%Now, ten years after Katrina, #NASA plans to deploy eight microsatellites in space to help forecast any incoming #hurricane.% - http://clapway.com/2015/08/22/nasa-hurricane-tracking-microsatellites-110/

Over the years the technology that offers information on weather prediction has improved, but we are still missing accurate measurements to help us predict how intense the storms are going to be.  Now, ten years after Hurricane Katrina, NASA plans to deploy eight microsatellites in space to help forecast incoming hurricanes.

HOW WILL THEY TRACK A HURRICANE?

The microsatellites will orbit 317 miles above the Earth and will be positioned 35 degrees to the equator, measuring the oceans surface winds in the eye of a storm. The first test mission is going to launch in late 2016 from Florida and the Cyclone Global Navigation Satellite System (CYGNSS), NASA’s weather prediction project, will be the first to study the interior of a hurricane. This mission is going to provide the space agency with more detailed information on the rapid intensification of the hurricanes.

The technique used in the past to measure wind speed over the oceans is called scatterometry for which a satellite sends a signal to the ground to measure its strength once reflected back. However, this technique is more expensive than the one being developed right now by the University of Michigan, because the microsatellites will only receive signals from GPS satellites already in orbit around Earth. Those signals will bounce off of ocean surfaces measuring the height of waves and the speed of the wind of a hurricane. The data will be shared with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) helping emergency managers make decisions during extreme weather conditions.

NASA HAS STARTED DEVELOPMENT

The eight satellites will extend the range on Earth that can be measured and they are going to be deployed separately around our planet. Also, the first microsatellite, which weighs about 64 pounds, began assembly on August 14th. The other seven are to follow in the next few weeks.

Their initial testing is scheduled for early 2016 and the authorities are hoping that they are going to be fully operational by 2017’s Atlantic hurricane season.

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START THE DAY RIGHT WITH THE SMELL OF MONEY.

NASA Developing Hurricane-Tracking Microsatellites

A wildlife research project in the Seregenti unlike any other before it. - http://clapway.com/2015/06/09/africa-revolutionizing-research-in-the-serengeti-123/

When it comes to revolutionizing research on wildlife ecology and conservation, Alexandra Swanson, postdoctoral fellow at the University of Oxford, didn’t expect these results!

THE PROJECT OF A LIFETIME

Swanson, who received her Ph.D. in ecology, evolution and behavior from the University of Minnesota, decided to conduct a project for the Serengeti National Park. Her goal was to use camera traps to take photos across 1,000 square kilometers of the national park. Camera traps are automatically triggered cameras that take photos when triggered by either heat or motion.

Most studies only use around 20 or 30 cameras. Swanson, however, decided to use 225 camera traps to take pictures across the 1,000 square kilometer landscape in the Serengeti National Park, revolutionizing the process.

“We wanted to study how predators and their pray co-existed across a dynamic landscape,” said Swanson. “We needed to answer different questions than camera traps had answered previously.”

THAT’S A LOT OF PHOTOS

Swanson and her project partner, Margaret Kosmala realized they had an enormous amount of photos to go through, and they realized they couldn’t possibly keep up with all the photos that were flooding in. So, they sought out the help from the online community. Swanson and Kosmala partnered with Zooniverse, a citizen science platform to help launch their project, Snapshot Serengeti, revolutionizing the way they conduct research.

More than 1.2 million images were collected. Thankfully, more than 28,000 volunteers responded and helped Swanson and Kosmala to identify species, count individuals and characterize their behaviors.

WHAT THEY FOUND

Their research efforts paid off. Along with the 1.2 million images that were collected they were able to identify 322,653 animals in those images. Furthermore, 40 different species were identified. These species even included rare animals that are usually never even heard of, much less seen. They include the honey badger, zorilla and aardwolf

According to the Unviersity of Minnesota, they have, “already seen the educational benefits of the project.” The project enabled instructors, such as Annika Moe from the University of Minnesota, to create curriculums and laboratory exercises with the data.”It introduces students to exploratory research, where you first collect data and make observations,” Moe said.

Furthermore, the project showed just how amazing modern day technology is and how beneficial it is to modern research. Without Zooniverse, Swanson and Kosmala would not have been able to identify all 1.2 million photos, revolutionizing public knowledge of the importance of ecology studies

For never-ending power, bring a Lepow Poki External Battery Charger on your Serengeti adventure:

Africa: Revolutionizing Research in the Serengeti