Research Center Preps for $35M Supercomputer to Study Earth as a Complex System 19 STUDIO/Shutterstock.com email The National Center for Atmospheric Research is poised to unleash a powerful supercomputer next year that’ll help researchers studying a nascent branch of science gain a more comprehensive grasp of the Earth system—and phenomena like solar storms, climate change, and extreme weather events that threaten humans’ home planet. Equipped with energy-efficient features, NCAR’s machine will replace an existing one that’s currently in operation at the federally funded research and development hub. The supercomputer will cost at least $35 million, and it’ll be built and installed by Hewlett Packard Enterprise this year at the NCAR-Wyoming Supercomputing Center, or NWSC, in Cheyenne.