Weekly Ocean News

WEEK SEVEN: 20-24 October 2014

For Your Information

Looking back 50 years to Nimbus 1 satellite -- An image made of the North Atlantic's Hurricane Gladys in September 1964 by the High-Resolution Infrared Radiometer sensor onboard Nimbus 1 is compared with an image made within the last two weeks of Super typhoon Vongfong in the western North Pacific by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer instrument onboard NASA's Terra satellite. Nimbus 1, which was launched a little more than 50 years ago, was the first polar orbiting NASA satellite to produce both daytime visible and nighttime IR images of tropical cyclones, including hurricanes. Six additional satellites in the Nimbus series were launched over a 14-year span that provided the first global data sets on the ozone layer, oceanic plankton, and the temperatures at different layers of the atmosphere. Numerous satellite images made by the Nimbus fleet of satellites along with their successors have been archived. [NASA Earth Observatory]
Hurricane preparedness - During this coming week (20-24 October 2014) Hawaii will be observing Hurricane Awareness Week.
Using microwaves to measure water height -- A podcast has been produced that shows how personnel from the NOAA National Ocean Service's Center for Operational Oceanographic Products and Services (CO-OPS) are field testing a device called a "Microwave Radar Water Level Sensor" that is designed to measure water levels. They are conducting their tests of this sensor on a long pier at Duck, NC that extends out into the rough surf zone of the western North Atlantic Ocean. Eventually, this type of microwave radar device is intended to replace the acoustic water level sensors currently deployed around the nation. [NOAA National Ocean Service Podcasts]
Oceanographic expeditions that made an impact -- This week's Supplemental Information ... In Greater Depth provides a historical perspective of some of the oceanographic expeditions that made an impact upon science, especially in terms of oceanography.

Ocean in the News

Eye on the Tropics --Several named tropical cyclones developed across the ocean basins of the Northern Hemisphere during the last week:

In the North Atlantic basin, Hurricane Fay traveled eastward across the waters of the central North Atlantic at the start of last week after brushing close to Bermuda. By Monday, Fay had weakened to a tropical storm and eventually lost its tropical characteristics after becoming a remnant low as it headed toward the Azores. Additional information on Fay can be found on the NASA Hurricane Page.
Tropical Storm Gonzalo strengthened to become the sixth Atlantic hurricane of 2014 as it traveled to the west-northwest, passing to the north of the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico early last week. By midweek, Hurricane Gonzalo had intensified to become a category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Scale as it gradually curved to the northwest, then north and finally to the north-northeast. At the end of the week, the central eye of Gonzalo passed directly over Bermuda with maximum sustained surface winds of 110 mph. Over the weekend, Hurricane Gonzalo continued toward the northeast and passed close to Newfoundland. Current forecasts indicate that Gonzalo should weaken to a tropical storm as it curves toward the east-northeast and heads for Scotland in the British Isles. See the NASA Hurricane Page for additional information on Hurricane Gonzalo.
In the eastern North Pacific basin, a tropical depression off the southern coast of Mexico intensified to become Tropical Storm Trudy this past Saturday. However, this tropical storm was relatively short-lived as it traveled to the north and made landfall along the Mexican coast before weakening to a tropical depression.
In the central North Pacific basin (to the west of 140 degrees west longitude), a tropical depression that formed early in the week intensified into Tropical Storm Ana. This tropical storm traveled toward the west-northwest with a gradual turn toward the northwest during the later part of the week. Eventually, Ana intensified to a hurricane as it approached the Hawaiian Islands. Over the weekend, Hurricane Ana passed within 200 miles of the main Hawaiian Islands. Locally heavy rain and high surf hit many of the Islands, including the Big Island, Oahu and Kauai. The NASA Hurricane Page has additional information and satellite images on Hurricane Ana.
In the western North Pacific basin, former Super typhoon Vongfong made landfall along the southern coasts of the Japanese islands as a tropical storm at the start of last week. After making landfall, Vongfong lost its tropical characteristics and became an extratropical cyclone (or midlatitude storm) as it moved away from the Japanese island of Hokkaido. Additional information and satellite images on Super typhoon Vongfong are available from the NASA Hurricane Page.
In the northern Indian basin, the remnants of Tropical Cyclone Hudhud continued to produce locally heavy rain across southern India after this tropical cyclone at the start of last week. The NASA Hurricane Page has maps showing the distribution of the heavy rainfall across southern India due to Cyclone Hudhud. As many as 24 fatalities were reported in India.

Funding available for fisheries research in 2014-2015 -- Last week NOAA announced the availability of approximately $18 million to support research for fisheries research and development projects addressing aspects of US fisheries under the FY2014/2015 Saltonstall-Kennedy Grant Program. [NOAA Fisheries News]
First national network to monitor marine biodiversity initiated -- The U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) has formed a partnership with the NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research, NASA and the U.S. Department of Interior's Bureau of Ocean Energy Management to initiate the first network in the nation to monitor marine biodiversity at scales ranging from microbes to whales, especially in times when fragile coastal and marine ecosystems are threatened by human activity and climate change. This collaboration will support three pilot networks in the Florida Keys, off the California coast and in Alaska's Chukchi Sea that will provide a prototype of this national marine biodiversity observation network. [NOAA National Ocean Service and IOOS]
Assessment of impacts of offshore wind farms on marine species -- Researchers at the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science and colleagues have recently reviewed the potential impacts that the development of offshore wind farms could have on marine species in these coastal ocean waters. They also made recommendations for future monitoring efforts and assessment with increased interest in offshore wind energy around the world. [University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science]
Lake Erie becoming more susceptible to large cyanobacteria blooms -- Scientists from the University of Michigan and NOAA have found that since 2002, Lake Erie has become increasingly susceptible to large blooms of toxin-producing cyanobacteria. The seriousness of these blooms was very apparent this past summer when residents around the Toledo (OH) metropolitan area were without drinking water for several days. The researchers based their findings on computer models that track the amount of phosphorus fertilizer that washes off croplands and flows into western Lake Erie to trigger harmful cyanobacteria blooms. In addition, they considered the water temperatures of Lake Erie and how they have changed with time. [University of Michigan News]
Sixth year of NASA's airborne Antarctic ice change study begins -- During the last week, the sixth consecutive year of NASA's Operation IceBridge began as the first research flights were made over Antarctica to study changes in the continent's ice sheet, glaciers and sea ice. This current airborne campaign will revisit a section of the Antarctic ice sheet that recently was found to be in irreversible decline. IceBridge researchers plan to measure regions of Antarctica that had not been previously surveyed, such as upper sections of Smith Glacier in West Antarctica, which appears to be is thinning faster than any other glaciers in the region. [NASA News] A review of this past season's IceBridge campaign in Antarctica was also addressed. [NASA Earth Observatory]
New climate model suggests that icebergs once drifted to Florida -- Scientists from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and Coastal Carolina University using a sophisticated high-resolution numerical model to describe the ocean circulation during the last Ice Age at approximately 21,000 years ago have shown that that icebergs and melt water from North America's Laurentide ice sheet would have regularly reached South Carolina and even southern Florida more than 3000 miles to the south. Discovery of iceberg scour marks on the sea floor along the entire continental shelf support the models. [University of Massachusetts Amherst News]
Sea level rises of 1.8 meters viewed as a worst-case scenario -- Researchers at the Denmark's Niels Bohr Institute (at the University of Copenhagen) and their colleagues have calculated the risk for a worst-case scenario for sea level rise during the 21st century and have determined that in this worst case, the sea level would rise by a maximum of 1.8 meters (5.9 feet). The biggest question in their projection remains the rate at which the polar ice sheets would melt. [University of Copenhagen News]
An All-Hazards Monitor-- This Web portal provides the user information from NOAA's National Weather Service, FAA and FEMA on current environmental events that may pose as hazards such as tropical weather, fire weather, marine weather, severe weather, drought and floods. [NOAA/NWS Daily Briefing]
Earthweek -- Diary of the Planet [earthweek.com] Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader.

Concept of the Week: Seiche Model

A seiche (pronounced "say-sh") is a rhythmic oscillation of water in an enclosed basin (e.g., bathtub, lake, or reservoir) or a partially enclosed coastal inlet (e.g., bay, harbor, or estuary). With this oscillation, the water level rises at one end of a basin while simultaneously dropping at the other end. A seiche episode may last from a few minutes to a few days. (Refer to pages 156-157 in your textbook for more on seiches.)

With a typical seiche in an enclosed basin, the water level near the center does not change at all but that is where the water exhibits its greatest horizontal movement; this is the location of a node. At either end of an enclosed basin, vertical motion of the water surface is greatest (with minimal horizontal movement of water); these are locations of antinodes. The motion of the water surface during a seiche is somewhat like that of a seesaw: The balance point of the seesaw does not move up or down (analogous to a node) while people seated at either end of the seesaw move up and down (analogous to an antinode).

Go to the University of Delaware's Seiche Calculator at http://www.coastal.udel.edu/faculty/rad/seiche.html. Set the "Modal Number" to 1 and then press "Calculate" for a graphical simulation of a seiche in an enclosed basin.

Partially enclosed basins usually have a node located at the mouth (rather than near the center) and an antinode at the landward end. Go to the Seiche Calculator, set the "Modal Number" to 0.5 and then press "Calculate" for a simulation of a seiche in a basin open to the right. Furthermore, some basins are complex and have multiple nodes and antinodes; these can be simulated on the Seiche Calculator by selecting different values of "Modal Number" greater than one.

The natural period of a seiche depends on the length and depth of the basin and generally ranges from minutes to hours. The period is directly proportional to basin length. For example, the natural period of a seiche in a small pond is considerably less than its period in a large coastal inlet. Also, for the same basin, the natural period is inversely proportional to water depth; that is, the period shortens as water deepens. Using the Seiche Calculator, you may wish to experiment with different basin lengths and depths. Conversely, one can determine the average depth of a lake by determining the period of the seiche and the length of the lake.

Concept of the Week: Questions

In an enclosed basin the node of a seiche is located [(at either end) (near the center)] of the basin.
The natural period of a seiche [(depends on) (is independent of)] the size of an enclosed basin.

Historical Events:

20 October 1984...The Monterey Bay Aquarium opened on Cannery Row in Monterey, CA as the largest artificial environment for marine life, housing 500 marine animals from at least 525 species. The aquarium also supports active research and conservation programs. (Today in Science History)
21 October 1797...The USS Constitution was launched at the Charlestown Navy Yard in Boston, MA. The ship, nicknamed "Old Ironsides," is now the oldest commissioned ship in the U.S. Navy. (Naval Historical Center)
21 October 1580...Portuguese navigator Ferdinand Magellan on his famous circumnavigation voyage of the globe reached Cape Virgenes and the strait at the tip of South America that now bears his name. Only three ships entered the 373-mile long passage separating Tierra del Fuego (land of fire) and the continental mainland. Navigating the treacherous strait in 38 days, the expedition entered the South Pacific Ocean, which Magellan named "Mar Pacifico" for the relatively tranquil seas that he found. However, one ship had been wrecked and another deserted. (The History Channel)
21-26 October 1998...Hurricane Mitch, a category 5 hurricane (on the Saffir-Simpson Scale), developed as a tropical depression over the southwestern Caribbean Sea about 360 mi south of Kingston, Jamaica on the 21^st. It would intensify over the next few days to become the second deadliest Atlantic hurricane on record, on the 24^th. By the 26^th, Mitch finally dissipated after remaining a category 5 hurricane for 33 hours. Estimated rainfall totals of up to 75 in. caused devastating flooding and mudslides in Honduras and Nicaragua for days. Estimated death toll from this hurricane was more than 11,000, the worst since 1780. (The Weather Doctor) (Accord Weather Calendar)
22 October 1988...A "nor'easter" swept across the coast of New England. Winds gusted to 75 mph, and large waves and high tides caused extensive shoreline flooding. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data)
23-24 October 1918...The Canadian steamship Princess Sophia carrying miners from the Yukon and Alaska became stranded on Vanderbilt Reef along coastal British Columbia. A strong northerly gale hampered rescue attempts, and the next day, the ship sank with the loss of the 268 passengers and 75 crewmen onboard. (The Weather Doctor)
25 October 1859...The Royal Charter Storm, named after the loss of the fully rigged ship Royal Charter off the coast of Anglesey, England, drowned about 500 people, along with the loss of gold bullion. The ship was one of over 200 vessels wrecked between 21 October and 2 November, with the loss of around 800 lives. This tragedy led to the introduction of gale warnings in June 1860. (The Weather Doctor)
25 October 1941...South Greenland Patrol expanded to include three cutters of the Northeast Greenland Patrol and form the Greenland Patrol. (USCG Historian's Office)
25-26 October 1980...The combination of unusually high tides and southeasterly winds gusting to 75 mph generated waves with heights to 25 ft, resulting in serious flooding, beach erosion and sea wall damage along the Maine coast. Wind damage was considerable and as many as 100,000 homes were without power for up to 40 hrs. (Accord Weather Guide Calendar)
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27 October 1728...Captain James Cook, the famed British naval officer who was one of the first of the scientific navigators, was born on this date. Captain Cook surveyed the coasts of Labrador and Newfoundland before making three expeditions into the Pacific Ocean where he became the first Englishman to explore previously uncharted locations. On his various voyages, he conducted astronomical observations and his ship's botanist studied the flora and fauna that were collected. (Today in Science History)
27 October 1922...Navy Day was established by the Navy League of the United States and recognized by President Warren Harding. The day was suggested to recognize the birthdate of former President Theodore Roosevelt who had been an Assistant Secretary of the Navy and supported a strong Navy as well as the idea of Navy Day. The date was the anniversary of a 1775 report issued by a special committee of the Continental Congress favoring the purchase of merchant ships as the foundation of an American Navy. The date was last officially observed in 1949. (US Dept. of Defense)
28 October 1492...The famous Italian explorer, Christopher Columbus, landed on Cuba. (Wikipedia)