# Presentation: 467450

## Cloud Protocols

## Goals for the Training Session

- Provide an inquiry context for the data collection and science content
- Provide accurate science content
- Review procedures for data collection
- Review data entry and analysis
- Discuss classroom implementation ideas
- Collect feedback from participants

**Notes:**
These are the goals for the Cloud Protocols training session.

This is a picture of cirrus clouds and persistent spreading contrails taken in Boulder, CO.

## Inquiry Context

- Does cloud cover affect surface temperature and surface air temperature?
- What is the relationship between clouds and precipitation?
- Is there a relationship between contrails and cloud cover?

**Notes:**
The clouds shown in the picture are altocumulus.

## Local Inquiry Example

**Notes:**
Students can generate local inquiry questions to create a context for data collection to answer the question. Local inquiry topics can be connected or scaled to provide a local to global perspective on environmental research.

Please generate a local example that teachers and students can relate to.

## Why do GLOBE scientists research clouds?

- To better calculate the rate of heat exchange in the atmosphere
- For verification and improvement of automated remote sensing
- To understand how cloud climatology may be changing
- To help improve interpretation of satellite observations of Earth’s radiative balance
- To provide ground-based data on contrails

**Notes:**
Student-collected measurements in the Cloud Protocols are helpful to scientists in the following ways:
Helps scientists calculate the rate of heat exchange in the environment 
Use for verification and improvement of remote sensing methods.  This includes the sensor measurements, and the algorithms used to interpret the sensor reading.  Algorithms are formulas or computer programs written to convert instrument readings to physical quantities (e.g., convert radiative energy received to surface temperature) 
To improve automated methods for obtaining cloud data from satellites
Help tie new measurements of clouds by automated sensors to long-term historical data records of human observations
Help to identify cloud type more accurately than is possible by remote sensing
Contribute to determination of how cloud climatology may be changing (a major issue in assessing climate change)
Contribute to improved interpretation of satellite observations of Earth’s radiative balance
Provide one of the only sources of ground-based observations of contrails, which are challenging to detect by remote sensing due to their small width. Contrails are human-caused linear clouds formed high in the troposphere.

This is a picture of cirrus clouds with persistent spreading contrails taken in Boulder, CO. 

## Science Content: The Cloud Triangle

- _Clouds can be defined by_:
-  Their shape & form
-  The cloud base altitude
-  If they are precipitating

**Notes:**
The first indicator for determining cloud type is the general shape and form of the cloud (see next slide).
Next, the altitude at which the base of the cloud rests determines whether it is a low (no prefix), middle (alto- prefix), or high (cirro- prefix) altitude cloud.
If the cloud is precipitating (rain, snow, or hail) then it is considered either a Nimbostratus or Cumulonimbus cloud, depending on its form. The precipitation doesn’t necessarily have to reach the ground (i.e., it evaporates before hitting the ground surface).
The next several slides provide images of these major cloud types.

## Science Content: Cloud Shape

- The 3 main cloud shapes are:

- Cumulus
- (Puffy)

- Stratus
- (Layered)

- Cirrus
- (Wispy)

- Altitude and shape are keys to identifying clouds.

## Science Content: High Clouds

**High-level clouds**

- Cirrostratus

- Cirrocumulus

- Cirrus

**Notes:**
High clouds are located at 6000m and higher in mid-latitudes.
Cirrus
   delicate filaments
   hair-like appearance
Cirrostratus
   halos often indicate presence 
Cirrocumulus
	 Cirrocumulus clouds are thin white layers that look like patches of cotton or ripples. 

## Science Content: Middle Clouds

- Altocumulus

- Altostratus

**Mid-level clouds**

**Notes:**
Alto is the prefix for mid-level clouds.

Altocumulus
Form in sheets of “cloudlets” or “elements” that look like waves on the sea, tiny cumulus, balls of cotton, or even little castle towers. 
A good rule of thumb to use to help determine if a cloud is altocumulus is if the individual puffs are wider than one finger, but not as wide as two fingers, when your hand is held at arm's length. 

Altostratus
uniform gray sheet
sun may be dimly visible
no halo

## Science Content: Low Clouds

- Stratocumulus

- Stratus

- Cumulus

**Low-level clouds**

**Notes:**
Cumulus
      Puffy on top, flat bottom
      Big cumulus look like cauliflowers
Stratus
      Uniform sheets of cloud
Statocumulus
     Horizontal sheets of cloud, not as uniform as stratus
     Both the tops and bottoms of the elements in these clouds are rounded. 
     They can look like waves on the ocean, joined flat cumulus, or a continuous but irregular layer. 

## Science Content: Low Clouds with precipitation

- Nimbostratus

- Cumulonimbus

**Low-level clouds**

**Notes:**
Nimbo or Nimbus refers to the presence of precipitation.
Cumulonimbus clouds can rise to very high altitudes, but their cloud bases occur at low altitude.
The top of a cumulonimbus becomes anvil shaped because its updraft encounters warmer (less dense) air and can’t rise any farther.  Instead, the rising air spreads horizontally, creating the anvil.  

## Science Content: Contrail Types

- Persistent Non-spreading

- Persistent Spreading

- Short-lived

**Notes:**
Contrails are linear clouds made up of ice crystals formed around small particles in jet aircraft exhaust.
Contrails are high level clouds, caused directly by human activity, and are of great interest to researchers. 

Three subtypes of Contrails Can Be Distinguished:
1. Short-lived contrails: obvious tail behind a plane; Does not remain after plane passes.
2. Persistent, non-spreading contrails: obvious contrails (linear, narrow features) that do not appear to dissipate, or to show signs of spreading, and that remain long after the airplanes that created them have left the area; They form long straight lines of approximately constant width across the sky.
3. Persistent, spreading contrails: obvious linear cirrus-type clouds with a diffuse appearance; They form long streaks that grow wider and fuzzier as the distance from the plane that caused them increases.

## Science Content: Estimating Percentages

- Cloud Cover

- No Clouds             0%

- Clear	0 - 10%

- Isolated10 - 25%

- Scattered25 - 50%

- Broken50 - 90%

- Overcast>90%

- Contrail Cover

- No Contrails       0%

- 0-10%

- 10-25%

- 25-50%

- >50%

**Notes:**
Categories based on percentage of cover are used to report cloud and contrail cover.
You may want to have students practice estimating the percentage of coverage by working individually and then comparing their results in small groups.

## The Measurements

- Cloud Type
- Contrail Type
- Percentage of Cloud Cover
- Percentage of Contrail Cover

**Notes:**
To do the Cloud Protocols, students will need to be able to identify cloud and contrail types as well as estimate the percentage of coverage for both.

## Collecting Data: Field/Lab Guides & Data Sheets

**Field/Lab Guides:**
- Cloud Cover and Contrail Cover Protocol Field Guide
- Cloud Type and Contrail Type Protocol Field Guide
**Data Sheets:**
- Use _**one**_ of the following:
- Clouds 1-Measurement Data Sheet
- Clouds 7-Measurement Data Sheet
- Integrated 1-Day Data Sheet
- Integrated 7-Day Data Sheet

**Notes:**
Field/Lab Guides: All Field Guides are located in the Atmosphere Investigation of the Teacher’s Guide.  The respective chapter and pages numbers are included below:
-Cloud Cover and Contrail Cover Protocol Field Guide (Cloud Protocol -9)
-Cloud Type and Contrail Type Protocol Field Guide (Cloud Protocol -10)

Data sheets: The data sheets are located in the Appendix of the Atmosphere Investigation of the print Teacher’s Guide or they can be downloaded from the Teacher’s Guide link on the GLOBE Web site at any time.
Use one of the following:
-Clouds 1-Measurement Data Sheet (Appendix -3,4)
-Clouds 7-Measurement Data Sheet (Appendix – 5,6)
-Integrated 1-Day Data Sheet (Appendix – 7,8)
-Integrated 7-Day Data Sheet (Appendix – 9,10,11)

Cloud observations are also made with the measurements for Aerosols, Surface Temperature, Ozone, and Relative Humidity Protocols. In these cases cloud observations are made on the data sheets for these protocols.

## Collecting Data: Protocol

- Look at the sky in every direction
- Estimate and record the % of coverage by clouds & contrails
- Identify and record the number of each type of contrail

**Notes:**
When to Take Cloud Observations:
The ideal schedule is to take clouds daily within one hour of local solar noon.
However, Cloud measurements can be taken anytime, even multiple times during a given day. 
When taking measurements for aerosols, water vapor, relative humidity, surface temperature, and ozone, cloud cover/percentage is also required and is recorded directly on those measurements datasheets. 
If you are taking measurements in support of a satellite mission, then take the measurements at the time that the satellite passes over your location.  Look on either the GLOBE Web site or the satellite mission’s Web site to obtain the time. 

How to Estimate Cloud Height: (Please see the Notes on the Next Slide)

## Collecting Data: Procedures

- Listed are examples of obscuring conditions
- If more than one-fourth of the sky is obscured, record and report the reason on the data sheet.

- 		Blowing Snow
- 		Heavy Snow
- 		Heavy Rain
- 		Fog
- 		Spray
- 		Volcanic Ash
- 		Smoke
- 		Dust
- 		Sand
- 		Haze

**Notes:**
**At this point give the participants the field guides and data collection sheets, go outside, and let them practice the measurements. 
How to Estimate Cloud Height:
For Layered Cumulus Clouds:
Low stratocumulus clouds are about the size of your fist or larger, when you hold up your hand at arm’s length.
Mid-level altocumulus clouds are between 1 and 2 fingers wide when you hold your hand at arm’s length.
High-level cirrocumulus clouds are about as wide as your littlest finger when you hold your hand at arm’s length.

Stratus Clouds:
Determining the height of stratus clouds is more of a challenge. High mountains in the background can help, but in most cases won’t be available.
If it has rained recently or the cloud layer is very thick and you can’t see the sun, then most likely you have low-level stratus clouds.
If you see the sun and it is diffused (like looking through ground glass) then most likely you have altostratus clouds.
If you see the sun and it has sharp edges, you have stratus clouds
Cirrostratus clouds will generally be thin enough to see the sun distinctly and have a halo (if the sun is obscured by the clouds). A general rule of thumb is that if you can see your shadow on the ground enough light is getting through, and therefore the clouds are cirrostratus.

## Enter Data on the GLOBE Web Site

- Step 2: Select “Cloud Observations” from          	     the atmosphere data entry menu
- Step 3: Enter date/UT time/select site
- Step 4: Enter cloud observation data
- Step 5: Confirm data entries on 	 	 	    verification page

**Notes:**
**At this point, direct the participants to the GLOBE training data entry site and have them enter the data from their data collection sheets. Note: You will need to have a site definition already established or complete the Instrument Construction, Site Selection, and Set-Up training and define an atmosphere study site prior to entering the Cloud/Contrail data.
STEP 1: **Remind participants that they will have to establish an atmospheric study site first.This is also a good time to explain that they will enter their school location information also when first establishing their data entry sites.
STEP 2: **Cloud observation data can also be submitted on the “Atmosphere: One Day” and “Atmosphere: Seven Days” data entry pages.
STEP 3: Enter a valid date, UT time, and select the atmospheric study site for the data you are reporting. Click the proceed button to get to the actual data entry page.
STEP 4: Enter the cloud observation data from the data sheet. Click the Send Data button to submit the observations.
STEP 5: The data will be displayed to double check or confirm the data. After checking the page, click to submit additional data or return to the main data entry page.

Email data entry is also available.  Directions can be found on the GLOBE Web site under Data Entry.

## Looking at the Data: Contrail Type

**Notes:**
The map shows the student-collected data over Europe for the Contrail Count-a-thon conducted on Earth Day 2004. After students enter their data, it can be displayed using the GLOBE Web site’s online mapping and graphing tools. This allows them to “see” their results and analyze their measurements or compare them with the same measurements from other places in the world. Some data are best represented through graphs. 

A teacher or student can generate their own map by going to the GLOBE website and specifying which measurement, date, and region they would like mapped. GLOBE provides powerful data visualization tools to look at the GLOBE student data on a world-wide basis.

This map shows 93 different schools participating in the Contrail Count-a-thon on this particular day, April 22, 2004. The color of the dots represent the occurrence of different contrail types. The legend for these colors is explained below.
Legend:
L = Short-Lived Contrail
N = Persistent Non-Spreading Contrail
S = Persistent Spreading Contrail

Refer to the “Looking at Data” section of this protocol in the Teacher’s Guide for a data analysis activity.

## Classroom Implementation

- Inquiry
- Curriculum/Standards Alignment
- Assessment
- Classroom Management

**Notes:**
Have participants break into groups and discuss one or more of the following bullet items, as time allows.
Additionally, GLOBE Learning Activities provide students with science content and the skills necessary to collect data for the Cloud Protocols.

The following Learning Activities for the Cloud Protocols exist on the GLOBE Web site:
1. Observing, Describing and Identifying Clouds
2. Estimating Cloud Cover: A Simulation
3. Cloud Watch

## Getting Started

- The GLOBE Web site has information
- _[http://www.globe.gov](http://www.globe.gov/)_
- GLOBE Help Desk or your Country Coordinator can support you as you get started.
- Get your students involved doing real science!