{"id":3313,"date":"2006-07-12T11:31:24","date_gmt":"2006-07-12T16:31:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.ssec.wisc.edu\/news\/?p=3313"},"modified":"2013-06-18T15:24:12","modified_gmt":"2013-06-18T20:24:12","slug":"monthly-news-summary-july-2006","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ssec.wisc.edu\/news\/articles\/3313","title":{"rendered":"Monthly News Summary – July 2006"},"content":{"rendered":"

Changing the GOES line-up<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
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Above is the first full disk image from GOES-13. The\u00a0Data Center<\/a>\u00a0at the Space Science and Engineering Center received this image on June 22.<\/em><\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

A handful of United States\u00a0geostationary weather satellites<\/a>\u00a0stand sentinel in the sky over the western hemisphere, gathering information about the Earth and its atmosphere. In late June, these satellites underwent a few changes. Facilitated by our\u00a0Data Center<\/a>, SSEC has participated in the changes to the GOES line-up.<\/p>\n

On June 22, the Data Center began\u00a0receiving data from GOES-13<\/a>. Launched on May 24, GOES-13 is the first of the next series of geostationary weather satellites. These satellites will provide a few improvements over current GOES satellites, including improved navigation and superior measurement of optical radiation.<\/p>\n

However, we will have to wait to benefit from GOES-13 data. After\u00a0NASA<\/a>and\u00a0NOAA<\/a>\u00a0check the satellite both from an engineering perspective and a science perspective, GOES-13 will go into in-orbit storage until it is time to replace one of the current operating geostationary weather satellites (GOES-11 or GOES-12).<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
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Above is the first infrared image from GOES-13. The Data Center received this image on July 12.<\/em><\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

When NASA completes the engineering test, NOAA will take over the operation of GOES-13 and will conduct a science test (beginning in the fall). As they have for previous GOES satellites, SSEC\u2019sCooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies<\/a>(CIMSS) will contribute to the GOES-13 science test. The test includes comparisons of data from GOES-13 against measurements from other satellites and ground-based instruments. This is a critical step in preparation for the use of GOES-13 data in numerical weather prediction and other forecasting applications.<\/p>\n

Also, on June 21, GOES-11 returned to operational use after its own extended hiatus in in-orbit storage. GOES-11 replaced GOES-10 as the GOES-West satellite. GOES-10 will then move to 60 West where it\u00a0will become the weather satellite over Latin America<\/a>. SSEC will help with the GOES-10 check-in\/check-out as it transfers from the U.S. to Latin America.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
\"july.GOES10_VS_GOES11_CTP_6JUN06\"<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
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The Cloud Top Pressure products generate for GOES-10 and GOES-11 are quite consistent.<\/em><\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

SSEC also helped verify the accuracy of GOES-11 as it went through pre-operational tests. In late May and early June, CIMSS researchers compared data from the GOES-11 sounder to that from GOES-10 and found that measurements from GOES-11 showed less noise. After processing the data for the Cloud Top Pressure product, researchers found that GOES-10 and GOES-11 are quite consistent with each other. An initial comparison of data from the GOES-11 imager with observations from the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) was also favorable. SSEC\u2019s Data Center provided all of the data used in these analyses.<\/p>\n

<\/a>Data and Imagery<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
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SSEC recently installed an Online Weather Looper (OWL) display outside of Dean Cadwallader’s office in Bascom Hall.<\/em><\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

An OWL in the Grad School<\/strong>\u00a0\u2014In early June, SSEC installed another Online Weather Looper, or OWL, on the UW-Madison campus. The first OWL is in the lobby of the Atmospheric, Oceanic & Space Sciences building. The new OWL perches outside of Dean Martin Cadwallader\u2019s office in Bascom Hall. Cadwallader is UW-Madison\u2019s Dean of the Graduate School and Vice Chancellor for Research. The 32\u201d screen displays a variety of current weather data, imagery and animations. A variety of SSEC personnel installed the OWL. Several members of the center\u2019s technical computing staff provided technical support while others programmed and designed the products for the OWL, and still others procured and installed the system. Together, the crew set up another highly visible OWL to help visitors and staff at the Graduate School understand how satellite data applies to research about many aspects of the weather.<\/p>\n

Cloud climate milestone achieved<\/strong>\u00a0\u2014An effort to reprocess data from a satellite instrument recently reached a milestone. In this project, researchers hope to reanalyze approximately 25 years of climate data gathered by the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR), an instrument aboard a polar-orbiting space craft. Recently, a team led by\u00a0Andy Heidinger<\/strong>\u00a0(NOAA at SSEC) completed a climatology of clouds in the upper troposphere using temperature and emissivity measurements from AVHRR. The climatology is consistent with climatologies of the tropsphere created with other instruments, and with data from another satellite instrument called the MODerate-resolution imaging Spectroradiometer.<\/p>\n

Hurricane image<\/strong>\u00a0\u2014The\u00a0Lions of Florida<\/a>\u00a0magazine featured an image of Hurricane Wilma on the cover of the May edition.\u00a0Liam Gumley\u00a0<\/strong>(CIMSS) created the image. The Lions of Florida used the same image on the cover of their 2006 hurricane guide.<\/p>\n

SSEC imagery used on meteorologist’s Web site\u00a0<\/strong>\u2014New England area meteorologist Todd Gross plans to use SSEC satellite imagery on his Web sites\u00a0toddgross.com<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0capeandislandsweather.com<\/a>. On July 13, Gross used on of SSEC\u2019s MODIS images of weather over the Atlantic Coast. The sites also feature a link to\u00a0SSEC\u2019s images from polar orbiting satellites<\/a>. \u201cThank you once again, I have been aware of your graphics since going toSUNY Albany<\/a>\u00a0back in the mid 70s, and 30 years later you are still a leader in the field,\u201d Gross said in an e-mail.<\/p>\n

Blogging about tropical cyclones<\/strong>\u00a0\u2014The animations produced by CIMSS\u2019s\u00a0Tropical Cyclones research team<\/a>\u00a0are \u201chypnotic,\u201d according to blogger Charles Rigg. Rigg maintains a blog for Wells Fargo called \u201cGuided by History: Communities Respond to Natural Disasters.\u201d In a\u00a0post on June 6<\/a>, he wrote about hurricanes and included a link to the Tropical Cyclones research team\u2019s\u00a0Web page<\/a>. \u201cAs science marches on, we know more things and can study them in very cool ways,\u201d Rigg wrote.<\/p>\n

Polar winds product added to forecast system<\/strong>\u00a0\u2014On June 22,\u00a0Meteo France<\/a>\u00a0became the ninth operational weather center to incorporate\u00a0MODIS polar winds<\/a>\u00a0information into an operational forecast system. Developed by a team of CIMSS researchers led by\u00a0Jeff Key<\/strong>\u00a0(NOAA at SSEC), the MODIS polar winds product uses satellite data to calculate the speed, height, and direction of winds in Earth\u2019s polar regions. So far, the addition of the polar winds product to forecast systems has had a positive impact, particularly in polar and extratropical regions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
\"july2006_scionsphere\"<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
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Science on a Sphere features atmospheric data wrapped around a sphere. Above is the sphere at the National Maritime Center’s Nauticus museum.<\/em><\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Science on a Sphere<\/strong>\u2014On June 13, the\u00a0New York Times<\/a><\/em>\u00a0ran an article about Science on a Sphere, a large suspended sphere that displays environmental processes. SSEC was one of three institutions awarded a joint grant to develop educational applications for Science on a Sphere. Titled \u201cVideo Projections on a Globe Make Planetary Data Click,\u201d the\u00a0New York Times<\/em>\u00a0article details how Science on a Sphere operates and how it helps museum-goers learn about the earth and other planets.<\/p>\n

<\/a>Meetings and Field Experiments<\/strong><\/p>\n

Polar workshop<\/strong>\u2014Several Antarctic research groups convened in Boulder, CO for the\u00a0Antarctic Meteorological Observation, Modeling and Forecasting Workshop<\/a>. From SSEC\u2019s\u00a0Antarctic Meteorological Research Center<\/a>\u00a0(AMRC),\u00a0Shelley Knuth<\/strong>\u00a0helped organize this workshop, which brought together groups that usually hold separate annual meetings. Knuth also gave presentations on the icebergs in Antarctica during 2005-06, and icebergs and the inverse barometer effect. Also from AMRC and\u00a0Automatic Weather Station<\/a>\u00a0(AWS) program,\u00a0Matthew Lazzara<\/strong>,\u00a0Charles Stearns<\/strong>,George Weidner<\/strong>\u00a0and Linda Keller (AOS) presented on a variety of topics.<\/p>\n

AIRS science<\/strong>\u2014Bob Knuteson<\/strong>\u00a0(CIMSS) and\u00a0Hank Revercomb<\/strong>(SSEC) participated in the\u00a0Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) science team meeting<\/a>\u00a0held in Pasedena, CA on March 7-10. In an article about the meeting, NASA\u2019s\u00a0Earth Observer<\/a><\/em>\u00a0mentioned Knuteson and Revercomb\u2019s contributions. Knuteson explained his use of data from the\u00a0Atmospheric Radiation Measurement<\/a>\u00a0program\u2019s Southern Great Plains site to validate AIRS temperature and emissivity measurements. Revercomb discussed the use of data from the\u00a0Scanning High resolution Interferometer Sounder<\/a>\u00a0(S-HIS) to validate AIRS radiances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
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45 students participated in SSEC\u2019s remote sensing workshop in Pretoria, South Africa.<\/em><\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

International workshop<\/strong>\u2014<\/p>\n

Dedicated to educating current and future generations of scientists on the role satellite data can play in observing the Earth, SSEC sends researchers around the world to present workshops about the principles and applications of remote sensing. Through lectures and interactive labs, participants gain the knowledge necessary to continue exploring Earth\u2019s atmosphere via satellite technology. SSEC has conducted several international remote sensing workshops, including a\u00a0recent trip to South Africa<\/a>.<\/p>\n

From April 3-7, four SSEC researchers and a technical support guru traveled to Pretoria, South Africa to explain and demonstrate to 45 students the use of satellite products generated with data from the\u00a0MODerate-resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer<\/a>\u00a0(MODIS) and the Atmospheric InfraRed Sounder (AIRS). Using software developed at SSEC, students also applied these products to regionally relevant satellite data during lab sessions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
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In addition to lectures, the students participated in hands-on labs that allowed them to manipulate regionally relevant satellite data.<\/em><\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

CIMSS senior scientist\u00a0Allen Huang\u00a0<\/strong>introduced the workshop with words of encouragement for the students. According to fellow CIMSS researcher\u00a0Kathy Strabala<\/strong>, Huang told the story of his \u201cmeager beginnings\u201d coming to the U.S. without knowing English and how he developed as a scientist. \u201cHis message to the students was that \u2018this could be you too,\u2019\u201d Strabala says. Huang\u2019s speech set a tone of hope and excitement that the students and their instructors sustained throughout the workshop.<\/p>\n

Because the workshop participants came from a variety of educational and professional backgrounds,\u00a0Paolo Antonelli<\/strong>\u00a0(CIMSS) opened each day with a lecture that covered relevant principles of remote sensing. A more advanced lecture followed and the students then worked through lab exercises to apply what they learned. \u201cWe were geeking out and they were geeking out,\u201d Strabala says. \u201cBeing able to see someone get so excited about [satellite data] is really rewarding.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
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Workshop participants used HYDRA to carry out exercises during the lab sessions.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

In of the lab sessions, the workshop organizers sought to give the students with a practical understanding of MODIS instrument characteristics and the ability to create high resolution images using MODIS data. This lab also helped familiarized workshop participants with the Hyperspecteral-viewer for Development of Research Applications (HYDRA), a software program developed at SSEC to facilitate the use of satellite data. During the lab, students carried out several exercises to practice what they learned. Throughout the workshop, the students participated in other labs that centered on various satellite data products and several techniques with which to manipulate the data.<\/p>\n

The workshop organizers generally received incredibly positive feedback. So far, SSEC has given two in China, one in Taiwan, one in Australia, one in Norway and the most recent in South Africa. This recent workshop includedAllen Huang<\/strong>,\u00a0Liam Gumley<\/strong>,\u00a0Kathy Strabala<\/strong>,\u00a0Paolo Antonelli<\/strong>, andTom Rink<\/strong>\u00a0(all affiliated with CIMSS).<\/p>\n

Papers<\/strong><\/p>\n

The\u00a0AMRC\/AWS<\/a>\u00a0team at SSEC contributed to several papers included in the booklet for the\u00a0Antarctic Meteorological Observation, Modeling and Forecasting Workshop<\/a>.\u00a0Shelley Knuth<\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0Matthew Lazzara<\/strong>\u00a0co-authored \u201cA Dynamical Investigation of the May 2004 McMurdo Antarctica Severe Wind Event\u201d with researchers from Ohio State University.\u00a0George Weidner<\/strong>,\u00a0Jonathon Thom<\/strong>, and Knuth assembled \u201cA Review of the AWS 2005-06 field season.\u201d\u00a0Charles Stearns<\/strong>, Knuth and Lazzara wrote a report on the \u201cStatus of AMRC 2005-06.\u201d Lazzara also contributed to \u201cThe South Pole Meteorological Comparison and CLIMAT Message Projects.\u201dWilliam Straka<\/strong>\u00a0(CIMSS),\u00a0Jeff Key<\/strong>\u00a0(NOAA at SSEC),\u00a0Dave Santek<\/strong>(CIMSS),\u00a0Liam Gumley<\/strong>\u00a0(CIMSS),\u00a0Kathy Strabala<\/strong>\u00a0(CIMSS) and Lazzara wrote \u201cSatellite-derived Wind, Cloud, and Surface Products at Direct Broadcast sites in the Antarctic and Arctic.\u201d<\/p>\n

The June issue of the\u00a0Journal of Geographic Research\u00a0<\/em>included a paper byAmato Evan<\/strong>\u00a0(CIMSS) and\u00a0Andy Heidinger<\/strong>\u00a0(NOAA at SSEC) about a recently-generated dust climatology. Evan and Heidinger created the climatology using data from the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) as a part of the Pathfinder Atmospheres Extended (PATMOS-x) project. They verified the dust climatology against observations from NASA\u2019s\u00a0Aerosol Network<\/a>\u00a0and with other climatologies that span shorter time frames. The data set is now a part of a study of the effects of dust on hurricanes.<\/p>\n

<\/a>Engineering Feats<\/strong><\/p>\n

Spaceflight expertise<\/strong>\u2014A Milwaukee-based company has enlisted SSEC for assistance in developing and testing potential satellite technology. Brad Rake, founder of\u00a0Esker Technologies<\/a>, invented Zerowire\u2014a concept that eliminates the need for an independent set of wires devoted to communications and control elements in DC voltage electrical systems. The Department of Defense awarded Rake a grant to determine if Zerowire can work on a satellite. SSEC and the Air Force will collaborate with Rake as a part of this grant. \u201cI don\u2019t have any space experience, so that\u2019s why we partnered with UW,\u201d Rake said in\u00a0an article posted on the Wisconsin Technology Network<\/a>\u00a0on June 7. The article included a link to SSEC\u2019s home page.<\/p>\n

<\/a>PAWPrints<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
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A police officer from Ohio uses his cell phone to connect his PDA to the internet, allowing him to use the PAW while on patrol.<\/em><\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

A police officer inRavenna, OH<\/a>\u00a0began using SSEC\u2019s\u00a0PDA Animated Weather (PAW) service<\/a>while on patrol. According to Officer Dave Rarrick, Ravenna receives a lot of severe weather during the summer months. With a bit of guidance from\u00a0Russ Dengel<\/strong>\u00a0(SSEC), the PAW\u2019s creator, Rarrick figured out how to use his cell phone to connect his PDA to the internet. \u201cThis is great for on the move weather watching!\u201d Rarrick said. Rarrick also plans to use the PAW on an upcoming motorcycle vacation.<\/p>\n

During June, Dengel also added a new product to the PAW suite. Users can now access\u00a0daily true color images from the Moderate Imaging Spectrometer<\/a>\u00a0(MODIS), a type of instrument aboard satellites in NASA\u2019s Earth Observing System.<\/p>\n

<\/a>Weather Research<\/strong><\/p>\n

Aviation applications for satellite data<\/strong>\u2014Two articles published in June highlighted and praised the efforts of the\u00a0Advanced Satellite Aviation weather Products<\/a>\u00a0(ASAP) project, which fosters the use satellite data to support the aviation community. Researchers at several institutions have collaborated on this project, including\u00a0NASA<\/a>, the\u00a0Federal Aviation Administration<\/a>, and UW-Madison.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
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Michael Pavolonis used satellite data to detect and study volcanic ash, which can be a flight hazard.<\/em><\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

The\u00a0May-June edition of NASA\u2019s\u00a0The Earth Observer<\/em><\/a>\u00a0featured a long article about ASAP and its ambitions to enable the Next Generation Air Transportation System. A central aspect of this endeavor is the improvement of the detection, characterization and forecasting of weather phenomena that affect air traffic. The article says the project bridges \u201cthe worrisome gap that so often exists between research and operations.\u201d SSEC researchers\u00a0Wayne Feltz<\/strong>\u00a0(CIMSS),\u00a0Kris Bedka<\/strong>\u00a0(CIMSS),\u00a0Tony Wimmers<\/strong>\u00a0(CIMSS) and\u00a0Michael Pavolonis<\/strong>\u00a0(NOAA at SSEC) appeared in the article. Feltz and Bedka\u2019s work centers on using products derived from satellite data to improve predictions of convective weather as well as severe winter storms. Wimmers leads ASAP research on the use of sounders on satellites to detect clear air turbulence, which is responsible for the most injuries on commercial flights. Wimmers and his team developed techniques to identify atmospheric characteristics that contribute to turbulence. Pavolonis used satellite data to detect and study another flight hazard\u2014volcanic ash.<\/p>\n

The\u00a0Milwaukee Journal Sentinel<\/a><\/em>\u00a0also published an article about ASAP. Titled \u201cUnder Watchful Eyes,\u201d the article ran on June 4. Reporter Harvey Black interviewed Feltz and Pavolonis. In the article, Feltz touts the project as \u201cinnovative\u201d because the research will help make the use of satellite data in aviation applications \u201croutine and automated.\u201d John Mecikalski, a researcher with the University of Alabama-Huntsville, explained that satellite data facilitates earlier detection of thunderstorms. The ability to accurately predict possible areas of storm development will lead to more efficient air traffic control. Pavolonis helped readers understand how his technique helps researchers distinguish volcanic ash clouds from developing thunderstorms. Satellite data can tell the difference between the two because ash and water vapor interact differently with infrared energy emitted from the earth. Pavolonis\u2019 technique also determines how high an ash cloud is, which helps forecast where the winds will take it.<\/p>\n

Both articles stress the importance of the ASAP research.\u00a0The Earth Observer<\/em>\u00a0piece emphasizes ASAP\u2019s role in improving aviation weather information for the Next Generation Air Transport System. This article also cites ASAP as an excellent example to justify investing in multi-million dollar research satellites. Black\u2019s article in the\u00a0Milwaukee Journal Sentinel<\/em>focuses on how ASAP research benefits commercial aviation and, consequently, consumers. As Feltz said in Black\u2019s article: \u201cWe hope that this system will become operational in the next one or two years.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adding weight<\/strong>\u2014In early June,\u00a0Mat Gunshor<\/strong>\u00a0(CIMSS) created a Web page for\u00a0real-time GOES weighting functions<\/a>. To measure the energy emitted from the earth, GOES satellites have bands or channels that gather information about different portions of the electromagnetic spectrum. In a general sense, weighting functions provide information about different layers of the atmosphere based on the type of radiation measured in that layer. Using weighting functions, one can determine the vertical contribution of the radiation measured by each channel. After SSEC featured the site as aspotlight<\/a>, it became the first site found in a Google search for \u201cGOES weighting function.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/a>Education and Outreach<\/strong><\/p>\n

Tours galore!\u00a0<\/strong>\u2014Several tour groups visited SSEC during late May and June. Many of these groups were from the Urban Adventure program, which came to fruition through collaboration between UW-Madison and Madison public schools. The urban adventurers were fourth and fifth graders. Another set of elementary school tour groups was with\u00a0College for Kids<\/a>, a program for Dane County\u2019s soon-to-be sixth graders. These inquisitive kids explored the roof, learned about Antarctic meteorology, found out about weather satellite data in the lobby, and questioned a variety of scientists about everything from satellite imagery to office paper clutter. SSEC\u2019s high school visitors were from the\u00a0Pre-college Enrichment Opportunity Program for Learning Excellence<\/a>\u00a0(PEOPLE). SSEC\u2019s\u00a0Office of Space Science Education<\/a>\u00a0coordinated a PEOPLE workshop hosted by SSEC.\u00a0Bob Aune<\/strong>\u00a0(NOAA at CIMSS),\u00a0Tony Wimmers<\/strong>\u00a0(CIMSS) and\u00a0Shelley Knuth<\/strong>\u00a0(AMRC) hosted a group on June 20. Tour coordinator\u00a0Margaret Mooney<\/strong>\u00a0(SSEC) reported that \u201ctwo students gave me a high five as they were leaving SSEC \u2026 with big smiles on their faces.\u201d According to Mooney, the students particularly enjoyed their experience at the center. Another PEOPLE group, hosted by\u00a0Tim Schmit<\/strong>\u00a0(NOAA at CIMSS), came to SSEC to learn more about weather satellites\u2014particularly the use of satellite data to research and forecast hurricanes.<\/p>\n

<\/a>Accolades<\/strong><\/p>\n

Praise for service<\/strong>\u2014SSEC Web presence received a huge complement from Alan Height. \u201cWhat you have given the public is a much broader perspective of themselves and their surrounding area,\u201d Height wrote in an e-mail. \u201cTo see the entire planet and the whole weather system as one, tells me the thunderstorm overhead is a drop in the bucket. I now have a whole new perspective.\u201d<\/p>\n

Eclipse animation<\/strong>\u2014David Makepeace, the\u00a0Eclipseguy<\/a>, appreciated SSEC\u2019s\u00a0animation of the solar eclipse<\/a>\u00a0on March 29, which\u00a0Rick Kohrs<\/strong>(SSEC) created. \u201cExcellent job with this animation,\u201d Makepeace wrote. \u201cCongrats to Rick and SSEC for making this available.<\/p>\n

<\/a>Also of Note<\/strong><\/p>\n

But it\u00a0is<\/em>\u00a0rocket science!<\/strong>\u2014The Exchange<\/em>, a publication for the scientific communications group<\/a>\u00a0in the\u00a0Society of Technical Communicators<\/a>, included an article by\u00a0Terri Gregory<\/strong>\u00a0(SSEC) in its December 2005 edition. In the article, Gregory describes her experiences as SSEC\u2019s public information coordinator. \u201cOur job is getting the word out\u2014seeing that the SSEC is visible to the general public and other audiences,\u201d Gregory wrote. Her greatest challenge has been writing pieces to engage and inform multiple audiences but still maintain the scientists\u2019 expectations of precision. Although many of SSEC\u2019s funding agencies require some element of public outreach, Gregory reported that she has \u201cstill needed to pull teeth to get the Center\u2019s most important work into the public\u2019s eye.\u201d In the article, Gregory explained that much of the work done at SSEC is either abstract or esoteric or both. \u201cWhat we have going for us is the fact that everyone talks about the weather, and many people love gadgets,\u201d she wrote. Gregory concluded that SSEC\u2019s work shouldn\u2019t be \u201cas difficult for the public to understand as it is for our researchers to do.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bike to Work Week<\/strong>\u2014Several SSEC employees faithfully participated in Madison\u2019s\u00a0Bike to Work Week<\/a>\u00a0challenge from May 15-18. Despite inclement weather, SSEC logged 32 round-trip bicycle commutes.\u00a0Sarah Bedka<\/strong>\u00a0(CIMSS),\u00a0William Straka<\/strong>\u00a0(CIMSS),\u00a0Jean Stover<\/strong>\u00a0(SSEC) and\u00a0Eric Wall<\/strong>\u00a0(SSEC) biked to and from work every day of the challenge in spite of harsh winds and rain.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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