Background

Atmospheric Composition and Climate was formed in 2003 from two previous program elements, Atmospheric Chemistry and Aerosol-Climate Interactions. Its scope includes all climate-relevant atmospheric constituents with the exception of those germane to the global carbon cycle.

The following references may be useful to those seeking more information on atmospheric composition and climate:

CCSP, July 2003. Strategic Plan for the Climate Change Science Program (available online at http://www.climatescience.gov/Library/stratplan2003/default.htm). See Chapters 1 through 3.

IGAC, International Global Atmospheric Chemistry Newsletters, available online at http://www.igac.noaa.gov/newsletter/index.php (c.f., Dr. Timothy Bates; IGAC Core Project Office; NOAA/Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory, 7600 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle, WA, 98115, USA; Tel: (206) 526-6248; Fax: (206) 526-6744, e-mail: igac.seattle@noaa.gov; internet: http://www.igac.noaa.gov).

IPCC, 2001. Climate Change 2001: The Scientific Basis. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (available online at http://www.ipcc.ch/). See Chapters 5 and 6, and see Section C, Technical Summary.

NOAA, September 2004. New Priorities for the 21^st Century: NOAA's Strategic Plan Updated for FY2005 - FY2010 (available online at http://www.spo.noaa.gov/pdfs/NOAA%20Strategic%20Plan.pdf). See Mission Goal 2, "Understand climate variability and change to enhance society's ability to plan and respond."

NRC, 2001. Climate Change Science: An Analysis of Some Key Questions, National Research Council.

NRC, 2004. Implementing Climate and Global Change Research: A Review of the Final U.S. Climate Change Science Program Strategic Plan (available online at http://www.nap.edu/books/0309088658/html/).

NRC, 2005. Radiative Forcing of Climate Change: Expanding the Concept and Addressing Uncertainties (available online at http://books.nap.edu/catalog/11175.html).