Groundbreaking Research: Scientists from Texas A&M Navigate Below the Surface for Hurricane Beryl Insights
Examining Hurricane Beryl from a New Perspective
In Bryan, Texas, a focus on Hurricane Beryl began with traditional monitoring processes, but soon participated in a profound investigation from a less commonly explored angle. The Geochemical and Environmental Research Group (GERG) at Texas A&M University conducted an in-depth study of the storm beneath the surface.
Deploying Unmanned Instruments: The Role of Gliders
GERG took part in the important task of forecasting the intensity and movement of Hurricane Beryl by using gliders. These unmanned instruments have the capacity to measure a range of vital variables like salinity, temperature, and density anywhere from beneath the surface down to an impressive 1000 meters.
As a key research university in the United States, Texas A&M currently houses six of the total 1500 gliders globally.
A Deep Dive into the Utility of Gliders
GERG works in collaboration with the National Hurricane Center (NHC) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) with the aim of providing the most accurate tropical forecasts. With Beryl, the importance of the gliders became all too apparent when the forecast altered dynamically as the hurricane entered the Gulf of Mexico.
How the Gliders Influenced the Hurricane Beryl Forecast
The gliders from Texas A&M empowered forecasters by identifying key factors leading to Beryl’s intensification and northeastern turn right before the landfall on the Texas coast.
According to Dr. Steve DiMarco, Director of Texas A&M GERG, significant increases in sea temperatures conclusively indicated an intensification before the hurricane’s Texas landfall. The data revealed a substantial amount of energy in the ocean that would ultimately lead to the hurricane’s strengthening.
Dedicated to Public Safety and Improved Forecasts
The data collected via these instrumental devices is available to the public and widely utilized by forecasters globally. This effort bolsters their primary objectives, which includes shielding human life, preventing property damage, supporting industries and livelihoods, and improving overall human welfare.
Long-term Research to Equip Future Projections
Texas A&M’s GERG has gathered data in the Gulf of Mexico for several decades and continues to contribute in anticipation of an above-average Atlantic Hurricane Season in the coming year. They are dedicated to approaching these natural disaster phenomena from a new perspective to provide improved data and, consequently, better protection strategies for the future.