The Air Resources Laboratory’s (ARL) mission is to improve the ability of the Nation to protect human and ecosystem health and to support a vibrant economy through advanced atmospheric sciences and technologies. ARL’s research focus is on the surface of the Earth from a few feet below the soil up to 2-3 miles in the atmosphere, known as the boundary layer, which has a direct impact on people’s health and safety, business, and the environment. ARL studies the physical and chemical processes that occur in the boundary layer, on time scales spanning a few hours to several years.

ARL studies the mixing, exchange, and transformation of energy, moisture, trace gases and particles and contributes inputs to meteorological models and forecast operations that are vital in improving weather, climate and air quality forecasts. Primary applications include emergency response, homeland security, air quality, weather forecasts, climate outlooks, commerce and transportation. ARL’s vision is to effectively protect people, the environment, and commercial activities from atmospheric risks using the best available scientific understanding of boundary layer processes.

Primary Research Area

Surface Atmosphere Exchange

  • Research processes and variables controlling heat and water vapor exchanges between land and atmosphere

Atmospheric Transport and Dispersion

  • Research main processes that drive transport and dispersion in the atmosphere
  • Improve the quality of and assess uncertainties/applicability of modeling tools

Boundary Layer Characterization

  • Collect meteorological measurements to improve atmospheric models
  • Provide reference-grade data through the US Climate Reference Network

On the Road with ARL!

ARL’s Air Resources Car (ARC) is on the road this summer! The team is traveling to participate in two AiRMAPS campaigns, measuring methane, greenhouse gases and major air pollutants from oil and gas production basins and selected urban and agricultural areas. Join us as we track their journey from College Park, MD west to Colorado and then Utah. ARL scientists Xinrong Ren, Phil Stratton and Jiayang Sun will update us throughout the summer.

Black SUV on the side of a gravel road looking over a salt lake

Day 39 – Tuesday, July 30, 2024

We spent the rest of last week with a well-deserved down day, conducting calibrations for the instruments and…Read More

metal poles with bright yellow boxes mounted on them, all high above a forest canopy

ARL partners with Colorado State University to join a new air quality network

September 5, 2024

ARL scientist Rick Saylor worked with a group at Colorado State University to add the flux tower in Oak Ridge, Tennessee to the Fluxes of Aerosol Continuous Observing Network. Read the article on NOAA’s Research website.

headshot of a man in suit

Ariel Stein appointed to serve on the National Volcano Early Warning System Advisory Committee

August 22, 2024

ARL Director Ariel Stein was appointed by the Secretary of Interior to a two-year term to work on the implementation of the National Volcano Early Warning and Monitoring System…read more

rain falling on gutter with plants around it

ARL contributes to a study on the wide-spread impacts of the East Palestine train derailment

July 26, 2024

An important publication in a recent issue of Environmental Research Letters studied the environmental impacts of the derailment of a freight trainread more