Newswise — Coastal residents could gain a better understanding of the destructive nature of severe weather as a result of research at The University of Alabama in Huntsville.
The university's research scientists are part of a team developing an information system that will provide near-term forecasting of waves and storm surges, correlated with real-time measurements of winds, waves, currents, and water density under all types of weather conditions.
UAH research scientist Sara Graves and her team are developing information technology tools that will help transmit, translate and manage data from atmospheric and oceanic forecast models as well as satellite, buoy and ocean floor sensors that focus on storm surges, wind waves and surface currents.
"We're focusing on the prediction and visualization of phenomena that causes damage and inundation of coastal regions during severe storms and hurricanes," said Dr. Graves, director of UAH's Information Technology and Systems Center. The research will also have applications with tsunamis. Although the threat of tsunamis in the Gulf of Mexico is quite small, Graves said this research will find uses in many other parts of the world.
The Southeast Universities Research Association (SURA) is coordinating the project. The project, using the acronym SCOOP, proposes to create an advanced cyberinfrastructure for an Integrated Ocean Observing System in the southeastern region. The SURA Coastal Ocean Observing and Prediction (SCOOP) project provides a shared means for the acquisition of observational data and enables modeling, analysis and delivery of information in real-time.
Dr. Graves said the project's far-reaching research goals are to measure, understand and predict environmental conditions as well as provide support to federal agencies such as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the U.S. Navy.
The capabilities of such as a system will be used to validate accurate, yet timely predictions. This research will also bridge a gap that exists between scientific research and coastal operations.
UAH research will help bridge that gap by developing standards and protocols to exchange, translate, transmit and manage large volumes of data, according to university researcher Ken Keiser.
"One of our objectives is the deployment of the communications infrastructure to link ocean sensors that are operating in extreme environmental conditions to people and groups who need timely information," he said.
Agreeing on a common protocol is one of the hurdles scientists must overcome. "The coordination of these datasets and the ability of the various agencies to communicate and operate a seamless system is a key to the success of this project," Keiser said.
For example, a number of government agencies require the ability to acquire data from the observations of the satellite remote sensing devices and ocean floor sensors. At the same time, the system will provide data quickly to enable modeling, analysis and delivery of the information on a real-time basis.
Graves said the research eventually will be used as a model for a planned national ocean observing system. "This system will serve a number of needs," Graves said, including facilitating a safe and efficient marine system, mitigating natural hazards, ensuring public health and managing resources for sustainable use, as well as preserving and restoring healthy marine ecosystems.
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