>> HELLO, AND WELCOME TO NASA
SCIENCE LIVE.
AN OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU TO COME
BEHIND THE SCENES AND TO GET TO
KNOW YOUR SPACE AGENCY.
I'M YOUR HOST SOPHIA ROBERTS.
THIS SHOW IS ALL ABOUT YOU
BEING ABLE TO INTERACT WITH
NASA SCIENTISTS AND TO GET YOUR
QUESTIONS ANSWERED.
SO VISIT US ON FACEBOOK OR
TWITTER AND ASK US A QUESTION
USING THAT #ASKNASA.
OR LEAVE A COMMENT OR QUESTION
IN THE COMMENT BOX WHEREVER
YOU'RE WATCHING THIS.
HERE TO SHARE SOME OF THE
LATEST UPDATES FROM AROUND THE
GALAXY IS OUR COSMIC NEWS
ANCHOR SCOTT BEDNAR, WHAT HAVE
YOU GOT FOR US?
>> I AM YOUR COSMIC NEWS ANCHOR
SCOTT BEDNAR AND WE HAVE
BREAKING NEWS JUST IN --
ARE YOU GOOD AT COUNTING ROCKS?
>> WELL, YOU WON'T WANT TO MISS
ON THIS OPPORTUNITY, JUST
ANNOUNCED MOMENTS AGO, NASA IS
INVITING YOU TO HELP FIND THE
PERFECT SPOT ON ASTEROID VENUE
WHERE THE OSIRIS ASTEROID WILL
COUNT CATALOG AND CREATE A
CURATION OF ROCKS ON THE
ASTEROID BY JULY 10th.
WHY?
WITH YOUR MAD COUNTING SKILLS
THIS WILL SPEED UP THE PROCESS
IN DEVELOPING HAZARD MATS WHICH
WILL BE USED TO SELECT THE
FINAL SAMPLE SITE AND
OSIRIS-REX IS GOING TO SWEEP UP
ASTEROID BITS AND SEND THEM
BACK TO EARTH.
LOOK AT PICTURES OF THE
ASTEROID AND TELL ME WHAT YOU
SEE?
TOO LONG TO READ?
NASA IS HIRING FOR $0, SIGN UP
TODAY.
TIME TO TIGHTEN YOUR VAN ALLEN
BELTS, WE'RE GOING BACK TO THE
MOON.
YOUR TWIN SISTER ARTEMIS IS IN
TOWN AND HERE TO STAY.
NASA'S NEXT MISSION HAS
OFFICIALLY BEEN NAMED ARTEMIS
AFTER THE GREEK GODDESS OF OUR
NEAREST CELESTIAL NEIGHBOR.
AND WHEN WE LAND IN 2024, THE
FIRST WOMAN AND NEXT MAN WILL
STEP FOOT WHERE NO ONE HAS BEEN
BEFORE, THE MOON'S SOUTH POLE.
SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE.
BOOTS ON THE GROUND, FLAG
PLANTING CONTESTS, ROCK
CHISELLING COMPETITIONS, A
REGULAR ROM-COM.
HAVE YOU EVER BEEN TO MARS?
NO!
HERE'S YOUR CHANCE, SORT OF.
NASA IS SENDING A CAR-SIZED
ROVER TO THE RED PLANET AND
YOUR NAME PASSENGER IN TEENY
TINY LETTERS, SUBMIT YOUR ALIAS
AND STENCILLED ON A MICROCHIP
AS IT MAKES ITS MARTIAN DEBUT.
YOU WILL AMASS MUCHO FREQUENT
FLIER MILES AND GET A BOARDING
PASS.
YOU CAN PULL IT OUT IN GLORY,
POST IT ON SOCIAL, SLAP IT ON
THE LOCKER, TACK IT ON THE TACK
BOARD, THE POSSIBILITIES ARE
LIMITLESS, ABSOLUTELY GLORIOUS.
WELL, I'M DONE, BUT THAT WAS A
TASTE OF SPACE.
HUNGRY FOR MORE?
A FULL-ON BRUNCH BUFFETT AT
WWW.NASA.GOV.
FEAST ON SCIENCE, BACK TO YOU,
SOPHIA.
>> THANKS, SCOTT.
I ALREADY GOTTEN MY NAME ON IT,
NEARLY A MILLION PEOPLE HAVE
SUBMITTED THEIR NAMES, GO SEND
YOURSELF TO MARS.
ALL RIGHT, TO TODAY'S TOPIC,
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT STORMS
ACROSS THE SOLAR SYSTEM.
AND WE'RE GOING TO START BY
TALKING ABOUT HOW STORMS FORM
ON EARTH, AND THEN WE'LL SEE
THE CONDITIONS THAT CAUSE THEM
TO HAPPEN ON OTHER PLANETS IN A
WEATHER FORECAST FROM ACROSS
THE SOLAR SYSTEM, AND FINALLY
TAKE A LOOK HOW NASA STUDIES
STORMS ON OUR OWN PLANET AND
WE'RE GOING TO RELEASE A
WEATHER BALLOON LIVE DURING
THIS EPISODE.
SO IF YOU WANT TO LEARN MORE
ABOUT NASA'S EFFORT TO STUDY
HURRICANES, VISIT
NASA.GOV/HURRICANES OR VISIT
NASA RAIN ON FACEBOOK AND
TWITTER.
OUR FRIENDS AT NASA FLIGHT
FACILITY IN VIRGINIA HELP
FORECASTERS AND FIRST
RESPONDERS BY RELEASING THE
HUGE BALLOONS EVERY 12 HOURS.
ALL RIGHT, CHELSEA, YOU CAN
HEAR ME?
WHAT ARE YOU DOING OVER THERE?
>> HEY, SOPHIA.
YES, I CAN HEAR YOU LOUD AND
CLEAR.
WE'RE LOUD AT NASA'S FLIGHT
FACILITY WHERE WE LOOK AT HOW
WEATHER DATA IS TURNED INTO THE
EASY FORECAST YOU GET ON THE
PHONE'S WEATHER APP.
WE'RE GOING TO BE LAUNCHING A
WEATHER BALLOON TODAY.
AS THE BALLOON ASCENDS UP TO
100,000 FEET IN ALTITUDE IT'S
TAKING MEASUREMENTS.
HERE TO TALK ABOUT THAT IS ADAM
THOMAS.
WHAT DO WE HAVE BEHIND US
TODAY?
>> BALLOON INFLATION SHELTER
AND KYLE PILLCHARD HAS INFLATED
THAT BALLOON AND HOPEFULLY WE
WILL RELEASE IT AT THE END OF
THE SHOW TODAY.
>> WHAT DATA IS IT LOOKING FOR,
WHAT DO YOU HAVE IN YOUR HANDS
HERE?
>> A RADIO SONDE ATTACHED TO
THE BALLOON AND HAS
INSTRUMENTATION HERE,
TEMPERATURE SENSOR, HUMIDITY,
ALSO GPS TRACK, WE GET WIND
SPEED AND DIRECTION IN THE
DEVICE AS IT ASCENDS INTO THE
ATMOSPHERE.
>> HOW OFTEN DOES NASA LAUNCH
THESE THINGS?
>> TWICE A DAY HERE AT WALLOPS,
TWICE A DAY EVERY DAY AND SOME
INSTANCES MORE THAN TWICE A
DAY.
IF WE HAVE HURRICANE, SEVERE
WEATHER OUTBREAKS, NATIONAL
WEATHER SERVICE PROGRAM WILL
ASK FOR MORE BALLOON RELEASES,
SOMETIMES UP TO FOUR BALLOON
RELEASES A DAY, ESPECIALLY FOR
STORMS SUCH AS MARIA AND
FLORENCE JUST RECENTLY WHERE WE
HAD TO GET MORE DATA AND MORE
UP TO DATE DATA WITH THE EXTRA
BALLOON RELEASES.
>> SO INTERESTING THAT THIS
HAPPENS RIGHT HERE.
SOUNDS LIKE WE NEED THE RADIO
SONDE ATTACHED AND GET THE
BALLOON UP READY FOR FLIGHT.
IN THE MEANTIME, IF ANYBODY HAS
QUESTIONS FOR ADAM, SEND THEM
ON SOCIAL MEDIA USING #ASKNASA
AND GET THEM ANSWERED LATER IN
THE SHOW.
WE'VE GOT A BALLOON TO SET UP.
SOPHIA, BACK TO YOU.
>> THANKS, CHELSEA.
I AM SO EXCITED ABOUT THIS
BALLOON AND LOOKING FORWARD TO
IT BEING RELEASED LATER ON IN
THE SHOW.
SO TODAY I HAVE DALIA, A
RESEARCH SCIENTIST AT GODDARD
SPACEFLIGHT CENTER, AND COME
BACK DOWN TO EARTH AND
SOMETHING WE ARE FAMILIAR WITH.
HOW DO STORMS FORM HERE?
>> THAT'S RIGHT.
SO TROPICAL CYCLONES IS
ACTUALLY THE CATCHALL TERM, BUT
THEY'RE CALLED DIFFERENT THINGS
DEPENDING WHERE YOU LIVE.
FOR EXAMPLE, IN THE ATLANTIC OR
EASTERN PACIFIC, WE CALL THEM
HURRICANES.
IN THE WESTERN PACIFIC, WE CALL
THEM TYPHOONS AND IN THE INDIAN
OCEAN, WE CALL THEM CYCLONES.
YOU NEED THREE DIFFERENT
INGREDIENTS FOR A STORM TO
FORM.
YOU NEED REALLY WARM OCEAN
WATER.
YOU NEED PREEXISTING STORMS AND
YOU NEED HUMID AIR.
SO WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A STORM
FORMS IS THAT HUMID AIR STARTS
TO RISE, AND AS IT RISES,
THERE'S MORE AIR THAT COMES
INTO FILL IT INSIDE, AND SO WE
START TO HAVE WARM AIR RISING.
YOU GET A LOT OF CONVECTION
WHICH CAUSES CLOUDS AND
PRECIPITATION AND THAT MOVEMENT
INWARD, UPWARD AND OUTWARD
STARTS THE STORM MOVING.
BUT BECAUSE THE STORM -- THE
EARTH ROTATES ON AXIS, THAT
CAUSES THE STORM TO ROTATE LIKE
WE SEE THE EYE WALL AND EYE OF
THE STORM.
SO BECAUSE THAT STRONG POOL OF
WARM WATER IS STARTING TO FUEL
THE STORM JUST LIKE GAS FUELS
OUR CAR, AS THE STORM BEGINS TO
DEVELOP, IT STARTS MOVING
FASTER AND FASTER WITH STRONGER
WINDS AND MORE RAINFALL.
AND SO WHAT WE SEE FROM SPACE
IS WE CAN GET A VIEW HOW THE
STORMS ARE MOVING AND CHANGING,
ALL DEPENDING ON WHERE THE
WINDS ARE BLOWING AND HOW WARM
THE SURFACE OF THE OCEAN IS.
>> GREAT, WE ALREADY HAVE
QUESTIONS FOR YOU.
>> SURE.
>> WHAT IS THE BIGGEST
HURRICANE WE'VE SEEN?
>> WE'VE HAD SATELLITES AND
BEFORE THAT INSTRUMENTS ON THE
GROUND MEASURING THIS FOR A
LONG TIME.
BUT THE MOST INTENSE STORM WE
EVER SAW IS TYPHOON KIP WHICH
OCCURRED IN THE PHILIPPINES AND
IT WAS 1300 MILES ACROSS.
THAT'S HUMONGOUS!
NOT ONLY A CATEGORY 5 BUT A
SUPER TYPHOON WITH SUSTAINED
WINDS OVER 160 MILES PER HOUR.
>> WHOA!
>> I KNOW.
>> A FOLLOW-UP QUESTION FOR
THAT IS HOW DAMAGING ARE THESE
STORMS?
>> A LOT OF THE DAMAGE IS
CAUSED BY WINDS, WHICH IS
WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE EYE
WALL OF THE STORM, THE WINDS
ARE WHIPPING AROUND IN THE
MIDDLE.
EYE IS VERY CALM.
BUT AS YOU GET FURTHER OUT, THE
WINDS ARE IMPORTANT BUT THE
RAIN AND THE RAIN BANDS AROUND
IT TEND TO CAUSE A LOT OF THE
FLOODING THAT WE SEE AS WELL AS
THE STORM SURGE THAT PUSHES
THAT WATER ONTO LAND WHEN IT
MAKES LANDFALL.
AND SO IT'S IMPORTANT TO
FORECAST AND UNDERSTAND HOW THE
STORMS MOVE AND INTENSIFY SO WE
CAN REALLY UNDERSTAND HOW
THEY'RE GOING TO IMPACT PEOPLE
ONCE THEY HIT LAND.
>> WOO!
THAT'S A LOT TO DIGEST RIGHT
THERE.
ONE VERY QUICK QUESTION, WE
TALKED ABOUT THE WIDTH A LITTLE
BIT.
BUT IS THERE ANYTHING UNUSUAL
ABOUT HEIGHTS OR HOW HIGH UP
THEY ARE?
>> SURE, SO AS THESE STORMS --
THE AIR STARTS TO RISE, WE'RE
ABLE TO SEE THREE DIMENSIONAL
PROFILES OF STORMS UP TO 15
KILOMETERS IN HEIGHT.
THAT'S WAY HIGHER THAN WHERE
PLANES FLY.
SO WITH SATELLITES LIKE THE
GLOBAL PRECIPITATION
MEASUREMENT MISSION, WE CAN SEE
THREE DIMENSIONALLY THROUGH THE
CLOUDS ALL THE WAY UP INTO THE
ATMOSPHERE, HOW THE STORM IS
DISTRIBUTED IN TERMS OF THE
HEAVY RAINFALL.
AND THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO
PROVIDE CLUES TO FORECASTERS TO
UNDERSTAND WHERE THE STORMS
MIGHT GO AND IMPORTANTLY HOW
INTENSE THEY MIGHT BE.
>> THANKS, DALIA, AND WE'LL BE
GETTING BACK TO YOU A LITTLE
LATER.
>> GREAT.
>> YOU MAY HAVE HEARD OF
JUPITER'S GREAT RED SPOT, ONLY
THE LARGEST STORM IN THE SOLAR
SYSTEM, BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF
OTHER REALLY UNUSUAL STORMS IN
OUR SOLAR SYSTEM AND BEYOND
THAT.
SO NASA'S CHIEF SCIENTIST JIM
GREEN IS GOING TO TAKE US ON A
TOUR OF SOME OF THE STORMS IN
THE COSMIC NEIGHBORHOOD.
LET'S FIND OUT, WHAT IS
HAPPENING -- SORRY, WHAT'S
HAPPENING ON VENUS, JIM?
YOU KNOW WHAT?
I CAN TELL YOU SOMETHING THAT'S
HAPPENING ON SATURN RIGHT NOW,
AS WE WAIT FOR JIM.
ONE OF THE EXCITING THINGS WITH
THE CASSINI SPACECRAFT, WE ARE
ABLE TO SEE LIGHTNING AND HEAR
IT ON THE SURFACE OF SATURN.
>> WHOA!
>> THE WAY WE CAN DO THAT IS
SEE THE VISIBLE LIGHT AT NIGHT,
AND THE STORM, IT'S CALLED THE
GREAT WHITE SPOT, LIKE THE
GREAT RED SPOT, IS ACTUALLY SO
WHITE IT'S ALMOST AS LARGE AS
EARTH.
6200 MILES ACROSS.
BUT WHAT'S UNIQUE ABOUT THE GAS
GIANTS RELATIVE TO EARTH, ON
EARTH WE HAVE WARM WATER HEATED
FROM THE SUN THAT CAUSES AND
FUELS THE STORMS LIKE HEAT
ENGINES.
ON THE BIG GAS GIANTS, WE THINK
THAT THE INTERNAL HEAT IS
FUELING THESE STORMS
THEMSELVES.
>> FROM THE CORE?
>> JUST FROM THE HEAT FROM WHEN
THEY WERE BORN.
SO WE'RE STILL LEARNING A LOT
MORE AND SOME OF NASA'S
MISSIONS BOTH THAT ARE FLYING
RIGHT NOW AS WELL AS IN ORBIT
ARE GOING TO TELL US HOW THE
STORMS FORM NOT JUST ON THEIR
PLANET BUT ALL OVER THE GALAXY.
>> HERE'S ANOTHER QUESTION FROM
FACEBOOK, AND CHRISTA IS ASKING
WHAT IS IT LIKE TO WORK FOR
NASA?
>> YOU KNOW, IT'S ONE OF MY
FAVORITE QUESTIONS, WE WORK
WITH AMAZING SCIENTISTS AND
ENGINEERS EVERY DAY.
AND SO ONE OF THE EXCITING
THINGS ABOUT WORKING AT NASA IS
WE HAVE LOTS OF EXCITING
SATELLITE IMAGES, AND
INFORMATION THAT BRINGS US TO
MODEL THESE PHENOMENA ON EARTH.
SO WHAT I DO IS I ACTUALLY USE
SATELLITE DATA FROM NASA AND
PARTNERS TO MODEL LANDSLIDES
AND OTHER NATURAL DISASTERS ON
EARTH.
AND THESE PROVIDE IMPORTANT
INFORMATION TO EMERGENCY
RESPONDERS AND OTHER GROUPS
THAT ARE HELPING TO UNDERSTAND,
MITIGATE AND ULTIMATELY RECOVER
AND BUILD RESILIENCE FOR THESE
TYPES OF DISASTERS, AND SO IT'S
BEEN REALLY EXCITING, AND I
THINK IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT
ALL OF NASA DATA IS FREE AND
OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, AND THAT
PROVIDES AN IMPORTANT SET OF
INFORMATION FOR US TO REALLY
UNDERSTAND AND MOVE FORWARD
WITH CONTRIBUTING TO
UNDERSTANDING DISASTERS AROUND
THE WORLD.
>> I MEAN, IT'S REALLY
WONDERFUL THAT THIS DATA, WHICH
IS CREATED FOR THE PUBLIC, IS
AVAILABLE AFTER A COUPLE OF
DAYS.
>> THAT'S RIGHT.
ANOTHER REALLY IMPORTANT THING
IS THAT WE WORK VERY CLOSELY
WITH OUR PARTNERS.
WE WORK WITH GROUPS LIKE NOAA,
PROVIDES OPERATIONAL FORECASTS
FOR NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER,
FOR EXAMPLE, OR THE JOINT
TYPHOON WARNING CENTER, OR THE
AIR FORCE, ALL OF WHOM PROVIDE
OPERATIONAL FORECASTS.
AND SO BY BEING ABLE TO HAVE
INFORMATION LIKE, YOU KNOW,
THIS HURRICANE HERE, WHERE WE
CAN REALLY UNDERSTAND LAYER BY
LAYER THROUGH THE STORMS, HOW
AND WHY THESE STORMS ARE
DEVELOPING?
SO I KNOW THIS IS KIND OF A FUN
TOOL, BUT WHAT IT REALLY IS
SHOWING IS THE THREE
DIMENSIONAL PROFILES OF THE
STORMS, SO THE COLORS BELOW
SHOW BASAL, BUT WE CAN SEE SNOW
AT THE TOP OF THE HURRICANE,
THE FIRST TIME WE'VE BEEN ABLE
TO DO THAT.
INFORMATION LIKE THIS IS
IMPORTANT TO BRING INTO
FORECAST MODELS, AND HELP US TO
BETTER PREDICT THE TRAJECTORY,
THE INTENSITY, AND THE IMPACTS
THAT THE STORMS MIGHT HAVE
LATER ON, BUT WE CAN'T DO IT
ALONE AND OUR PARTNERS ARE
CRITICAL IN ADVANCING OUR
UNDERSTANDING.
>> ALL RIGHT, THANKS, DALIA.
IT LOOKS LIKE OUR CHIEF
SCIENTIST JIM GREEN IS NOW
AVAILABLE TO GIVE US OUR
WEATHER FORECAST.
SO, JIM, WHAT'S HAPPENING ON
VENUS RIGHT NOW?
>> THANKS, SOPHIA!
I'M DYING TO TELL EVERYBODY
ABOUT SOME OF THE WEATHER IN
OUR SOLAR SYSTEM, AND IT CAN BE
EXTREMES.
LET'S START WITH THE
INTERPLANET VENUS.
NOW VENUS, BEAUTIFUL SET OF
CLOUDS.
WE CANNOT SEE THE GROUND
BECAUSE THE CLOUDS ARE SO
DENSE, AND THEY'RE MOVING
RAPIDLY AROUND THE PLANET.
IN SOME CASES, THERE ARE MORE
THAN 225 MILES PER HOUR.
THESE ARE REALLY RAPIDLY MOVING
AROUND THE PLANET.
BUT WHAT ABOUT THE SURFACE?
LET'S GO DOWN TO THE SURFACE.
HERE WE SEE THE GLOBAL SURFACE
OF VENUS WHERE THE REDS ARE THE
HIGHS AND THE BLUES ARE THE
LOWS, AND SO YOU CAN SEE HUGE
VARIATIONS IN ALTITUDE.
BUT ONE THING TO REMEMBER IS
THE TEMPERATURE ON THE SURFACE
OF VENUS IS NEARLY THE SAME
EVERYWHERE ON THE NEAR SIDE,
BUT ALSO ON THE FAR SIDE.
SO BOTH THE NIGHT AND THE DAY
SIDE, AND THAT WEATHER CAN BE
EXTREME.
WE'RE LOOKING FOR LIGHTNING, WE
HAVEN'T SEEN LIGHTNING ON THIS
PLANET YET, BUT THE
TEMPERATURES ARE ENORMOUSLY
HOT.
MORE THAN 800 DEGREES
FAHRENHEIT.
HOT ENOUGH TO MELT LEAD!
IN ADDITION TO THAT, THE
PRESSURE IS ENORMOUS.
90 TIMES OUR OWN PRESSURE.
LET'S MOVE FURTHER OUT IN THE
SOLAR SYSTEM.
LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT THE
WEATHER ON MARS.
MARS IS THIS BEAUTIFUL RED
PLANET.
WE HARDLY SEE ANY CLOUDS.
WE CAN ACTUALLY LOOK THROUGH
THE ATMOSPHERE OF MARS RIGHT
DOWN TO THE SURFACE.
BUT WHAT IS THE SURFACE WEATHER
LIKE ON MARS?
NOW EVERYBODY IS SEEING THE
MOVIES AND IN THE MOVIES LIKE
THE MARTIAN, YOU SEE THE HUGE
DUST STORMS, THE EXTREMES THAT
THEY THOUGHT MARS WAS LIKE, BUT
IT'S NOT LIKE THAT AT ALL.
THE DUST IS REALLY WISPY.
IT'S REALLY HIGH IN THE
ATMOSPHERE, AND HERE YOU SEE A
BEFORE-AND-AFTER GLOBAL DUST
STORM OCCURRING ON MARS LAST
YEAR.
AND IT LASTED FOR ABOUT THREE
MONTHS, AND WHEN THAT DUST
SETTLED OUT AND FELL ONTO THE
GROUND, IT COATED MANY OF THE
SURFACES.
WE NOW HAVE OBSERVED ANOTHER
SPECTACULAR PHENOMENA ON MARS,
AND IT'S THESE DUST DEVILS.
THESE DUST DEVILS SWIRL AROUND
ATMOSPHERE, THESE ARE
SPECTACULAR ATMOSPHERIC
PHENOMENA THAT WE HAD TO GET
DOWN ONTO THE SURFACE AND
REALLY EXPERIENCE BEFORE WE
COULD BELIEVE IT.
WELL, OUR LANDER InSIGHT HAS A
WEATHER CAPABILITY.
IT HAS A WEATHER SYSTEM, IT
MEASURES THE TEMPERATURE AND
PRESSURE ON THE SURFACE OF
MARS, AND THAT VARIATION IN ONE
DAY CAN BE MORE THAN 175
DEGREES.
IT'S A HUGE VARIATION!
BUT IT'S MOSTLY BELOW ZERO.
IN FACT, THE AVERAGE
TEMPERATURE ON MARS IS ABOUT 85
DEGREES BELOW ZERO.
SO BRING YOUR WINTER COAT.
IT'S REALLY COLD ON MARS.
WELL, AS WE GO FURTHER OUT IN
THE SOLAR SYSTEM, LET'S LOOK AT
THE WEATHER ON THIS PLANET,
NEPTUNE.
NEPTUNE, WHICH IS IN THE OUTER
PART OF OUR SOLAR SYSTEM IS
WHAT WE CALL AN ICE GIANT.
IT'S A FABULOUSLY BEAUTIFUL
PLANET, TEN TIMES THE MASS OF
OUR EARTH, AND WHEN THE VOYAGER
II SPACECRAFT FLEW BY NEPTUNE
IN THE LATE '80s IT SAW THIS
BEAUTIFUL DARK SPOT, BUT THAT
SPOT FADED AWAY OVER THE YEARS,
BUT JUST RECENTLY A NEW ONE HAS
APPEARED.
THAT ONE HAS APPEARED IN THE
NORTHERN HEMISPHERE AND YOU CAN
SEE IT IN THE TOP PART OF THE
HUBBELL OBSERVATION IN 2018.
THIS IS A SPECTACULAR
HURRICANE.
THIS DARK SPOT HAS WINDS THAT
ARE MORE THAN 600 MILES PER
HOUR!
AND AROUND IT, THE CLOUDS ARE
MOVING MORE THAN 1300 MILES PER
HOUR!
WOW, THE MOST BRISK WINDS ARE
ON THE PLANET NEPTUNE.
WHAT IS IT LIKE ON EARTH?
SOPHIA, LET'S TALK ABOUT
HURRICANES ON EARTH.
>> ALL RIGHT, THANKS, JIM.
AND I THINK OUR FRIENDS OVER AT
WALLOPS ARE READY TO RELEASE
THEIR WEATHER BALLOON.
CHELSEA, HOW IS IT GOING OVER
THERE?
>> HEY, SOPHIA, AND WELCOME
BACK TO NASA'S WALLOPS FLIGHT
FACILITY.
RADIO SONDE ATTACHED, BALLOON
FULLY INFLATED AND READY FOR
FLIGHT.
BEFORE THAT, CAN YOU TELL US
MORE ABOUT WHAT WE'RE ABOUT TO
WITNESS TODAY?
>> WE'VE GOT A BEAUTIFUL DAY
FOR A BALLOON RELEASE AT
WALLOPS.
WE'RE GOING TO SEE THE BALLOON
RELEASE IN A MINUTE OR SO, AND
AS IT ASCENDS INTO THE
ATMOSPHERE, WE'RE GOING TO SEE
IT GO THROUGH THE TROPOSPHERE
BEFORE IT REACHES 400 FEET OR
SO AND WE'LL SEE IT POP AND SEE
IT COME BACK DOWN.
BUT WE'RE GOING TO GET A LOT OF
DATA FROM THAT, SHOULD BE VERY
INTERESTING.
>> OTHER THAN SENDING THIS
INFORMATION TO THE NATIONAL
WEATHER SERVICE, WHAT ELSE IS
THIS DATA USED FOR?
>> AT WALLOPS WE DO ORBITAL AND
SUBORBITAL LAUNCHES THAT
REQUIRE US TO DO BALLOON
RELEASES DURING THE COUNTDOWN.
THAT PROVIDES A SAFETY GROUP
HERE WITH A LOT OF INFORMATION,
A LOT OF METEORLOGICAL DATA IS
GIVEN TO THEM DURING THESE
RELEASES.
SO WE'LL DO ABOUT ONE BALLOON
AN HOUR DURING THE COUNTDOWN
AND CLOSER TO T-MINUS 0, ABOUT
EVERY HALF AN HOUR.
THEY HAVE A LOT OF INFORMATION
TO DETERMINE IF WE ARE A GO OR
NO GO FOR LAUNCH.
>> WOW, HOW MANY LAUNCHES DOES
THAT END UP BEING ALTOGETHER
FOR A LAUNCH?
>> GENERALLY, 10 OR 15, WITH
THE LAST RESUPPLY MISSION TO
THE SPACE STATION, WE ACTUALLY
DID 15 BALLOON RELEASES
THROUGHOUT THE COUNTDOWN.
THE METEORLOGICAL TECHNICIANS
ARE VERY BUSY.
>> HEY, SPEAKING OF LAUNCHES,
ARE WE ABOUT READY FOR THIS
COUNTDOWN?
>> I THINK SO, GET TO IT.
>> ALL RIGHT, IS EVERYBODY
READY.
LET'S GET GOING.
5, 4, 3, 2, 1.
THERE IT GOES.
SO AS THIS BALLOON ASCENDS WHAT
DOES THE DATA LOOK LIKE AS IT
COMES BACK TO YOU?
>> WELL, THE FIRST DATA WE GET
IN THE WEATHER OFFICE IS IN THE
FORM OF A SKEW TEE DIAGRAM,
ALSO WIND SPEED AND WIND
DIRECTION AND WE LOOK AT THE
DIAGRAM TO GET AN OVERALL
ASSESSMENT OF THE ATMOSPHERE SO
IF IT'S A STABLE ATMOSPHERE
LIKE TODAY, OR SOMETIMES WE
HAVE AN UNSTABLE ATMOSPHERE
WHERE WE HAVE THUNDERSTORM
ACTIVITY, IT'S A VERY IMPORTANT
PART OF DIAGNOSTICS THAT WE DO
FOR WEATHER FORECASTING.
>> WELL, IT SEEMS LIKE WE'RE
ALMOST READY TO TAKE NASA'S
SOCIAL QUESTIONS.
BEFORE THAT, I HAVE A QUICK
QUESTION FOR YOU.
SEEMS LIKE A TON OF DATA WE'RE
GETTING BACK, DOES THIS PAINT
THE FULL PICTURE FOR WEATHER?
>> NOT ENTIRELY, WE DO HAVE
THIS RADIO SIGN INFORMATION
GOING INTO THE COMPUTER MODELS,
BUT THIS IS ALL SENT TO THE
NATIONAL CENTER FOR
ENVIRONMENTAL PREDICTION WITH
NOAA.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE HAVE
NASA SATELLITES, WE ALSO HAVE
NOAA SATELLITES FOR THE GOES
AND POES SATELLITES, SURFACE
OBSERVATIONS, RADAR DATA THAT
ARE ALL INCLUDED WITH THE DATA
SET.
SO IT'S A BIG COLLABORATION OF
DATA BUT THE BALLOON IS OUR
HIGHEST RESOLUTION DATA THAT WE
GET, GIVES DATA AT WALLOPS
EVERY SECOND AS IT'S ASCENDING
INTO THE ATMOSPHERE.
>> WOW, THANK YOU FOR ANSWERING
ALL THE QUESTIONS THAT I HAD.
IT'S ABOUT TIME WE TAKE
AUDIENCE QUESTIONS HERE.
I WANT TO REMIND EVERYBODY, IF
ANYBODY HAS QUESTIONS FOR ADAM,
SEND THEM TO ADAM USING
#ASKNASA.
LET'S TAKE A LOOK WHAT WE HAVE
HERE.
SO LOOKS LIKE OUR FIRST
QUESTION IS FROM TWITTER.
WHO WANTS TO KNOW HOW BIG IS
THE BALLOON?
>> WELL, AS YOU CAN SEE WHEN WE
JUST RELEASED IT.
IT'S ABOUT SIX FEET IN
DIAMETER.
BUT THE INTERESTING PART IS
WHEN IT GOES UP INTO THE
ATMOSPHERE, THE PRESSURE DROPS
SO THE BALLOON EXPANDS AS IT
GOES UP IN HEIGHT.
ON A SUCCESSFUL LAUNCH, IF WE
GET UP TO 100,000 FEET, THE
BALLOON WILL EXPAND TO 20 TO 25
FEET IN DIAMETER, AS BIG AS A
SMALL BUILDING IN SOME CASES
BEFORE IT POPS.
IT GETS VERY LARGE AS IT
ASCENDS INTO THE ATMOSPHERE.
>> REALLY COOL.
WE HAVE ANOTHER ONE FROM
FACEBOOK USER KATIE WHO WANTS
TO KNOW THE BALLOONS TAKE OFF
IN OTHER PLACES?
>> YES, ACTUALLY WE'RE ONE OF
ABOUT 92 SITES IN THE UNITED
STATES THAT HAVE A BALLOON
PROGRAM WITH THE NATIONAL
WEATHER SERVICE.
SO WE DO TWO BALLOON RELEASES A
DAY, HERE AT WALLOPS, IN OTHER
SITES THEY DO TWO A DAY TO HAVE
A FULL SCOPE OF DATA COMING
FROM THE ENTIRE COUNTRY AND
THROUGHOUT THE WORLD, MANY,
MANY BALLOON RELEASES AS WELL.
IT IS VERY IMPORTANT DATA THAT
WE AS FORECASTERS USE EVERY
DAY.
>> WE'VE GOT GOOD ONES FROM
TWITTER.
HOW MUCH MASS CAN A BALLOON
CARRY?
>> WELL, IT DOESN'T NEED TO
CARRY MUCH.
THAT RADIO SONDE IS VERY LIGHT.
AS IT GOES INTO THE ATMOSPHERE,
IT ASCENDS AND BRINGS THE
INSTRUMENT INTO THE ATMOSPHERE
INTO THE STRATOSPHERE ACTUALLY
TO 100,000 FEET.
SO IT DOESN'T HAVE MUCH WEIGHT
HANGING FROM THE BALLOON.
>> VERY COOL.
WE'VE GOT ANOTHER ONE HERE THAT
ASKS CAN WE SEE WEATHER
BALLOONS FROM SPACE OR FROM
AIRPLANES?
>> YOU CAN SEE THEM FROM
AIRPLANES.
ONE THING WE DEFINITELY WANT TO
MAKE SURE OF WHEN WE DO RELEASE
THESE BALLOONS IS TO GET
CLEARANCE TO RELEASE THE
BALLOONS.
WE DON'T WANT AIRPLANES FLYING
BY AS WE RELEASE THOSE
BALLOONS.
WE DO NOT WANT THEM GOING IN
THROUGH THE ENGINES OF THESE
AIRPLANES, SO DEFINITELY WANT
THOSE CLEARED OUT OF THE WAY.
YOU CAN SEE THEM FROM THE
AIRPLANE, THEY KNOW WHEN WE'RE
RELEASING BALLOONS, THEY DON'T
RUN INTO THEM ASCENDING INTO
THE ATMOSPHERE.
>> IT'S NOT LIKELY WE'LL SEE
ONE LOOKING OUT THE WINDOWS OF
THE AIRPLANE.
>> NOT VERY LIKELY, NOT VERY
LIKELY.
IF SO, IT WILL BE AT A
DISTANCE.
>> ANOTHER PERSON WANTED TO
KNOW HOW HIGH DOES THE BALLOON
TRAVEL AND WHERE DOES IT
COLLECT THE DATA?
>> ABOUT 100,000 FEET IS
GENERALLY WHERE WE ARE
SATISFIED WITH THE BALLOON.
WE HAVE GOTTEN BALLOONS AS HIGH
AS 15,000 OR 20,000 FEET, THE
REQUIREMENT IS 400 MILLIBAR
LEVEL.
IF YOU GO BELOW THAT AND HAVE A
FAILURE, WE HAVE TO DO ANOTHER
BALLOON.
THAT'S THE LEVEL THEY NEED IT
TO GET TO IN ORDER TO BE
SUCCESSFUL.
>> REALLY COOL.
THANK YOU, ADAM, FOR JOINING US
AND ANSWERING THE QUESTIONS
ONLINE.
I THINK THAT'S ALL ABOUT THE
TIME THAT WE HAD.
WE HOPE YOU ENJOYED SEEING OUR
BALLOON.
WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING IT
AGAIN THIS EVENING, RIGHT?
>> THAT'S RIGHT, YEP.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
JOINING US AT WALLOPS.
BACK TO YOU, SOPHIA.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, CHELSEA.
REALLY COOL TO SEE THE BALLOON
BEING RELEASED.
BUT WE'RE ALSO HERE BACK WITH
DALIA.
SO GO BACK TO SOME EARTH STORM
STUFF.
SO CAN YOU TELL US HOW WE STUDY
STORMS WITH NASA?
>> SURE, NASA AND PARTNERS, WE
HAVE A LOT OF DIFFERENT ASSETS
ALLOWING US TO LOOK AT STORMS
IN THE TROPICS AND UP TO THE
POLLS.
WE HAVE SATELLITES LIKE THE
NOAA-NASA GOES SATELLITE,
22,000 MILES UP AND TAKING
VIEWS OF THE EARTH AT THE SAME
TIME, BEING ABLE TO LOOK AT THE
TOP OF THE CLOUDS AND THE
TEMPERATURE.
FURTHER DOWN, WE CAN START TO
LOOK AT HOW THE STORMS ARE
DISTRIBUTED.
WE TALKED ABOUT GPM A LITTLE
EARLIER IN THE SHOW, BUT WE
HAVE OTHER SATELLITES LIKE THE
CYGNUS CONSTELLATION, SUPER
COOL.
WE CAN LOOK AT GLOBAL
PRECIPITATION USING GPM AND
OTHER PRODUCTS THAT TELLS US
NOT ONLY ABOUT RAIN IN THE
TROPICS BUT ALL THE WAY UP TO
THE POLES, AND SATELLITES LIKE
CYGNUS HAVE A CONSTELLATION
THAT USES GPS TO TELL US ABOUT
WIND SPEEDS IN THE STORMS.
>> WHOA.
>> YEAH.
>> I'D ALSO MENTIONED EARLIER
BUT THE DATA IS HELPING FIRST
RESPONDER.
SO CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT
ABOUT THAT?
>> THAT'S RIGHT.
SO BEING ABLE TO UNDERSTAND THE
IMPACTS OF THESE STORMS.
THE FIRST AND MOST IMPORTANT
THING IS ABOUT FORECASTING
THEM, RIGHT?
SO NASA PROVIDES RESEARCH AND
WITH OUR PARTNERS AT NOAA AND
OTHER CENTERS, WE CAN PROVIDE
ACCURATE FORECASTS OR THEY CAN
PROVIDE FORECASTS WHERE STORMS
ARE GOING.
BUT THERE'S OTHER SATELLITES UP
THERE AND AIRBORNE INFORMATION
THAT CAN PROVIDE US ABOUT HOW
THE STORMS MAY IMPACT PEOPLE.
FOR EXAMPLE, WE CAN LOOK AT HOW
VEGETATION CHANGES AS A STORM
PASSES OVER.
THIS IS AN EXAMPLE, WE CAN SEE
BEFORE AND AFTER HURRICANE
MARIA MOVED OVER BARBUDA, AND
YOU CAN SEE THAT'S ALL OF THESE
-- AND THE VIRGIN ISLANDS AND
THE LEAVES AND THE TREES IN THE
AREAS WERE COMPLETELY BLOWN
OFF.
THAT AFFECTS ECOSYSTEMS AND THE
RECOVERY OF AN AREA.
ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF HOW WE CAN
UNDERSTAND IMPACTS IS LOOKING
AT RAINFALL ACCUMULATION.
WE TALKED ABOUT THE RAIN BANDS
IN THE STORMS CAUSE A VAST
AMOUNT OF RAINFALL.
HURRICANE HARVEY, FOR EXAMPLE,
CAUSED OVER 40" OF RAIN TO FALL
OVER THE HOUSTON, OVER THE
TEXAS AREA, AND INLAND FLOODING
IS CRITICAL FOR GROUPS TO
UNDERSTAND, LIKE FEMA, TO
PROVIDE INFORMATION AND SET AND
HELP WHEN THE STORMS PASS.
AND ALSO WE CAN LOOK HOW HUMANS
ARE IMPACTED LOOKING AT THINGS
LIKE POWER OUTAGES.
FROM THE SUOMO NPP MISSION,
THIS IS AFTER HURRICANE MARIA
OVER THE ISLAND.
THIS IS HOW THINGS HAVE CHANGED
IN TERMS OF LOSS OF POWER AND
SEE HOW POWER HAS BEEN RESTORED
ACROSS THE ISLAND.
REALLY IMPORTANT SIGNATURES FOR
HOW WE CAN HELP IN THE RECOVERY
EFFORT.
>> YEAH, THAT'S REALLY GREAT
WE'RE ABLE TO PROVIDE THAT
INFORMATION TO THOSE USEFUL
THINGS.
WHAT OTHER STORMS -- I'M
GETTING HERE -- DOES NASA STUDY
OTHER THAN HURRICANES?
>> HURRICANES AND TROPICAL
CYCLONES OCCUR IN THE TROPICS
TO MID LATITUDES BUT WE HAVE
SATELLITES THAT GO ALL THE WAY
UP TO THE POLLS OR ARCTIC AND
ANTARCTIC CIRCLE TO LOOK HOW
THE STORMS CHANGE FROM TROPICAL
TO EXTRATROPICAL SYSTEMS,
THAT'S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND
THINGS LIKE LIGHT RAINFALL AND
SNOW AND ICE.
YOU KNOW, THESE CRAZY WINTER
STORMS, SUPERSTORM SANDY WHERE
YOU HAD ALL OF THE CRAZY
SYSTEMS COLLIDING IN ONE PLACE
AND BEING ABLE TO WORK WITH OUR
PARTNERS AND HAVE NASA
SATELLITES AND AIRBORNE ASSETS
TO UNDERSTAND THE STORMS, WE'RE
ABLE TO LOOK AT EVERYTHING FROM
THE TROPICS TO THE POLLS.
>> ALL RIGHT, AND ONE REALLY
QUICK QUESTION FOR YOU.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE THING
ABOUT WORKING HERE?
>> YOU KNOW, I LOVE WE ARE ABLE
TO WORK TOGETHER EVERY DAY, AND
YOU KNOW, I LIKE THAT WE'RE
WORKING TOWARDS WHAT HAPPENED
IN THE PAST USING SATELLITE
DATA TO UNDERSTAND AND MODEL
THE PAST AND LOOK AT WHAT'S
HAPPENING IN THE FUTURE.
UNDERSTANDING HOW CLIMATE
CHANGE IMPACTS OUR EARTH SYSTEM
IS OF CRITICAL IMPORTANCE.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
JOINING US, DALIA.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> THAT IS ALL THE TIME WE HAVE
FOR TODAY.
BUT IF YOU WANT TO LEARN MORE,
VISIT NASA.GOV/HURRICANE OR
VISIT NASA HURRICANE OR NASA
RAIN ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER.
AND BE SURE TO TUNE IN NEXT
MONTH.
ON JUNE 26th, WE'RE TALKING
ABOUT SPACE ROCKS.
WE'RE GOING TO DISCUSS HOW NASA
DETECTS AND TRACKS ASTEROIDS
AND VISIT A DARK SPACECRAFT
BEING BUILT AND MORE.