87th AMS Annual Meeting

Tuesday, 16 January 2007: 5:00 PM
The journey of Hurricane Isabel as tracked by NASA Earth Observing Systems (EOS) instruments
217A (Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center)
Stephanie L. Granger, JPL, Pasadena, CA; and E. T. Olsen, E. J. Fetzer, C. Thompson, S. Y. Lee, and C. Moroney
We use GIS technology in a demonstration of the ability of instruments from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Earth Observing System (EOS) to measure and monitor Atlantic hurricane activity and the Saharan Air Layer (SAL). In particular, we use measurements from two Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) managed instruments, the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) and the Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer (MISR) to explore the journey of Hurricane Isabel in 2003 and the nearly coincident SAL that may have delayed formation of the hurricane by a few days. Measurements from multiple space-based platforms used in tandem with ground-based and model runs will help weather researchers understand the influence of the SAL on tropical Atlantic hurricanes. This new understanding will help to better predict hurricane formation and intensity, thus saving lives and property when a hurricane threatens populated regions. We use Geographic Information Systems (GIS) tools and methods to integrate and analyze datasets from disparate sources, including measurements from different satellite platforms and ground-based observations to help us provide a synergistic view of Atlantic hurricanes and the SAL.

Supplementary URL: