Pete Arvedson
California Science Conference
October 26, 2013
Hosted by Satellite Educators Association
Lesson Development supported by a grant from NOAA-CREST West
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California Science Conference 2013
Tracking Hurricane Sandy - 2
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California Science Conference 2013
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California Science Conference 2013
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Observe severe storm action from space
ID weather patterns
Differentiate wind speed from storm speed
Analyze satellite images of storms – ImageJ
Analyze storm characteristics – GIS
Apply skills to analysis of other storms
Satellite Educators Association
California Science Conference 2013
Tracking Hurricane Sandy - 5
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Not like frontal storms
Cyclonic
Require…
◦ Warm ocean water…
 At least 26.5˚C (79.7˚F)
 To depth at least 50m (164ft)
◦ Slowly rising air
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California Science Conference 2013
Tracking Hurricane Sandy - 6
HURRICANE
HURRICANE
TYPHOON
CYCLONE
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http://indigenouscaribbean.ning.com/group/archaeologyofthecircumcaribbean/forum/topics/the-ceremonial-taino-petaloid
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Taino people
Puerto Rico
Thunder and
deluge caused by
matriarch’s male
attendants
Columbus lost
ships to huracán
Notice Taino
symbol for storm
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California Science Conference 2013
Tracking Hurricane Sandy - 8
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Slowly rising
Warm
Moistened
Air
Circles
Drawing more energy
from warmer-thanusual water
http://visibleearth.nasa.gov
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California Science Conference 2013
Tracking Hurricane Sandy - 9
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/hurricanes/archives/2012/h2012_Sandy.html
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Horizontal bands of rain form arms of spiral
Satellite Educators Association
California Science Conference 2013
Tracking Hurricane Sandy - 10
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Cooler air drawn
down thru center
Relatively calm
clean air
Eyewall – most
destructive
◦ Wind direction
same as storm’s
forward motion
Satellite Educators Association
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Features/Hurricanes/hurricanes_2.php
California Science Conference 2013
Tracking Hurricane Sandy - 11
Category
Damage
Sustained Wind Speed
(km/hr)
(mph)
(kt)
1
119-153
74-95
64-82
Some
2
154-177
96-110
83-95
Extensive
3
178-209
111-130
96-113
Devastating
4
210-249
131-155
114-135
Catastrophic
5
>249
>155
>135
Catastrophic
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California Science Conference 2013
Tracking Hurricane Sandy - 12
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Chris Dolce – The Weather Channel…
1900-early August 2011  27 “billion dollar storms”
8 of the “top ten” occurred since 2004
7 surpassed $10 billion mark..
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3 rank in $10-$20 billion range…
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Ivan & Charley (2004) & Rita (2005)
3 rank in $20-$30 billion club
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6 of those 7 occurred since 2004
Andrew (1992), Wilma (2005), Ike (2008)
1 at $108 billion damage – Katrina (2005)
Hurricane Sandy – 2nd place at $65 billion in damage
Satellite Educators Association
California Science Conference 2013
Tracking Hurricane Sandy - 13
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National Hurricane Center Past Advisory Archive
http://www.nhc.noaa.gov
HURRICANE KATRINA - AUGUST 2005
Adv
Num
Date
UTC
Wind
(mph)
Scale
Press
(mb)
Center
Lat (N)
Center
Lon (W)
Direction
Speed
(mph)
19
28-Aug
0300
115
Cat 3
939
25.0
86.2
WNW
7
20
28-Aug
0600
145
Cat 4
935
25.1
86.8
WNW
8
21
28-Aug
0900
145
Cat 4
935
25.4
87.4
WNW
10
22
28-Aug
1200
160
Cat 5
908
25.7
87.7
WNW
12
23
28-Aug
1500
175
Cat 5
907
26.0
88.1
WNW
12
24
28-Aug
2100
165
Cat 5
902
26.9
89.0
NW
13
25
29-Aug
0300
160
Cat 5
904
27.6
89.4
NNW
10
26
29-Aug
0900
150
Cat 4
915
28.8
89.6
N
15
27
29-Aug
1500
125
Cat 3
927
30.2
89.6
N
16
28
29-Aug
2100
75
Cat 1
960
31.9
89.6
N
18
29
30-Aug
0300
60
TS
973
33.5
88.5
NNE
22
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California Science Conference 2013
Tracking Hurricane Sandy - 14
http://www.arcgis.com/explorer/?open=d9fd1
3d5107d440889a672c13bdd2fad&extent=14096706.1206861,1121890.54653785,4596652.62920346,5304552.98653786
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California Science Conference 2013
Tracking Hurricane Sandy - 15
Satellite Educators Association
California Science Conference 2013
Tracking Hurricane Sandy - 16
Cloud Field Measurement Results with ImageJ
Hurricane:
Katrina
Sandy
Diameter: (miles)
370-450
800-850
Perimeter: (miles)
4616
6685
153,470
482,922
Area: (sq. miles)
Satellite Educators Association
California Science Conference 2013
Tracking Hurricane Sandy - 17
Satellite Educators Association
California Science Conference 2013
Tracking Hurricane Sandy - 18
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Grade 6:
4. Many phenomena on Earth’s surface are affected by the transfer
of energy through radiation and convection currents. (d, e)
7. Scientific progress is made by asking meaningful questions and
conducting careful investigations. (a, d, h)
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Grade 7:
7. Scientific progress is made by asking careful questions and
conducting meaningful investigations. (a-e)
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Grade 8:
1. The velocity of an object is the rate of change of its position. (ac)
9. Scientific progress is made by asking meaningful questions and
conducting careful investigations. (a, f)
Satellite Educators Association
California Science Conference 2013
Tracking Hurricane Sandy - 19
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Grades 9-12: Physics
3. Energy cannot be created or destroyed, although in many
processes energy is transformed to the environment as heat. (c)
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Grades 9-12: Chemistry
7. Energy is exchanged or transformed in all chemical reactions and
physical changes of matter. (a, c)
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Grades 9-12: Earth Sciences
1. Heating of Earth’s surface and atmosphere by the sun drives
convection within the atmosphere and oceans, producing winds
and ocean currents. (a, b, d)
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Grades 9-12: Investigation and Experimentation
1. Scientific progress is made by asking meaningful questions and
conducting careful investigations. (a, d, i)
Satellite Educators Association
California Science Conference 2013
Tracking Hurricane Sandy - 20
Pete Arvedson - [email protected]
 Check out lesson plans in Satellite Educators
Association (SEA) monthly Newsletter…
http://www.SatEd.org
 More opportunities to involve students doing
research:
SEA’s M.Y. S.P.A.C.E.* Program - an
international high school collaborative
environmental research program using
satellite-based data…
http://www.calstatela.edu/programs/crest/
* (Multinational Youth Studying Practical Applications of Climatic Events)
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Satellite Educators Association
California Science Conference 2013
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