Wavetrak, one new tool introduced this year, combines data from five different satellites to create a 10-day movie of atmospheric waves circulating out of central Africa, the birthplace of cyclones. Created by Velden and research intern Jason Dunion, Wavetrak is designed to study the atmospheric waves that act as a conveyor belt carrying the right conditions that cause cyclones. Wind shear has a major impact on tropical cyclone intensity. This shows us the amplitude and strength of these waves as they come off Africa and into the Atlantic. Wavetrak allows scientists to get a complete picture of a cyclone, from its beginning over central Africa, its growth across the Atlantic to its eventual fizzling out.
Wind shear is an important factor in predicting the intensity of a cyclone.
A strong wind shear can knock the tops off of cyclones and reduce their power. Scientists want to pinpoint the thresholds of wind shear effects, good or bad, on cyclones, said Velden. By using microwave transmissions, the Advance Microwave Sounding Unit has the ability to penetrate cloud cover and record the unique temperature signatures of hurricane cores. Core temperatures are closely related to intensity and AMSU provides color-coded images of those core hotspots. Super-rapid scanning takes satellite images every 60 seconds and turns them into precisely detailed motion pictures of a storm.