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Collection:
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NASA Scientific Visualization Studio Collection
Collection
NASA Scientific Visualization Studio Collection
Collection
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Title:
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Hurricane Rita's Hot Towers
Title
Hurricane Rita's Hot Towers
Title
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Instrument:
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TRMM/PR
Instrument
TRMM/PR
Instrument
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Instrument:
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TRMM/TMI
Instrument
TRMM/TMI
Instrument
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Instrument:
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TRMM/VIRS
Instrument
TRMM/VIRS
Instrument
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Description:
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Hurricane Rita's vertical rain structure in kilometers. The high towers are shown in red.
Description
Hurricane Rita's vertical rain structure in kilometers. The high towers are shown in red.
Description
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Abstract:
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NASA's TRMM spacecraft allows us to look under Hurricane Rita's clouds to see the rain structure on September 19, 2005 at 15Z. Spikes in the rain structure known as 'hot towers' indicate storm intensity. 'Hot Towers' refers to tall cumulonimbus clouds and has been seen as one of the mechanisms by which the intensity of a tropical cyclone is maintained. Because of the size (1-20 km) and short duration (30 minute to 2 hours) of these hot towers, studies of these events have been limited to descriptive studies from aircraft observations, although a few have attempted to use the presence of hot towers in a predictive capacity. Before TRMM, no data set existed that could show globally and definitively the presence of these hot towers in cyclone systems. Aircraft radar studies of individual storms lack global coverage. Global microwave or Infrared sensor observations do not provide the needed spatial resolution. With a ground resolution of 5 km, the TRMM Precipitation Radar provided the needed data set for examining the predictive value of hot towers in cyclone intensification.
At the time the data was taken, this storm was classified as a Tropical Storm with winds off 55 knots and a pressure of 994mb. The existence of these 18 km towers in the eye wall alerted researchers that this storm was going to rapidly intensify. Within 48 hours of this dataset, the storm was a very strong category 4 hurricane.
Abstract
NASA's TRMM spacecraft allows us to look under Hurricane Rita's clouds to see the rain structure on September 19, 2005 at 15Z. Spikes in the rain structure known as 'hot towers' indicate storm intensity. 'Hot Towers' refers to tall cumulonimbus clouds and has been seen as one of the mechanisms by which the intensity of a tropical cyclone is maintained. Because of the size (1-20 km) and short duration (30 minute to 2 hours) of these hot towers, studies of these events have been limited to descriptive studies from aircraft observations, although a few have attempted to use the presence of hot towers in a predictive capacity. Before TRMM, no data set existed that could show globally and definitively the presence of these hot towers in cyclone systems. Aircraft radar studies of individual storms lack global coverage. Global microwave or Infrared sensor observations do not provide the needed spatial resolution. With a ground resolution of 5 km, the TRMM Precipitation Radar provided the needed data set for examining the predictive value of hot towers in cyclone intensification.
At the time the data was taken, this storm was classified as a Tropical Storm with winds off 55 knots and a pressure of 994mb. The existence of these 18 km towers in the eye wall alerted researchers that this storm was going to rapidly intensify. Within 48 hours of this dataset, the storm was a very strong category 4 hurricane.
Abstract
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Completed:
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2005-09-20
Completed
2005-09-20
Completed
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Credit:
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*Please give credit for this visualization to*
NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center
Scientific Visualization Studio
Credit
*Please give credit for this visualization to*
NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center
Scientific Visualization Studio
Credit
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Studio:
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SVS
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Animator:
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Lori Perkins (Lead)
Animator
Lori Perkins (Lead)
Animator
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Animator:
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Greg Shirah
Animator
Greg Shirah
Animator
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Scientist:
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Jeff Halverson (JCET UMBC)
Scientist
Jeff Halverson (JCET UMBC)
Scientist
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Science paper:
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Science_Paper
Science paper
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Series:
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Hurricanes
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Series:
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TRMM 3D Hurricanes
Series
TRMM 3D Hurricanes
Series
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Data Collected:
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2005/09/19
Data_Collected
2005/09/19
Data Collected
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Keywords:
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DLESE
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Keywords:
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Atmospheric science
Keywords
Atmospheric science
Keywords
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Keywords:
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SVS
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Keywords:
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HDTV
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Keywords:
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Hurricane
Keywords
Hurricane
Keywords
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Keywords:
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Natural hazards
Keywords
Natural hazards
Keywords
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Keywords:
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Hurricane Frances
Keywords
Hurricane Frances
Keywords
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facet_where:
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Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC)
facet_where
Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC)
facet_where
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facet_when:
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September 19, 2005
facet_when
September 19, 2005
facet_when
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facet_what:
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Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM)
facet_what
Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM)
facet_what
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facet_when_year:
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2005
facet_when_year
2005
facet_when_year
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Animation Number:
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3259
Animation_Number
3259
Animation Number
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UID:
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SPD-SCIVS-http://svs .gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a 000000/a003200/a0032 59/towers_colorbar-I MAGE
UID
SPD-SCIVS-http://svs .gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a 000000/a003200/a0032 59/towers_colorbar-I MAGE
UID
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original url:
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original_url
original url
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