10 November 2011
Weather Radar Sees Birds and Bugs Take Flight After Quake
Posted by Dan Satterfield
Almost all of the NOAA Doppler radars are being upgraded to a new technology called dual polarization. Simply put, the upgraded radars can send electromagnetic radio waves that are polarized both horizontally and vertically. Comparing the difference in the reflected energy allows forecasters to see much more than with conventional Doppler radar.
One BIG benefit is the ability top determine the shape of objects in the beam. Is it hail, or raindrops? Is it bugs or gruapel (slushy ice), or snowflakes? The radar at Vance, AFB in Enid, OK. has already been upgraded, and something very cool was noted after the earthquake last Saturday.
Look at the image below, and specifically at the top left panel that shows the hydrometer identification. The radar is seeing a small amount of flying insects, and this is very typical. Migrating swarms of birds are seen often on weather radar.
Image ctsy. NWS in Norman, OK and Lubbock,TX.
Now look at the image below, and again at the upper left (hydrometeor ID) panel. This image is just after the quake, and the shaking has caused birds and insects to take flight across the state!
click for much larger view.
Big kudos to the NWS Norman for putting this up on their Facebook page. Not only is it interesting but it shows students just how fascinating real world science can be. You can also see the quake effects on the NWS Norman Doppler radar. Notice the increase in ground clutter between the two scans below.
Moments before the Quake.
Just after the quake. NOAA NEXRAD just south of Oklahoma City, OK.
Is that cool or what!
Dan Satterfield has worked as an on air meteorologist for 32 years in Oklahoma, Florida and Alabama. Forecasting weather is Dan's job, but all of Earth Science is his passion. This journal is where Dan writes about things he has too little time for on air. Dan blogs about peer-reviewed Earth science for Junior High level audiences and up.
Hi Dan, this is really interesting, thanks for posting it. Such a technology could be important for initial assessments of the area affected by an earthquake, which is key information for earthquake response. Combined with instrument data, models and “did you feel it” maps, we are rapidly developing the ability to map out earthquake affected regions quite quickly after an event.
Dave
[…] Dan’s Wild Wild Science Journal- Weather radar in Oklahoma was actually able to detect an unusually large swarm of birds and insects that flew up into the air during last Saturday’s earthquake. Technologically, that’s impressive. […]