Weekly Ocean News

PREVIEW WEEK: 27-31 August 2012

Items of Interest:

Ocean charts, units, location and time -- Please read this week's Supplemental Information…In Greater Depth for a description of a several types of oceanographic charts along with the definitions of some units commonly used in ocean science to locate positions on the Earth's surface and to identify time.
A change in seasons -- Friday, 31 August 2012, marks the end of Northern Hemisphere's meteorological summer, the three-month span of June, July and August that meteorologists frequently use for record keeping processes. Meteorological autumn (September, October and November) for the Northern Hemisphere starts the following day, 1 September 2012, Meteorologists frequently use these three-month meteorological seasons for record keeping processes. Additional information will be presented in the next several weeks concerning meteorological seasons and the astronomical seasons, such as the familiar autumn that begins on the autumnal equinox in three weeks (Saturday, 22 September 2012).
Policy Statement on "climate services" issued by AMS -- Earlier this month, the American Meteorological Society issued a policy statement on the benefits of "climate services", or the assemblage of scientifically based information on climate and associated products that enhance users' knowledge and understanding of climate and its changes. The purpose of the policy statement is "to characterize the benefits of climate services to the United States and the international community, and to foster improved climate services and delivery of those services to users by encouraging: 1) communication, cooperation, and collaboration among all sectors; 2) the scientific, operational, and financial success of all of the sectors involved in climate services; and 3), the leveraging wherever possible of resources among all sectors." [American Meteorological Society]

Ocean in the News:

Eye on the tropics --- The weather across the tropical waters of the North Atlantic and North Pacific Oceans were active during the past week, with the development of several named tropical cyclones (low pressure systems that form over tropical ocean waters, with near surface maximum sustained winds that intensify to tropical storm or hurricane force status):

In the North Atlantic basin, a tropical depression east of the Lesser Antilles intensified early in the week to become Tropical Storm Isaac, the ninth named tropical cyclone of 2012 Atlantic hurricane season. During the week, Tropical Storm Isaac traveled to the west across the Lesser Antilles and into the eastern Caribbean before turning toward the west-northwest. Passing across the Caribbean, Isaac brought locally heavy rain and some strong winds to Puerto Rico, Hispaniola and Cuba. [USA Today] An image of Tropical Storm Isaac was generated last Friday morning from data collected by sensors onboard NOAA's GOES-13 (or East) satellite. [NOAA Environmental Visualization Laboratory] As of Sunday afternoon, Tropical Storm Isaac was located over the Florida Strait between Cuba and the Florida Keys. Forecasts indicate that Isaac would travel toward the northwest across the Gulf of Mexico, possibly intensifying to become a category 1 or 2 hurricane before making landfall along the Louisiana or Mississippi Gulf Coast at the midpoint of the upcoming week. Additional information and satellite images on Tropical Storm Isaac can be found on the NASA Hurricane Page.
Another tropical storm, identified as Joyce, formed over the waters of the central tropical North Atlantic southwest of the Cape Verde Islands during the second half of last week. This system was relatively short-lived, as it retained tropical storm status for less than 24 hours.
In the western North Pacific basin, Typhoon Tembin formed over the waters of the Philippine Sea east of Luzon Island from a tropical depression at the start of last week (local time). This typhoon intensified to a major category 4 typhoon on the Saffir-Simpson Scale as it traveled northward early in the week. However, Typhoon Tembin turned and moved westward, crossing southern Taiwan late in the week accompanied by heavy rain, winds to 100 mph and sea waves approaching 40 feet. This typhoon continued into the Taiwan Strait. By this past weekend, Typhoon Tembin had turned toward the south as it headed toward the South China Sea. For more information and satellite images on Typhoon Tembin, see the NASA Hurricane Page.
A second typhoon, identified as Bolaven, formed early last week approximately 460 miles to the south of Iwo To, Japan. Over the weekend, this typhoon had intensified as it traveled to the north-northwest and became a super typhoon (with a category 4 status) as maximum sustained winds reached 150 mph. Over the weekend, Super Typhoon Bolaven weakened slightly, but continued to travel to the north-northwest. Peak wind gusts may exceed 160 mph, and sea wave heights, which had reached 47 feet, may exceed 50 feet. Torrential rain could spread across Kyoto in Japan, while strong winds and storm surge could reach South Korea early this upcoming week. The NASA Hurricane Page has satellite images and additional information on Super Typhoon Bolaven. .

Remembering the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Andrew -- Last Friday marked the 20th anniversary of the landfall of Hurricane Andrew along Florida's Atlantic Coast at Homestead, a community just south of Miami. At landfall Hurricane Andrew had maximum sustained surface winds that were estimated to be 165 mph, which has it to be reclassified as a category 5 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Scale. After making its initial landfall, Hurricane Andrew traveled westward across the Florida Peninsula and then curved to the northwest, making a second landfall along the Louisiana coast. The National Weather Service Forecast Office in Miami has a webpage that contains links to additional information on Hurricane Andrew. From their video summary, Hurricane Andrew remains the second costliest hurricane in US history at $45.5 billion (adjusted to 2010 dollars) and it was responsible for 65 fatalities, with 40 deaths in Miami-Dade County. [NWSFO Miami-South Florida] A mosaic that contains three images obtained from NOAA's geosynchronous GOES-7 satellite shows the path that Hurricane took as it approached Florida, moved across the Florida Peninsula and over the Gulf of Mexico [NASA Earth Observatory] An image obtained from data collected by sensors onboard the NOAA-12 polar-orbiting satellite shows the clouds surrounding Hurricane Andrew on the day before this hurricane made landfall near Homestead, FL. [NOAA Environmental Visualization Laboratory]
Earthquake prompts tsunami warning -- A magnitude 7.3 earthquake off Costa Rica at 0437 UTC August 27th prompted the issuance of a tsunami warning for the eastern Pacific Ocean basin. The warning was later cancelled as no significant water level rises were noted. [NOAA Pacific Tsunami Warning Center]
Autonomous aircraft monitor hurricanes --With the height of the Atlantic hurricane season approaching, two of NASA's Global Hawk aircraft will be deployed to monitor atmospheric conditions in and above hurricanes as part of NASA's Hurricane Severe Storm Sentinel Mission (HS3). These two unmanned and instrumented aircraft will fly at high altitude and over long time durations. [NASA HS3 Hurricane Mission]
Committee selected to advise officials on integrating ocean observation systems -- The new 13-member US Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOSŽ) Federal Advisory Committee will meet at near the end of this week to advise federal leaders on integrating the nation's ocean observing systems that collect and deliver ocean information. IOOSŽ is a federal, regional, and private-sector partnership formed to enhance the nation's ability to collect, deliver, and use ocean information. [NOAA News]
Simplification of review process of critical habitat proposals suggested -- During the last week, the US Fish and Wildlife Service and NOAA's Fisheries Service made a joint proposal that would simplify and clarify the process through which critical habitat impact analyzes are conducted for the designation of critical habitats under the Endangered Species Act. These two Federal agencies are responsible for administering the provisions of this act. The proposed rule will be available for public comment for the next two months. [NOAA Fisheries Service]
Abundance of juvenile scallops found in survey of Mid-Atlantic Ocean floor -- In a sea scallop resource survey conducted recently along the Mid-Atlantic area and Georges Bank by NOAA's Northeast Fisheries Science Center, researchers have found an abundance of juvenile "seed" scallops along the Mid-Atlantic. They used a new instrument called the "Seahorse", developed at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, that has a multisensory, integrated, benthic ecosystem sampling capability. [NOAA Northeast Fisheries Science Center]
Role of aquaculture and the stewardship of NOAA's Fisheries Service discussed -- Sam Rauch, the head of NOAA's Fisheries Service, recently issued a statement that describes his agency's responsibility as steward of the nation's living marine resources, including fostering the development of marine aquaculture. The development of aquaculture is intended to supply safe seafood for people; to help support domestic wild fisheries; to preserve and rebuild threatened and endangered species; and to restore habitats such as oyster reefs. [NOAA Fisheries Service]
Changing Arctic Ocean explored -- Scientists were to embark this past weekend on a four-week research cruise from Barrow, AK to study the effects of ocean acidification upon the Arctic Ocean. This mission is being led by the US Geological Survey. The scientists will travel onboard the US Coast Guard Cutter Healey and collect water and ice samples. [USGS Newsroom]
Past changes in climate linked to ocean circulation patterns -- Climate scientists from Texas A&M University and their colleagues from other research institutions have found evidence that the Earth's climate is sensitive to ocean circulation patterns, based on geochemical analysis of foraminifera in a sediment core from the coastal waters off northern Venezuela that resulted in a 22,000 year record of ocean and salinity changes in the upper layers of the western tropical Atlantic Ocean. [Geosciences News Texas A&M University]
Nation's drought contributes to small Gulf "Dead Zone" -- Researchers from Texas A&M University and their colleagues claim that while the current drought has been devastating across a large section of the nation, its presence has created the smallest "dead zone" or area suffering no dissolved oxygen (hypoxia) in the waters of the northern Gulf of Mexico in years. Little river runoff with high nutrient loading has occurred this year from the Mississippi River watershed because of the drought. [wistv.com]
Experiment to test cloud geoengineering as a way to slow global warming trend -- A group of 25 scientists from the US and the United Kingdom recently described an experiment that would test a method that would create clouds in an effort to reflect incoming sunlight as a means of countering current increases in global temperature. This experiment, which is called "marine cloud brightening", would entail the shooting of saltwater from a remotely controlled ship high into the atmosphere above an ocean basin, where clouds would be created. As a test, this experiment would be run on a small scale. [University of Washington Today]
An All-Hazards Monitor -- This Web portal provides the user information from NOAA on current environmental events that may pose as hazards such as tropical weather, drought, floods, marine weather, tsunamis, rip currents, Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) and coral bleaching. [NOAAWatch]
Global and US Hazards/Climate Extremes -- A review and analysis of the global impacts of various weather-related events, to include drought, floods and storms during the current month. [NCDC]

Earthweek -- Diary of the Planet

earthweek.com

Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader.

Concept of the Week: Touring the DataStreme Ocean Website

Welcome to DataStreme Ocean! You are embarking on a study of the world ocean and the role of the ocean in the Earth system. This unique teacher enhancement course focuses on the flow and transformations of energy and water into and out of the ocean, the internal properties and circulation of the ocean, interactions between the ocean and the other components of the Earth system, and the human/societal impacts on and responses to those interactions. Throughout this learning experience, you will be using the DataStreme Ocean website to access and interpret a variety of environmental information, including recent observational data. The objective of this initial Concept of the Week is to explore features of the DS Ocean website.

On Monday of each week of the course, we will post the current Weekly Ocean News that includes Ocean in the News (a summary listing of recent events related to the ocean), Concept of the Week (an in-depth analysis of some topic related to the ocean in the Earth system), and Historical Events (a list of past events such as tsunamis or specific advances in the understanding of oceanography). When appropriate, a feature called Supplemental Information-In Greater Depth will be provided on some topic related to the principal theme of the week.

You will use the DS Ocean website to access and download the weekly "Current Ocean Studies" (plus supporting images) that complement Investigations found in your Ocean Studies Investigations Manual. These materials should be available Monday morning. Click the appropriate links to download and print these electronic Current Ocean Studies and answer forms as well as your Chapter Progress and Investigations Response forms.

The body of the DS Ocean website provides links to the Earth System, information on Physical & Chemical, Geological, and Biological aspects of the ocean, Atmosphere/Ocean Interaction, the Great Lakes, and extras-a glossary of terms, maps, educational links, and DataStreme Ocean information. Following each section is a link to other sites that examine the various subsystems of the Earth system. Let's take a quick tour to become more familiar with the DS Ocean website.

Under Physical & Chemical, click on Sea Surface Temperatures. This image uses a color scale to depict the global pattern of sea surface temperatures (SSTs) (in degrees Celsius) averaged over a recent 7-day period and based on measurements by infrared sensors onboard Earth-orbiting satellites. (Depending on your browser, you may have to place your mouse cursor on the slide bar to the right and scroll down to view the entire image.) Compare SSTs in the Northern Hemisphere with those in the Southern Hemisphere. Return to the DS Ocean website.

Under Geological, click on Current Earthquake Activity. The USGS Current World Seismicity page provides a global map of the locations of seismic (earthquake) events color-coded for the past seven days. The size of the squares represents the magnitude of recent earthquakes. Note how earthquakes are concentrated along the margin of the Pacific Ocean. Details of recent earthquakes can be found by clicking on their map squares. Return to the DS Ocean website.

The ocean is home to a wide variety of habitats and organisms. Under Biological, click on Ocean "Color" (Productivity). This is a satellite-derived (SeaWiFS) color-coded map of biological productivity in the surface waters of the world ocean is averaged from October 1978 to date. Orange and red indicates the highest productivity, while dark blue and violet indicate the lowest productivity. Note the vast areas of relatively low productivity over the central regions of the subtropical ocean basins. Individual months within this period may be chosen for viewing. Now return to the DS Ocean website.

Under Atmosphere/Ocean Interaction, click on TRMM Tropical Rainfall. The TRMM (Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission) page includes color-coded maps of the Monthly Mean Rainrate (in mm per day) across the tropics for the last 30 days ending on the present date. Changes in rainfall are linked to large-scale shifts in the atmosphere/ocean circulation in the tropics. Now return to the DS Ocean website.

Take a few minutes when you have time to browse the other data and information sources available via the DS Ocean website. You should "bookmark" ("favorites") this page on your computer. Return frequently to learn more about the many resources on the ocean in the Earth system. Bon voyage!

Concept of the Week: Questions

The latest global sea surface temperature map indicates that SSTs are generally higher over the [(western)(eastern)] tropical Pacific Ocean.
The USGS map of Current Earthquake Activity indicates that earthquakes appear to be more common along the [(east)(west)] coast of North America.

Historical Events

27 August 1881...As many as 335 people were lost in the Georgia Hurricane, especially severe at Savannah and Charleston, SC. (Intellicast)
27 August 1883...The after effects caused by the Krakatau explosion in Indonesia, including large tsunami waves of up to 300 feet, killed 36,000 people. The tsunami waves were powerful enough to cross the Indian Ocean and travel beyond Cape Horn. The most powerful blast was the most violent known in human history, was loud enough to be heard in Australia, and the shock wave was registered by barometers England. The huge amount of volcanic dust thrust high into the stratosphere eventually traveled around the world. The dust blocked sunlight causing temperature drops and chaotic weather patterns for several years afterward. (Wikipedia) (Today in Science History)
27 August 1893...The first of three great hurricanes that year struck South Carolina drowning more than 1000 persons in a storm surge at Charleston. Landfall was just south of Savannah, GA where sustained winds hit 120 mph. (David Ludlum)
27 August 1964...Hurricane Cleo battered Miami and the South Florida area, marking the first direct hit for Miami in fourteen years. Sustained winds of 100 mph gusted to 135 mph, and the hurricane caused $125 million in damage. (David Ludlum)
27 August 1995...Remains of Tropical Storm Jerry unloaded 12.32 inches of rain in 24 hours in Greer, SC, a record for 24 hours, for a rain event and for August. At Antreville, 17.00 inches fell in 24 hours, setting a 24-hour rainfall record for the Palmetto State. (Intellicast)
28 August 1965...CDR Scott Carpenter, USN, and nine aquanauts entered SeaLab II, 205 ft. below Southern California's waters to conduct underwater living and working tests. (Naval Historical Center)
28 August 1988...Tropical Storm Chris spawned a tornado near Manning, SC, which killed one person, and spawned three tornadoes in North Carolina. Chris produced one to two foot tides, and three to six inch rains, over coastal South Carolina. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data)
28-30 August 1839...A hurricane moved from Cape Hatteras, NC to offshore New England. An unusual feature of the hurricane was the snow it helped produce, which whitened the Catskill Mountains of New York State. Considerable snow was also reported at Salem, NY. (The Weather Channel)
28 August 1965...CDR Scott Carpenter, USN, and nine aquanauts entered SeaLab II, 205 ft. below Southern California's waters to conduct underwater living and working tests. (Naval Historical Center)
28 August 1988...Tropical Storm Chris spawned a tornado near Manning, SC, which killed one person, and spawned three tornadoes in North Carolina. Chris produced one to two foot tides, and three to six inch rains, over coastal South Carolina. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data)
29 August 1583...The Delight was wrecked on Sable Island, Nova Scotia during a heavy gale, blinding rain and thick fog. This was Canada's first recorded marine disaster, taking 85 lives. (The Weather Doctor)
29 August 1979...Winds associated with Hurricane David reached 145 mph as the hurricane crossed the island of Dominica. The capital city, Roseau, was devastated, with 56 fatalities and 60,000 out of a population of 80,000 left homeless. About three-quarters of the coconut and banana crops were destroyed. (Accord's Weather Guide Calendar)
29 August 1988...The remnants of Tropical Storm Chris drenched eastern Pennsylvania with up to five and a half inches of rain, and produced high winds that gusted to 90 mph, severely damaging a hundred boats in Anne Arundel County, MD. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data)
29 August 2005...Hurricane Katrina, the costliest and one of the five deadliest hurricanes in US history, made landfall along the Louisiana Gulf Coast southeast of New Orleans as a category 3 on the Saffir-Simpson Scale after reaching category 5 status. Massive destruction was reported in coastal Mississippi and in New Orleans. As many as 1833 people reportedly died from Katrina in the US. (National Hurricane Center)
30 August 1913...The US Navy tested the Sperry gyroscopic stabilizer (automatic pilot). (Naval Historical Center)
30 August 1942...A hurricane weakened in moving 160 miles across south Texas from landfall at Matagorda to San Antonio, winds still gusting from 50 to 70 mph at San Antonio for more than five hours. Seventy of 75 planes were damaged at the city airport. Many trees were destroyed, but the famed Alamo's walls withstood the storm. (Accord's Weather Guide Calendar)
31 August 1842...The U.S. Naval Observatory was authorized by an act of Congress. (Today in Science History)
1 September 1858...The first transatlantic cable failed after less than one month of service. (Today in Science History)
1-2 September 1935...Perhaps the most intense hurricane ever to hit the U.S. struck the Florida Keys with sustained winds of over 155 mph with gusts exceeding 200 mph. On the 1^st, the "Labor Day Hurricane" formed rapidly over the Bahama Islands and intensified into a Category 5 hurricane (on the Saffir Simpson Scale) with sustained winds of over 155 mph and gusts exceeding 200 mph. On the next day, this hurricane generated a 15-foot tide and waves 30-ft high, as it became the first known Category 5 hurricane to hit the U.S. Mainland. More than 400 persons perished in the storm on that Labor Day, including many World War I veterans building a bridge from the Keys to the mainland. The barometric pressure at Matecumbe Bay, FL hit a record low for the U.S. at 26.35 inches of mercury (or 892 millibars). (David Ludlum) (The Weather Doctor)
1 September 1974...Navy Lieutenant Judy Neuffer became the first woman to pilot a plane through the eye of a hurricane. (Northern Indiana NWSFO)
1 September 1985...A joint French-American expedition headed by the American explorer, Robert D. Ballard, located the wreck of the sunken liner RMS Titanic on the floor of the North Atlantic using an experimental and unmanned submersible craft Argo. The wreckage of the Titanic, which sank in April 1912 on its maiden voyage after colliding with an iceberg, was found at a depth of about 13,000 feet and approximately 400 miles west of Newfoundland. (The History Channel)
2 September 1752...The British Empire adopted the Gregorian Calendar, nearly two centuries later than most of western Europe (primarily 1582). To correct the imprecise leap year correction in the Julian Calendar, 11 days were dropped making the following day 14 September. (Wikipedia) (Today in Science History)

Return to DataStreme Ocean Website

Prepared by DS Ocean Central Staff and Edward J. Hopkins, Ph.D.,
email hopkins@meteor.wisc.edu
Š Copyright, 2012, The American Meteorological Society.