From: 	Steven Esbensen[SMTP:esbensen@oce.orst.edu]
Reply To: 	esbensen@oce.orst.edu
Sent: 	Monday, March 20, 2000 12:31 PM
To: 	Fairall, Christopher
Cc: 	D. J. Raymond
Subject: 	Re: FW: Proposal to remove radar from the Brown

Chris-

     I strongly support the retention of the C-band Doppler radar
capabilities within the NOAA/UNOLS fleet. We clearly need this
capability at a time when we are in the midst of major ocean-atmosphere
climate research programs such as NOAA PACS and other U.S. CLIVAR
initiatives; witness the number of requests for the facility. We can't
rely solely on satellite and aircraft data for observational knowledge
deep convection and its role in ocean-atmosphere interaction. The
removal of the C-band radar would be a very serious blow to our national
capabilities in this area.
     Perhaps the time has come for us to consider the NOAA/UNOLS fleet
as more than an oceanographic facility. Maybe we should rethink the
structures that we are currently using to manage the NOAA/UNOLS facilities.

-Steve

Professor S.K. Esbensen
College of Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences
104 Ocean Adm Building
Oregon State University
Corvallis, OR 97331-5503
USA

voice 541-737-5687
fax   541-737-2064