Arctic Climate Research

Atmospheric Composition and Climate (ACC)
The Atmospheric Composition and Climate Program pursues two overall research objectives: (i) to improve the predictive understanding of the radiative forcing of the climate system by aerosols and by chemically active greenhouse gases, such as tropospheric ozone and methane, and (ii) to better characterize the recovery of the stratospheric ozone layer, including its role in climate change.

Climate Assessments and Services Division (CASD)
The Climate Program Office established a Regional Decision Support (RDS) effort to accelerate the Program's interaction with users of climate information and forecasts at multiple spatial and geographical scales. The CASD portfolio, which falls under the RDS Climate Program helps NOAA identify and serve the nation's needs for climate information to support decision making through an integrated program of: 1) research and assessment related to impacts and decision making needs; 2) transition of research to operations; and 3) experimental production and delivery of local and regional climate services that can be utilized to enhance adaptive management options. NOAA's CASD activities include efforts managed by the research and operational entities of the agency, and involve productive partnerships with other agencies, universities and stakeholders. Programs within this division include:

• Regional Integrated Sciences and Assessments (RISA)
  The RISA program supports research that addresses complex climate sensitive issues of concern to decision-makers and policy planners at a regional level.

• Sectoral Applications Research Program (SARP)
  SARP is designed to systematically build an interdisciplinary and expressly applicable knowledge base and mechanism for the creation, dissemination and exchange of climate-related research findings critical for understanding and addressing resource management challenges in vital social and economic sectors.

• Transition of Research Applications to Climate Services (TRACS)
  The TRACS Program transitions experimentally mature climate information tools, methods, and processes, including computer related applications (e.g. web interfaces, visualization tools), from research mode into settings where they may be applied in an operational and sustained manner. TRACS primary goal is to generate sustained delivery of useful climate information products and services to local, regional, national, and international decision and policy makers. TRACS seeks not only to support implementation of these transitions, but also to learn from partners how to better accomplish technology transition processes for public goods applications and improved risk management.

• RANET
  
• Climate Outlook Forums and Applications Projects.

Climate Change Data and Detection (CCDD)
The Climate Change Data and Detection (CCDD) element ensures that the data needed to understand the climate system is available for analysis. The data and resultant products extend the existing long-term climate record and serve as essential input to predictive models.

Climate Dynamics and Experimental Prediction (CDEP)
The Climate Dynamics/Experimental Prediction (CDEP), through a set of Applied Research Centers (ARCs), supports NOAA's program for quantitative assessments and predictions of global climate variability and its regional implications on time scales of seasonal to centennial.

Climate Observation (CO)
The mission of the Office of Climate Observation is to build and sustain a global climate observing system that will respond to the long-term observational requirements of the operational forecast centers, international research programs, and major scientific assessments, with primary focus on the in situ Ocean component.

Climate Variability and Predictability (CVP)
The Climate Variability and Predictability (CVP) program seeks to observe, model and understand patterns of climate variability on intra-seasonal and longer time scales and to assess predictability of such climate variability.

Climate Prediction Program for the Americas (CPPA)
The Climate Prediction Program for the Americas (CPPA) is a competitive research program to improve operational intraseasonal to interannual climate prediction and the hydrological applications in the Americas.

Global Carbon Cycle (GCC)
Global Carbon Cycle (GCC) program seeks to improve our ability to predict the fate of anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO₂) and future atmospheric CO₂ concentrations using a combination of atmospheric and oceanic global observations, process-oriented field studies and modeling.

Paleoclimatology (See Climate Change Data and Detection)
Paleoclimatology has been integrated with the Climate Change Data and Detection element. The instrumental and satellite record of climate variability extends back in time about 130 years, and is therefore not long enough to define the full range of natural climate variability.

Scientific Data Stewardship (SDS)
The goal of the Scientific Data Stewardship (SDS) Program is to provide high quality Climate Data Records (CDRs) for data from the atmosphere, oceans, and land surface, where the data are identified as essential climate variables within the Global Climate Observing System. The funding for the SDS Program Element is provided by the National Climatic Data Center.