This Project Grant award, provided by the National Science Foundation's Geosciences Program (CFDA 47.050), will fund observational and modeling research to address critical gaps in understanding the production and distribution of giant sea salt aerosols (GSSA) in the atmosphere. The $202,000 award, running from June 1, 2025 to May 31, 2027, will enable a postdoctoral researcher to: Use a specialized instrument to make observations of GSSA during research cruises from Hawaii, constructing a distribution of these particles from the turbulent wave layer through the mixed layer of the atmosphere. Leverage large eddy simulation modeling, with guidance from a mentor, to identify key environmental variables influencing the vertical transport of GSSA. Integrate the observational and modeling results to derive a new sea spray source function for numerical models, which will improve the representation of clouds and precipitation in these systems. This research aims to advance scientific understanding of the fundamental Earth system processes governing GSSA, which play an important role in cloud and precipitation formation. The project also contributes to the development of the next generation of atmospheric scientists through the postdoctoral fellowship.
Mod # | Description | Reason For Modification | Federal Obligation (Click to sort descending) | Date (Click to sort ascending) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Not listed | $202.0k | 5/19/25 |