Visitors to the Mesa Laboratory of the National Center for Atmospheric Research will encounter the Quiet Lightning exhibit. This plasma tube can create electrical discharges that resemble lightning. Along with microscale phenomena related to thunderstorms, turbulence, clouds, and rainfall, scientists at the National Center for Atmospheric Research study the larger-scale dynamics of the atmosphere and oceans. Their research helps define the roles of clouds, water, sunlight, and other phenomena in weather and climate.