Jiarong Hong Leads $1M+ NSF MRI Grant for Eolos

Catching the Wind

ME Associate Professor Jiarong Hong is the PI on a new NSF-funded study that will work to quantify large-scale flow phenomena using the Eolos Wind Energy Research Station as a base.

The project, funded by the NSF's MRI program, is called "Development of Grand-Scale Atmospheric Imaging Apparatus (GAIA) for Field Characterization of Atmospheric Flows and Particle Transport." The project aims to develop a novel imaging-based field measuring system able to quantify atmospheric flows and particle transport over large sample regions with unprecedented spatiotemporal resolution. The measurement system is expected to greatly benefit research in wind energy, meteorology (e.g., snow settling), agriculture (e.g., pollen dispersal), and public health (e.g., airborne disease transmission). The work will take place at the Eolos Wind Energy Research Station, maintained by the St. Anthony Falls Laboratory, at UMore Park.