October 2013 Climate Digest

Posted on 2013, November 20 by EarthNow Team
October 2013 Climate Digest

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SOS AutoRun/Audio Playlist

Overview

Each month, we will provide information regarding the previous month’s climate. Overall, preliminary data analysis suggests that October 2013 was the 7th warmest October on record (since 1880).  Major stories include Cyclone Phailin, another warm month for Australia, and Alaska’s warmest October on record.

October 2013 Highlights

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Highlights Dataset

Dataset: 20131120 EarthNow: October 2013 Highlights
Dataset: 20131120 EarthNow: AUDIO October 2013 Highlights
Full Map Image
          • This dataset shows some of the major October weather and climate highlights from the National Climatic Data Center’s (NCDC) monthly global climate analysis, and serves as an overview of what can be discussed in the datasets that follow. Highlights are noted below with more information.
          • North-Central U.S.: An early-season blizzard dropped up to 3 feet of snow across parts of Wyoming and South Dakota.
          • Alaska: Experienced its warmest October on record (since 1918).
          • Australia: Not only did Australia have its warmest October on record, but the January – October period was also the warmest on record.
          • Japan: Some areas received nearly twice the normal monthly average precipitation.
          • Cyclone Phailin: October 4-14; Max. Winds: 260 km/hr; Strongest cyclone to impact India since October 1999.
          • Spain: Sixth warmest October on record.
Temperature Anomalies

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Global Temperature Anomalies Dataset

Dataset: 20131120 EarthNow: October 2013 Temperature Anomaly
Dataset: 20131120 EarthNow: AUDIO October 2013 Temperature Anomaly
Full Map Image
    • Using the real-time Monthly Temperature Anomalies dataset is a great way to convey where some of the warmer and cooler than average areas were in October, including those mentioned above in the highlights.
    • The combined global land and ocean average surface temperature for September 7th warmest on record (since 1880).
SST Anomalies

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Sea Surface Temperature Anomalies Dataset

Dataset: 20131120 EarthNow: October 2013 SST Anomaly
Dataset: 20131120 EarthNow: AUDIO October 2013 SST Anomaly
        • The real-time sea surface temperature anomaly dataset is a great way to visualize the El Niño – Southern Oscillation (ENSO) cycle in the eastern tropical Pacific ocean. For October 2013, these waters hovered near average, indicating an ENSO Neutral period. The Climate Prediction Center anticipates a continued neutral period into the northern hemisphere Spring.
        • Remember that the blues indicate cooler than average temperatures and reds indicate warmer than average temperatures (white: average).
Snow and Ice

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Snow and Ice Cover Dataset

Dataset: 20131120 EarthNow: October 2013 Snow and Ice Cover
Dataset: 20131120 EarthNow: AUDIO October 2013 Snow and Ice Cover
  • Aside from helping to illustrate seasonal changes, the real-time Snow and Ice Cover dataset is a great way to convey sea ice change through time, including discussing how the current sea ice extent compares to other noteworthy years.
  • The Arctic sea ice extent for October 2013 was the sixth lowest on since satellite records began in 1979.
  • In Antarctica, the sea ice extent was the largest on record.
Where do I find the datasets?
  • First, check your SOS system to make sure it’s not already in the EarthNow category.
  • If not, you can download the datasets and playlist files from this FTP Site.
  • Then download and use playlist files at the top of the page (or create your own) and make sure they are in /home/sos/sosrc or /home/sosdemo/sosrc.
  • More detailed information here
Helpful Resources for More Information
Credits:
EarthNow Team
NOAA
References:
NOAA National Climatic Data Center, State of the Climate: Global Analysis for October 2013, published online November 2013, retrieved on October 19, 2013 from http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/sotc/global/.
Category: Climate Digest

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Typhoon Haiyan

Posted on 2013, November 19 by EarthNow Team

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Overview

On November 7, 2013 Typhoon Haiyan made landfall in the Philippines province of Samar and later in the populated city of Tacloban. The purpose of this EarthNow post is not to provide lots of information about Typhoon Haiyan. Much of that information can be found all over the internet. We are, however, providing you with some PIPs you may wish to use in conjunction with your real-time infrared dataset, or with the provided Haiyan data. Feel free to pick and choose which PIPs you use and how long they are displayed on your SOS. You will also find a sample dataset in the EarthNow category.

About the Dataset

Dataset Name: 20131118 EarthNow: Typhoon Haiyan with PIPs
    • The dataset itself is archived IR imagery from Typhoon Haiyan.
    • While showing the IR, the dataset will then cycle through 3 PIPs.
    • More information about the 3 PIPs can be found below.
    • Credit for the archived imagery goes to Beth Russell at NOAA ESRL.
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PIP 1: Haiyan Animation

  • This high-resolution image of Typhoon Haiyan derived from COMS-1, a South Korean geostationary satellite.
  • The imagery is “Visible” not infrared or water vapor imagery.
  • Credit for the animation goes to Scott Bachmeier of CIMSS. Check out the CIMSS Satellite Blog for more information!

 

Haiyan SizePIP 2: Haiyan/Katrina Comparison

  • In this image, Typhoon Haiyan has been artificially superimposed over the same location as Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
  • It should be noted, however, that the size of the storm and clouds does not always translate into intensity.
  • The color difference between the two storms indicates cloud-top temperature, Haiyan’s being colder than Katrina’s.
  • According to CIMSS’ Scott Bachmeier, this is “due to its location in the tropics (near 10 N latitude) where the tropopause was much higher and much colder.”
  • Credit for this image goes to Rick Kohrs at SSEC.

Haiyan LightsPIP 3: Loss of Power

  • These two images are from the Suomi NPP VIIRS instrument, the newest U.S. polar-orbiting satellite. The new day-night band with this instrument allows us to better see both clouds, land, and lights!
  • The first image is from October 31, 2013 before the storm. The second image is from November 9, 2013 after the storm.
  • Note the difference in lights, especially in Tacloban.
  • The credit from these images goes to William Straka of CIMSS and SSEC.

Where do I find the datasets?

  • First, check your SOS system to make sure it’s not already in the EarthNow category.
  • If not, you can download the datasets and playlist files from this FTP Site.
  • Then download and use playlist files at the top of the page (or create your own) and make sure they are in /home/sos/sosrc or /home/sosdemo/sosrc.
  • More detailed information here
Credits:
EarthNow Team
NOAA
References/Data:
CIMSS Satellite Blog, http://cimss.ssec.wisc.edu/goes/blog/archives/14311
Category: Tropical

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What does Fracking mean to you?

Posted on 2013, October 29 by EarthNow Team

20131024_animSOS Playlists

SOS AutoRun/Audio Playlist

Overview

A new technology called fracking releases natural gas from shale formations and could supply domestic energy demand for the next hundred years. Fracking is good news for some and bad news for others. This post and video will help explain how.

About the Dataset

Audio Dataset Name: 20131024 EarthNow: AUDIO Fracking
  • The first part of the visualization shows Earth at Night data for 1992, 2002, and 2012, conveying the growing global demand for. We then discuss the various types of renewable and nonrenewable resources, with icons showing up on the globe to represent them. This section also includes a pie chart from the U.S. Energy Information Administration, showing U.S. energy consumption by source, with renewable energy making up less than 10%.
  • Following the pie chart, we discuss two of the major concerns with the increased use of fossil fuels. First the Earth at Night data changes to one of the existing IPCC global temperature models, showing a warming Earth, along with an animated CO2 curve graph. Then, the nonrenewable resources icons disappear, representing that once they are gone, they are gone for good.
  • Later, we show a shale gas distribution map, followed by a cross-section of a shale bed. We then discuss the bad news and good news of fracking, including earthquake symbols, when the voiceover discusses the possibility of earthquakes.
  • At the end, we show a graph that conveys the growth of shale gas production.
  • Lastly, we show the existing Blue Marble image to tie everything together.

The Impact

There are two big concerns with increased use of fossil fuels:
1) Burning fossil fuels releases carbon dioxide into the air, a greenhouse gas causing Earth to gradually become warmer.
2) Fossil fuels are a nonrenewable resource. Once we use them up, they will be gone.

As the world population grows dependent on electricity and motorized transportation, people seek new energy sources and ways to reach sources that used to be too difficult to tap. New technology has made it possible to recover gas from shale.

The bad news is that each well uses about 3 million gallons of water laced with chemical additives to fracture the shale. Improper handling of wastewater could contaminate groundwater or deplete fresh water aquifers in drought-prone areas.

Another issue is that fracking waste water disposal can sometimes trigger earthquakes. According to the US Geological Survey, out of 40,000 waste water wells only a few have caused earthquakes of any concern. A 4.0 earthquake in Youngstown, Ohio in 2011 and tremors in other places that never registered them before have people on edge.

The good news is natural gas burns cleaner than coal, releasing less pollution and carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. It also reduces US dependence on foreign oil.

Many open questions remain about the risks and benefits of fracking to release natural gas from shale, and they affect all of us through the energy we use, the water we drink and the air we breathe.

Where do I find the datasets?
  • First, check your SOS system to make sure it’s not already in the EarthNow category.
  • If not, you can download the datasets and playlist files from this FTP Site.
  • Then download and use playlist files at the top of the page (or create your own) and make sure they are in /home/sosrc or /home/sosrc.
  • More detailed information here
  • Magic Planet Version
Credits:
EarthNow Team
NOAA
References:
U.S. Energy Information Administration, http://www.eia.gov/naturalgas/
Switch Energy Project, http://www.switchenergyproject.com/topics/fracking/
Category: Energy

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