OU, France cooperation advances international weather research

The University of Oklahoma and research universities in France have signed a memorandum of understanding to facilitate cooperation between scientists to advance observations and studies of the atmosphere and radar technologies that will lead to improved weather, climate and air quality forecasts worldwide.

The agreement brings together radar and meteorology experts from the University of Oklahoma through its Advanced Radar Research Center (ARRC) and the College of Atmospheric and Geographic Sciences with scientists from the Laboratoire Atmosphères, Observations Spatiales (LATMOS), a French research laboratory of the Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, Université Paris-Saclay, Sorbonne Université, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique and Institut National des Sciences de l’Univers.

The cooperative agreement facilitates collaboration through visiting faculty programs and joint student programs such as summer schools on radar technologies, international exchange programs and supervision for doctoral candidates.

LATMOS specializes in the study of the fundamental physio-chemical processes governing the terrestrial and planetary atmospheres and their interfaces with the surface, the ocean and the interplanetary environment. LATMOS has developed expertise in building innovative instruments deployed from the ground and sometimes put into orbit or set off to encounter other bodies in the solar system.

“To strengthen our collaboration with ARRC through student and exchange programs is a key step to form new scientists and engineers to lead the developments of the next generations of radar dedicated to the observation of our atmosphere,” said LATMOS Director François Ravetta.

The ARRC at OU is the largest academic radar program in the United States and is an innovation leader in radar systems, scientific algorithms and radio frequency components. ARRC Executive Director Robert Palmer said the agreement with LATMOS scientists will “enable a deep collaboration in these areas, and new ones we haven’t even thought of yet, with the most prestigious universities in France.

“It has long been my hope to expand the international experience for our students and faculty, and this agreement paves the way for this goal,” he added.