Roy Rasmussen is a senior scientist at NCAR with appointments in both RAL and TIIMES. He is the director of the Water Cycles Across Scales (WCAS) and the Hydro-Meteorological Applications Programs as well as a lead scientist in the Bio-hydro-atmosphere interactions of Energy, Aerosols, Carbon, Water, Organics & Nitrogen (BEACHON) project. He led the FAA funded effort to develop the Weather Support to Deicing Decision Making (WSDDM) winter weather nowcasting system that is currently being deployed commercially at a number of U.S. airports and was awarded the Government Technology Leadership award in November 1999. He led an effort to develop a new artificial snowmaking machine that is currently being used to test the performance of de/anti-icing fluids under snow conditions. He also co-developed a new hotplate snowgauge. His scientific research has encompassed studies of hail formation and melting, mesoscale flow past topography, winter storms, aircraft icing, improved microphysical parameterizations for freezing drizzle, and the relationship between snowfall rate and visibility. His papers on the latter subject were awarded the NCAR outstanding publication in 2000, and he was recently recognized as an AMS Fellow. He holds three patents from his work with the FAA and NCAR.

Research

Patent: De-icing information system

Roy? Are you in there?

Freezing Drizzle as a Ground Deicing Hazard

Aircraft Engine frosted over

Aircraft Engine damage can occur as a result of freezing

Sorry Folks,

Roy says that the flight will be delayed.

Yankee Environmental System Hotplate Snowgauge:

Real-time liquid equivalent sensor
Hotplate Snowgauge Presentation

WSDDM System

Weather Support to Deicing Decision Making (Winter Weather Report)

Presentations

Which Causes the Greatest Aircraft Ground-Icing Threat?

For the answer to this and other intriguing questions, please look through the How Snow Can Fool Pilots document.

An Small Assortment of Other Presentations:

In The News:

Ice Capades - Behind Travel Mess: New Rules for Sleet - Airlines, FAA Battle

Wall Street Journal - 23 March 2007
By S. Carey & A. Pasztor

Most of the usual suspects figured in this winter's air-travel fiascoes: wicked storms, jam-packed planes and missteps by airlines. But this year, the problems were exacerbated by an obscure meteorological condition: ice pellets...more

NTSB to decipher Denver windshield failure puzzle...

Flight International - March 5, 2007-John Croft

Cold front suspected of causing cracks to windscreens of 14 aircraft in one afternoon US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigators are trying to determine what caused a rash of airline windshield failures at or near Denver International Airport on 16 February...more

New Technology Could Enhance Safety in Rain and Snow

Yankee Environmental Systems, Inc.

BOULDER—The University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR) Foundation has awarded an exclusive manufacturing license to Yankee Environmental Systems to manufacture an electrical gauge that calculates real-time rates of snow, rain, and other types of precipitation. Because it is small and requires little maintenance, the Hotplate™ Total Precipitation Sensor can be strategically placed along airport runways or busy highways to help track weather conditions and ensure the safety of travelers...more

Whether to Fly: The Ice Issue

Airport Technology - March 2006

A new system being introduced in many US airports is able to provide real-time, weather-based information. Huw Kidwell reports on how this will assist airport operators in their de-icing decision making. Weather Support to De-icing Decision Making (WSDDM) is a concept being introduced at many airports across the world, particularly in the USA...more

New Detection System Prevents Cold-Weather Aircraft Damage

FAA-funded research influenced pilot training, on-ground procedures
America.gov 29 October 2004

Scientists at the U.S. National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) have developed a system for airlines that can accurately identify potentially damaging heavy freezing drizzle, according to an October 27 NCAR press release...more

DRI Scientist involved in development of new precipitation gauge licensed by UCAR New Technology Could Enhance Safety in Rain and Snow

DRI - 8 October 2003

The University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR) Foundation has awarded an exclusive manufacturing license to Yankee Environmental Systems to manufacture an electrical gauge that calculates real-time rates of snow, rain, and other types of precipitation. Because it is small and requires little maintenance, the Hotplate™ Total Precipitation Sensor can be strategically placed along airport runways or busy highways to help track weather conditions and ensure the safety of travelers...more

Quick Look

Research Highlights

Media Coverage Sampling

Roy Rasmussen

Roy Rasmussen Senior Scientist Section Head Deputy Director TIIMES

Director: - Water Cycles Across Scales Program - Hydro-meteorological Applications Program

Contact Information:

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Brief Biography