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For
the first time, NOAA line offices joined in coordinating
an exhibit at the heavily attended American Meteorological Society Broadcasters
Conference. The exhibit was a huge hit, capturing the interest of about
200 of the country's television weathercasters who were encouraged to
delve into the work of the National Weather Service, National Ocean
Service, NOAA Research, and National Environmental Satellite, Data and
Information Service.
John E. Jones, the NWS Deputy Assistant Administrator, delivered a National
Weather Service overview on Looking Back 30 Years and Looking to
the Future. Allan Eustis delivered a paper entitled Long Range
Weather Forecasts: Valuable or Valueless? and Sandy MacDonald
looked at The Global Observing System Needed for Prediction of Global
Change. Congrats also to John Shadid, Pete Allen and others who
pitched in to make NOAA’s presence such a clear success.
How well are our nation's coastal programs
working? What is the return for the skill, time and energy being invested?
Such questions will be probed in a Coastal Management Performance Measures
and Indicators study just launched by The Heinz Center. Ralph Cantral,
of the National Ocean Service, joins 16 others from universities, business,
government and environmental organizations in undertaking the 18-month
study. Collaboratively sponsored by Heinz and NOAA, the panel will develop
a common framework and consistent set of measurable performance indicators
for use by coastal zone managers and other decision-makers, assisting
them to assess their programs' effectiveness in achieving targeted goals,
modifying policy and allocate/reallocating resources. The framework
and indicators can be used to evaluate how well state coastal zone management
programs meet objectives specified of the Coastal Zone Management Act.
The panel's work will be complemented by a series of regional constituent
roundtables. For more details: cheryl.graham@noaa.gov.
Stephens Passage
Courtesy of NOAA Photo Library
Photo by John Bortniak, NOAA
Breaking the Atlantic's surface
for the first time in nearly 140 years, the engine of the shipwrecked
Civil War Ironclad, USS Monitor, has been recovered by NOAA scientists
working with scores of Navy divers. The 28-day around-the-clock recovery
mission lifted this piece of history from the "graveyard of the Atlantic,"
about 16 miles southeast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina in the waters
of the Monitor National Marine Sanctuary.
This dramatic photograph was taken by the Apollo 9 astronauts on
March 12, 1969, during their 136th orbit of the Earth. Cape Hatteras
is the projection of the Outer Banks just above the Sanctuary and the
point of land near the lower left corner is Cape Lookout, NC.
Designed by acclaimed 19th century engineer John Ericsson, the Monitor
rests upside down on a sand-covered seafloor.
Sonar image of the Monitor recorded by the
NOAA Ship Whiting, 2000 (Monitor Collection, NOAA)
Concerned about rapid deterioration, NOAA scientists initiated efforts
to raise the Monitor before it was lost forever. Salvage plans
began more than 10 years ago. A 400-ton crane hoisted the historic steam
engine to a ferry barge from a depth of 240 feet. It now begins a decade
of renewal work in a 93,000 gallon steel tank at The Mariners' Museum
in Newport News, Virginia.
NOAA divers seek Monitor artifacts in the area where the historic steam
engine was recovered. Over 100 have been recovered this year alone, including
the engineer's alarm bell and a totally intact engine room thermometer.
NOAA research divers explore turret. Divers are Billy Gambrell,
Tamara Eebert, Terrance Tysall, Andrew Donn
and Kyle Creamer.
Sanctuary manager John Broadwater oversaw the archaeological aspects of
the recovery, which began nearly 10 years ago. He underscored that the
Monitor has captured the imagination of Americans for generations.
"Her innovative design changed the face of naval warfare," he said. "Now
her heart - John Ericsson's innovative steam engine - is being returned
to the public." The next step is to recover the "soul of the Monitor
- her revolving gun turret."
Dive into the recovery mission at http://www.oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/.
Stinging jellyfish,
or sea nettles, are in full summertime force in the Chesapeake
Bay waters along Maryland and Virginia. But thanks to NOAA scientists,
swimmers and boaters finally have a chance to keep them from ruining their
day.
The Moon Jelly
(Aurelia aurita) |
The Lion's
Mane jellyfish
(Cyanea capillata) |
Led by Dr. Christopher Brown, of NOAA's National Environmental Satellite,
Data and Information Service, a team of scientists has created a method
to map the sites where sea nettles are most likely to be found. By using
a computer model and sea-surface temperature data from NOAA satellites,
they can identify moderately salty, warm water areas - the favored conditions
of sea nettles. The model draws on the work of Drs. Tom Gross and Zhen
Li of the National Ocean Service.
The mapping project reflects collaborative efforts by NOAA scientists
and colleagues at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science at the College
of William and Mary and the University of Maryland Center for Environmental
Science.
Early morning sculling in Washington, DC
Mixing fresh and salt water, the Chesapeake Bay is the country's largest
estuary. It is home to over 1,200 species of plants and animals. Saltwater
enters the Bay from the Atlantic Ocean, and freshwater comes from the
rivers, streams, and rainfall of the seven areas that "drain into" the
Bay Watershed. These include Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Delaware,
Pennsylvania, New York and Washington D.C. http://coastwatch.noaa.gov/seanettles
Hurricane!! Texas
SeaGrant is offering three free publications on hurricane safety. Hurricane!
looks at the ins and outs of hurricane safety in English and Spanish.
Hurricane Warning: A Booklet for Boys and Girls is a tool
for youngsters to both keep themselves safe and understand how scientists
build knowledge about severe storms. Protecting Your Boat from Severe
Weather delves into what to look for in a marina, what to do after
a storm, and insurance claim filings. To order: 979/862-3767.
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