Delta 191

 The Delta 191 flight on August 2nd, 1985, is the reason for weather delays in the present day. The Lockheed L-1011 TriStar with a total of 163 people on board departed from Fort Lauderdale, Texas, in hopes of reaching Los Angeles, California. Due to the lack of caution when it came to flying through extreme weather, the pilot lifted off disregarding the storm located right above the Los Angeles Airport. The ride was smooth until the plane approached it’s runway, and was unable to land due to the drastic winds that came with the storm. The plane was unable to fight against the harsh draft, and crashed into the ground. The aircraft gilded and slid on the ground, hitting an occupied car and ending up in the side of a water tank. There were 137 deaths and 26 injuries, one fatality being the driver of the struck car.

The cause of this iconic plane crash is known as a “Microburst”, also known as a downburst. These bursts of air usually last between 2-5 minutes, and can expand to about 2.5 miles(4 Kilometers). Before a microburst occurs, a downdraft must occur in the storm. After, air rises from below the clouds. Once the air reaches the clouds, it condenses and turns into water vapor. This adds to the cloud, and later leads to mass amounts of precipitation. Once the cold water droplets fall, they begin to lay pressure on the air below them. This air, after not being able to withstand the pressure, will begin to fall with the droplets, creating harsh winds that fall downwards, and begin to curve as they reach the ground. These winds can reach up to about 60mph when falling, and up to 100mph as they fan out to the side. This is a very rare occurrence in a storm, which makes this crash a historical moment, for the chances of the plane entering a microburst with such timing has chances of little to none.

 As shown in the picture below, the plane’s original trajectory towards the runway was no longer an option due to the microburst. The pilot attempted to predict the strength of the wind, as he began to bring the plane parallel with the ground. He underestimated the power of the downburst, as the plane just barely missed it’s runway.

- Ryan Johnsen

 Science Symposium- The May 8, 2017, Denver, Colorado Hailstorm

Everton Browne

10/26/2020

Meteorology

Block 2

The May 8, 2017 Denver, Colorado Hailstorm

    On May 8, the monstrous thunderstorm rolled over the Denver metro area during the evening rush hour. The storm dropped golf ball (13.405cm) and baseball-sized (22.9 cm) hail on unsuspecting commuters west of the Denver metro area heavily hitting the cities of Lakewood, Wheat Ridge, and Golden. Along with hail, the storm also flooded several streets around Denver and came with strong wind, sometimes knocking down trees. These giant chunks of ice wreaked havoc on the buildings and properties in Denver, making it the most damaging storm in the city’s history.  The damages caused, an estimated, more than 150,000 auto insurance claims and 50,000 homeowner insurance claims to be filed. These damages ranked the storm as the second most expensive hail storm in the United States’ history. 

    Given the number of claims filed for damaged cars and homes, the storm was going to be Colorado’s most expensive insured catastrophe. According to the Rocky Mountain Insurance Information Association, the total cost of damages was approximately $1.4 billion. This storm surpassed the $845.5 million July 20, 2009, storm, and the $1.1 billion July 11, 1990, storm, which were previously the two most expensive hail storms in the history of the state. (Adjusted costs for today’s dollars) This amount of damage was caused because the storm began during the evening rush hour while there were hundreds of thousands of cars out on the roads instead of tucked safely in their garages.

Science Symposium- How to become a Meteorologist?

 Juan Freire 

10/24/2020

Meteorology

Block 2

    Meteorology is a tough subject, which requires knowledge in higher mathematics, advanced physics, and chemistry, as well as good computer proficiency.  The basic requirement for becoming a Meteorologist is a BSc degree in Meteorology or Atmospheric Sciences. Another option is to first get a BSc in Mathematics, Physical Sciences, or Engineering and then follow an MSc Course in Meteorology. Teaching, research, or management positions usually require an MSc degree or a Ph.D. The responsibility of collecting and reporting observational weather data is normally the job done by Meteorological Technicians, who do not need to possess an academic degree. Their qualification is normally obtained through completion of technical-level courses of varying duration, about a few months to 1-2 years, depending on the work. 

    Some positions may require complementary knowledge in other Earth Science fields. Be aware that Meteorologists may be required to work nights and/or weekends if they are involved in any area of weather forecasting. There may also be pressure to meet deadlines during times of weather emergencies; the ability to analyze data accurately and quickly, and to make sound operational decisions is essential. Excellent written and verbal communication skills are required to communicate specialist information to non-specialists. Include environmental meteorology classes in your course list, since in the 21st-century people will be needed to research and interpret data related to that area. Remember that those positions may require a master's degree. If you want to be a TV weather person, journalism and mass-media communication courses will be necessary, besides a good knowledge of atmospheric physics and chemistry. You may also consider private weather consulting firms for employment, including forensic meteorologists which provide meteorological information and advice for legal cases. In conclusion, becoming a meteorologist is a very serious career that requires a lot of work and dedication, but if you truly want to choose that life route then you can help the world and people that want to learn about the weather. 

 

Science Symposium: Lewis Fry Richardson

Pedro Cena

Meteorology 

Block 2

                                       Lewis Fry Richardson

    Lewis Fry Richardson was a British mathematician, physicist, and meteorologist who pioneered modern mathematical techniques of weather forecasting.  He began making these major contributions to meteorology using physics from 1913 to 1922. When World War I began in 1914, he worked for a meteorological office as the superintendent of the Eskdalemuir Observatory. During his studies at the office, he became the first person to apply mathematics to predict the weather which was published in his book named Weather Prediction by Numerical Process. He became fascinated by the use of computer sciences, he organized a group of many individuals who used supercomputers( not the powerful computers we use today) and used mathematical equations to detect weather patterns and other oceanic and natural patterns. This process they used led to the development of the Richardson number. 

    The Richardson Parameter can be used to predict the occurrence of fluid turbulence and the destruction of density currents in water or air. This number was defined by Richard Fry Richardson whom it is named after. The number is essentially the ratio of the density gradient ( the change in density with depth) to the velocity gradient. There are several variants of the Richardson number which have practical importance in weather forecasting and in investigating density and turbidity currents in oceans, lakes, and reservoirs. The different variants of the Richardson number as followed:

Aviation- The Richardson number is used as a rough measure of expected air turbulence

Thermal Convection: THe number represents the importance of natural convection relative to the forced convection

Oceanography: the Richardson number has a more general form which takes stratification into account. It is a measure of the relative importance of mechanical and density effects in the water column. The number defined is always positive.

Science Symposium: Vilhelm Bjerknes

 Juan Freire                                                                                                                                       9/24/2020

Meteorology                                                                                                                                        Block 2 

                                                       Vilhelm Bjerknes

    

    Vilhelm Bjerknes was a Norwegian meteorologist and physicist and one of the founders of the modern science of weather forecasting. When he was young, Bjerknes assisted his father, a professor of mathematics at Christiania, with research in hydrodynamics. In 1890 he went to Germany and became an assistant to and scientific collaborator with the German physicist Heinrich Hertz. Bjerknes made a comprehensive study of electrical resonance that was decisive in the creation and development of the radio. After two years as a teacher at the Högskola which is a School of Engineering, Bjerknes in 1895 became a professor of applied mechanics and mathematical physics at the University of Stockholm. Two years later he discovered the circulation theorems that led him to a synthesis of hydrodynamics and thermodynamics applicable to large-scale motions in the atmosphere and the ocean. 

    This work ultimately resulted in the theory of air masses, which is essential to modern weather forecasting. In 1904 he presented a farsighted program for physical weather prediction. The Carnegie Foundation awarded him an annual grant to support his research. In 1907 Bjerknes returned to Norway and accepted a professorship at the university in Kristiania. Five years later he became professor of geophysics at the University of Leipzig, where he organized and directed the Leipzig Geophysical Institute. In 1917 he accepted a position with a museum in Bergen, Norway, and there founded the Bergen Geophysical Institute. There he wrote On the Dynamics of the Circular Vortex with Applications to the Atmosphere and to Atmospheric Vortex and Wave Motion. This work clearly details the most important aspects of his research.