To help broadcasters do a better job of explaining weather and natural hazards to the public, and to enhance use and understanding of NESDIS data and imagery, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed earlier this year by The Weather Channel and NESDIS (NOAA's National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service).

Sheldon Kusselson, of the Office of Satellite Data Processing Division, is just back from Atlanta, where he spoke to about 20 meteorologists on new uses and applications of polar orbiting satellite imagery. Circling up to 540 miles above earth every 102 minutes, each satellite yields at least two images each day of any one spot on the globe. Sheldon highlighted how the imagery supplements geostationary satellite data and provides vital information to weather forecasters.

Geostationary satellites also circle the earth but, in contrast to polar orbiters, their speed matches the earth's rotation. At about 22,300 miles above earth, these satellites can hover over one location, providing a constant vigil of atmospheric "triggers" that can produce tornadoes, flash floods, hurricanes, and other severe weather. Both polar orbiting and geostationary satellites are needed to provide a complete global weather monitoring system. The local chapter of the American Meteorological Society sponsored Sheldon's presentation.

For real-time polar orbiting satellite imagery:

• Atlantic and Caribbean -- http://www.ssd.noaa.gov/PS/TROP/trop-atl.html

• East and Central Pacific -- http://www.ssd.noaa.gov/PS/TROP/trop-epac.html

NOAA's search and rescue resources recently helped 3 fishermen whose fishing vessel lost power and began taking on water south of Panama City, Florida. SARSAT - the Search and Rescue Satellite-Aided Tracking System - detected an emergency beacon activated by the fishermen. Within minutes, the alert was relayed through GOES-8 and NOAA-11. The U.S. Coast Guard launched a rescue aircraft that then diverted NOAA's Gordon Gunter to bring the fishermen to safety.

Unthinkable before the space age, SARSAT is now saving lives on land, sea and air. From emergency beacons carried by boaters, flyers, hikers, and many others who might be hit by sudden danger, NOAA's earth-observing satellites can pick up distress signals from anywhere on the globe.

First inspired by a RUDE crew, Jennifer Pralgo went on to graduate from NOAA Corps this month with 12 other new recruits. The new ensigns -- nine men and four women - comprise the 100th class to graduate from basic officer training class. Jennifer became motivated to apply after talking with RUDE crew members in Port Jefferson, New York. Before beginning tours as junior officers aboard NOAA vessels, the new recruits will learn ship management, bridge operations, radar plotting, fire fighting, and a long list of other skills.

Although the smallest among the nation's four military services, NOAA Corps is extremely effective in helping NOAA carry out many missions, from nautical charting and fisheries and coastal research, to oceanographic research and global climate change studies. One officer is based at the South Pole. Another is taking atmospheric measurements in the Australian outback. NOAA Corps officers manage and operate a fleet of 15 ships and 13 aircraft.

The 100th Class

Visit the NOAA Corps Training Class page at http://www.noaacorps.noaa.gov/botc/index.html for more information.

When the government's chief storm chaser and weather experts teamed up with K-12 students early this month, the shared aim was to monitor the effects of severe weather events in the students' communities. Dr. Joe Schaefer, director of NOAA's Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Oklahoma, hosted the innovative web chat with GLOBE - Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment. Students learned how they can provide crucial data for forecasting, tracking and monitoring severe storms.

Under GLOBE, students in thousands of U.S. schools join with trained teachers to collect data about atmosphere, hydrology and soils. Scientists use the data, posted by students on the web, to validate satellite images used to track seasonal and long-term changes in land cover and to identify microclimates that experience small-scale variations in temperature and precipitation.

Dr. Russell Schenider, chief of Science Support Branch, Storm Prediction Center, sending one of 121 responses during GLOBE chat with 70 students from K to 12. NOAA's storm team explained how student data can be a vital resource for tracking and forecasting weather events.




Robert Johns, Science Operations Officer, also pitched in to answer such questions as, Which state has the most lightening bolts? Florida Do you think the Great Lakes will ever dry up completely? Great Lakes are now declining but things can and do change fast. Several cities are now faced with major flood problems. How many lightening strikes hit earth on an average day? Over 1800 thunderstorms occur on the earth's surface at any one time, with an average of 100 lightening strikes every second. That means over 360,000 strikes during each hour of the day!

GLOBE is an interagency program of NOAA, NASA, the National Science Foundation, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Departments of Education and State. More than 85 countries have signed bilateral agreements to also allow their schools to participate in GLOBE.

For complete chat: http://globechat.arc.nasa.gov/webchat/expert/chat.cgi

NOAA Fisheries/Sea Grant just announced that six doctoral students have been awarded fellowships in the second year of a program launched by the Commerce Department, NOAA, the National Marine Fisheries Service, and the National Sea Grant College Program. The fellowships provide up to three years of support for work toward a Ph.D in population dynamics - the study of fish populations and the influences that may affect their size, reproduction and migration, among other factors. The fellowships also provide up to two years of assistance for students of marine resources, natural resources or environmental economics.

Four fellowships in population dynamics were awarded to John Walter, College of William and Mary, Virginia Institute of Marine Science; Michael Frisk, University of Maryland, Chesapeake Biological Laboratory; Ian Steward, University of Washington; and Julie Neer, Louisiana State University. Two marine resource fellowships were awarded to Reena Shaw, University of Rhode Island; and Michael Price, University of Maryland.