# Presentation: 887381

## The University of Toledo

- Kevin Czajkowski, Timothy Ault, Teresa Benko, Alison Spongberg, Janet Struble, Mark Templin, and Jackie Kane

**Engaging K-12 Students in Science: Validating Satellite Imagery with GLOBE Observations**

## Our Scientific Endeavors

- Protocols
- Clouds
- Snow
- Surface temperature
- Soil temperature

- Scientific Questions
- Validation of satellite imagery (snow, cloud and surface temperature)
- Energy budget
- The Hydrologic Cycle
- Urban Heat Island
- Global Warming

## Outline

**Validation of the MODIS Snow Product**
- Quantitative Using GLOBE student data
- Qualitative: Inquiry-based Project by St. Ursula    	Academy Student.
**Development of the Surface Temperature ****	****Protocol**
**Quality Assurance; Data Entry Problems**

## Why Study Snow?

- Snow cover affects the amount of water in the Great Lakes – lake levels are low now.

**Old Mission Point Lighthouse - Grand Traverse Bay**

**Source: GLERL.NOAA.Gov**

## Source: SOCC University of Waterloo

## Can you see the snow through the clouds?

**Feb. 4, 2002**

- MODIS Visible Band

## Slide 7

## MODIS Data vs. Student Data

**Clouds = 2,161  Student Snow Observations Not Used**

**MODIS Data****     **

**Student Observations**

*******

## MODIS Snow Product Error vs. Snow Depth

## School Observation Sites Classified as Water by the MODIS Snow Product 

## MODIS Designated Clouds vs. Student Observations

## MODIS Designated Clear vs. Student Observations

## What We Did...

**Took 35 MODIS satellite images from the University of Toledo’s server ****http://www.remotesensing.utoledo.edu/education/student_obs/index.html**** Looked for irregularities in classification.**
**Tested using GLOBE student data and National Weather Service data.**

_**Visual Approach - Satellite Image Analysis**_

**    ****By:  Ms. Julia Gehring  and  Ms. Jackie Kane, Advisor                 ****	**** St. Ursula Academy (Toledo, OH)**

**A Student’s Investigation :**

**Notes:**
We searched the images created by the MODIS algorithm for unusual patterns. We compared archived weather data to these areas

## February 1, 2002

**Narrow strip of snow running SW to NE**
**Archived weather data showed temperatures of previous week above freezing**
**Student data reported no snow**
**Rating:**

**MODIS Snow Product**

**Notes:**
Other times, there seemed to be no justification for the irregularities.

## New Surface Temperature Protocol

- Use Raytek Raynger ST20 Hand-held Infrared Thermometer
- Accuracy: ±1° to 2° C depending on the temperature
- Collocated with GPS reading
- Must take cloud observations
- Must measure snow depth
- Make notes about wet or dry ground
- 9 observations in a location (homogeneous area)

## Surface Temperature is at the Heart of the  Energy Budget

- Incoming sunlight heats the surface

- Evapotranspiration cools the surface

- Sensible heat rises from the ground

- Heat goes into the ground

- Surface Temperature

- Emitted energy cools the surface to space

**Surface Temperature is at the Heart of the  Energy Budget**

## Urban Heat Island EffectValidate Satellite Algorithms

## Surface Temperature Measurement Techniques by Scientists

**Surface Temperature Measurement Techniques by Scientists**

- Tower Mounted IRT

- Hand-held IRT

## Central Catholic Students Taking Surface Temperature Observations

- Mike Hedley submitted an article to the NSTA Science Teacher, published May 2004

## Inner-city schools cannot take many other GLOBE observations

- 						Surface temperature 							can be used in parking 						lots.

- Aerial photograph of Central Catholic
- High School

## We’ve Tested the Protocol

- Tested with 5 teachers in December, 2002
- Tested with 10 teachers in January, 2003
- Tested with 28 teachers and their students during 2003-2004 winter.
- Graduate students in remote sensing course.
- Undergraduate pre-service teacher this summer

## Thermal Shock

- During our summer 2003 workshop, teachers noticed that the IRT’s did not match – 5° C difference noticed.
- The IRT reads incorrectly if going from inside to outside if the temperature was much different.

## Tests in a Freezer

- Jackie Kane – teacher from St. Ursula Academy invented a fix – the thermal shock sock.
- Initial tests of the sock in a freezer.

-   Moved on to school freezer.

## Fixing Thermal Shock

- Or, leave IRT outside for about 30 minutes

## Slide 25

## Quality Assurance; Data Entry Problems

- 16% of the observations had the incorrect UTC (Universal Time Coordinated).
- One teacher didn’t read the protocol and used a current temperature thermometer laid on the ground.
- Surface Temperature was entered in F instead of C.
- Snow depth was entered in inches or cm instead of mm.
- Drifting of snow not accounted for.

**Notes:**
11 of 28 schools had at least one mistake.  Only 3 schools systematically reported their UTC incorrectly.

## Lessons Learned

- Follow-up, follow-up, follow-up
- Students need a scientific question that their data will be used to answer.
- Check student observations carefully for accuracy.
- Student observations can be used to validate satellite imagery having a great spatial distribution.
- High school students are very capable of completing scientific investigations but require mentoring.
- Teachers, even the best ones, do not know how to perform inquiry-based projects and need a lot of help from scientists.

## It’s Fun!

**We Need Surface Temperature Observations!**

- Teacher workshop at Stark County Educational Services Center August 16-19, 2004 – 15 teachers signed up.
- Have follow-up training for teachers previously GLOBE trained this fall.
- Other GLOBE schools and partnerships?