The GLOBE Program

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• Atmospheric Protocols
• by Mary Ellsworth

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GLOBE

• Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the
  Environment
• 6,000 schools worldwide
• 50 countries
• Students take environmental measurements and
  share them with other schools and scientists.
• Scientists depend on student measurements for
  research, answering questions about our planet.

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Protocol

• A exact method for doing a measurement.
• Required for comparison worldwide collaboration.
• Scientists and students all over the world use
  GLOBE data for environmental investigations.

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Why are standard protocols important? An
ExampleMars Climate Orbiter

• Launched from from Cape Canaveral Air Force
  Station on December 11, 1998
• A mission to look directly for water on Mars and
  study its weather closely.

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Disaster!

• News headlines
• SEPTEMBER 23, 1999
  Mars Climate Orbiter Believed To Be
  Lost
• What happened?

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A protocol problem!

• The spacecraft entered the atmosphere at the
  wrong angle and probably burned up!
• Why?
• One team used English units (e.g., inches, feet
  and pounds) while the other used metric units for
  a key spacecraft operation.
• Source http//mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msp98/news/mco990
  930.html

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Atmospheric Measurements

• You will learn the protocols for these
  measurements
• Temperature
• Precipitation (liquid and solid)
• Cloud type
• Cloud cover

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Collection Time

• Solar Noon
• ? 1 Hour

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The Instrument Shelter
Students all over the world use the same shelter.
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Temperature Measurement

• Max / Min Thermometer
• You can read
• Minimum temperature
• Maximum temperature
• And current temperature
• On ONE thermometer!

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Reading the U-Tube

• The two sides are opposite
• up and down.
• Notice the and -
• Read Current temperature
• at the top of the mercury.
• Read Maximum on the right.
• Read Minimum on the left.

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Things to remember

• Make sure mercury is continuous
• Hold upright and shake
• Tap bottom of the unit against the palm of your
  hand
• Calibrate upon installation
• Calibrate every 6 months

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Placement of U-tube and Calibration Thermometers

• Place the U-tube and the calibration thermometers
  side-by side in the shelter
• Mount the U-tube on wooden blocks or soda-bottle
  tops to allow air flow behind

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Site Selection - Rain Gauge

• Located in open area
• Rain Gauge may be mounted to shelter post but
  separate post close to ground is best
• Funnel must be above the top of the instrument
  shelter
• Top of post should be beveled away from rain gauge

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Site Selection - Rain Gauge

• Avoid the following

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Reading the Rain Gauge

• Read the meniscus
• Read to the nearest 0.1 mm.
• If there is rain in the overflow tube
• read record the level,
• dump it into pH sample container
• pour overflow contents into the measuring tube
• read record this amount
• Repeat as needed
• add together readings
• report the sum
• measure the pH of the total sample of rain

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The Snow Board

• 40cm x 40cm plywood
• Painted white
• Flag board for location after snowfall
• Place board flush with existing snow level
• Take several depth measurements on the board and
  report the average

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Cloud Protocols

• Cloud Type Protocol
• Cloud Cover Protocol

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Cloud Observations

• Open area with wide view of the sky in all
  directions

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Cloud Type

• Cumulus
• heaps or puffy
• think about cauliflower or cotton balls
• Stratus
• layered or spread out
• think about Turkey Divan Strata
• Cirrus
• wispy/curly
• think of locks of hair

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Cloud Heights

• High
• above 6,000 meters
• Cirrus / Cirro-
• Middle
• 2,000 to 6,000 meters
• Alto-
• Low
• 0 to 2,000 meters

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Cloud Type

• High
• Cirrus
• delicate filaments
• hair-like appearance
• halos are irregular
• Cirrostratus
• halos often indicate presence
• Cirrocumulus
• coronas or pillars occur

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Cloud Types

• Middle
• Altocumulus
• form in extensive sheets or lines
• sun dogs
• luminous pillars
• Altostratus
• uniform gray sheet
• sun may be dimly visible
• no halo phenomena

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Cloud Types

• Low
• Stratus
• Cumulus
• Stratocumulus
• Low with precip
• Nimbostratus
• Cumulonimbus

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The Cloud Chart Is Your Friend!!
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The Cloud Triangle
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Cloud Cover

• Categories
• No Clouds 0
• Clear 0 to 10
• Isolated 10 to 25
• Scattered 25 to 50
• Broken 50 to 90
• Overcast gt90

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Cloud Cover

• Sky may also be Obscured due to the following
  conditions
• Fog
• Smoke
• Aerosols (haze)
• Volcanic ash
• Dust
• Sand
• Spray (ie sea spray)
• Heavy rain
• Blowing snow

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Sending our data to GLOBE
GLOBE website http//www.globe.gov
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Click on data entry gt
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Fill in the information, and enter your data
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Smileys mean your data was accepted!
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The GLOBE Program
Working towards a better understanding of our
world