Weekly Ocean News

WEEK ONE: 3-7 September 2012

Items of Interest:

Approaching the peak in the Atlantic hurricane season -- The historic or statistical annual peak in the Atlantic hurricane season will occur next week (10-12 September), as determined as the date during the entire season with most frequent number of named tropical cyclones (tropical storms and hurricanes), based upon over 100 years of record. This date corresponds closely with the time of peak sea-surface temperatures across those sections of the North Atlantic considered hurricane-breeding areas. [NWS National Hurricane Center] [Note: So far this Atlantic hurricane season, which commenced on 1 June 2012, twelve tropical cyclones have reached tropical storm or hurricane status. Of these twelve named tropical cyclones, five (Chris, Ernesto, Gordon, Isaac and Kirk) have become hurricanes. EJH]
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.
Policy Statement on "climate change" issued by AMS -- During the third week of August, the American Meteorological Society issued a new policy statement on climate change, which is " intended to provide a trustworthy, objective, and scientifically up-to-date explanation of scientific issues of concern to the public at large." This statement, based upon on current peer-reviewed scientific literature, provides a brief overview of how and why global climate has changed over the past century and how the climate will continue to change in the future. [American Meteorological Society]

Ocean in the News:

Eye on the tropics --- During the last week, 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) traveled across the tropical ocean basins in the North Atlantic and the North Pacific:

In the North Atlantic basin, Tropical Storm Isaac passed through the Florida Strait between Cuba and the Florida Keys over the previous weekend. Traveling to the northwest across the eastern and northern Gulf of Mexico, Isaac intensified to a category one hurricane (on the Saffir-Simpson Scale) last Tuesday morning before making an initial landfall on an island at the mouth of the Mississippi River in southeastern Louisiana during the early evening. Continuing to the northwest along the Louisiana Gulf Coast as a minimal hurricane, Isaac brought torrential rain, strong winds and a storm surge to sections of the Louisiana and Mississippi coast on Tuesday and Wednesday. By late in the week, Isaac had weakened to a tropical storm and then a tropical depression as it curved toward the north and traveled across Arkansas and Missouri. By late in the weekend, the remnant low pressure system that had been Isaac was moving across sections of the Midwest, accompanied by locally heavy rain. Additional information and satellite images on Tropical Storm Isaac can be found on the NASA Hurricane Page.
Ironically, Hurricane Isaac made landfall along the Louisiana Gulf Coast last week on the seventh anniversary of the landfall of Hurricane Katrina, arguably one of the costliest weather disasters to hit the continental United States in the nation’s history. The NASA Hurricane Page contains weather information and satellite imagery on Hurricane Katrina that was made available online within six weeks after this monster hurricane came onshore to the east of New Orleans.
By early in the week, the next tropical storm, identified as Kirk, formed from a tropical depression over the waters of the central tropical North Atlantic to the east-northeast of the Lesser Antilles. By midweek, Kirk intensified to become the fifth Atlantic hurricane of 2012 as it traveled to the northwest and north. This hurricane intensified to become a category 2 hurricane before curving to the north-northeast at the start of this past weekend. By the midpart of the Labor Day weekend, Kirk weakened to a tropical storm as it raced toward the northeast. Additional information and satellite imagery can be found on the NASA Hurricane Page.
Tropical Storm Leslie formed over the waters of the tropical Atlantic east of the Windward Islands late in the week. As the twelfth named tropical cyclone of the 2012 Atlantic hurricane season, Leslie traveled toward the west-northwest over this past weekend. See the NASA Hurricane Page for additional information on Tropical Storm Leslie. .
In the eastern North Pacific, Hurricane Ileana formed from a tropical depression off the western coast of Central America early last week. Ileana, the seventh eastern Pacific hurricane of 2012, became a category one hurricane (on the Saffir-Simpson Scale) as it traveled to the northwest during last week, paralleling the western coast of Mexico. By this past weekend, Ileana curved to the west off the tip of Mexico's Baja California Peninsula and proceeded westward, weakening to a tropical storm. Additional information on Hurricane Ileana and satellite imagery can be found on the NASA Hurricane Page.
In the western North Pacific basin, Typhoon Tembin, which had become a major category 4 typhoon (on the Saffir-Simpson Scale) made a loop across the South China Sea on the previous weekend and then passing to the east of Taiwan for a second time early last week as it traveled northward, but as a tropical storm. By late in the week, Tembin made landfall on the southern coast of the Korean Peninsula, accompanied by torrential rain, high seas and winds over 50 mph. This long-lived tropical cyclone finally dissipated by the end of last week. . See the NASA Hurricane Page for more information and satellite images on Typhoon Tembin.
Super Typhoon Bolaven, which had reached category 4 status with 150-mph maximum sustained winds late in the previous week, continued to travel to the north-northwest across the Yellow Sea during last week. By late in the week, this super typhoon had weakened before it made landfall along the northwest coast of North Korea. The NASA Hurricane Page has satellite images and additional information on Super Typhoon Bolaven.

The US Geological Survey (USGS) helps monitor Hurricane Isaac --
- In an assessment released by the USGS one week ago, more than three quarters of Florida's west central coast and nearly one quarter of the Panhandle was expected to face beach and dune erosion as Isaac, a tropical storm at the time, traveled across the eastern Gulf of Mexico. [USGS Newsroom]
- As Isaac traveled toward the central Gulf Coast earlier last week, response crews from the USGS installed more than 120 storm-tide (or storm-surge) sensors at several locations along the coast from the Florida Panhandle to Louisiana to record the precise time when the storm tide arrived, the depth of the storm tide through the event and the elapsed time for the water to recede. The gauge data were made available at the USGS Storm-Tide Mapper. [USGS Newsroom]
- Data collected from one of the USGS stream gauges on the Mississippi River at Belle Chasse, LA indicated that the strong winds and storm surge accompanying Hurricane Isaac caused the Mississippi River to flow upstream on Tuesday, 28 August. The river level surged to approximately 10 feet above its previous height. [USGS Newsroom]
- Even after Isaac moved northward across the Mississippi Valley as a tropical storm and then a tropical depression, the USGS was monitoring the flooding on the numerous rivers across the region affected by the torrential rain accompanying Isaac. A new technology called terrestrial lidar, or T-lidar is being used for the first time by USGS to map flooding in certain urban areas in Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi caused by the tropical cyclone. [USGS Newsroom]
Nation's hurricane vulnerability is mapped -- Scientists with the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) recently released their report that displays the vulnerability of each county across nearly two-thirds of the nation to a tropical cyclone (hurricane or tropical storm). A map was produced that shows the "Social Vulnerability Index," which describes where inland hurricane effects and socioeconomic factors combine to produce the greatest threat to people. This report and map should provide a new database for emergency responders. [NCAR/UCAR AtmosNews]
University of Colorado to maintain the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences -- NOAA officials recently announced that the University of Colorado-Boulder has been selected to continue to operate the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES) for at least the next five years. This cooperative institute, which was founded in 1967 as the first of 18 NOAA cooperative institutes currently scattered across the nation, conducts research on climate change, the improvement of weather models and the prediction of how solar storms can disrupt communication and navigation technologies. [NOAA News]
Chesapeake Bay receives increased sediment and nutrient load from the Susquehanna -- A recent US Geological Survey report reveals that sediments and nutrients carried downstream by the Susquehanna from Pennsylvania and Maryland are approaching the limits of reservoirs located just upstream of Chesapeake Bay, the nation's largest estuary. Large storms with heavy rain and runoff could push the sediments and nutrients into the Bay, countering the recent restoration efforts. [USGS Newsroom]
Fish and whales tracked in seawater by new DNA method -- Researchers at Denmark's University of Copenhagen have developed a new and efficient method for tracking fish and whales in oceans through the use of DNA traces left by these marine animals in samples of seawater. The researchers claim that their method could help in future monitoring of marine biodiversity and resources. [University of Copenhagen News]
Large methane reservoirs could be located below Antarctic ice sheet -- Researchers from the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands claim that their analysis of blocks of frozen lake sediments extracted from under the margins of the Antarctic ice sheet would indicate large deposits of the greenhouse gas methane. Apparently, these deposits formed from old organic matter that accumulated in sedimentary basins beneath the Ice Sheet and converted to methane by micro-organisms under oxygen-deprived conditions over millions of years. If the Ice Sheet shrinks and exposes the old sedimentary basins, the trapped methane could be released into the atmosphere. [University of California-Santa Cruz News]
Rise in sea level could place East Coast national parks at risk -- A recent report from the Natural Resource Defense Council and the Rocky Mountain Climate Organization warns that one of the biggest threats facing the nearly 300 miles of the nation's Atlantic shoreline protected as part of the National Park system would be the rising sea levels that have been projected to rise by approximately one meter within the next century. The shoreline would include beaches at Cape Cod, Fire Island, Assateague Island, Cape Hatteras, Cape Lookout, Cumberland Island and Canaveral that account for 11 million visitors annually. [Green Blogs – New York Times]
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.

REPORTS FROM THE FIELD --

A request: If you have some ocean-related experience that you would like to share with other DataStreme Ocean participants, please send them to the email address appearing at the bottom of this document for possible inclusion in a News file. Thank you. EJH

Concept of the Week: Touring the DataStreme Ocean Website

NOTE: This Concept for the Week is a repeat of that which appeared in last week's Weekly Ocean News.

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

3 September 1821...A hurricane made landfall at Long Island, near the current J.F. Kennedy Airport and then moved through western Connecticut. The hurricane produced a record high tide at New York City. (David Ludlum)
4 September 1954...Icebreakers, USS Burton Island (AGB-1) and USCG Northwind, completed first transit of the Northwest Passage through McClure Strait. (Naval Historical Center)
4-6 September 1970...Moisture from Pacific Tropical Storm Norma led to heavy rain and severe flooding over a three-day span. Unprecedented rains caused rivers in central Arizona to rise five to ten feet per hour, sweeping cars and buildings as far as 30 to 40 mi downstream, leading to the greatest natural disaster of record for Arizona. Flooding claimed the lives of 23 persons, mainly campers, and caused millions of dollars in property damage. Water crested 36 feet above normal near Sunflower. Workman's Creek was deluged with 11.40 inches of rain in 24 hours to establish a 24-hour precipitation record for the Grand Canyon State. An estimated six inches of rain fell at Bug Point, UT, setting a 24-hour precipitation record for the Beehive State. (The Weather Channel) (NCDC)
5 September 1987...A tropical storm, which formed off the South Atlantic coast, was responsible for torrential rains over coastal regions of South Carolina. Between 30 August and 8 September, Charleston, SC received 18.44 in. of rain. The heavy rains caused extensive flooding around the city of Charleston, seriously damaged cotton crops in the eastern part of the state, and resulted in an unusually high number of mosquitoes. (Storm Data)
5 September 1946...The U.S. Air-Rescue Agency, an inter-departmental group headed by the Commandant of the Coast Guard and engaged on the study of improved and standardized rescue and search methods, was renamed the Search and Rescue Agency. "Search and Rescue Units" of the Coast Guard were at the same time integrated into the peace time organization and the whole developed into a system of constantly alerted communications, coastal lookout, and patrols of institute instant and systematic search and rescue procedure in case of disasters." (USCG Historian's Office)
5 September 1950...Hurricane Easy produced the greatest 24-hour rainfall in U.S. weather records up to that time. The hurricane deluged Yankeetown, on the upper west coast of Florida, with 38.70 in. of rain. This record has since been replaced by 43 in. of rain at Alvin, TX on 25-26 July 1979. (David Ludlum)
6 September 1522...The Magellan expedition completed its historical circumnavigation of the globe as one of Ferdinand Magellan's five ships, the Vittoria, arrived at Sanlýcar de Barrameda in Spain with 17 other crew members and four Indians. Magellan, who lost his life in April 1521 in the Philippines, set sail from Spain with 270 seamen on 20 September 1519 in an effort to find a western sea route to the rich Spice Islands of Indonesia. (The History Channel)
7 September 1934...US Coast Guard (USCG) vessels responded to a fire aboard the liner Morro Castle six miles off the New Jersey coast. This disaster, which resulted in the loss of 133 of the 455 passengers and crew, led to a Senate investigation and subsequent changes in maritime safety regulations. (USCG Historian's Office)
8 September 1900...The greatest weather disaster in U.S. records occurred when a hurricane struck Galveston, TX. Waves fifteen feet high washed over the island demolishing or carrying away buildings, and drowning more than 6000 persons. The hurricane destroyed more than 3600 houses, and total damage was more than $30 million. Winds to 120 mph, and a twenty-foot storm surge accompanied the hurricane. Following the storm, the surf was three hundred feet inland from the former water line. The hurricane claimed another 1200 lives outside of the Galveston area. (8^th-9^th) (David Ludlum) (The Weather Channel)
Editor's note: The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) posted a webpage commemorating the Galveston, TX hurricane of 1900. This page contains links to historic photos and excerpts of an eyewitness description of storm by Isaac Cline, the chief forecaster of the Galveston U.S. Weather Bureau Office.
9 September 1945 - A "computer bug" is first identified and named by LT Grace Murray Hopper while she was on Navy active duty in 1945. It was found in the Mark II Aiken Relay Calculator at Harvard University. The operators affixed the moth to the computer log, where it still resides, with the entry: "First actual case of bug being found." They "debugged" the computer, first introducing the term. (Naval History Center)