Abstracts are closed! The deadline was 11 August 2026 at 11:59 PM ET
Abstract Fee and Author Instructions
All presenters must also register for the meeting.
The 27th Symposium on Meteorological Observation and Instrumentation is sponsored by the American Meteorological Society and organized by the AMS Committee on Measurements.
Atmospheric Sciences
Many exciting developments in the field of airborne sciences are occurring, resulting in new instrumentation, methods, and other applications that bring new capabilities to airborne platforms. Field deployable airborne instrumentation includes a wide range of new and emerging technologies from in-situ probes and remote sensors to passive methods. The goal of this session is to highlight these new advancements and bring together instrument developers and scientists to share new and innovative approaches for future field deployments. We invite submissions on the development or application of instrumentation for the measurement of state parameters, cloud microphysics, radiation, trace gases, aerosols, and meteorology.
Recent Airborne Field Campaigns: Summary and Early Results
Numerous airborne field campaigns have been accomplished in the last one to three years. The goal of this session is to highlight the observations, platforms, instruments, and early results from these campaigns. Overview talks that focus on campaign goals, targeted observations, and synergy of multiple groups and organizations are welcome. We would also invite submissions focusing on support for airborne projects including forecasting, education and outreach, instrumentation development, novel data observation or processing techniques, and coupled observations with ground or space borne instruments.
Intercomparison, Calibration and Uncertainties of Instrumentation
Bring leaders from multiple fields of practice together to further the innovation of instrument solutions within meteorology applications, as well as to establish confidence in knowing that accurate data and measurements can lead to quicker, immediate decision-making in communities.
Advancements in Ground-based, Airborne and Satellite Remote Sensing of Aerosols: Retrieval, Validation, and Applications
The largest uncertainty in estimating anthropogenic climate radiative forcing is caused by inaccurate assessment of radiative forcing due to aerosol-radiation and aerosol-cloud interactions. Additionally, our level of scientific understanding (LOSU) for these interactions remained low or very low in all previous Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reports. Multiple factors, including observational limitations and equifinality in climate models, have led to these persistent uncertainties in assessing the aerosol radiative forcing from pre-industrial to present times. In this session, we invite novel research work on the application of ground-based, airborne and satellite remote sensing of atmospheric aerosols, in particular, addressing and reducing instrumental uncertainties in observing aerosol characteristics such as aerosol optical depth (AOD), Angstrom exponent, surface albedo, and relevant aerosol products. Key research work dealing with high resolution measurements using ground-based networks such as Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) and satellite instruments such as MODerate resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MODIS), Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS), Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) Imager, and Multiangle Imaging Spectro Radiometer (MISR) are solicited for this session. Satellite observations are particularly important, as they offer truly global constraints for climate models and air quality applications. Aerosol-cloud (indirect) and aerosol-radiation (direct) interactions generate intricate feedback processes that affect both meteorological phenomena and aerosol features. Oftentimes, it remains challenging to distinguish between natural aerosol variability (“signal”) and errors in remote sensing (“noise”) arising due to multi-scale (both temporal and spatial) atmospheric dynamics. Innovative approaches to accurately capture the heterogeneities in aerosol regimes across varying surface types, weather, and climate conditions are considered valuable. We welcome research contributions from multiple fields working at the intersection of weather, climate, and remote sensing that propose novel strategies to enhance the quality of aerosol observations and improve aerosol retrieval algorithms and measurements. Contributions that offer new approaches for managing and refining aerosol records for weather forecasting and climate models are also encouraged.
Techniques and Software for Data Fusion and Analytics
In the last two decades, earth-atmosphere system sensors and models have generated unprecedented amounts of observations and data. However, these observations and datasets have drastically different spatial and temporal characteristics. Novel data fusion, analysis methodologies, and software systems, including the implementation of AI and ML, are essential for realizing the full potential of earth-atmosphere observations and model datasets for basic research and applications. Recent advances in computing have led to petabytes of earth-atmosphere system observations hosted on platforms such as Google Earth Engine that provide both access and cloud computing analysis capabilities. Observations collected by agencies and citizen science activities are also available from disparate cloud-accessible sources. This session solicits papers that utilize statistical, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and physical modeling to combine and analyze observations and model datasets in support of basic research and decision-making. Software systems that enable such methodologies, especially those adopting open science principles, are also of interest.
Innovative Technological Advances for Mesoscale Observing Systems
This session will focus on promising, new sensor and observing technologies, as well as improvements to current operational systems, that hold great potential to advance mesoscale observing systems and are mission-effective, integrated, adaptable, and affordable. In-situ observations of the planetary boundary layer (PBL) and troposphere, on the mesoscale specifically, serve as critical inputs for operational and research weather models for both the weather and water enterprise. Observing system experiments have shown that enhanced observational density in space and time improves mesoscale forecasts. There is a relative scarcity of high-resolution surface and PBL mesoscale observations, which impedes advancements in prediction skill of high-impact and disruptive weather events. Presentations should focus on emerging, innovative technologies and current technology improvements that hold the potential to improve the accuracy, reliability, spatial coverage, cost effectiveness, deployability, safety, and sustainability of mesoscale observations for eventual use by the operational weather and water enterprise including NOAA, the National Mesonet Program, the private sector, and other government sectors. The scope of this session includes weather- and water-related observations from the surface through the troposphere, with emphasis on the PBL, including in-situ surface, profiling, balloon-borne, radar, and airborne and uncrewed systems technologies. Satellite-based sensors are not included in this scope except to calibrate, validate, or integrate with in-situ observations as a secondary objective. New technologies from the commercial sector and unique observations of opportunity are welcome.
Advances in Micrometeorological Measurements of Trace Gas Fluxes.
Accurate measurements of trace gasses, such as nitrous oxide, methane, ammonia, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), are increasingly important for a broad range of research and operation applications ranging from determining the transport and fate of agricultural emissions to predicting the impact of a changing climate. Nonetheless, collecting in-situ measurements of trace gas fluxes via eddy covariance, relaxed eddy accumulation, and other micrometeorological approaches remains challenging. This session will assess the state of the art of trace gas flux measurements by considering both recent advances in instrumentation and post-processing methods and their practical application in the field.
Integrated Measurement Systems for Informing Operations and Decision Making, Including Extreme Events
Informed decision making is a critical component of weather and climate preparedness and safety during human activities. The monitoring and management of natural resources, including precipitation and water systems, and the increasing frequency and severity of extreme weather events have heightened the importance of accurate atmospheric measurements and environmental monitoring for operational planning and public safety. In recent years, widespread flooding events, extreme rainfall, flash flooding, and hydrologic hazards have further emphasized the need for integrated observing systems capable of providing timely, high-resolution information to support forecasting, emergency management, water resource operations, transportation safety, and community resilience.
Specifically designed integrated measurement systems and data analysis tools can aid the decision-making process for weather forecasters, hydrologists, emergency managers, and operations personnel by improving situational awareness and hazard detection. This includes coordinated use of surface-based instrumentation, remote sensing platforms, radar systems, hydrologic observations, satellite products, mobile observing systems, and emerging technologies that enhance precipitation estimation, flood monitoring, and extreme event characterization.
This session discusses measurement systems available for informing operations and decision making, including system design, observational strategies, data integration techniques, and results from field deployments and operational applications. Contributions highlighting precipitation processes, quantitative precipitation estimation and forecasting, flood monitoring, hydrometeorological applications, and integrated observing approaches for high-impact weather events are especially encouraged.
Frontiers in Measurement of Fire Weather and Wildfires
Wildfires around the world are increasing in frequency, size, and severity, including at the wildland-urban interface. These events pose threats to the ecosystems, processes, and lives within the areas they develop. The measurement of land surface and meteorological variables prior, during, and following fire events will become increasingly important as these events continue. This session focuses on new measurements of fire weather, wildfire, and the post-burn areas including observational strategies, and new techniques.
Innovative Tropical Cyclone Observing Systems and Technologies
The aim of this session is to highlight innovative observing systems and technologies including, but not limited to, airborne, high altitude balloon, and uncrewed systems technologies, specifically for tropical cyclones (TCs) that are mission-effective, integrated, adaptable, and affordable. There have been rigorous efforts to enhance the quality and quantity of in-situ TC observations in recent decades. In-situ observations, particularly in the tropical cyclone boundary layer (TCBL), not only improve the understanding of the physical processes occurring at the air-sea transition layer, but also serve as critical inputs for operational forecast models. Observations of the upper atmosphere and the surrounding environment also serve as major components to advancing the knowledge and forecasting abilities of these tropical systems. Given that the relative absence of high-resolution TCBL observations limits progress in skillful predictions of TCs, presentations should focus on innovative technologies with the potential to improve the accuracy, reliability, spatial coverage, cost effectiveness, deployability, safety, and sustainability of TCBL and high altitude observations for eventual use by the operational forecast and research TC models. We encourage the submission of presentation abstracts, but do not limit to, highlighting airborne, balloon, and uncrewed systems technologies in relation to TC observing. Satellite-based sensors are not included in the primary scope of this session, only for calibration, validation, or integration with in-situ observations as a secondary objective.
Integrating Uncrewed Aerial Systems (UAS) into Meteorology
The rapid advancement and increasing accessibility of Uncrewed Aerial Systems (UAS) are transforming the atmospheric sciences. UAS platforms provide unprecedented flexibility for observing the atmosphere at spatial and temporal scales that are difficult to capture using traditional observing systems. From boundary layer profiling and severe weather observations to air quality monitoring, wildfire applications, coastal meteorology, and urban climate studies, UAS are becoming an essential component of modern meteorological research and operations.
This session will highlight operational applications, technological developments, and interdisciplinary collaborations involving UAS in meteorology. Contributions are encouraged from academia, government laboratories, operational forecasting centers, private industry, and regulatory agencies. The session aims to foster discussion on both the scientific opportunities, instrument advancement, and practical challenges associated with integrating UAS into atmospheric science workflows.
Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:
The session particularly welcomes presentations demonstrating how UAS observations complement traditional remote sensing and in situ observing networks, as well as studies that evaluate the broader impacts of UAS-enabled observations on forecasting, model improvement, and decision support.
As UAS technologies continue to evolve, the atmospheric science community has a growing opportunity to redefine how observations are collected across a wide range of environments and scales. This session will provide a forum for research and operational folks to share recent advances, discuss ongoing challenges, and identify future directions for integrating UAS into meteorological research and operations.
Remote Sensing of the Atmosphere
Remote sensing provides the opportunity to expand spatial coverage of measurements beyond what many in-situ networks can provide. Methods, including radar, lidar, and satellite-based systems, are utilized constantly for the measurement and monitoring of the planet and its atmosphere. This session focuses on all aspects of remote sensing of the atmosphere, including specific techniques, innovative measurements, and outcomes.
Results from Recent Field Projects - Ground and Ship-Based
Measurements obtained during field projects are critical to understanding past, present, and future weather and climates. The data obtained from these projects often offers a first glance at previously unstudied or misunderstood phenomena. This session will focus on results obtained from recent ground and ship-based field projects using various observation platforms and techniques. Topics include preliminary findings, analysis and review of field project methodologies, and subsequent advancements following project completion.
Low-Cost Sensors and Imagers
In recent years, there has been unprecedented availability of low-cost and miniaturized environmental sensors. These include in situ sensors capable of measuring atmospheric state variables, rain gauges, soil moisture and temperature probes, and air quality sensors (both particulate and gas). Remote sensors are also available including infrared sensors that can be used to monitor sky temperature, mini spectrometers, and multispectral and thermal imagers. Whereas the mini spectrometers and imagers are more expensive compared to in situ sensors, they are still low-cost compared to their laboratory, air or satellite-borne counterparts.
Low-cost sensors are generally less accurate compared to research-grade equipment, but they can be deployed in large numbers. The high spatial information content resulting from such dense sensor networks can be utilized for research and operational use by combining it with sparse resolution, high-accuracy observations. Dense, low-cost sensor networks can also be used in combination with satellite observations. One such example is satellite observations to infer surface air quality, which relies on statistical relationships between surface air quality observations and satellite-retrieved aerosol column loading. The small size of low-cost sensors also allows for them to be carried on uncrewed aerial systems (UAS). On UAS platforms, low-cost sensors allow for the profiling of boundary layers. Imagers on UAS platforms can be utilized for both earth imaging and also for studying severe storm structures.
In order to effectively utilize low-cost sensors and imagers in the above-described fashion, it is necessary to: 1) understand and document performance characteristics of low-cost sensors and imagers; 2) given the performance constraints of low-cost sensors, identify the type of research problems and operational tasks where the use of such sensors are appropriate; develop protocols for calibration and deployment of low-cost sensors and; 3) develop methodologies that combine observations from high-density low-cost sensor networks with other data sources. Ongoing research on these topics will be the focus of this session.
Advances in Instruments, Deployments, and Services of Mesonets and Micronets
This session is designed to highlight new sensors, observing techniques, and applications of data associated with mesonet and micronet systems. Developments include expanding sensing capabilities to facilitate health (heat index) monitoring, vertical profiling capabilities, snow water equivalent (SWE), and other unique sensing methods. This session would specifically aim to highlight novel products of new and existing network systems.
Aerosol-cloud Interactions: In-situ Measurement Challenges
Significant progress has been made in the understanding of basic physical mechanisms of aerosol–cloud interactions which has resulted in a reduction in the uncertainty in climate forcing. Studying these physical mechanisms requires detailed information on the size, shape, mass, and optical properties of individual aerosol and cloud particles and their bulk properties over a broad range of atmospheric conditions. Over the last few decades, instrumentation and sensing platforms have evolved, providing increasingly more accurate and larger quantities of data about aerosol and cloud particle properties. This session focuses on (1) the current status of aerosol and cloud in-situ measurement systems, their strengths and weaknesses and their limitations and uncertainties; (2) the outstanding challenges in in-situ measurement systems that need to be overcome to close gaps in understanding of aerosol and cloud processes; (3) recommendations for moving forward through instrument development programs, laboratory and field campaigns, and new technologies.
Boundary Layer Surface Interaction Measurements - Joint with BLT
Many exciting observing platforms and techniques have emerged in recent years that have been critical in advancing scientific understanding of interactions occurring between the land surface and the overlying atmosphere. Knowledge obtained from these activities has supported advancements in land-surface models and boundary layer parameterization schemes that are an essential component of numerical weather prediction models. In this session we solicit submissions focusing on new observational techniques and measurement strategies targeted at studying the surface layer and atmospheric boundary layer.
Boundary Layer and Surface Lidar Measurements - Joint with Lidar
Ground-based lidars have long been proven to be a critical observing system in advancing our scientific understanding of the physical processes occurring within the surface layer and atmospheric boundary layer which helps, for example, to inform improvements to weather forecasting models. In this session, we solicit submissions whereby the focus has been to synthesize observations obtained from lidars (aerosol, wind, etc.) obtained during targeted field campaigns and / or from longer-term deployments to investigate research questions on surface and boundary-layer processes.
Advances and Uncertainties in Measurements of Surface Energy Balance - Joint with BLT
An accurate estimate of Earth’s surface energy balance is critical to assess and predict Earth System behavior. However, field measurements of the surface energy budget have historically and consistently reported residuals. In this session we welcome submissions from studies that report advances in instrumentation and measurements related to quantifying the surface energy budget terms. Submissions are also encouraged from studies related to corrections for the energy balance residuals, sources for errors and uncertainty quantification of measured fluxes, and insights from non-traditional methods so that surface flux data can be used with greater confidence for resource management and regulatory policy decisions.
Future Workforce Skills and Education - Joint with Education
The proliferation of in situ dense sensor networks, ground-based and remote sensing data, and AI has created a need to adapt meteorological education to prepare students for future workforce requirements. In addition to traditional disciplinary skills, the future workforce must also develop interdisciplinary competence, transfer learning abilities, learning-to-learn strategies, lifelong learning habits, teamwork, ethics, and leadership. Furthermore, personal characteristics, organizational acumen, professional competence, and social intelligence are increasingly important for success in modern scientific and operational environments. This session seeks discussions on curriculum design, experiential learning, and interdisciplinary training approaches that support the development of these workforce capabilities.
NCAR’s Scientific Leadership: Foundational Contributions and Continued Innovations to the Earth and Space Weather Communities - Joint with History and WRN
The National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) has been a cornerstone of Earth and space weather science, collecting, curating, and distributing foundational geophysical observational data. This session invites contributions that explore the historical impact, current utilization, and future potential of NCAR's extensive data portfolio. This extensive, high-quality data record represents a vital public resource for the advancement of geosciences and this session provides a crucial forum for researchers to highlight how this enduring legacy of data collection continues to shape the future of Earth and space weather research. This session is designed to invite and showcase diverse contributions that demonstrate how NCAR's long-term observations and modeling efforts have driven key scientific discoveries, validated and advanced observing instrument platforms, advanced predictive models, and fostered collaboration among university and government partners. We welcome presentations covering a broad range of related technical and scientific themes that encompass (1) NCAR’s current and planned instrumental capabilities and the methodologies used for data acquisition and quality control across ground-based, airborne, and space-based platforms, (2) past and planned field deployments that used NCAR instruments and services, (3) novel analysis and interpretation of NCAR's atmospheric and space weather datasets to reveal previously unknown patterns and fundamental processes, (4) data access, and discovery tools that facilitate planning and decision-making during field operations, and (5) next-generation data exploration that focuses on applying cutting-edge techniques like AI/ML to leverage six decades of data for significant advances in Earth system modeling and data assimilation.
Student Participation Support
The 27th Symposium on Meteorological Observation and Instrumentation is awarding one (1) Student Participation Support award of up to $1,000 to allow a student presenter to attend the AMS 107th Annual Meeting in Denver, CO 10-14 January 2027. The award should be used to offset travel related expenses (registration fees, transportation, lodging and meals only). It is open to undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral students, who must submit a letter of recommendation from their advisor. In the application, students will be asked to provide information on their academic background, conference participation, funding needs, and any other financial support they receive. Awards are reimbursed after the conference upon submission of receipts, with registration fees optionally applied in advance. The support prioritizes students with financial need and those whose participation will benefit their research and professional development.
Students must be enrolled at a college or university through the application deadline and the Annual Meeting and must be the lead author and presenter of their own, original work. Click the button below to apply.
Deadline for applications: 22 October 2026 at 5:00 PM Eastern
Recipients will be notified on or before: 27 October 2026
For additional information, please contact the program chairs: Michelle Storm ([email protected]), Sasha Ivans ([email protected]), Rachel Humphrey ([email protected])