What Size Power System Would Equal a Hurricane?
In short: NOAA estimates put a hurricane's winds near half the world's electrical generating capacity and its total power far above humanity's 1990 energy use, yet that power comes from a coupled ocean-atmosphere heat engine that forms only when several conditions align.
A 1:21 short film in the series “Invisible Atmosphere”, narrated by intellect_voice_01.
Sources used in this film: Kerry Emanuel, Professor Emeritus of Atmospheric Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (personal research website; paper co-authored with Greg Holland, Bureau of Meteorology Research Centre,…, “Limits on Hurricane Intensity – Kerry Emanuel”; Kerry Emanuel, Program in Atmospheres, Oceans, and Climate, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, “Microsoft Word - Lilly_KE_ver2.doc”; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), U.S. Department of Commerce, “Hurricanes”; National Ocean Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), U.S. Department of Commerce, “How do hurricanes form?”; Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Program in Atmospheres, Oceans, and Climate (Kerry Emanuel), “Microsoft Word - annrev.doc”; NOAA Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory (AOML), Hurricane Research Division, “Hurricane FAQ - NOAA/AOML”; NOAA Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory (AOML), Hurricane Research Division, “Hurricane FAQ - NOAA/AOML”.
Sources used in this film
- Kerry Emanuel, Professor Emeritus of Atmospheric Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (personal research website; paper co-authored with Greg Holland, Bureau of Meteorology Research Centre,… — Limits on Hurricane Intensity – Kerry Emanuel · View →
- Kerry Emanuel, Program in Atmospheres, Oceans, and Climate, Massachusetts Institute of Technology — Microsoft Word - Lilly_KE_ver2.doc · View →
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), U.S. Department of Commerce — Hurricanes · View →
- National Ocean Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), U.S. Department of Commerce — How do hurricanes form? · View →
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Program in Atmospheres, Oceans, and Climate (Kerry Emanuel) — Microsoft Word - annrev.doc · View →
- NOAA Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory (AOML), Hurricane Research Division — Hurricane FAQ - NOAA/AOML · View →
- NOAA Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory (AOML), Hurricane Research Division — Hurricane FAQ - NOAA/AOML · View →
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Kerry Emanuel, Professor Emeritus of Atmospheric Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (personal research websi: Limits on Hurricane Intensity – Kerry Emanuel
- Also: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Program in Atmospheres, Oceans, and Climate (paper by Kerry Emanuel): Microsoft Word - Lilly_KE_ver2.doc
- Also: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), U.S. Department of Commerce: Hurricanes
- Also: National Ocean Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), U.S. Department of Commerce: How do hurricanes form?
- Also: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Program in Atmospheres, Oceans, and Climate (Kerry Emanuel): Microsoft Word - annrev.doc
- Also: NOAA Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory (AOML), Hurricane Research Division. FAQ entry contributed by : TCFAQ D7) How much energy does a hurricane release?
- Also: NOAA Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory (AOML), Hurricane Research Division: Hurricane FAQ - NOAA/AOML
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