'Towers in the Tempest' Computer Animation Submission

The following describes a computer animation that has been submitted to the ACM/SIGGRAPH 2008 computer graphics conference: 'Towers in the Tempest' clearly communicates recent scientific research into how hurricanes intensify. This intensification can be caused by a phenomenon called a 'hot tower.' For the first time, research meteorologists have run complex atmospheric simulations at a very fine temporal resolution of 3 minutes. Combining this simulation data with satellite observations enables detailed study of 'hot towers.' The science of 'hot towers' is described using: satellite observation data, conceptual illustrations, and a volumetric atmospheric simulation data. The movie starts by showing a 'hot tower' observed by NASA's Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) spacecraft's three dimensional precipitation radar data of Hurricane Bonnie. Next, the dynamics of a hurricane and the formation of 'hot towers' are briefly explained using conceptual illustrations. Finally, volumetric cloud, wind, and vorticity data from a supercomputer simulation of Hurricane Bonnie are shown using volume techniques such as ray marching

El Nino-La Nina Cross-section of Temperature and Height Anomalies: June, 1998.

Sea Surface Height Anomaly for the Equatorial Pacific region from June, 1997, to June, 1998. Educational levels: Undergraduate lower division, Undergraduate upper division, Graduate or professional

A Zoom In of Arizona Forest Fires

Data was taken from Terra-MODIS intrument to view one of the largest wild fires in the state of Arizona which started on June 18, 2002. Educational levels: Undergraduate lower division, Undergraduate upper division, Graduate or professional

Time Sequence of Arizona Fires

The Arizona Fires is believed to be the largest fire to date in the history of the state which started on June 18, 2002. The following data was taken from the Terra-MODIS instrument which was collected over a course of eight days. Educational levels: Undergraduate lower division, Undergraduate upper division, Graduate or professional

Monthly Average Lightning Measurements from TRMM: January, 1998 through April, 1998

Monthly average lightning measurements from the Lightning Imaging Sensor (LIS) on TRMM for the period from January, 1998, through April, 1998. Global data is shown, followed by regional data for North America, North and South America, and Africa. Educational levels: Undergraduate lower division, Undergraduate upper division, Graduate or professional

El Nino Sea Surface Temperature and Height Anomaly 3D Side View: January 1997 through July 1998

An animation of sea surface temperature and height anomalies in the Pacific for January 1997 through July 1998 from NOAA AVHRR and TOPEX Poseidon Educational levels: Undergraduate lower division, Undergraduate upper division, Graduate or professional

Sea Surface Wind Anomalies in the North Atlantic

Sea surface wind anomalies (based on QuikSCAT data) from 31 December 2002 illustrate the wind patterns that exist during a North Atlantic Oscillation. The wind data has been processed using the Variational Analysis Method (VAM). Educational levels: Undergraduate lower division, Undergraduate upper division, Graduate or professional

Landsat-7 Pamlico River Zoom: July 6, 1999

Zoom down to the Pamlico River in North Carolina, from Landsat imagery taken on July 6, 1999. Educational levels: Undergraduate lower division, Undergraduate upper division, Graduate or professional

Antarctic Ozone from Earth Probe TOMS: July 25, 1999 through September 25, 1999

Total ozone measurements from Earth Probe TOMS over Antarctica for the period July 25, 1999 through September 25, 1999 Educational levels: Undergraduate lower division, Undergraduate upper division, Graduate or professional

El Nino Sea Surface Temperature Anomaly: January 1997 through August 1998

An animation of sea surface temperature anomaly in the Pacific Ocean from January 1997 through August 1998 as measured by NOAA AVHRR Educational levels: Undergraduate lower division, Undergraduate upper division, Graduate or professional