New initiative for atmospheric research announced

20 June 2001

The Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) today announced a new initiative to bring together the atmospheric science programmes that it funds.

The NERC Centres for Atmospheric Science, or NCAS, will unite a number of existing research groups and enable collaboration between the disciplines. The new organisation, which joins the family of NERC research centres, will also encompass new initiatives involving atmospheric research aircraft, ground-based observations and measurement of the chemical composition of the atmosphere.

Professor Alan Thorpe will take up the post of Director of NCAS, based at the University of Reading, on 1 September. Accepting his new appointment Professor Thorpe said, "NCAS is a great opportunity for atmospheric science to build on its excellence in modelling and observations and to focus its links with key stakeholders such as the Met Office and the Environment Agency."

Professor Thorpe will coordinate activities across the atmospheric science community. He will be a member of NERC's Science and Technology Board, which is in charge of core funding in atmospheric science.

Key environmental issues that fall within NERC's remit of atmospheric research, such as climate change, extreme weather, ozone and air pollution in urban areas, will be co-ordinated at NCAS. Around £3.5m is currently spent by NERC each year on these core projects. This figure is expected to rise as NCAS becomes established.

Further information

Nigel Collins
Head of NERC's Atmospheric Sciences Team
Tel: 01793 411513

Professor Alan Thorpe
Tel: 01344 854701

NERC Press Office
Natural Environment Research Council
Polaris House, North Star Avenue
Swindon, SN2 1EU
Tel: 01793 411561
Mob: 07917 557215

Notes

1. NCAS will bring together existing groups including the Centre for Global Atmospheric Modelling and the Universities Weather Research Network at the University of Reading, the Atmospheric Chemistry Modelling Support Unit at the University of Cambridge, and the British Atmospheric Data Centre at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory. A new distributed centre for atmospheric chemistry and new aircraft and surface-based observation facilities will also be part of NCAS.

2. Professor Alan Thorpe is currently Director of Numerical Weather Prediction at the Met Office. He has also been Director of the Hadley Centre and was previously in the university sector. His current research focuses on the dynamics and predictability of weather systems such as severe storms. This has involved modelling, theory and observational studies including the organisation of international field campaigns.

Press release: 09/01

New initiative for atmospheric research announced

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