Scientific collaboration across two continents

In addition to its own extensive R&D activities, Vaisala works closely with research institutes, universities and customers. The forms of cooperation include partnership projects, support for meteorological training programs, grants, and the funding of scholarships and internships.

Vaisala participates in a large number of projects together with leading research organizations in the field. Key partners include the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), both in the USA, the Finnish Meteorological Institute and VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland.

Cooperation in the development of a reference radiosonde

In January 2009, Vaisala announced its development of a reference radiosonde intended to support the precision measurement needs of the climate research and weather service communities.  The first phase of the development focuses on enhanced high-altitude low-temperature humidity measurements. Several leading climate research institutes, including National Center for Atmospheric Research NCAR and Finnish Meteorological Institute are collaborating with Vaisala by undertaking independent field evaluations of the Vaisala's Reference Radiosonde RR01 and DRYCAP® humidity sensor. Read more

Research program development in CLEEN Oy

Vaisala is a shareholder in CLEEN Oy, a specialist body for energy and environmental expertise established in 2008. In 2009, Vaisala was in a leading role in establishing a five- year research program titled "Measurement, monitoring and assessment of environmental efficiency". The program will start in 2010, and will comprise almost 60 participating organizations in Finland. www.cleen.fi

SNOW-V10 program focuses on nowcasting

Vaisala is a corporate partner in a new nowcasting research program, Science and Nowcasting Olympic Weather for Vancouver 2010 (SNOW-V10), initiated  by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) in 2009. Nowcasting is short term weather forecasting which concentrates on 0-6 hr predictions.

In the Vancouver winter olympics, SNOW-V10 provides the forecasters better techniques to nowcast cloud, fog, visibility, precipitation type and amount, and wind conditions in challenging mountainous environment. WMO has conducted similar nowcasting studies already in the Sydney and Beijing Summer Olympic Games. SNOW-V10 will be the first comparable study focused on winter weather.

Helsinki Testbed continues

Vaisala participates in the Helsinki Testbed precision weather project in Finland. This weather observation network covering the Greater Helsinki area works as an innovation platform for testing and developing new weather and environmental information services and systems in an authentic environment. Vaisala and the Finnish Meteorological Institute have participated in the project since the outset in 2005, with the main provider of funds being Tekes, the Finnish Funding Agency for Technology and Innovation. www.fmi.testbed.fi.

Support for universities and research

Universities are an important part of Vaisala's partnership network. Vaisala funds selected meteorological research projects, supports meteorological studies and training programs, and provides grants, scholarships, and internships. Over many years, Vaisala has partially sponsored meteorology students selected by the American Meteorological Society. In Finland, Vaisala annually sponsors the theses of ten university students.

THORPEX - observe and predict

Vaisala is involved in sponsoring the global THORPEX program (The Observing System Research and Predictability Experiment), which is being implemented together with the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). Its purpose is to study and improve the effectiveness of both earth-based and space-based atmospheric observing systems and test the ability to make extended weather forecasts for up to two weeks ahead. The ten-year program was launched in 2003.

Meteorological research at the University of Helsinki

Acting jointly with the Finnish Meteorological Institute and the University of Helsinki, Vaisala is funding a five-year professorship in meteorology research, which started in 2006. The incumbent, Professor David Schultz of the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), is studying extreme weather phenomena and developing mid-term weather forecasts. He is also teaching in the University of Helsinki's Physics Faculty.

Vaisala also provides funds for radar meteorology research and teaching at the University of Helsinki's Physics Faculty. Dr. Dmitri Moisseev from Colorado State University in the USA took up his post as a researcher in the field of Radar Meteorology at the end of 2007. The research contract is for five years.

University cooperation in the USA

Vaisala continues its cooperation with the Universities of Massachusetts, Oklahoma, Colorado, and Puerto Rico-Mayaguez by supporting their joint CASA program. CASA is a 10-year research program whose goal is to develop an adaptive remote sensing system based on low-power, low-cost, dual-polarization Doppler weather radars.

In lightning detection, and soil moisture measurement Vaisala has R&D cooperation with the University of Arizona.