Earth Science Gallery
2002 EARTH SCIENCE VIDEOTAPES
Tape Title
Record ID
Date Produced
TRT:
Synopsis
GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEMS IMPROVE LIGHTNING PREDICTION AROUND SPACE SHUTTLE LAUNCHES G02-084 11/07/02 00:08:28 A new lightning index that combines measurements of water vapor in storm clouds with data from Global Positioning Systems has improved lead-time for first lightning strikes from thunderstorms. This research has great potential benefits for rocket and NASA Space Shuttle launches and may someday be used to improve lightning safety for the general public. Lightning is the number two weather killer in the US. Lightning is the number one weather killer in Florida.
TAPE CONTENTS:
ITEM (1): Predicting Lightning Strikes at Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station - In order to prepare and then to launch the Space Shuttle or any rockets, forecasters must predict a lightning free window within a twenty-mile radius of the launch pad one to four hours before a first strike. A Shuttle landing requires a 90-minute lightning forecast, whereas the movement of solid rocket boosters requires a four hour forecast. Predicting lightning strikes around the Florida Coast can be difficult, especially when storms can pop up at any moment. In addition, Florida has the highest number of lightning strikes of anywhere in the United States. Scientists have found a way to improve lightning predictions by combining total water vapor data from GPS with measurements of stability from weather balloons. The new lightning index has great potential for improving the KSC desired lead-time and decreasing the false alarm rate.
Credit: NASA
ITEM (2): Lightning Views From Space - There are more than 2,000 thunderstorms taking place around the world at any given instant. This view was taken aboard the space shuttle. Scientists have a variety of tools for studying lightning including satellites, weather balloons, airplanes, and computer models. Better lightning predictions could improve public safety and benefit construction companies, amusement parks and utilities.
Credit: NASA
ITEM (3): Global Lightning Map - Satellites like Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) are used to monitor lightning all over the world. TRMM confirms, on a global scale, that there are more lightning strikes over land than over the ocean. Florida has the most lightning strikes in the United States. Around Kennedy Space Center, the average square mile is struck directly by ground to cloud lightning an average of 42 times per year.
Credit: NASA/NASDA
ITEM (4): Humidity Major Factor For Predicting Lightning - Moisture is the fuel that drives thunderstorms. Scientists use weather balloons and satellite data to monitor moisture in the atmosphere. The moisture data is incorporated into weather and climate models for predicting storms and lightning strikes.
NASA
ITEM (5): Land-Ocean Lightning Animation - TRMM confirmed that thunderstorms over land produce more lightning than their ocean counterparts. Negative charges and positive charges cluster in different regions of thunderclouds. Eventually the static charge or electrical potential is large enough that a negative spark is launched from the lower cloud to the ground. The strike can also discharge to a positive region in the cloud.
Credit: NASA
ITEM (6): TRMM: Watching Rain To Help Explain
- The Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) is the first Earth Science mission dedicated to studying tropical and subtropical rainfall, precipitation that falls within 35 degrees north and 35 degrees south of the equator. Tropical rainfall comprises more than two-thirds of the world's total. The satellite uses several instruments to detect rainfall including radar, microwave imaging, and lightning sensors.
Credit: NASA
ITEM (7): Lightning B-Roll
Credit: NASA
[Worldwide Map of Lightning Hits Movie]
[Lightning Views From Space Movie]
NOTE: The material advertised on this page is a "Video File" and is strictly recommended for the media and production companies. This is NOT a finished production but does contain some narration.
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Earth Science Gallery
2002 EARTH SCIENCE VIDEOTAPES |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Tape Title | Record ID | Date Produced | TRT: | Synopsis |
| GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEMS IMPROVE LIGHTNING PREDICTION AROUND SPACE SHUTTLE LAUNCHES | G02-084 | 11/07/02 | 00:08:28 | A new lightning index that combines measurements of water vapor in storm clouds with data from Global Positioning Systems has improved lead-time for first lightning strikes from thunderstorms. This research has great potential benefits for rocket and NASA Space Shuttle launches and may someday be used to improve lightning safety for the general public. Lightning is the number two weather killer in the US. Lightning is the number one weather killer in Florida. |
TAPE CONTENTS: |
||||
| ITEM (1): Predicting Lightning Strikes at Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station - In order to prepare and then to launch the Space Shuttle or any rockets, forecasters must predict a lightning free window within a twenty-mile radius of the launch pad one to four hours before a first strike. A Shuttle landing requires a 90-minute lightning forecast, whereas the movement of solid rocket boosters requires a four hour forecast. Predicting lightning strikes around the Florida Coast can be difficult, especially when storms can pop up at any moment. In addition, Florida has the highest number of lightning strikes of anywhere in the United States. Scientists have found a way to improve lightning predictions by combining total water vapor data from GPS with measurements of stability from weather balloons. The new lightning index has great potential for improving the KSC desired lead-time and decreasing the false alarm rate. Credit: NASA | ||||
| ITEM (2): Lightning Views From Space - There are more than 2,000 thunderstorms taking place around the world at any given instant. This view was taken aboard the space shuttle. Scientists have a variety of tools for studying lightning including satellites, weather balloons, airplanes, and computer models. Better lightning predictions could improve public safety and benefit construction companies, amusement parks and utilities. Credit: NASA | ||||
| ITEM (3): Global Lightning Map - Satellites like Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) are used to monitor lightning all over the world. TRMM confirms, on a global scale, that there are more lightning strikes over land than over the ocean. Florida has the most lightning strikes in the United States. Around Kennedy Space Center, the average square mile is struck directly by ground to cloud lightning an average of 42 times per year. Credit: NASA/NASDA | ||||
| ITEM (4): Humidity Major Factor For Predicting Lightning - Moisture is the fuel that drives thunderstorms. Scientists use weather balloons and satellite data to monitor moisture in the atmosphere. The moisture data is incorporated into weather and climate models for predicting storms and lightning strikes. NASA | ||||
| ITEM (5): Land-Ocean Lightning Animation - TRMM confirmed that thunderstorms over land produce more lightning than their ocean counterparts. Negative charges and positive charges cluster in different regions of thunderclouds. Eventually the static charge or electrical potential is large enough that a negative spark is launched from the lower cloud to the ground. The strike can also discharge to a positive region in the cloud. Credit: NASA | ||||
| ITEM (6): TRMM: Watching Rain To Help Explain - The Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) is the first Earth Science mission dedicated to studying tropical and subtropical rainfall, precipitation that falls within 35 degrees north and 35 degrees south of the equator. Tropical rainfall comprises more than two-thirds of the world's total. The satellite uses several instruments to detect rainfall including radar, microwave imaging, and lightning sensors. Credit: NASA | ||||
| ITEM (7): Lightning B-Roll Credit: NASA | ||||
[Worldwide Map of Lightning Hits Movie] [Lightning Views From Space Movie]
NOTE: The material advertised on this page is a "Video File" and is strictly recommended for the media and production companies. This is NOT a finished production but does contain some narration.
[HOME] [Return to the Earth Science Catalog] [How to order videotapes]