Scientists Work To Improve Maritime Safety

WEATHER REPORT

illustration only

by Staff Writers
Millersville PA (UPI) Aug 18, 2006
Two U.S. professors say they are devising methods to offer greater weather safety to maritime operators through real-time meteorological data. Todd Sikora, assistant professor of meteorology at Millersville University of Pennsylvania, and George Young of Penn State are working to make vital sea surface information available to mariners.

Current sea surface data are provided from widely spaced buoys placed near coastlines but little is known about the surface conditions between buoys.

Sikora and Young have received a $230,000 grant from the Office of Naval Research to study the use of satellite synthetic aperture radar imagery as a marine meteorological tool.

"When wind blows over water, very small waves develop that roughen the surface," said Sikora. "By using SAR imagery ... we have been able to identify the presence of meteorological phenomena such as fronts and cyclones."

Sikora and Young, along with Millersville senior Matthew Stepp, say enhanced SAR information might allow a fishing ship's captain to decide if it is worth the risk to enter a potentially dangerous area.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is also studying the use of SAR in the small inlets and mountain gaps along Alaska's southeast coast.

Source: United Press International

Related Links
Millersville University
Penn State

WEATHER REPORT

First Images From Goodrich Technology On Board GOES 13

Charlotte NC (SPX) Aug 17, 2006
The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) latest Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES-13) successfully captured its first image of the sun recently using Goodrich Corporation's (NYSE: GR) Solar X-ray Imager (SXI) telescope mirror assembly. GOES-13 is the latest in a series of earth monitoring satellites. It provides continuous monitoring of both earth and space weather events.

DISASTER MANAGEMENT After The Tsunami, Aceh Plays Host To First-Ever Lifeguards China's natural disaster death toll at six-year high SIA Launches Guide To Satellites For Disaster And Emergency Responders South Korean Emergency Aid Heads For North	CLIMATE SCIENCE Did The US Suffer The First Climate Change Exodus Snowfall Hasn't Increased Over Antarctica In Last 50 Years Arctic Powers Account For 40 Percent Of CO2 Releases Microscopic Geochemical Processes Point to Potential Problems If the Arctic Warms
EARTH OBSERVATION China To Launch 1st Environment Monitoring Satellite NG Demonstrates Synthetic Aperture Laser Radar for Tactical Imagery MODIS Images Western Wildfires CloudSat Captures Hurricane Daniel's Transformation	ENERGY TECH Boeing to Supply Terrestrial Solar Cells for Australia Biodiesel Moves To The Energy Mainstream Hybrid Lighting Technology Gaining Momentum Around Nation University Creates One of Nation's Largest Databases For Wind Energy Research
EPIDEMICS Drugs Defeat Resistant AIDS One Drug Holds AIDS At Bay New AIDS Treatment Aims For Early Knock Out Punch Einstein Researchers Find Key to Unlocking World's Deadliest Malaria Parasite	FLORA AND FAUNA Scientists Reverse Evolution, Reconstruct Ancient Gene Americans Less Likely To Accept Evolution Than Europeans Human Tampering Threatens Planet's Life-Sustaining Surface Autonomous Lenses May Bring Microworld Into Focus
FROTH AND BUBBLE Wartime Medical Aid Now A Threat To Bosnia Philippines Seeks Urgent Help To Battle Oil Spill Safety Of Many Commercial Chemicals Remains Largely Unknown Lebanese Oil Spill Could Rival Exxon Valdez Disaster	ABOUT US Bison Hunters More Advanced Than Thought Tiny Inhaled Particles Take Easy Route From Nose To Brain Radiocarbon Testing Challenges Understanding Of Ancient Hawaiian Society Pure Novelty Spurs The Brain

The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2006 - SpaceDaily.AFP and UPI Wire Stories are copyright Agence France-Presse and United Press International. ESA PortalReports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additionalcopyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by SpaceDaily on any Web page published or hosted by SpaceDaily. Privacy Statement