NOAA Environmental Visualization Laboratory - Image of the Day
Posted by CypressTX on 8/19/2010, 6:29 pm
http://www.nnvl.noaa.gov/MediaHome.php?MediaTypeID=1&CategoryID=35

Energy for Hurricanes



Energy in the form of heat fuels the intensification of topical cyclones (also called hurricanes in the Atlantic and East Pacific). Quite often sea surface temperature data is used to demonstrate the heat content of the ocean, however the surface is only part of the story. Whereas sea surface temperature data typically represents only the top skin of the oceans, cyclones intensify by extracting energy from the ocean column - from the surface down to depths where temperatures are at least 26 degrees C (79 degrees F).

This dataset, from August 17, 2010, generated by the Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory, uses temperate and ocean height data to determine how much energy is available to intensify hurricanes. By knowing how deep down the ocean is at least 26 degrees C, its possible to estimate how much energy is available. Greater depths of 26 degree C or higher ocean temperatures equal more energy for hurricanes to intensify. These values are plotted here in terms of units of energy (KiloJoules) per unit area (square centimeters). The more intense the red color, the deeper the warm waters extend into the ocean, and the more energy to fuel cyclones.
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NOAA Environmental Visualization Laboratory - Image of the Day - CypressTX, 8/19/2010, 6:29 pm
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