Case Study
Higher-Accuracy Tropical Storm Forecasting
ISSInternational Space Station Study Develops Method for Higher-Accuracy Forecasting to Save Lives
ISS NATIONAL LAB OPPORTUNITY
The unique vantage point of the ISS enables precise measurement of the most intense clouds outside a tropical cyclone’s eye.
Eyewall clouds are the strongest indicators of storm intensity and trajectory, and more accurate measurements of the altitudes of these clouds could lead to better predictions of a storm’s path and strength. Additionally, the ISS provides a unique platform to monitor tropical cyclones, as its orbit covers virtually all the regions where they typically form. From the vantage point in low Earth orbit(Abbreviation: LEO) The orbit around the Earth that extends up to an altitude of 2,000 km (1,200 miles) from Earth’s surface. The International Space Station’s orbit is in LEO, at an altitude of approximately 250 miles., scientists can measure storm clouds in areas of the world where U.S. hurricane hunter aircraft do not fly.
Industries:
Meteorology, Earth Observation
Strategic Focus Area:
Technology Development
Research Area:
Remote Sensing
Institution:
Visidyne, Inc. and MIT
IMPACTFUL OUTCOME
Visidyne developed a technique to more accurately measure eyewall clouds.
Using high-resolution images taken from the ISS, the research team determined the relative altitude of eyewall clouds by applying a photographic technique known as parallax. For this technique, researchers take two photographs of the same object at slightly different angles and piece them together to measure depth. This allowed the team to create three-dimensional images and more accurately measure the clouds’ altitude above sea level.
INVESTIGATORS
A.T. Stair
President, Visidyne
Paul Joss
Professor of physics emeritus,
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Cyclone Intensity Measurements from the ISS (CyMISS) project is an important first step toward closing the gap in accurate and reliable global forecasting of tropical cyclones. Higher-accuracy predictions could potentially save countless lives and help to significantly reduce the property damage resulting from these devastating storms.
– Paul Joss, MIT
APPLICATION
Higher-accuracy measurements allow scientists to better predict the intensity and track of tropical cyclones globally.
Tropical cyclones, also known as hurricanes and typhoons, are the most destructive natural forces on Earth. Each year, these storms cause an estimated 10,000 deaths and $26 billion in property damage worldwide. Improved predictions of tropical cyclones would allow communities to better prepare for such storms. Building on the CyMISS project, the Visidyne team started a new commercial company called Tropical Weather Analytics, Inc. (TWA). The company uses a constellation of microsatellites to create highly accurate 3D models of cloud formations. TWA aims to improve global forecasting technologies to save lives and prevent damage from these destructive storms.
Note: This content is abridged from an article originally published in Upward,
the official magazine of the ISS National Lab.
