Tuesday, September 24, 2013

National Buoy Data

Objective:  To investigate Earth's waters in search of wave data, such as amplitude, frequency, etc...

Guiding Questions:  What information do buoys give us?  What data can we collect?  What is a buoy anyway and what is it used for?  Can you tell from the map at this link?



http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/

Before going to the site, predict where you think the biggest waves will be found.

HOW TO USE THE MAP:  Place your cursor on the map (yellow markers indicate data-generating stations with recent data). Click on several different yellow markers to explore the data offered. Some buoys provide graphical information about water column height (amplitude) and period of wave (frequency); others provide temperature data (water and air), wind speed/direction, and atmospheric pressure.   

For this assignment, you will create a data table in order to collect data from at least 10 locations (make sure you take them from different areas on the globe/map), wave height, period of wave, wind speed, temperature.  

After you collect the data, you will create a graph showing at least wave height, (and hopefully) frequency, as well as the location.   


In conclusion, you should be able to use your data table and graph to discuss patterns, relationships, and to answer the guiding questions. Here are a few other questions to consider:    
Where are waves the highest and the lowest? What do you think makes them so high?  Make sure that you note the date you accessed the link.  What types of buoys were they?  What atmospheric pressure or wind speed was at that location?  What causes waves to become so high or low?  Why might these buoys be helpful to meteorologists, cities on the coast (seaside), boatsmen, you...?  

Monday, February 18, 2013

Waves on the Earth Assignment Instructions


Choose one topic that has to do with waves on Earth:  Hurricanes, tsunamis, or Earthquakes.
 
Your task is to write an informational blog post of 600-2000 words in length about one of these topics and connect it to what you have been learning about waves and how they work.
 
Points of discussion, but not limited to:
What is it?
Why/How does it occur?
Where do they mostly occur?
What are the effects of it?
How can science help to predict, or keep us safe from these natural disturbances in the Earth's crust, ocean's and atmosphere?  (Remember choose only one of the above topics)
What warning systems are in place?
What are the benefits or limitations of them?
Are there other issues that cause problems or interfere with have good safety features or warning systems set up like economics, environment, politics...?  

I CAN'T WAIT TO READ WHAT YOU FIND OUT!!!!
 

Websites you could use for reliable information:
Southern California Earthquake Center (SCEC). (2007). Animations and movies. Retrieved from:http://www.scec.org/resources/movies.html

YouTube video on Japan Earthquake Animation of Foreshocks, mainshock and Aftershocks!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dpOI8vkJ-G4&feature=related 

YouTube video on How tsunamis relate to Earthquakes! Good one.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=chbbiSCczB8&feature=related

YouTube video on Hurricane Katrina Historic Storm Surge. These guys are crazy!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Kou0HBpX4A&feature=related

USGS (United States Geological Survey) and Science Education
http://www.usgs.gov
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/learn/animations/ 

Animation of Tsunamis
http://www.iris.edu/hq/files/programs/education_and_outreach/aotm/interactive/PNW_vs_Japan.swf

Provincial Emergency Program (PEP). (n.d.). Tsunami animation. Retrieved from: http://www.pep.bc.ca/tsunamis/causes_2.htm

Milliner, J., & McDaris, J. (2011). Hurricane visualization. Retrieved from:http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/hurricanes/visualizations/hurricanes.html

Monday, January 14, 2013

National Buoy Data :)

http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/

Before going to the site, predict where you think the biggest waves will be found.

HOW TO USE THE MAP:  Place your cursor on the map (yellow markers indicate data-generating stations with recent data). Click on several different yellow markers to explore the data offered. Some buoys provide graphical information about water column height; others provide temperature data (water and air), wind speed/direction, and atmospheric pressure.   

TAKE NOTES to share in class and REFLECT on this experience : 

USE this link to explore various buoys in the oceans, or the Great Lakes.  Where are waves the highest and the lowest? What do you think makes them so high?  Make sure that you note the date you accessed the link.  What types of buoys were they?  What atmospheric pressure or wind speed was at that location?  What causes waves to become so high or low?  Why might these buoys be helpful to meteorologists, cities on the coast (seaside), boatsmen, you...?