2003 EARTH SCIENCE VIDEOTAPES |
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Tape Title | Record ID | Date Produced | TRT: |
Synopsis |
| EL NINO, THE USUAL SUSPECT? | G03-013 | 02/13/03 | 00:09:39 | So far, it has been a very cold winter. The usual suspect is El Nino. However, the real culprit appears to be hovering over the Northern Atlantic. We haven't had an early winter this cold since 1976, when the last North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) was as strong as it is now.
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TAPE CONTENTS: |
| ITEM (1): The Real Suspect, North Atlantic Oscillation - The cold weather over the Northeastern United States may not be all El Nino's fault. The North Atlantic Oscillation could be the major contributor to the US January arctic blast. Differences in the normal pressure between the high-latitude and sub-tropical North Atlantic are the signature of the NAO. The current phase of the NAO tends to produce more severe winter weather in the North and Eastern US by allowing cold Arctic air to penetrate more easily from Canada into the eastern US. The Quik Scatterometer (QuikScat) satellite along with data from the National Weather Service shows circling wind anomalies over the North Atlantic drawing that cold air over the US. These anomalies are part of the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO).
Courtesy: NASA
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| ITEM (2): January 2003 Sea Surface Temperature Anomalies - The 2002-2003 El Nino is unlike the El Nino of 1997/1998. These images show the warmest SST anomalies are concentrated in the central equatorial Pacific. During 1997-1998 El Nino, the warmest SST anomalies were right up against the South American coast. Historically, El Nino's effects on United States weather are greatest when the warmest SST anomalies are near the coast of South America. Thus, history would suggest the present El Nino effects on US weather might be moderated. Areas in red indicate warmer than normal temperatures and areas in blue show cooler than normal temperatures. The Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer (AMSR-E) on board the Aqua satellite saw through the clouds to provide sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies associated with 2002-2003 El Nino.
Courtesy: NASDA/NASA
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| ITEM (3): January 2003 EL Nino Wind Anomalies - The wind anomalies associated with the 2003 El Nino are quite different from past observed El Ninos. The Quik Scatterometer satellite (QuikScat) along with data from the National Weather Service shows trade winds weakening over the central equatorial Pacific Ocean. Wind anomalies converge near the middle of the equatorial Pacific Ocean. The converging wind anomalies are keeping the warmest SST anomalies in the middle of the equatorial Pacific Ocean. During the 1997-1998 El Nino, wind anomalies flowed from west to east across the equatorial Pacific. This allowed the warmest SST anomalies to push up against South America.
Courtesy: NASA
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| ITEM (4): Progression of Sea Surface Temperatures 2002-2003 El Nino - Satellites monitored the evolution of the 2002-2003 El Nino. This animation from August to January shows the warmest sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies concentrated in the central equatorial Pacific Ocean. During the 1997-1998 El Nino the warmest SST anomalies were right up against the South American Coast. The Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer (AMSR-E) on board the Aqua satellite provided the data for this animation. Areas in red indicate warmer than normal temperatures and areas in blue show cooler than normal temperatures.
Courtesy: NASDA/NASA
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| ITEM (5): Progression of Wind Anomalies 2002-2003 EL NINO - The Quik Scatterometer satellite (QuikScat) along with data from the National Weather Service shows wind anomalies converging over the Pacific Ocean during the 2002-2003 El Nino. These wind anomalies may have contributed to keeping the warmest sea surface temperature anomalies in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. This animation shows wind anomalies from August 2002 through January 2003.
Courtesy: NASA
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| ITEM (6): Progression of Wind and SST Anomalies 2002-2003 EL NINO - This animation shows SST anomalies and wind anomalies from August 2002 to January 2003.
Courtesy: NASDA/NASA
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| ITEM (7): Monitoring El Nino From Space - The Aqua Satellite provides data with higher accuracy and resolution than was available five years ago during the last El Nino. This data is essential for helping scientist gain a better understanding of how El Nino evolves which could lead to better El Nino predictions.
Courtesy: NASA
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| ITEM (8): Interview Excerpts -- Dr. David Adamec, NASA Oceanographer, Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD
Courtesy: NASA
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| ITEM (9): B-Roll -- Dr. David Adamec, NASA Oceanographer, Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD
Courtesy: NASA
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