CAVIAR

CAVIAR (Continuum Absorption at Visible and Infrared wavelengths and its Atmospheric Relevance) is a NERC (80%) and EPSRC (20%) Consortium Grant (Oct. 2006 - June 2011), involving the following UK universities and institutions:

• Imperial College
• Met Office
• National Physical Laboratory
• Rutherford Appleton Laboratory
• University College London
• University of Cambridge
• University of Leicester
• University of Reading

The project is headed by Prof. Keith P. Shine at the University of Reading; scientific co-ordination by DrSc. Igor V. Ptashnik.

CAVIAR addresses the component of the absorption of electromagnetic radiation by water vapour which varies relatively slowly with wavelength, known as the water vapour continuum.

The continuum has a significant impact on fluxes of infrared radiation and atmospheric cooling rates, with consequences for understanding the effect of water vapour on both the present-day climate, in climate change, and in remote sensing of the atmosphere.

NEW! The Royal Society will be holding a meeting "Water in the Gas Phase" on 13-14 June 2011, at its new "out of town" Kavli Centre. The meeting will include sessions on the water vapour continuum, and will include several speakers from the CAVIAR consortium. The following link has more details: royalsociety.org/events/water-gas-phase