How NASA uses unmanned aircraft to peer inside Atlantic hurricanes
In short: To understand why storms intensify, scientists need to see what is happening inside them. NASA's Hurricane and Severe Storm Sentinel mission uses specialized Global Hawk aircraft to study the internal processes and large-scale environments that drive hurricane formation and intensity changes across the Atlantic basin.
The Hurricane and Severe Storm Sentinel mission, known as HS3, is a five-year project designed to investigate the complex mechanics of tropical cyclones. Specifically, the mission focuses on how large-scale environmental factors and internal storm-scale processes influence hurricane formation and changes in intensity. By understanding these drivers, researchers hope to better predict how storms evolve as they move through the Atlantic basin. This initiative aims to unravel the intricate relationship between atmospheric conditions and storm development. By examining these variables, the project seeks to enhance our overall understanding of meteorological patterns.
To achieve this, NASA utilizes two unmanned Global Hawk aircraft during its campaigns. These aircraft are not identical in their scientific goals; they serve distinct roles in the data collection process. One aircraft is equipped with instruments designed to measure the broader environment surrounding a tropical cyclone, while the second aircraft carries instruments specifically designed to look directly into the storms themselves.
The mission's field operations began in 2012, launching from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility located at Wallops Island, Virginia. The research involves a collaborative effort across several NASA centers and academic institutions, including the Goddard Space Flight Center, the Ames Research Center, the Dryden Flight Research Center, and the University of Miami's Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science. Through this coordinated approach, the HS3 mission seeks to provide a clearer picture of the atmospheric forces at play during severe weather events.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Hangout for Hurricane Research
- Also: NASA to Host Google+ Hangout on Hurricane Research Flights - NASA
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