Russian lab added to Arctic observatory program

Abstract

A research laboratory in Tiksi, Russia, has been added to five existing Arctic labs that comprise NOAA's Arctic Atmospheric Observatory Program. The lab's location, a few kilometers to the northwest of the new Tiksi weather station in north‐central Siberia, was chosen for its clean and clear air that will allow good measurement of aerosols, air chemistry, cloud properties, ozone, solar radiation, temperature, water vapor, and winds. The Tiksi lab was formed through a partnership of NOAA, the U.S. National Science Foundation, and the Russian Federal Service for Hydrometeorology and Environment Monitoring. Alexander MacDonald, director of NOAA's Earth System Research Laboratory, said,“The development of the facility is an excellent example of cooperation between Russia and the [United States] and will help to strengthen international collaboration in science, recognizing the importance of addressing environmentalissues of common concern.”The other labs are located in Canada, Greenland, Norway, Russia, and the United States.