Flying Over Hurricanes For New NASA Mission
-
- Visualizations by:
- Alex Kekesi
-
- Produced by:
- Joy Ng
- View full credits
NASA scientists are investigating key questions about hurricanes in a new mission from the skies. This August, the East Pacific Origins and Characteristics of Hurricanes, or EPOCH, mission will fly over East Pacific storms to better understand how they form and intensify. EPOCH will conduct up to six 24-hour science flights using the Global Hawk unmanned aircraft. Three of the flights are being supported through a partnership with the NOAA UAS Program. Data will be collected using three instruments (EXRAD, HAMSR, and AVAPS) aboard the aircraft that will map out the 3-D patterns of temperature, pressure, humidity, precipitation, and wind speed - key factors that influence hurricane behavior. NASA scientists use a combination of ground, modeled, and satellite data to re-create multi-dimensional pictures of hurricanes and other major storms in order to study complex atmospheric interactions.
Music credit: 'Cellular Signals' by Laurent Levesque [SACEM] from Killer Tracks
Complete transcript available.
Watch this video on the NASA Goddard YouTube channel.
For More Information
See the following sources:
Credits
Please give credit for this item to:
NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center
-
Data visualizers
- Alex Kekesi (Global Science and Technology, Inc.) [Lead]
- Ernie Wright (USRA)
- Greg Shirah (NASA/GSFC)
- Horace Mitchell (NASA/GSFC)
- Trent L. Schindler (USRA)
-
Scientists
- Amber Emory (NASA/GSFC)
- Dalia B Kirschbaum (NASA/GSFC)
- Scott Braun (NASA/GSFC)
-
Producer
- Joy Ng (KBR Wyle Services, LLC) [Lead]
-
Technical support
- Aaron E. Lepsch (ADNET Systems, Inc.)
Missions
This visualization is related to the following missions:Series
This visualization can be found in the following series:Related Pages
-
-
ID: 13216 Produced Video
![Complete transcript available.Music credits: “Northern Breeze” by Denis Levaillant [SACEM], “Stunning Horizon” by Maxime Lebidois [SACEM], Ronan Maillard [SACEM], “Magnetic Force” by JC Lemay [SACEM] from Killer TracksWatch this video on the NASA Goddard YouTube channel.This video can be freely shared and downloaded. While the video in its entirety can be shared without permission, some individual imagery provided by pond5.com is obtained through permission and may not be excised or remixed in other products. Specific details on stock footage may be found here. For more information on NASA’s media guidelines, visit https://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/guidelines/index.html.Notes on footage:• 0:03 - 0:17 provided by Pond5• 1:38 - 1.43 provided by Pond5• 1:49 - 1:52 provided by Pond5• 2:21 - 1:27 provided by Pond5](/vis/a010000/a013200/a013216/13216_NASA_Has_Eyes_On_The_Atlantic_Hurricane_Season_YouTube.00050_print.jpg)
NASA Has Eyes On The Atlantic Hurricane Season
Read moreNASA has a unique and important view of hurricanes around the planet. Satellites and aircraft watch as storms form, travel across the ocean and sometimes, make landfall. After the hurricanes have passed, the satellites and aircraft see the aftermath of hurricanes, from downed forests to mass power loss. ||
-
ID: 12738 Produced Video
![Watch this video on the NASA Goddard YouTube channel.Complete transcript available.Music credits: 'Micro Currents' by Jean-Patrick Voindrot [SACEM], 'Sink Deep' by Andrew Michael Britton [PRS], David Stephen Goldsmith [PRS], Mikey Rowe [PRS] from Killer Tracks.](/vis/a010000/a012700/a012738/LARGE_MP4-12738_RapidIntensification_large.00084_print.jpg)
Intense String of Hurricanes Seen From Space
Read moreIn 2017, we have seen four Atlantic storms rapidly intensify with three of those storms - Hurricane Harvey, Irma and Maria - making landfall. When hurricanes intensify a large amount in a short period, scientists call this process rapid intensification. This is the hardest aspect of a storm to forecast and it can be most critical to people’s lives.While any hurricane can threaten lives and cause damage with storm surges, floods, and extreme winds, a rapidly intensifying hurricane can greatly increase these risks while giving populations limited time to prepare and evacuate. ||
-
ID: 12635 Produced Video
A New Multi-dimensional View of a Hurricane
Read moreMusic: "Buoys," Donn Wilkerson, Killer Tracks; "Late Night Drive," Donn Wilkerson, Killer Tracks.Complete transcript available. || Matthew_screengrab_print.jpg (1024x574) [158.4 KB] || Matthew_screengrab_searchweb.png (320x180) [114.3 KB] || Matthew_screengrab_thm.png (80x40) [8.1 KB] || 12635_Hurricane_Matthew_prores.mov (1920x1080) [3.0 GB] || 12635_Hurricane_Matthew.mp4 (1920x1080) [236.9 MB] || 12635_Hurricane_Matthew_prores.webm (1920x1080) [25.4 MB] || 12635_Hurricane_Matthew_facebook_720.mp4 (1280x720) [271.2 MB] || 12635_Hurricane_Matthew_prores_youtube_720.mp4 (1280x720) [362.8 MB] || 12635_Hurricane_Matthew_twitter_720.mp4 (1280x720) [49.8 MB] || 12635_Hurricane_Matthew_youtube_1080.mp4 (1920x1080) [362.9 MB] || 12635_Hurricane_Matthew.en_US.srt [4.1 KB] || 12635_Hurricane_Matthew.en_US.vtt [4.1 KB] ||
-
ID: 4512 Visualization
GPM Monitors Hurricane Matthew Flooding the Carolinas
Read moreThis data visualization resumes where the visualization "GPM Captures Hurricane Matthew Nearing Florida" leaves off. In this animation Hurricane Matthew travels up the east coast from Florida to the Carolinas. On October 8, 2016 Matthew (still a category 2 hurricane) dumps massive amounts of rain throughout the southeast dousing North and South Carolina. GPM then flies over the area revealing precipitation rates on the ground. As we zoom in closer, GPM's DPR sensor reveals a curtain of 3D rain rates within the massive weather system. || matthew_v4_annotated.4999_print.jpg (1024x576) [143.7 KB] || matthew_v4_annotated.4999_searchweb.png (320x180) [86.4 KB] || matthew_v4_annotated.4999_thm.png (80x40) [6.7 KB] || frames/1920x1080_16x9_30p/Matthew_with_annotations/ (1920x1080) [128.0 KB] || matthew_v4_annotated_1080p30.mp4 (1920x1080) [20.0 MB] || matthew_v4_annotated_1080p30.webm (1920x1080) [4.0 MB] ||
-
ID: 4508 Visualization
GPM Captures Hurricane Matthew Over Haiti
Read moreThis animation starts with an overview of North America, Central America, and the Caribbean. As the camera slowly pushes in, Hurricane Matthew begins to form. By the morning of October 2nd, 2016 Matthew is a Category 4 Hurricane immediately south of Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Time then slows down to see GPM's GPROF swath reveal ground precipitation from the hurricane. Now, with the camera closer in the view rotates to reveal a curtain of 3-dimensional radar data from GPM's DPR instrument. DPR shows the 3-D structure of the hurricane's precipitation rates. Areas in blue and purple are frozen precipitation, whereas areas in greens and reds are liquid precipitation. The data for October 2nd then fades away and the hurricane advances to October 3rd, stopping over Haiti. A new satellite pass of GPM GPROF ground precipitation is revealed, followed by a new curtain of 3-D DPR data. || mathhew_v2.2390_print.jpg (1024x576) [167.4 KB] || mathhew_v2.2390_searchweb.png (320x180) [101.7 KB] || mathhew_v2.2390_thm.png (80x40) [7.5 KB] || matthew_v2_annotated_1080p30.mp4 (1920x1080) [60.2 MB] || frames/1920x1080_16x9_30p/Matthew_with_annotations/ (1920x1080) [128.0 KB] || matthew_v2_annotated_1080p30.webm (1920x1080) [8.0 MB] || matthew_v2_annotated_4508.key [62.7 MB] || matthew_v2_annotated_4508.pptx [62.3 MB] ||
-
ID: 4507 Visualization
GPM Captures Hurricane Matthew Before Haiti Landfall
Read moreThis animation starts with an overview of North America, Central America, and the Caribbean. As the camera slowly pushes in, Hurricane Matthew begins to form. By the morning of October 2nd, 2016 Matthew is a Category 4 Hurricane immediately south of Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Time then slows down to see GPM's GPROF swath reveal ground precipitation from the hurricane. Now, with the camera closer in the view rotates to reveal a curtain of 3-dimensional radar data from GPM's DPR instrument. DPR shows us the 3-D structure of the hurricane's precipitation rates. Areas in blue and purple are frozen precipitation, whereas areas in greens and reds are liquid precipitation. || mathhew_annotated.1299_print.jpg (1024x576) [174.0 KB] || mathhew_annotated.1299_searchweb.png (320x180) [105.0 KB] || mathhew_annotated.1299_thm.png (80x40) [7.7 KB] || frames/1920x1080_16x9_30p/composite_with_annotations/ (1920x1080) [256.0 KB] || frames/1920x1080_16x9_30p/composite_without_annotations/ (1920x1080) [128.0 KB] || frames/1920x1080_16x9_30p/gpm_data_layer/ (1920x1080) [128.0 KB] || frames/1920x1080_16x9_30p/earth_and_cloud_layer/ (1920x1080) [256.0 KB] || mathhew_annotated_1080p30.mp4 (1920x1080) [40.1 MB] || matthew_1080p30.mp4 (1920x1080) [38.7 MB] || mathhew_annotated_1080p30.webm (1920x1080) [5.1 MB] ||
-
ID: 4036 Visualization
Global Hawk Takes High Altitude Imaging Wind and Rain Airborne Profiler (HIWRAP) Data
Read moreThe dual-wavelength (Ku- and Ka-band) High Altitude Imaging Wind and Rain Airborne Profiler (HIWRAP) flew for the first time on the Global Hawk Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) during the 2010 Genesis and Rapid Intensification Processes (GRIP). The HIWRAP is able to measure line-of-sight and ocean surface winds for a longer period of time than obtained by current satellites and lower-altitude instrumented aircraft. HIWRAP is conical scanning, and winds and reflectivity can be mapped within the swath below the Global Hawk. This visual will highlight the UAV measuring Hurricane Karl's HIWRAP Ku-band observations on September 16 from 18:53:10 through 19:19:18. The dimensions of the Global Hawk were exaggerated by a factor of 10 so the viewer could see the UAV. The Global Hawk actual dimensions are 44.4 ft (13.5 m) length by 116.2 ft. (35.4 m) wingspan by 15.2 ft (4.6 m) height. The movie starts as the Global Hawk flies over Hurricane Karl to reveal a hot tower. Hot towers are important to understanding hurricane intensification because they can carry hot moist air through the high layer of cirrus clouds above a hurricane. Hot towers are hard to study because they go so high and they do not last very long. The structure of this storm is seen through reflectivity data where dbz is between 25 and 40. The HIWRAP data is colored based on the height from the surface. Red shows 12 km above sea level, orange is 10 km, yellow is 7.5 km, green is 6 km, and blue is under 6 km.For more information on GRIP and other elements of NASA's Hurricane and Severe Storm Sentinel project, visit http://www.nasa.gov/HS3. ||
-
-
-
ID: 4575 Visualization
NASA Studies Hurricane Matthew
Read moreThis data visualization follows Hurricane Matthew throughout its destructive run in the Caribbean and Southeast U.S. coast. By utilizing different data sets from NOAA's GOES satellite, NASA/JAXA's GPM, MERRA-2 model runs, IMERG, Goddard's soil moisture product, and sea surface temperatures, scientists are able to put together a clearer picture of how this hurricane quickly intensified and eventually weakened. || matthew_narrated_v106.5800_print.jpg (1024x576) [189.6 KB] || matthew_narrated_v106.5800_searchweb.png (320x180) [114.8 KB] || matthew_narrated_v106.5800_thm.png (80x40) [7.8 KB] || matthew_narrated_v106.mp4 (1920x1080) [140.5 MB] || frames/1920x1080_16x9_30p/matthew/ (1920x1080) [512.0 KB] || matthew_narrated_v106.webm (1920x1080) [22.0 MB] || matthew_narrated_v106_4k.mp4 (3840x2160) [443.1 MB] || frames/3840x2160_16x9_30p/ (3840x2160) [512.0 KB] ||
-
ID: 4511 Visualization
GPM Monitors Hurricane Matthew Nearing Florida
Read moreThis data visualization resumes where the visualization "GPM Captures Hurricane Matthew Over Haiti" leaves off. After dissolving away GPM's DPR and GPROF data over Haiti on October 3rd, 2016, we follow Matthew to October 4th as the eye makes landfall over Haiti. GPM's GPROF sweeps in to show the tremendous amounts of rainfall throughout Haiti. We then move forward in time to October 6th as Matthew approaches Florida. Another GPM GPROF swath shows how close the outer bands of precipitation are to the Florida coast. Finally, we move a little further into the same day revealing the massive amounts of rainfall being produced by this storm as it begins to impact Florida. || mathhew_v3_annotated.3899_print.jpg (1024x576) [141.6 KB] || mathhew_v3_annotated.3899_searchweb.png (320x180) [94.1 KB] || mathhew_v3_annotated.3899_thm.png (80x40) [6.9 KB] || mathhew_v3_annotated_1080p30.mp4 (1920x1080) [25.4 MB] || frames/1920x1080_16x9_30p/Matthew_with_annotations/ (1920x1080) [128.0 KB] || mathhew_v3_annotated_1080p30.webm (1920x1080) [4.2 MB] || mathhew_v3_annotated_4511.key [28.4 MB] || mathhew_v3_annotated_4511.pptx [28.0 MB] ||
-
ID: 4035 Visualization
High Altitude Imaging Wind and Rain Profiler(HIWRAP) onboard the Genesis and Rapid Intensification Processes(GRIP) Experiment monitors Eye Wall Development
Read moreWind measurements are crucial for understanding and forecasting tropical storms since they are closely tied to the overall dynamics of the storm. The dual-wavelength (Ku and Ka band) High-Altitude Imaging Wind and Rain Airborne Profiler (HIWRAP) flew for the first time on the Global Hawk Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) during the 2010 Genesis and Rapid Intensification Processes (GRIP).The HIWRAP is able to measure line-of-sight and ocean surface winds for a longer period of time than obtained by current satellites and lower-altitude instrumented aircraft. HIWRAP is conical scanning, and winds and reflectivity can be mapped within the swath below the Global Hawk. HIWRAP utilizes solid state transmitters along with a novel pulse compression scheme. This results in a system that is considerably more compact in size, requires less power, and ultimately costs significantly less than typical radars currently in use for clouds and precipitation observation. HIWRAP is able to image the winds through volume backscattering from clouds and precipitation, enabling it to measure the tropospheric winds above heavy rain at high levels. The first interesting case from the HIWRAP flights were the rapid intensification of Hurricane Karl on September 16 and 17, 2010. This visual will highlight the precipitation structure of this storms during their intensification as derived from the HIWRAP KU observations. Please note, the dimensions of the Global Hawk were exaggerated by a factor of 10 so the viewer could see the UAV. The Global Hawk actual dimensions are 44.4 ft (13.5 m) length by 116.2 ft. (35.4 m) wingspan by 15.2 ft (4.6 m) height. The movie starts as the Global Hawk flies over Hurricane Karl to reveal a Hot Tower. Hot towers are important to understanding hurricane intensification because they can carry hot moist air through the high layer of cirrus clouds above a hurricane. Hot towers are hard to study because they go so high and they do not last very long. In this movie, several of the paths have been placed in storm-centered coordinates and laid together to reveal the storm's hot towers and eyewall development. The structure of this storm is seen through reflectivity data where dbz is between 25 and 40.The HIWRAP data is colored based on the height. Red is 12 km, orange is 10 km, yellow is 7.5 km, green is 6 km, and blue is under 6 km.More information on GRIP and other elements of NASA's Hurricane and Severe Storm Sentinel project visit http://www.nasa.gov/HS3. ||
-