$2 million for atmospheric research aids U.S. military efforts

Colorado State University has received $2 million from the U.S. Department of Defense for continued atmospheric and hydrologic research that supports U.S. military efforts. The Department of Defense's Center for Geosciences/Atmospheric Research, a fixture for 21 years at CSU's Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere, has received tens of millions of dollars in funding from the federal government.

National security

Long-term relationships between research organizations such as Colorado State and the DOD are critical to national security, contends Colorado's Congressional delegation, which secured the center's additional funds. The Center for Geosciences/Atmospheric Research provided cave detection technology for anti-Taliban operations within a month of 9/11 and has helped address how clouds and ice affect certain military airspace zones.

U.S. aircraft operations and missile defense systems used in homeland security are significantly affected by weather conditions. Precision-guided weapons, virtual reality simulations, and satellite coverage of battlefields also are sensitive to weather phenomena. Atmospheric clouds and moisture can adversely impact air-to-ground target views that are important to the military's reconnaissance and post-strike processes. Additionally, laser designators used by land forces to mark land targets such as bunkers are sensitive to fog and haze.

Success critical

The Department of Defense funding is critical to the success of programs like the Center for Geosciences/Atmospheric research at Colorado State, said Bill Farland, CSU’s vice president for Research. "This investment results in practical solutions to real problems in today's world."