[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 245 (Tuesday, December 22, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 70758-70760]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-33858]



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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY


Office of Science; Office of Science Financial Assistance Program 
Notice 99-03; Environmental Meteorology Program--Vertical Transport and 
Mixing

AGENCY: U.S. Department of Energy.

ACTION: Notice inviting research grant applications.

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SUMMARY: The Office of Biological and Environmental Research (OBER) of 
the Office of Science (SC), U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), hereby 
announces its interest in receiving applications for the Environmental 
Meteorology Program (EMP), Vertical Transport and Mixing (VTMX) Science 
Team. The research program supports the Department's Global Change 
Research Program, the U.S. Global Change Research Program, and the 
Administration's goals to understand the meteorological processes 
associated with air quality and climate change.

DATES: Formal applications in response to this notice must be received 
by 4:30 p.m., E.S.T., March 12, 1999, to be accepted for merit review 
and to permit timely consideration for award in fiscal year 1999. 
Applicants are urged to review abstracts of proposals from DOE 
laboratory scientists that have been tentatively selected for funding 
as well as the draft EMP-VTMX Science Plan at http://www.pnl.gov/VTMX. 
The draft science plan is already posted on the web site. The abstracts 
should be posted there by February 12, 1999. Applications that are 
collaborative with or complementary to DOE laboratory proposals are 
strongly encouraged.

ADDRESSES: Formal applications referencing Program Notice 99-03 should 
be sent to: U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Grants and 
Contracts Division, SC-64, 19901 Germantown Road, Germantown, MD 20874-
1290, ATTN: Program Notice 99-03. This address must also be used when 
submitting applications by U.S. Postal Service Express Mail or any 
other commercial overnight delivery service, or when hand-carried by 
the applicant. An original and seven copies of the application must be 
submitted; however, applicants are requested not to submit multiple 
application copies using more than one delivery or mail service.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Peter Lunn, Environmental Sciences 
Division, SC-74, Office of Biological and Environmental Research, 
Office of Science, U.S. Department of Energy, 19901 Germantown Road, 
Germantown, MD 20874-1290, telephone: (301) 903-4819, E-mail: 
[email protected], fax: (301) 903-8519. The full text of Program 
Notice 99-03 is available via the Internet using the following web site 
address: http://www.er.doe.gov/production/grants/fr99__03.html.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The scope of the research to be supported 
under this notice is the investigation of atmospheric vertical 
transport and mixing processes. The geographic focus for this research 
will be on urban areas affected by nearby elevated terrain, with an 
emphasis on studies of stably stratified conditions, periods with weak 
or intermittent turbulence, and morning and evening transition periods.

Background

    The measurement and modeling of vertical transport and mixing 
processes in the lowest few kilometers of the atmosphere are problems 
of fundamental importance for which a fully satisfactory treatment has 
yet to be achieved. Important aspects of air quality modeling and 
weather forecasting are adversely affected by our inability to describe 
these processes adequately. Although a general theoretical 
understanding of many of the physical phenomena relevant to vertical 
transport and mixing processes exists, that understanding is 
incomplete, the representation of various phenomena in models is often 
poor, and the data needed to test those models are lacking. The upward 
and downward movements of air parcels in stable and residual layers of 
the atmosphere and the interactions between adjacent layers are 
particularly difficult processes to characterize, and significant 
difficulties also exist in describing the behavior of the atmosphere 
during morning and evening transition periods. Complications due to 
heterogeneous land surfaces and complex terrain further compromise our 
ability to treat vertical transport and mixing processes properly.
    The goals of the program are to increase our understanding of the 
mechanisms responsible for vertical transport and mixing; to improve 
our ability to measure quantities required for this understanding; and 
to develop improved treatments of vertical transport and mixing for use 
in conceptual and numerical models.
    Although progress in these areas would be useful in a wide variety 
of circumstances, there is particular interest in realizing these 
objectives for urban regions affected by adjacent elevated terrain 
(e.g., urban basins or valleys). Moreover, although a complete 
characterization of the diurnal cycle of vertical transport and mixing 
may require consideration of fully developed mid-afternoon convective 
conditions, the emphasis in this program will be on vertical transport 
and mixing processes in stably stratified conditions, in conditions of 
weak or intermittent turbulence, and during morning and evening 
transition periods.
    It is anticipated that a significant component of this program will 
revolve around observations and data analyses from field measurement 
programs in urban basins or valleys conducted approximately every 
second or third year. The initial field experiment will most likely 
occur during the fall of 2000 or the winter of 2001, and likely 
candidate sites include Salt Lake City and Phoenix; a final 
determination of dates and location will be made late in the summer of 
1999.
    Horizontal scales of interest are on the order of two hundred 
kilometers or less. Vertical scales will depend on the height of the 
daytime mixed layer and the elevation of any nearby terrain and will 
generally be on the order of a few kilometers or less. It is realized, 
of course, that processes involving larger scales may have to be taken 
into account for a full understanding of smaller-scale ones.

Categories

    The EMP-VTMX Program consist of four categories. Prospective 
investigators should explicitly specify what category or categories are 
addressed by the proposed research. Individuals or groups intending to 
participate in field experiments should describe what measurements they 
intend to make and what instruments will be used to make them. Those 
intending to analyze data from one or more instruments or who will use 
data in numerical or conceptual modeling should specify what data are 
required for their purposes.

Category 1. Analysis of Existing Data Sets

    There are a large number of existing data sets collected in 
previous field campaigns that may be useful in the study of vertical 
transport and mixing processes. Analyses or other use of these data may 
directly contribute to the realization of the program's goals, and they 
may also help to identify processes to be studied in future field 
experiments and in the design of those experiments.

Category 2. Field Experiments

    Experiments designed explicitly to investigate selected vertical 
transport or exchange mechanisms will be conducted every two to three 
years during this program. Measurements will

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include observations of surface meteorological conditions; vertical 
profiles of wind velocity, temperature, and humidity; turbulence; 
tracer concentrations; and other quantities that may be relevant to the 
study of vertical transport or exchange. Measurements, and subsequent 
analysis of the data, in one or more of these areas is encouraged. 
Novel approaches for obtaining and interpreting remote sensing data, 
combining results from a variety of instrument platforms, and relating 
these data to quantities that can be calculated in numerical models are 
also areas of research encouraged in this program.
    It is not anticipated that this research program will support 
significant efforts in instrument development per se. However, to the 
extent that the use of a specific instrument might provide crucial 
measurements for field experiments, or that these experiments might 
provide an opportunity to test instrument technologies developed under 
other programs, support for such activities will be considered.

Category 3. Improvement and Applications of Numerical and Conceptual 
Modeling Approaches

    Parameterizations of vertical transport or exchange are often based 
on assumptions about turbulence that are not applicable in all 
circumstances or on results of simulations that have been ``tuned'' to 
match a particular data set.
    In many cases the choice of parameter values is left to the 
individual investigator. Numerical models are particularly prone to 
failure as the atmosphere becomes more stable and in areas where 
topographic and thermal forcing are all significant. New conceptual or 
numerical approaches may then be required to effect significant 
improvements in model performance. There is a need not only for further 
developments in numerical and conceptual modeling but also for more 
systematic testing and evaluation of the parameterizations and 
assumptions in these models. Whenever possible, such testing should be 
based on data and not simply on model vs. model comparisons.

Category 4. Development and Application of Tracer Technology

    Tracers are expected to be an important tool in the study of 
vertical transport and mixing in field measurement programs. Tracers 
can either be naturally occurring, such as ozone, aerosols, or radon, 
or material released in a controlled manner specifically to study 
transport and diffusion. Tracer releases may be required from multiple 
point sources in an urban area or from areas surrounding a city. If 
released from a city, point, line, and area sources may be necessary. 
Sampling in both vertical and horizontal directions is desired, with 
time resolution ranging from hours down to minutes or less. It is 
expected that successful applicants in this area will play an active 
role in the design and execution of major field campaigns carried out 
in this program.

Programmatic Issues

    Collaboration among funded investigators will be strongly 
encouraged in the EMP-VTMX Program. Scientists from non-DOE 
laboratories/universities are encouraged to explore potential areas of 
collaboration with scientists from one or more of the DOE laboratories 
by reviewing the abstracts of proposals from the DOE laboratory 
scientists that have been tentatively selected for funding. The 
abstracts will be posted on the DOE EMP-VTMX Website, http://
www.pnl.gov/VTMX, approximately February 12, 1999, five weeks after the 
closing date of the Lab announcement. It is for this reason that the 
submission dates for DOE and non-DOE scientists are staggered. 
Alternatively, non-DOE participants may identify gaps in the required 
research that are not covered by DOE laboratory approved proposals. 
Note that while independent investigations are anticipated in this 
program, it is important to keep the programmatic scope (vertical 
transport and mixing), geographic focus (urban basins or valleys), and 
areas of emphasis (stable conditions, conditions of weak or 
intermittent turbulence, and morning and evening transition periods) in 
mind when proposing and pursuing a course of investigation. Many of the 
principal research activities of this program will be associated with 
major field measurement campaigns and with the subsequent analysis of 
the data collected in them. In addition, efforts will be made to 
encourage scientists funded by other agencies to participate in field 
experiments and to share data and results with researchers in this 
program. An annual meeting of program participants and other interested 
parties is anticipated, and investigators funded under this program 
should plan to attend.

Science Issues

    Given the programmatic considerations described above, examples of 
scientific questions that may be addressed in the EMP are:
     What are the fundamental processes that control vertical 
transport for stable and transition boundary layers?
     What measurements are required to identify and quantify 
these processes and how can they be made?
     How can momentum, heat, and moisture fluxes be modeled and 
predicted in a stratified atmosphere with multiple layers?
     What improvements in numerical simulations and forecasts 
of vertical transport and mixing during stable and transition periods 
are feasible and how can they be implemented?
     What formulations are most appropriate for the description 
of vertical diffusion in stable air? For example, how rapidly will an 
elevated layer of pollutants mix towards the ground in a stable pool 
trapped within a basin, and how can that mixing be modeled?
     How do pollutants move through residual layers above a 
stable or convective surface layer and to what extent can pollutants 
penetrate stable and residual layers aloft?
     What is the sensitivity of current local weather forecast 
and dispersion model predictions to variations in the treatment of 
vertical diffusivity and turbulence? What limits our ability to 
forecast vertical transport in current numerical prediction models?
     How well can remote and in situ sensors measure winds, 
temperature, turbulence, and pollutants in the lowest few kilometers of 
the atmosphere? What improvements are needed and practical?
     How do traveling weather systems remove stable stagnant 
air out of a basin, and under what conditions do these removal 
mechanisms fail?
     What are the effects of the thermal and roughness 
properties of urban areas on the vertical structure of the boundary 
layer?
     What is the nature of the interaction of terrain-induced 
flows (e.g., drainage winds at night, upslope winds during the day, and 
waves) with cold air pools in basins, and how do such flows affect the 
formation and erosion of those pools and the dispersion of pollutants 
in them?

Supplementary Funding

    In years in which major field campaigns are carried out, some 
modest supplementary funding may be available to offset the increased 
costs associated with field work. Prospective investigators who 
anticipate the need for additional support in those circumstances 
should request in their application the level of additional funding 
desired and describe the reasons for the request.

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    EMP field campaigns may also include the use of the DOE G-1 
Research Aircraft Facility.

Educational Opportunities

    Opportunities exist for the financial support of undergraduate and 
graduate students wishing to participate in this program through the 
Department of Energy's Global Change Education Program. Information can 
be obtained at http://www.atmos.anl.gov/GCEP/ on the Internet.

Program Funding

    It is anticipated that up to $1 million in first-year funding will 
be available for multiple awards to be made in FY 1999 in the 
categories described above, contingent upon availability of 
appropriated funds. Applicants may request project support up to four 
years, with out-year support contingent on availability of appropriated 
funds, progress of the research, and programmatic needs. The number of 
awards and range of funding will depend on the number of applications 
received and selected for award. Annual budgets are expected to range 
from $60,000 to $200,000 in total costs. Awards are expected to be made 
in the summer of 1999.

Applications

    Applications will be subjected to scientific merit review (peer 
review) and will be evaluated against the following evaluation criteria 
listed in descending order of importance as codified at 10 CFR 
605.10(d):
    1. Scientific and/or Technical Merit of the Project,
    2. Appropriateness of the Proposed Method or Approach,
    3. Competency of Applicant's Personnel and Adequacy of Proposed 
Resources,
    4. Reasonableness and Appropriateness of the Proposed Budget.
    The evaluation will include program policy factors such as the 
relevance of the proposed research to the terms of the announcement and 
an agency's programmatic needs. Note, that external peer reviewers are 
selected with regard to both their scientific expertise and the absence 
of conflict-of-interest issues. Non-federal reviewers will often be 
used, and submission of an application constitutes agreement that this 
is acceptable to the investigator(s) and the submitting institution.
    Information about the development and submission of applications, 
eligibility, limitations, evaluation, 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. Electronic access to the Guide and required forms 
is made available via the World Wide Web at http://www.er.doe.gov/
production/grants/grants.html. The research project description must be 
15 pages or less, exclusive of attachments and must contain an abstract 
or summary of the proposed research. On the SC grant face page, form 
DOE F 4650.2, in block 15, also provide the PI's phone number, fax 
number, and E-mail address. Attachments include curriculum vitae, a 
listing of all current and pending federal support, and letters of 
intent when collaborations are part of the proposed research.
    Although the required original and seven copies of the application 
must be submitted, researchers are asked to submit an electronic 
version of their abstract of the proposed research in ASCII format and 
their E-mail address to the Program Director for Atmospheric Sciences, 
Peter Lunn, by E-mail to [email protected]. Curriculum vitae 
should be submitted in a form similar to that of NIH or NSF (two to 
three pages), see for example: http://www.nsf.gov:80/bfa/cpo/gpg/
fkit.htm#forms-9.

    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, DC, on December 11, 1998.
John Rodney Clark,
Associate Director of Science for Resource Management.
[FR Doc. 98-33858 Filed 12-21-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P