GOES Nation and the GOES Virtual Science Fair: How Students Can Learn and Have Fun Doing Research with Satellite Data!

In May 2014, the American Meteorological Society (AMS) adopted a policy statement on EARTH SYSTEM Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Education, and recognized its importance “in developing, maintaining, and growing an education “pipeline” for the purpose of creating a world-class 21st-century workforce in the United States.” The question is “How can EARTH SYSTEM STEM be incorporated into the precollege classroom?” As further stated in the AMS policy, “...AMS highly recommends and encourages the use of datasets, computer models and visualizations, remote-sensing technologies, and field experiences.”

Here's one way: students will present their 2019 GOES Virtual Science Fair winning research at AMS. In addition, these junior scientists will explain how working with this satellite and associated scientists changed their perspective on how they believe science can and should be taught in the middle school classroom.

Student research abstract:

The Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI) is the main instrument on GOES-16. It represents a historic improvement over past GOES instruments. The previous generation of GOES gathered information using five spectral bands. The ABI uses 16. The research in this project used Band 13 data. Band 13 measures energy at 10.3 microns. The energy at this wavelength can give information about cloud top temperature (Brightness Temperature - BT) and cloud particle size. Clouds have a correlation to precipitation, so the research team decided to check Band 13 data against amounts of precipitation.

Over a span of 30 days, 21 precipitation measurements were taken using a metric rain gauge, positioned in the school courtyard. The GLOBE program precipitation protocol was followed. ABI Band 13 data was retrieved from the RAMMB Slider, Colorado State University. The team reached out to two scientists. Dr. Tim Schmit, NOAA ASBP and Dr. Dan Lindsey, from the NOAA GOES-R program, both were great mentors.