2. Atmospheric Protocols Introduction Citizen Scientists Site Selection Registration Contact Information: Todd Toth Todd.toth@nasa.gov 301-286-2774

3. Cloud Protocols Purpose: To observe the type and cover of clouds including contrails Overview: Students observe which of ten types of clouds and how many of three type of contrails are visible and how much of the sky is covered by clouds (other than contrails) and how much is covered by contrails.

4. Planning Time: 10 minutes Level: All Frequency: Daily within an hour of local solar noon.

5. Planning Materials and Tools: Atmospheric Investigation Data Sheet or Cloud Data Sheet GLOBE Cloud Chart Observing Cloud Type

6. Finding Solar Noon Solar noon: the time of day when the sun is directly overhead at the equator August 4, 2014: 11:08:33 August 5, 2014: 11:08:27 August 6, 2014: 11:08:21 Solar Noon Calculator: *You only need your geographic location (coordinates) to print a solar noon chart for the entire year.

7. The Troposphere Weather occurs in the lowest layer of the atmosphere, the troposphere (approx. 7 miles thick or 11 km). Varies in thickness. Temperature changes at an average rate of 3.5 °F per 1,000 ft or 6°C per km. Troposphere contains 80% of the total mass of Earth’s atmosphere.

8. What can clouds tell us? The type of weather conditions you are experiencing or may be experiencing. May indicate a trend in the weather. Often provide the first signal of “bad” weather.

9. Clouds and Climate Contain water in the form of water vapor, water droplets, ice crystals. At any given time our Earth is covered by 50% clouds. Clouds reflect some of the sunlight away from Earth keeping our Earth cooler. Without clouds, scientists predict our Earth would be 20° C warmer.

10. Clouds and Contrails Resources NASA eClips: http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/nasa eclips/index.html Cloud Inspection A-Train Contrails What is a Cloud?

11. Cloud Observations CIRRO or high clouds ALTO or middle clouds CUMULUS or white puffy clouds STRATUS or layered clouds NIMBUS or clouds from which precipitation is falling

12. High Clouds Cirrus: these look like delicate white feathers Cirrocumulus: thin white layers with a texture giving them the look of patches of cotton or ripples (without shadows). Cirrostratus: thin, almost transparent, whitish layer made up of crystals. May totally or partially cover the sky and create a “halo” appearance around the sun or moon.

13. Middle Clouds Altostratus: form a bluish or grayish veil that totally or partially cover the sky. Sun can be seen through them with no “halo” effect. Altocumulus: look like waves of the sea with white and gray coloring and shadows.

14. Low Clouds Stratus: gray and lie very close to Earth’s surface. Usually look like a sheet layer. Stratocumulus: gray or whitish color. Bases tend to be more round than flat. Tops also tend to be mostly flat. Nimbostratus: very dark and gray-colored layer that blots out the light from the sun. Associated with massive and continuous rainfall.

15. Low Clouds (continued) Cumulus: have a flat base and a dense, mound-shaped top that resembles a cauliflower. Sun hitting them causes them to be brilliant white and base tends to be darker gray. Generally do not produce precipitation. Cumulonimbus: very large, heavy, and dense clouds. Generally flat, dark surface with large tops like massive mountains or anvil. Associated with lightning, thunder and sometimes hail.

16. Contrails Short-lived Contrail: disappear shortly after they are formed. Fade as the distance between them and the airplane increases. Persistent Contrails: remain long after the airplane that made them has left the area. No wider than your index finger held at arm’s length. Persistent, Spreading Contrails: Only type that can be seen from a satellite. Wider than your index finger at arm’s length. Wider contrails should be reported in metadata with the equivalent number of fingers in the description.

17. Preparing Students Observing, Describing and Identifying Clouds Cloud Watch Estimating Cloud Cover Activity

18. Determine how much of your sky will be covered (must be in a percentage that is a multiple of 10%) Cut the percentage from your white paper Tear the white paper up and glue to the blue paper in irregular shapes to represent clouds Glue to white “clouds” to the blue paper

19. Cloud Estimates PercentageIf less than If greater or equal to 10%Clear Isolated 25%IsolatedScattered 50%Scattered Broken 90%BrokenOvercast

20. Analyzing your data What are the actual percentages? How many under estimated? How many were correct? How many overestimated? What factors influenced the accuracy of the estimates? Is estimating a talent or is it something that can be learned?

21. Helping Students with Observations Groups of 4 students, back-to-back, only observing their quadrant, compiling information and average cloud cover. Using the index finger at arm’s length approach: Puffs, rolls, waves, etc. smaller than one finger width generally cirrocumulus Not quite two finger, but wider than one most likely altocumulus Isolated puffs wider than two fingers are cumulus Clouds that are wider than tall are stratocumulus Cirrostratus only cloud type to produce a halo around the sun or moon

22. Hurricane Tracking NASA Hurricanes and Tropical Cyclones National Hurricane Center Hurricane Tracking Chart HS3 Hurricane Mission Space Place on Hurricanes Wallops Flight Facility HS3 Mission

23. Current Temperature Protocol Purpose: To measure the current temperature when an instrument shelter is not available. Overview: Current air temperature is measured using a thermometer held in the open air but in the shade for at least 3 minutes.

24. Minimum/Maximum Temperature Minimum/Maximum Thermometer with Celsius and Fahrenheit scales and analog read-out Be sure to “clear” or “reset” the thermometer each day Conversions: Celsius to Fahrenheit (°C × 9 / 5 ) + 32 = °F Fahrenheit to Celsius (°F - 32) x 5 / 9 = °C Example: Convert 26° Celsius (a nice warm day) to Fahrenheit First: 26° × 9/5 = 234/5 = 46.8 Then: 46.8 + 32 = 78.8° F Example: Convert 98.6° Fahrenheit (normal body temperature) to Celsius First: 98.6° - 32 = 66.6 Then: 66.6 × 5/9 = 333/9 = 37° C

25. Six’s Thermometer

26. Relative Humidity Protocol Purpose: To measure relative humidity at an Atmosphere Study site. Overview: Sling Psychrometer- students sling a wet and dry bulb thermometer around for 3 minutes, read the temperatures and utilize table to determine relative humidity. Digital Hygrometer- usually used in instrument shelters.

27. Conversion Table for Relative Humidity Read the temperature on both the wet and dry bulb Determine the difference in temperatures (wet bulb depression) Find the dry bulb temperature across the top of the table Locate the wet bulb depression along the left side Where the two numbers intersect equals the relative humidity Repeat this 3 times and get an average

28. Barometric Pressure Protocol Purpose: To measure air pressure. Overview: Students record atmospheric pressure using a barometer or altimeter.

29. Barometric Pressure Atmospheric pressure is the weight (force) of the air pushing on each unit of surface area on the ground. Earth’s atmospheric pressure is about 1Kg/cm² Barometric pressure readings are the same indoors and outdoors Help locate fronts and changes in weather Falling barometer =worsening weather Rising barometer=improving weather GLOBE measurements are taken with an aneroid barometer and reported in millibars or hectopascals

30. Helpful Tools and Other Sites Download a GPS app on your smart phone (i.e. Elev4real, Altimeter—both provide a location including elevation) GLOBE supplies can be ordered as kits through Forestry Suppliers, Inc. Forestry Suppliers, Inc. S’COOL Ground truthing for NASA’s CERES satellite S’COOL Satellite Meteorology Online learning modules for grades 7-12 Satellite Meteorology