NASA studies the formation of major storms

The US aerospace agency (NASA) will conduct tomorrow, August 15, a program to study meteorological changes in Africa, considered to be the cause of major storms, in which many number landed in the US.

During the typhoon season, which lasts from November 1 to November 30, tropical low pressure depressions from Africa will intensify as they travel through the Atlantic surface, becoming tropical storms and energizing. terrible destruction.

Thunderstorms formed in Africa and moved westward
Atlantic Ocean before turning into a tropical storm (Photo: NASA)

The massive human and storm-induced damage caused NASA to conduct an observation campaign, named African Monsoon Multi-disciplinary Analysis (NAMMA), which takes place over the next month in coastal areas. Senegal's.

The investigation will help the hydro-meteorological experts understand the nature of storms with tremendous devastation and timely warnings.

A large storm formed must have the following conditions: high temperature in the ocean, high humidity in the troposphere (atmospheric layer between the ground and an altitude of 8-15 km), the winds at all elevations and the appearance of a tropical depression.

In about a fifth of the cases, a small tropical disturbance on the west coast of Africa can also be strengthened into a low-pressure system with relatively light winds, surpassing 63 km / h and resonance to form a big Atlantic storm with wind speeds above 117 km / h.

According to Dr. Edouard Zipser, head of research at the University of Utah (USA), scientists have only recently recorded the formation of a major storm when they observe it, but cannot predict a disturbance. small is likely to increase into a storm.

NASA DC-8 aircraft with devices to study tropical storms.
(Photo: futura-sciences.com)

To understand the formation of a great storm requires methods of all levels from small to large, from understanding tiny dust particles to raindrops, the formation of clouds and the flow of air hundreds of kilometers long.

To determine the factors contributing to the development of tropical storms, the common name of tropical depressions, storms and typhoons, researchers will adopt satellite data, information from the stations. meteorological observation, .

An aircraft is equipped with tools to calculate atmospheric changes in order to detect areas that are most likely to form turbulence.

During the study, scientists also hoped to understand more about the role of extremely dry, often very dusty, gas-forming masses in the Sahara from late spring to early autumn and often moving to the Great Atlantic Ocean.

In 2004, four major storms affected Florida. In 2005, New Orleans and other regions were devastated by hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma. NAMMA will help scientists better understand atmospheric disturbances that could lead to the formation of a major storm to prevent disaster.

PHUONG THAO