In the News
New technology offers insights on Southern Ocean’s carbon secrets
The Southern Ocean surrounding Antarctica makes up less than a third of the global ocean surface, yet scientists believe it “plays an outsized role in the climate system,” according to a 2021 journal article in Geophysical Research Letters. Water and currents from other oceans meet here, allowing for heat and carbon transfer as this body of water connects the ocean and atmosphere. Adrienne Sutton is quoted.
For heart of hurricane season, drone boats sent from Jacksonville to face storms' fury
The key to making hurricane forecasts suddenly clearer and more accurate might have floated out to sea from Jacksonville last week on something looking like orange surfboards with wings. Saildrone 2021 Atlantic Hurricane research mission is featured.
Two autonomous Saildrone Explorers will launch from Jacksonville
In partnership with National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Saildrone will go storm chasing in the Atlantic. The Saildrone 2021 Atlantic Hurricane research mission launch is featured.
Storm experts will send tough robots directly into hurricanes
A seafaring drone can sail where people can't: straight into a hurricane. During the 2021 Atlantic hurricane season (it's predicted to be busy), that's exactly what scientists will do: send marine robots into the heart of churning cyclones. The unprecedented mission aims to improve researchers' understanding of how hurricanes rapidly intensify into monstrous storms with destructive winds and deadly flooding. If all goes as planned, the drones will venture through the storm's most violent winds, which circle the eye of a cyclone, called an eyewall.
Saildrone goes chasing hurricanes in the Caribbean
Though some folks chase storms for the thrill, and others out of curiosity, there are also those who pursue severe weather events for scientific purposes. And it's the lattermost pursuit that will see a small fleet of unmanned surface vehicles deliberately head into hurricane territory.