Definition
A research division within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) that studies the atmosphere, oceans, and other components of the Earth system, and produces weather and environmental data products used by aviation and other industries.
Plain English
A NOAA research group that studies weather and the Earth's atmosphere, and publishes data and tools that pilots and forecasters can use.
Context Anchor
Seen in older FAA weather-source discussions as the name behind some online weather data and tools.
Derivation
“Earth system” means the connected parts of Earth that affect weather, such as the air, oceans, land, and ice. “Research laboratory” means an organization that studies those systems and turns the results into useful data and tools.
Why Pilots Care
Its research supports more accurate weather forecasts that pilots rely on for flight planning and safety.
Intuition Check
Do not read “laboratory” as a place a pilot visits or uses in the cockpit. Here it means the organization that produced or supported weather information.
Example Sentence 1
The pilot pulled up an upper-wind chart produced by the Earth System Research Laboratory while planning a long cross-country flight.
Example Sentence 2
The Earth System Research Laboratory contributes to aviation weather products available through official FAA sources.