected ARM instrumentation, or which will provide insight 
into new data streams of high credibility and useability to the ARM 
Science Team.
    (Category 4): The development of advanced instrumentation for high 
accuracy/precision radiometric observations and for profiling of all 
three phases of water in the atmosphere and lower stratosphere. Short 
wave radiometry is of particular present interest.
    (Category 5): The use of ARM data to support activities in other 
programs with goals related to those of ARM through unfunded 
participation in the ARM Science Team.


[[Page 6987]]

DATES: Formal applications submitted in response to this notice must be 
received by 4:30 PM, EST, May 16, 1996, to permit timely consideration 
for award in fiscal year 1997.

ADDRESSES: Formal applications should be forwarded to: U.S. Department 
of Energy, Office of Energy Research, Grants and Contracts Division, 
ER-64, 19901 Germantown Road, Germantown, MD 20874-1290, ATTN: Program 
Notice 96-11. This address also must be used when submitting 
applications by U.S. Postal Service Express Mail, any commercial mail 
delivery service, or when handcarried by the applicant.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Patrick A. Crowley, Office of 
Health and Environmental Research, Environmental Sciences Division, ER-
74, U.S. Department of Energy, 19901 Germantown Road, Germantown, 
Maryland 20874-1290. Telephone: (301) 903-3069, fax (301) 903-8519, or 
by Internet address, [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: One of the major scientific objectives of 
the Environmental Sciences Division (ESD) is to improve the performance 
of predictive models of the Earth's climate and to thereby make 
predictions of the response of the climate system to increasing 
concentrations of greenhouse gases. This 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 models of the 
terrestrial radiation field, properties of clouds, the full life cycle 
of clouds, and the incorporation of these process-level models into 
climate models. This testbed is referred to as the Cloud and Radiation 
Testbed (CART). The first ARM CART site began operation in calendar 
year 1992, with instruments spread over an area of approximately 60,000 
sq. km., centered on Lamont, Oklahoma. The Tropical Western Pacific 
(TWP) site will consist initially of island-based suites of 
instrumentation focused on cloud and radiative properties in the 
tropical ocean environment. The first of the TWP Atmospheric Radiation 
and Clouds Stations (ARCS) will be operating by the end of calendar 
year 1996 on the island of Manus, Papua New Guinea, and the second on 
Nauru in 1997. Instrumentation more representative of the CART site in 
Oklahoma will be deployed to the vicinity of Point Barrow, on the North 
Slope of Alaska late in 1997 or early 1998.
    To ensure that the program meets the broadest needs of the research 
community and the specific needs of the DOE, ESD, successful applicants 
will participate as ARM Science Team members along with selected 
scientists from other ESD programs that relate to the ARM Program. 
Costs for participation in ARM Science Team meetings and subcommittee 
meetings should be based on two trips of 1 week each to Washington, 
D.C., and two trips of 3 days each to Chicago, Illinois.
    Successful applicants for continuation or enhancement of previously 
awarded grants, Category 1, will demonstrate (a) continued relevance of 
their work to the goals of the ARM Program; (b) the quality and 
relevance of work conducted under previous support to the goals of the 
ARM Program, including a listing of publications and presentations; and 
(c) relevant contribution to the development of the ARM program, 
particularly the design and development of CART facilities, as a result 
of previous funding. Applications should include a special section 
covering items (b) and (c) entitled ``Accomplishments Under Previous 
Support.''
    Successful applicants for grants in support of Category 2 will 
demonstrate the role of their research in the improvement of GCMs and/
or related models and delineate the path that their results will take 
to make those improvements. Successful applicants will be involved in 
one or more of three activities: (a) The development of models and 
parameterization of radiative transfer or cloud processes, including 
aerosol effects, or the testing of these models in GCMs or process-
level models; (b) experimental studies at CART facilities to test 
elements of models and their performance or to obtain key laboratory 
data; or (c) the analysis of existing data, including field data and 
satellite data, to support model development or testing.
    Successful applicants for participation in Category 3, the 
development of new analytic methods and derived data products, will 
demonstrate how the proposed efforts support the ARM Science Team 
members involved in the other categories of research. Applications in 
this area must recognize that the program has a developed 
infrastructure for data treatment and distribution. The support looked 
for in this area involves a deeper more sophisticated algorithmic 
approach than presently in use. The successful applications will accent 
a strong scientific approach to the problem of data fusion.
    Because ARM is well into its intended life cycle, successful 
applicant for participation in the ARM instrument development program, 
Category 4, will meet either (1) immediate and near-term needs of the 
ARM Program for improved radiometric sensors, both broad-band and 
spectrally resolved or for instruments capable of high-precision 
radiometric calibration, or (2) immediate and near-term needs of the 
ARM Program for improved systems for the measurement of the spatial 
distribution of all three phases of water, with particular emphasis on 
vertical profiles. In each case the application should contain, in 
appropriate detail, a discussion of the accuracy and precision of the 
proposed measurement methodology as a function of wavelength or 
altitude respectively, and the relevance of the proposed measurements 
to test models of atmospheric radiative processes. It has been 
suggested that the data available from the array of instruments planned 
or in place in the program suffer from too little short wave data. 
Applications which address this concern in the near term are 
anticipated to be of high interest.
    Successful applicants for participation in the adjunct ARM Science 
Team, Category 5, will apply ARM data to research programs of interest 
to DOE and related to ARM goals, but which are funded by other sources. 
While ARM data is available through the ARM Data Archive at Oak Ridge 
National Laboratory, ARM Science Team participation provides 
investigators the opportunity to receive tailored data products from 
the ARM Experiment Center at Pacific Northwest Laboratory and the 
opportunity to participate in the design of ARM facilities and 
experiments. While there will not be funds to support the research of 
applicants under this portion of this notice, some funds may be 
available to support the travel of successful applicants to participate 
in ARM Science Team activities as indicated below. Preference will be 
given to participants whose goals are related to the general goals of 
ARM outlined above; Global Energy and Water Experiment (GEWEX) and its 
associated programs; the study of aerosols and their effect on the 
radiative transfer, including visibility studies; and the transfer of 
UV-B radiation through the atmosphere.
    The efforts proposed in support of all five categories should have 
as a focus the conduct of research using the CART facilities either in 
operation or being 

[[Page 6988]]
developed for ARM. Successful applicants will participate in the 
continuing development of the detailed experimental approaches for CART 
and guide the evolving development and acquisition of the experimental 
equipment.
    It is anticipated that approximately $5,000,000 will be available 
for awards for the combined activity under Categories 1, 2, 3, and 4 
above in fiscal year 1997, contingent upon availability of appropriate 
funds. Multiple year funding of awards is expected, also contingent 
upon availability of funds. The allocation of funds among the three 
categories above will depend on the number and quality of the 
applications received. It is anticipated that a substantial fraction of 
the funds will support continuation of existing research under Category 
1 above. Typical ESD awards are $200,000 per year, but range from 
$50,000 to $600,000.
    Information about development, submission, and the selection 
process, and other policies and procedures may be found in 10 CFR Part 
605, and in the Application Guide for the Office of Energy Research 
Financial Assistance Program. The Application Guide is available from 
the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Health and Environmental 
Research, Environmental Sciences Division, ER-74, 19901 Germantown 
Road, Germantown, Maryland 20874-1290. Telephone requests may be made 
by calling (301) 903-4902. Electronic access to ER's Financial 
Assistance Guide is possible via the Internet using the following e-
mail address: http://www.er.doe.gov/
 Collaborative applications are encouraged. Awards are anticipated 
to begin on or about November 1, 1996.
    The technical portion of the application should not exceed twenty-
five (25) doubled-spaced pages. For applicants under Category 4 above, 
the ``Accomplishments Under Previous Support'' section should not 
exceed ten (10) additional double-spaced pages. An abstract of less 
than 200 words must be included with the application. Lengthy 
appendices are discouraged.
    Technical information on the ARM Program is available from the ARM 
Program Office at Pacific Northwest Laboratory, P.O. Box 999, Richland, 
WA 99352, telephone (509) 375-6964, or from the Office of Scientific 
and Technical Information, P.O. Box 62, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, telephone 
(615) 576-8401.
    The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number for this program 
is 81.049, and the solicitation control number is ERFAP 10 CFR part 
605.

    Issued in Washington, D.C., on February 13, 1996.
John Rodney Clark,
Associate Director for Resource Management, Office of Energy Research.
[FR Doc. 96-4143 Filed 2-22-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P