Visit our new Army Test Ranges Web site      9/13/2004

Visit our new Pentagon Shield Web site     8/16/2004

Cutting-Edge Sensors and Software Tests Will Help Protect Pentagon from Airborne Hazards     4/23/2004

BOULDER—A breakthrough blend of high-tech instruments and weather forecasting models is being tested at the Pentagon April 15–May 15. Coordinated by scientists at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), the tests scan for potential airborne toxins near the Pentagon and predict their motion and impact on the building. The knowledge gained from the tests will allow the development of improved systems for protecting Department of Defense facilities.... (more)

Researchers Awarded $2 Million to Create High-Tech Tools for Fighting Wildfires 4/15/2004

BOULDER--Frontline fire fighting could soon go high tech. In the not so distant future, analysts using supercomputers may be able to send real-time maps and predictions of a wildfire's next moves to wildfire incident management teams hundreds of miles away. That crucial information could be passed on to Palm Pilots and other wireless devices in the hands of frontline firefighters deciding how best to battle the blaze... (more)

New Radar System May Help Airplanes Avoid In-Flight Icing       3/9/2004

The buildup of ice on airplanes in flight is a major wintertime hazard for small and commuter planes. The National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) is testing a new system this month that may pinpoint water droplets in clouds that cause icing, potentially enabling pilots to avoid dangerous areas.

The system, known as S-Polka, combines two existing radars that use different wavelengths. By studying the differences between the images that are reflected back to each radar, scientists hope to find tiny water droplets that are difficult to distinguish using either radar alone. The project is being funded by the National Science Foundation, which is NCAR's primary sponsor, and the Federal Aviation Administration. More