1. Tracking Hurricane Sandy
Pete Arvedson
California Science Conference
October 26, 2013
Hosted by Satellite Educators Association

2. Satellite Educators Association
View these video clips:
0508.katrina.mov
_sandy_life.mov
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California Science Conference 2013

3. Satellite Educators Association
What did you see?
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4. What would you like to know more about?
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5. Satellite Educators Association
Lesson Objectives
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
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California Science Conference 2013

6. Satellite Educators Association
Tropical Cyclones
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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7. Satellite Educators Association
Tropical Cyclones
HURRICANE
HURRICANE
TYPHOON
CYCLONE
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8. Satellite Educators Association
Huracán
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

9. Satellite Educators Association
Hurricane
Slowly rising
Warm
Moistened
Air
Circles
Drawing more energy from warmer-than- usual water
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Hurricane
Horizontal bands of rain form arms of spiral
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Hurricane Eye
Cooler air drawn down thru center
Relatively calm clean air
Eyewall – most destructive
Wind direction same as storm’s forward motion
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California Science Conference 2013

12. Saffir-Simpson Scale for Hurricanes
Category
Sustained Wind Speed
Damage
(km/hr)
(mph)
(kt) 1
74-95
64-82
Some 2
96-110
83-95
Extensive 3
96-113
Devastating 4
Catastrophic 5
>249
>155
>135
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13. Satellite Educators Association
Billion Dollar Storms
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..
6 of those 7 occurred since 2004
3 rank in $10-$20 billion range…
Ivan & Charley (2004) & Rita (2005)
3 rank in $20-$30 billion club
Andrew (1992), Wilma (2005), Ike (2008)
1 at $108 billion damage – Katrina (2005)
Hurricane Sandy – 2nd place at $65 billion in damage
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California Science Conference 2013

14. Satellite Educators Association
Jigsaw Expert Groups
Data Miners
NHC Advisory Archive data to csv
Cartographers
Display/manipulate csv data in GIS
Meteorologists
Research Hurricane Sandy characteristics and behavior online
Analysts
Measure Hurricanes Sandy & Katrina with ImageJ
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California Science Conference 2013

15. HURRICANE KATRINA - AUGUST 2005
Expert 1: Data Miners
National Hurricane Center Past Advisory Archive
HURRICANE KATRINA - AUGUST 2005
Adv
Num
Date
UTC
Wind
(mph)
Scale
Press
(mb)
Center
Lat (N)
Lon (W)
Direction
Speed 19
28-Aug
0300
115
Cat 3
939
25.0
86.2
WNW 7 20
0600
145
Cat 4
935
25.1
86.8 8 21
0900
25.4
87.4 10 22
1200
160
Cat 5
908
25.7
87.7 12 23
1500
175
907
26.0
88.1 24
2100
165
902
26.9
89.0 NW 13 25
29-Aug
904
27.6
89.4
NNW 26
150
915
28.8
89.6 N 15 27
125
927
30.2 16 28 75
Cat 1
960
31.9 18 29
30-Aug 60 TS
973
33.5
88.5
NNE
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Expert 2: Catographers
ESRI’s ArcGIS Explorer Online
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17. Expert 3: Meteorologists
Hurricane Sandy research using NASA hurricane archives
nes/archives/2012/h2012_Sandy.html
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18. Satellite Educators Association
Expert 4: Analysts
Measure cloud fields of Hurricanes Katrina & Sandy using ImageJ…
Diameter
Perimeter
Area
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19. Cloud Field Measurement Results with ImageJ
Sandy vs. Katrina
Cloud Field Measurement Results with ImageJ
Hurricane:
Katrina
Sandy
Diameter: (miles)
Perimeter: (miles)
4616
6685
Area: (sq. miles)
153,470
482,922
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20. Satellite Educators Association
Home Teams
Expert reports
Compare…
Hurricane Sandy
Hurricane Katrina
Using ArcGIS Explorer Online
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21. Satellite Educators Association
Extend
Use suggestions from printed lesson plan
Note learners’ questions during the lesson and encourage learners to devise a plan for and follow through an investigation of one or more of those questions.
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California Science Conference 2013

22. National Science Education Standards
Grades K-4:
Physical Science – Position & Motion of Object
Earth & Space Science – Changes in Earth and Sky
Grades 5-8:
Science as Inquiry
Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry
Understandings about scientific inquiry
Physical Science – Motion and Forces
Earth & Space Science – Structure of the Earth System
Science in Personal & Social Perspectives
Grades 9-12:
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23. Next Generation Science Standards
Grade 4: Earth & Space Science
Natural Hazards –- 4-ESS3-2
Grade 5: Earth’s Systems
Earth Materials and Systems -- 5-ESS2-1
Grades 6-8: Earth’s Systems
The Roles of Water in Earth’s Surface Processes – MS-ESS2-5
Weather and Climate –- MS-ESS2-6
Natural Hazards – MS-ESS3-2
Grades 9-12: Earth’s Systems
The Roles of Water in Earth’s Surface Processes – HS-ESS2-5
Weather and Climate – HS-ESS2-4
Grades 9-12: Earth and Human Activity
Natural Hazards – HS-ESS3-1
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24. Satellite Educators Association
Contact Information
Satellite Educators Association…
Pete Arvedson…
SEA Newsletter (online)…
SEA Lesson Plan Library (free online)…
SEA’s M.Y. S.P.A.C.E.* Program - K-12 international environmental research collaborative program using satellite-based data…
* (Multinational Youth Studying Practical Applications of Climatic Events)
Satellite Educators Association
California Science Conference 2013