|
meteoptic-l [ät] ursa.fi
message archive
This is meteoptic-l [ät] ursa.fi message archive.
Note, your can reply the messages on this page only if your
are already subscribed the list.
» To the end of the list/message
Quoting Abdullah Alhassan <abdullah2342000_at_YAHOO.COM>:
> Hi my friend. What are methods by which meteorologists
> can track hurricane?
>
>
> Abdullah,,,
>
Hi Abdullah. Meteorologists track hurricanes (or cyclones as they are
known
here in Australia) using a variety of methods, the most important being
specialised meteorological satellites that orbit the Earth. Weather
satellites
were first launched into orbit during the early 1960's, not too long
after the beginning of the space age (of course there was much research
into
rocketry and ballistic missiles by both the former Soviet Union and the
U.S.
at that time as the Cold War was in full swing). Using these satellites,
meteorologists could obtain detailed information about various aspects
of the Hurricane's development, evolution and the path it took as it moved
over the ocean. Another popular method of tracking and gaining
information
on hurricanes was via specialised aeroplane flights through the cyclone,
usually
conducted by military aircraft. Observations by ships at sea also help as
well.
Today professional meteorologists collect observational information from
a diverse array of sources and feed these parameters into supercomputer
models
that are set up to predict how the atmosphere will evolve with time. This
process is very computationally intensive, and involves solving
inter-related
mathematical equations (themselves based on physical processes operating
in the
atmosphere, such as temperature gradients, air motion, etc), thus the need
for
supercomputers. The best forcasts that can be made generally don't go
much
further than 2 weeks into the future, due to the complexity of the
calculations
involved and the inherent 'chaotic' nature of the overall dynamics of
Earth's
atmosphere. However, the combination of powerful observational techniques
coupled with these computer models has led to a vast improvement in the
ability
to warn people in threatened communities in advance before a hurricane
hits,
saving many thousands of lives and preventing a great deal of misery and
suffering from occuring. Unfortunately, there is still much to be done in
understanding how hurricanes form and evolve, and as yet there is no way
of
actually preventing their formation or altering their course.
Cheers,
Greg L.
|