A ground-based instrument developed by SSEC, the Atmospheric Emitted Radiance Interferometer (AERI) measures temperature, water vapor, and trace gases in the boundary layer.

SSEC, in collaboration with other departments on campus, maintains a Reliable Automated Instrumentation Network (RAIN) for research purposes. On the AOSS building rooftop, instruments measure atmospheric parameters, while North, South, East, and West facing cameras record weather events. A buoy on Lake Mendota monitors lake quality and weather conditions.

The SSEC Portable Atmospheric Research Center (SPARC) is a vehicle outfitted with a suite of instruments to make ground-based measurements used for studying the atmosphere during field campaigns across the country.

Using satellite data, NOAA and CIMSS scientists are studying sea ice trends in the polar regions.

This cryosphere research involves algorithm development to identify ice and snow cover and estimate ice concentration and ice surface temperature over water surfaces using information from satellite observations and other products.

The snowfall microphysics + radar observatory research program collects and catalogs sustained snowflake particle size distribution and habit type measurements to understand how microphysical details affect radar signatures.