Research History
For nearly half a century, scientists at SSEC have been innovators in the areas of weather and climate research, remote sensing, instrumentation and data visualization. The Center is based on the pioneering work of its founders, Professors Verner E. Suomi (Meteorology) and Robert J. Parent (Electrical Engineering). They were the first, in 1959, to monitor the Earth’s radiation budget from the Explorer 7 satellite. Suomi and Parent went on to invent the spin-scan cloud camera which allowed continuous viewing of cloud motions from space, an instrument that was included on geostationary satellites worldwide from the 1960s through 1994. These experiments comprised some of the Center’s earliest research in atmospheric and space sciences.
This site is a compilation of historical research programs, experiments and instruments, either led by Space Science and Engineering Center (SSEC) scientists or which included participants from SSEC. Each program entry includes an overview, selected publications authored by SSEC scientists, and links to related web sites.
- Ice Cloud Bulk Scattering Models [2008]
- PDA Animated Weather [2006]
- PDA Animated Weather [2006]
- PDA Animated Weather [2006]
- INTEX 2004: Intercontinental Chemical Transport Experiment [2004]
- ADRIEX: Aerosol Direct Radiative Impact EXperiment [2004]
- EAQUATE: European AQUA Thermodynamic Experiment [2004]
- MPACE 2004: Mixed-Phase Arctic Cloud Experiment [2004]
- GWINDEX-3: 3rd GOES Rapid-scan Winds Experiment [2003]
- A-TReC: Atlantic-THORPEX Regional Campaign [2003]
- THORPex: The Observing-system Research and Predictability Experiment [2003]
- GWINDEX-2: 2nd GOES Rapid-scan Winds Experiment [2002]
- MURI: Multidisciplinary Research Program of the University Research Initiative [2002]
- TX 2002: Terra eXperiment 2002 [2002]
- CRYSTAL-FACE: Cirrus Regional Study of Tropical Anvils and Cirrus Layers – Florida Area Cirrus Experiment [2002]
- IHOP: International H2O Project [2002]
- GWINDEX: GOES Rapid-scan WINDs EXperiment [2001]
- GRACE: GOES RApid-scan for CAMEX-4 Experiment [2001]
- TX 2001: Terra eXperiment 2001 [2001]
- AFWEX: ARM-FIRE Water Vapor Experiment [2000]
- WVIOP 2000: Water Vapor Intensive Observation Period [2000]
- SAFARI 2000: Southern African Regional Science Initiative [2000]
- WISC-T2000: Wisconsin Snow Cloud – Terra 2000 experiment [2000]
- SOHFI: Skin-layer Ocean Heat Flux Instrument [1999]
- RESAC/TiSDat: Regional Earth Science Applications Center / Timely Satellite Data for Agricultural Management [1999]
- KWAJEX: Kwajalein Experiment [1999]
- WSRP: Winter Storm Reconnaissance Program, 1999 [1999]
- WINTEX: WINTer EXperiment 1999 [1999]
- CAMEX-3: Convection And Moisture EXperiment [1998]
- FIRE-ACE: FIRE Arctic Cloud Experiment [1998]
- CALJET/NORPEX: California Land-Falling Jets Experiment / NORth Pacific EXperiment [1998]
- ADR: Adiabatic Demagnetization Refrigerator [1998]
- SHEBA: Surface Heat Budget of the Arctic Ocean [1997]
- TRMM: Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission [1997]
- WINCE: WINter Cloud Experiment [1997]
- WVIOP 97: Water Vapor Intensive Observation Period [1997]
- WVIOP 96: Water Vapor Intensive Observation Period [1996]
- SUCCESS: SUbsonic aircraft: Contrail & Cloud Effects Special Study [1996]
- DXS: Diffuse X-ray Spectrometer [1995]
- TOGA/COARE: Tropical Ocean Global Atmospheres/Coupled Ocean Atmosphere Response Experiment [1992]
- GOES Pathfinder [1992]
- Hubble Space Telescope High-Speed Photometer [1990]
- Galileo Net Flux Radiometer Experiment [1990]
- CLAGEO: Coastal Louisiana Geomorphology Project [1988]
- GUFMEX: The Gulf of Mexico Experiment [1988]
- XBSS: X-ray Background Survey Spectrometer [1988]
- GALE: Genesis of Atlantic Lows Experiment [1985]
- FIRE: First ISCCP Regional Experiment [1985]
- COHMEX – Cooperative Huntsville Meteorological Experiment [1985]
- HIS: High-resolution Interferometer Sounder [1980]
- ERBE: Earth Radiation Budget Experiment [1980]
- VAS: VISSR Atmospheric Sounder [1980]
- Pioneer Venus Small Probes Net Flux Radiometer Experiments [1978]
- Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 [1977]
- Orbiting Solar Observatory: OSO-8 Soft X-ray Experiment [1975]
- AVE/SESAME: Atmospheric Variability Experiment/Severe Environmental Storms and Mesoscale Experiment [1975]
- GATE: GARP Atlantic Tropical Experiment [1974]
- Mariner 10 Television Photography Experiment [1973]
- FGGE: First GARP Global Experiment [1973]
- McIDAS: Man-computer Interactive Data Access System [1973]
- TWERLE: Tropical Wind Energy Conversion and Reference Level [1972]
- WINDCO: Precursor to McIDAS [1972]
- McIDAS prototype [1972]
- BLIS: Boundary Layer Instrumentation System [1971]