Team: 13
School: ARTESIA HIGH
Area of Science: Meteorology
Interim: Problem Definition
Are there hurricanes so powerful that there is now a need for a sixth category? Originally, the Saffir-Simpson scale did not include a category 6 because there was not a need for such a category. There is now evidence suggesting that there is a need for a sixth category.
Also, there has been an increase of frequency and power of hurricanes within the past few years. Will this be a continuing trend? We will try to determine this as well.
Problem Solution
The solution to our problem can be found by using http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v215/PsyWumper/16.gif (sorry, I couldn't get this site to show the image, you will just have to copy the url and paste into the address bar), where V subscript m is the maximum gradient wind speed, c subscript p is the heat capacity at constant pressure, T subscript s is ocean temperature, T subscript o is the mean outflow temperature, C subscript k is the exchange coefficient for enthalpy, C subscript D is the drag coefficient, Omega superscript star and subscript e is the saturation equivalent potential temperature at the ocean surface, and Omega subscript e is the boundary layer equivalent potential temperature. This equation does not include friction against the hurricane as it provides almost ignorable change of the solution and saves time in calculation. Our solution will be inclusive of data provided with the employment of this equation.
Progress
To this point, our team has found several equations that supplement and support the equation we plan to use to solve our problem. Our research is indicative and supportive of the results we expect. We have decided to use the Java programming language primarily, but it will be supplemented by various other languages if necessary for mathematical computation.
Expected results
Our team expects to have results that will provide positve answers to both of our questions, as there are theories already suggesting the answers are both yes.
References
http://wind.mit.edu/~emanuel/pcmin/pclat/pclat.html
http://wind.mit.edu/~emanuel/home.html
www.giant.net/~hrobins/hurricane.html
science.howstuffworks.com/hurricane.htm
http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/aboutsshs.shtml
Team Members:
alex orth
Brenda Porras
Marisol Garcia
Alex Sifuentes
Benny Valenzuela
Sponsoring Teacher: Randall Gaylor