DATASTREME OCEAN WEEK ONE: 23-27 January 2012

• Check interesting ocean facts -- During this week, the NOAA Ocean Service website is featuring a variety of interesting ocean facts, some that are often overlooked. See the podcast "Making Waves: Top Five Ocean Facts"[NOAA]
• Review of national weather indicates 2011 had numerous climate extremes in the US -- NOAA scientists recently announced that the recently concluded 2011 was a record-breaking year for climate extremes across the United States. Numerous long-standing records were smashed because of historic levels of heat, precipitation, flooding and severe weather that were encountered. Based upon preliminary data, the annual average temperature across the coterminous United States was the 23rd highest since relatively reliable climate records began in 1895. Although precipitation was close to the 20th century average, various areas across the nation experienced extremes in precipitation, ranging from drought to flooding conditions. The scientists also announced that two additional severe weather events, Tropical Storm Lee's landfall on the Gulf Coast in September and July severe weather outbreak across the Rockies and Midwest, each resulted in at least $1 billion damage, which raised the number of billion-dollar disasters across the nation from 12 to 14 events.
  Preliminary data also indicated that the average global temperature in 2011 tied 1997 for the 11th highest since global records began in 1880. [NOAA News]
  Using a slightly different methodology for averaging global surface temperatures, scientists at NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS) reported that the global average temperature for 2011 was the ninth highest reading since 1880. [NASA GISS]
  

• Eye on the tropics --- During the last week, several tropical cyclones (low-pressure systems that form over a tropical ocean basin) were detected over the tropical South Indian Ocean.
  Cyclone Ethel formed over the waters of the western South Indian Ocean to the east-northeast of La Reunion Island near the end of the week. As this tropical cyclone traveled to the south-southwest, it intensified to become a category 1 cyclone on the Saffir-Simpson Scale. As of this past weekend, Cyclone Ethel continued to travel southward. For more information on Cyclone Ethel, along with satellite imagery, consult the NASA Hurricane Page.
  Several hours later, Cyclone Funso formed over the Mozambique Channel near the coast of Mozambique. Traveling south off the coast, this system intensified to a category 1 tropical cyclone on the Saffir-Simpson Scale. See the NASA Hurricane Page for satellite imagery and additional information on Cyclone Funso.
• Additional critical habitat for leatherback sea turtles designated --NOAA officials announced recently that 41,914 square miles of additional marine habitat was being designated as critical habitat along the coasts of California, Oregon and Washington in order to provide protection for endangered leatherback sea turtles along the US West Coast. [NOAA News]
• National strategy to respond to impacts of climate change on plants, fish and wildlife proposed -- The Obama Administration recently released the first draft of a national strategy designed to assist resource managers and decision makers over the next five years in preparation for and response to the current and future impacts that climate change could have upon plant and animal species and ecosystems along with the people and economies dependent upon them. This draft, entitled "National Fish, Wildlife and Plants Climate Adaptation Strategy," has been prepared in a partnership with the US Department of Interior's U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Department of Commerce's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation along with other state, tribal and federal agencies. Public comment on this draft is invited through early March. [NOAA News] Note: This link requires Adobe Acrobat Reader. See below.
• Current La Niña event may be peaking -- Scientists with NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory report that the current La Nina episode, an anomalous pattern in large scale atmospheric and oceanic circulation patterns typically seen as a colder than average eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean, appears to be peaking. They claim that sea surface height data from NASA's Jason-1 and -2 satellites obtained in early January 2012 show a pattern of sea height that indicates a milder repeat of last year's strong La Niña has been occurring. [ NASA JPL]
• An All-Hazards Monitor -- This Web portal provides the user information from NOAA on current environmental events that may pose as hazards such as tropical weather, drought, floods, marine weather, tsunamis, rip currents, Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) and coral bleaching. [NOAAWatch]
• Global and US Hazards/Climate Extremes -- A review and analysis of the global impacts of various weather-related events, to include drought, floods and storms during the current month. [NCDC]
• Earthweek -- Diary of the Planet [earthweek.com] Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader.

Concept of the Week: Touring the DataStreme Ocean Website

Welcome to DataStreme Ocean! You are embarking on a study of the world ocean and the role of the ocean in the Earth system. This unique teacher enhancement course focuses on the flow and transformations of energy and water into and out of the ocean, the internal properties and circulation of the ocean, interactions between the ocean and the other components of the Earth system, and the human/societal impacts on and responses to those interactions. Throughout this learning experience, you will be using the DataStreme Ocean website to access and interpret a variety of environmental information, including recent observational data. The objective of this initial Concept of the Week is to explore features of the DS Ocean website.

On Monday of each week of the course, we will post the current Weekly Ocean News that includes Ocean in the News (a summary listing of recent events related to the ocean), Concept of the Week (an in-depth analysis of some topic related to the ocean in the Earth system), and Historical Events (a list of past events such as tsunamis or specific advances in the understanding of oceanography). When appropriate, a feature called Supplemental Information-In Greater Depth will be provided on some topic related to the principal theme of the week.

You will use the DS Ocean website to access and download the weekly "Current Ocean Studies" (plus supporting images) that complement Investigations found in your Ocean Studies Investigations Manual. These materials should be available Monday morning. Click the appropriate links to download and print these electronic Current Ocean Studies and answer forms as well as your Chapter Progress and Investigations Response forms.

The body of the DS Ocean website provides links to the Earth System, information on Physical & Chemical, Geological, and Biological aspects of the ocean, Atmosphere/Ocean Interaction, the Great Lakes, and extras-a glossary of terms, maps, educational links, and DataStreme Ocean information. Following each section is a link to other sites that examine the various subsystems of the Earth system. Let's take a quick tour to become more familiar with the DS Ocean website.

Under Physical & Chemical, click on Sea Surface Temperatures. This image uses a color scale to depict the global pattern of sea surface temperatures (SSTs) (in degrees Celsius) averaged over a recent 7-day period and based on measurements by infrared sensors onboard Earth-orbiting satellites. (Depending on your browser, you may have to place your mouse cursor on the slide bar to the right and scroll down to view the entire image.) Compare SSTs in the Northern Hemisphere with those in the Southern Hemisphere. Return to the DS Ocean website.

Under Geological, click on Current Earthquake Activity. The USGS Current World Seismicity page provides a global map of the locations of seismic (earthquake) events color-coded for the past seven days. The size of the squares represents the magnitude of recent earthquakes. Note how earthquakes are concentrated along the margin of the Pacific Ocean. Details of recent earthquakes can be found by clicking on their map squares. Return to the DS Ocean website.

The ocean is home to a wide variety of habitats and organisms. Under Biological, click on Ocean "Color" (Productivity). This is a satellite-derived (SeaWiFS) color-coded map of biological productivity in the surface waters of the world ocean is averaged from October 1978 to date. Orange and red indicates the highest productivity, while dark blue and violet indicate the lowest productivity. Note the vast areas of relatively low productivity over the central regions of the subtropical ocean basins. Individual months within this period may be chosen for viewing. Now return to the DS Ocean website.

Under Atmosphere/Ocean Interaction, click on TRMM Tropical Rainfall. The TRMM (Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission) page includes color-coded maps of the Monthly Mean Rainrate (in mm per day) across the tropics for the last 30 days ending on the present date. Changes in rainfall are linked to large-scale shifts in the atmosphere/ocean circulation in the tropics. Now return to the DS Ocean website.

Take a few minutes when you have time to browse the other data and information sources available via the DS Ocean website. You should "bookmark" ("favorites") this page on your computer. Return frequently to learn more about the many resources on the ocean in the Earth system. Bon voyage!

Concept of the Week: Questions

1. The latest global sea surface temperature map indicates that SSTs are generally higher over the [(western)(eastern)] tropical Pacific Ocean.
2. The USGS map of Current Earthquake Activity indicates that earthquakes appear to be more common along the [(east)(west)] coast of North America.

• 26 January 1700...The Cascadia Earthquake (magnitude 9) took place off the coast of British Columbia, as evidenced by Japanese records. Landslides and a tsunami destroyed many Native American villages along the coasts of Washington, Oregon and British Columbia, including Vancouver Island. Japanese written history tells of a massive tsunami striking fishing villages the next day along the coast of Honshu, killing hundreds. (Wikipedia) (Today in Science History)
• 26 January 1983...The California coast was battered by a storm, which produced record high tides, thirty-two foot waves, and mudslides, causing millions of dollars in damage. The storm then moved east and dumped four feet of snow on Lake Tahoe. (22^nd-29^th) (The Weather Channel)
• 28 January 1946...Canada's greatest sailing ship, Bluenose, foundered on a Haitian reef; all hands were saved. Her likeness remains on the Canadian ten-cent coin. (Wikipedia)
• 28 January 1969...A series of storms that battered Southern California from the 18^th to the 28^th led to $125 million damage in the Los Angeles Basin, along with approximately 9 storm and traffic-related deaths in California. Twenty feet of water covered Sherman Island, a region that contains more than 10,000 dike-protected agricultural acres, when a dike failed. (Accord's Weather Guide Calendar)
• 28 January 1971...A waterspout swept into Hawaii's Kailua Bay, then into the business and hotel district of Kailua-Kona, destroying or severely damaging a number of buildings including 40 apartment units and collapsing a 6-story hotel under construction. Amazingly, only four people were injured. (Accord's Weather Guide Calendar)
• 29-30 January 1966...A hurricane that struck Samoa was responsible for 50 deaths, destroyed more than one-third of the homes and damaged the remainder. As many as 50,000 people were left homeless. Swains Island was leveled by the hurricane. Winds gusted to 100 mph at Pago Pago. (Accord's Weather Guide Calendar)
• 29 January 1983...A series of Pacific coast storms finally came to an end. The storms, attributed in part to the anomalous ocean-atmosphere phenomenon, "El Niño," produced ocean swells 15 to 20 feet high that ravaged the beaches of southern California. Much of the damage was to homes of movie stars in the exclusive Malibu Colony. (The Weather Channel)

Return to DataStreme Ocean Website
Prepared by DS Ocean Central Staff and Edward J. Hopkins, Ph.D., email hopkins@meteor.wisc.edu
© Copyright, 2012, The American Meteorological Society.