The University of Toledo

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Engaging K-12 Students in Science GLOBE Surface
Temperature Protocol
Kevin Czajkowski, Timothy Ault, Teresa Benko,
Alison Spongberg, Mark Templin, Takelia Bragg and
Jackie Kane

• The University of Toledo

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Our Scientific Endeavors

• Protocols
• Clouds
• Snow
• Surface temperature
• Soil temperature

• Scientific Questions
• Validation of satellite imagery (snow, cloud and
  surface temperature)
• Energy budget
• The Hydrologic Cycle
• Urban Heat Island
• Global Warming

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Our GLOBE Team
Dr. Kevin Czajkowski Soon to be Associate
Professor, Meteorology and Remote Sensing
Terri Benko Research Associate, GLOBE Project
Manager
Alison Spongberg Associate Professor or
Hydrology, Geology and Soils
Takelia Bragg Research Associate, Geography and
Planning
Timothy Ault Research Associate, Geography and
Planning
Mark Templin Associate Professor, Science
Education
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• Was started in 1994
• 24,000 teachers in over 14,000 schools have been
  trained in 100 countries around the world.
• Students can collect data on the weather,
  climate, water quality, plants, humming birds,
  - That Scientists will use.
• Students can do inquiry-based science
  investigations using the data available, I.e.
  science fair projects.

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• Outline
• Validation of the MODIS Snow Product
• Quantitative Using GLOBE student data
• Qualitative Inquiry-based Project by St. Ursula
  Academy Student.
• Development of the Surface Temperature Protocol
• Quality Assurance Data Entry Problems

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Why Study Snow?

• Snow cover affects the amount of water in the
  Great Lakes lake levels are low now.

Old Mission Point Lighthouse - Grand Traverse Bay
Source GLERL.NOAA.Gov
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Source SOCC University of Waterloo
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Can you see the snow through the clouds?
Feb. 4, 2002
MODIS Visible Band
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MODIS Data vs. Student Data
Student Observations
MODIS Data
Clouds 2,161 Student Snow Observations Not Used

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MODIS Snow Product Error vs. Snow Depth
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School Observation Sites Classified as Water by
the MODIS Snow Product
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MODIS Designated Clouds vs. Student Observations
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MODIS Designated Clear vs. Student Observations
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What We Did
A Students Investigation
Visual Approach - Satellite Image Analysis
By Ms. Julia Gehring and Ms. Jackie Kane,
Advisor St. Ursula Academy
(Toledo, OH)

• Took 35 MODIS satellite images from the
  University of Toledos server http//www.remotesen
  sing.utoledo.edu/education/student_obs/index.html
  Looked for irregularities in classification.
• Tested using GLOBE student data and National
  Weather Service data.

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February 1, 2002

• Narrow strip of snow running SW to NE
• Archived weather data showed temperatures of
  previous week above freezing
• Student data reported no snow
• Rating

MODIS Snow Product
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• Surface Temperature Protocol
• Use Raytek Raynger ST20 Hand-held Infrared
  Thermometer
• Accuracy 1 to 2 C depending on the
  temperature
• Collocated with GPS reading
• Must take cloud observations
• Must measure snow depth
• Make notes about wet or dry ground
• 9 observations in a location (homogeneous area)

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Surface Temperature is at the Heart of the
Energy Budget
Incoming sunlight heats the surface
Evapotranspiration cools the surface
Sensible heat rises from the ground
Emitted energy cools the surface to space
Surface Temperature
Heat goes into the ground
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Urban Heat Island EffectValidate Satellite
Algorithms
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Surface Temperature Measurement Techniques by
Scientists
Hand-held IRT
Tower Mounted IRT
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Central Catholic Students Taking Surface
Temperature Observations
Mike Hedley submitted an article to the NSTA
Science Teacher, published May 2004
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Inner-city schools cannot take many other GLOBE
observations Surface temperature can
be used in parking lots.
Aerial photograph of Central Catholic High School
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Thermal Shock

• During our summer 2003 workshop, teachers noticed
  that the IRTs did not match 5 C difference
  noticed.
• The IRT reads incorrectly if going from inside to
  outside if the temperature was much different.

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Tests in a Freezer

• Jackie Kane teacher from St. Ursula Academy
  invented a fix the thermal shock sock.
• Initial tests of the sock in a freezer.

• Moved on to school freezer.

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Fixing Thermal Shock
Or, leave IRT outside for about 30 minutes
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Quality Assurance Data Entry Problems

• 16 of the observations had the incorrect UTC
  (Universal Time Coordinated).
• One teacher didnt read the protocol and used a
  current temperature thermometer laid on the
  ground.
• Surface Temperature was entered in F instead of
  C.
• Snow depth was entered in inches or cm instead of
  mm.
• Drifting of snow not accounted for.