Based on the analysis of the official data of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) from 2008 to 2017, this paper discusses the development of disciplines and research teams in the field of atmospheric science. It is found that the field of atmospheric science undergoes an increasing trend in the number of funded projects and the total scale of funding, however, it is in a disadvantageous position in the project competition in the Department of Earth Sciences with a decline tendency in its share for both the project establishment and the funding support. The developments of branches of the atmospheric science are not balanced and, as a result, a differentiated development path of the branches has emerged with the regional characteristics of the discipline. Universities and colleges have grown into the first echelon for the funded projects of the NSFC, together with the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the China Meteorological Administration, as the three main institutions for the funded projects in the past 10 years. The research teams of atmospheric science are in a trend with younger scientists; the career development of female scientists should be paid more attention.

NSFC  /  atmospheric science  /  basic research  /  statistical analysis