Compiled by Ronald E. Stewart
1. IAMAS-RELATED RESEARCH IN
2. RESEARCH INSTITUTES AND PERSONNEL
Research in
MSC research is directed towards improvements in the predictive capability for weather, climate and air quality. Some 100 PhD level scientists work within MSC on such issues, although there have been a number of retirements and early departures over the last few years.
A great deal of research is also carried out within several
universities across the country. This includes the
In terms of graduate students, there are 194 MSc
and PhD level students at these universities (Appendix 1). This is 64 more than
was the case 4 years ago.
3. RESEARCH ACTIVITIES
Over the last 4 years, a substantial amount of research progress has been achieved. Much of this has been linked with the traditional research areas such as dynamic meteorology, radar meteorology and cloud physics, but climate and air quality studies have probably increased the most over the last few years. A considerable amount of the Canadian activities are in turn associated with larger international efforts, but there is a large, vibrant research community carrying out individual research projects as well.
3.1 Research Areas
Much of the research being conducted in
The last few years has nevertheless seen a considerable alteration in
the type of research being carried out. For example, there has been a
substantial enhancement in the number of university faculty carrying out
research on radiation issues, and there are now even experimental mesoscale forecasting initiatives at the
Although not exclusively so by any measure, much of the Canadian research is concerned with issues linked to our middle to high latitude geography. Issues such as winter storms, cold air generation, and icing are natural focal points for Canadian research as direct contributions to the country as well as our "expected" contributions to international science.
3.2 Collaborative and Large Efforts
Some of the research being carried out in
In terms of climate research, a great deal of attention has been paid
towards improvements in the Canadian climate model. Until recently, this was
done in part through the Climate Research Network which funds predominantly
university researchers to make improvements in this model. Examples of such
nodes include the middle atmosphere, climate variability, aerosols, and surface
features. Many of the climate activities in turn feed into the ongoing
development of
As mentioned in Section 4, a new major funding agency has developed
over the last few years. Right now, CFCAS is having major impact on Canadian
IAMAS-related research. For example, alone or with other partners it is funding
11 networks, as listed below:
Climate Variability: Its Causes and Predictability (CLIVAR)
Modelling of Clouds and Climate Network (MOC2)
Modelling of Global Chemistry for Climate
The Canadian Regional Climate Modelling Network
Canadian Surface Ocean Lower Atmosphere Study (Canadian SOLAS)
Development of a Canadian Global Coupled Carbon Climate Model (GC3M)
Fluxnet-Canada
Pacific 2001
Multiscale Air Quality Modelling
Improving Quantitative Precipitation Forecasts of Extreme Weather
Enhanced Short Term Forecasting of Extreme Weather
On an even broader scale, it is clear that cross-cutting research will only increase. In the area of climate for example, the full understanding of the whole system must await the coming-together of various physical sciences topics such as the atmosphere, oceans and cryosphere. As such interactions continue, it is then likely that there will be more focus on the need for an interacting biosphere and for more applications in terms of health and society in general.
3.3 Research Infrastructure
Weather, climate and air quality related infrastructure has seen significant
change over the last few years. On a positive note, the Meteorological Service
of Canada has greatly increased its operational Doppler radar network across
the country. Soon, there will be 29 of these facilities. On a negative note,
the support of the standard surface-based observing network has deteriorated
over the last few years. It is hoped that the recent federal budget will act to
reverse this trend.
4. RESEARCH BUDGETS
Funding for research has suffered over the last few years within government
but it has expanded within the university community. Within government,
research budgets have fallen by about 25-35% since about 1995 although it has
been relatively stable since then. The funding reductions have also led to
retrenchment in several research areas. Many operational observing sites across
the country have been closed and MSC is now decided to consolidate its
forecasting operations within five main locations across the country (
Within the university community, much of the research is funded through the
Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC). NSERC has
also suffered some significant cuts over the last few years, although there has
been an increase in its budget as a result of the recent federal budget.
However, NSERC in 2002/03 carried out a review of its funding support
priorities. Environmental Earth Science was not chosen as an area to receive
higher support, in fact it was one of the areas to receive relatively less
support in the latest round of reallocation. This is the third time this has
happened. The IAMAS university community in
On a more positive note, NSERC funding for collaborative research programs used to be the only avenue available and this was developed through its Network and/or Strategic Grants activity. One example of an IAMAS-related network funded through this avenue is GEWEX (Global Energy and Water Cycle Experiment).
Other sources of funding have also begun to play a significant role. For example, as an outcome of the Kyoto Agreement, a special fund called the Climate Change Action Fund (CCAF) has been established to support research linked with reducing our uncertainties in predictions of future climate.
The greatest change in funding over the last few years has been the
establishment of the Canadian Foundation for Climate and Atmospheric Sciences
(CFCAS). CFCAS was started in 1999 with a $60 million, 6 year mandate which has
just been extended with an additional $50 million. CFCAS funds research that is
concerned with climate, weather, oceans, and air quality. It funds these either
through individual grants to researchers or through grants to networks. CFCAS
has consequently produced a very positive effect within the university
community in
Another funding source is Ouranos. It is a
regional consortium of major stakeholders in
5. OUTLOOK
Crucial scientific problems involving our atmosphere continue to develop and
we will address them as best as we can in the future. There is even reason for
optimism within government in terms of budgets since environmental issues are
of increasing concern to the general public.
6. CANADIAN IAMAS ACTIONS
One major action that the Canadian IAMAS community in particular (and
the whole earth sciences community in general) must address in the future is
the erosion of basic funding for its university researchers. In relative terms,
this community has suffered three successive cuts in relation to researchers in
other areas. A more convincing case must be developed and presented.
7. CONTRIBUTORS TO THIS REPORT
This report was developed with the involvement of Charles Lin of
McGill University, William Hseih of the University of
British Columbia, Ulrike Lohmann of Dalhousie
University, Edward Lozowski of the University of
Alberta, and Kit Szeto of the Meteorological Service
of Canada.
The following table shows the number of professors at several Canadian universities who are carrying out IAMAS-related research, along with the current number of graduate students.
Professors PhD Students MSc Students Total Students