Tropical Storm 5A More 'Well-Rounded' on NASA Infrared Imagery, for Now

 Text by:  Rob Gutro, NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.

Over the past several days Tropical Storm 05A has become better organized on infrared satellite imagery from NASA. Imagery from NASA's Aqua satellite over two days has shown that the cold cloud tops in the cyclone have become more rounded as the storm consolidates and strengthens.

NASA's Aqua satellite made two passes over Tropical Storm 05A (5A) and noticed the changes. The first pass happened on Nov. 26 at 08:23 UTC (3:23 a.m. EST and the infrared image from the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) instrument on Aqua revealed that 5A's clouds were not circular in nature, indicating a struggle within the storm to get organized. At that time, 5A was located near 9.3 North and 73.6 East, about 160 miles (257 km) west-southwest of Cochin, India.

These two infrared images of Tropical Storm 5A from NASA's AIRS instrument (on the Aqua satellite) show the storm get better organized and more rounded between Nov. 26 and 27, 2011. The purple color indicates the strongest, coldest, highest cloud tops, where heavy rain is likely falling. The area of strong thunderstorms increased and became more organized on Nov. 27. Credit: NASA JPL, Ed Olsen

By Nov. 27 at 21:23 UTC (4:23 p.m. EST) 5A had become circular in shape indicating that the storm did get better organized. At that time, maximum sustained winds were near 40 mph (35 knots/65 kmh) and it was 360 miles (579 km) south-southwest of Mumbai, India. That organization may be short-lived however, as wind shear increases and batters the circulation of the storm.

AIRS infrared imagery measures cloud top and sea surface temperatures, two factors that help determine the behavior of tropical cyclones. The colder the cloud tops are the higher the clouds and the stronger the thunderstorm (and heavier rain). The warmer the sea surface temperatures are, the higher the thunderstorm cloud tops are likely to rise and the stronger they are likely to become. Sea surface temperatures of at least 80F (26.6C) are needed to maintain a tropical cyclone, and they are currently near 84.2F (29C) in the Bay of Bengal where 5A lingers.

On Nov. 28 at 1500 UTC (10 a.m. EST), Tropical Storm 05A had maximum sustained winds still holding near 40 mph (35 knots/65 kmh). It was located 590 miles south of Karachi, Pakistan near 15.2 North and 67.8 East. 5A was moving to the northwest at 8 knots (9 mph/14 kmh) and generating seas of 17 feet (5.1 meters) high. Infrared imagery today shows that the banding of thunderstorms in the southeastern quadrant of the storm have thinned, a sign of weakening.

Forecasters say that it will track northwest across the Arabian Sea toward Somalia and strengthen a little more before running into wind shear that is expected to weaken the storm.

Keep visiting thegeoscienceforum.blogspot.com

Structural Geology Presentation - Al-Azhar University

AAPG student chapter of Al-Azhar University has organized a presentation on "Structural Geology". The demonstrations will be given by;

• Mr. Mohammed Hussien Saleh,                     Exploration Manager BP
• MR: Basem Khalaf
  Geo Modeler Rasheed
• Miss: Eman Salem
  Exploration Geologist Khalda

The presentations are scheduled on Wednesday 30th November 2011 at 5 PM (local) at Seminar Room,  Geology Department, Faculty of science.
Al-Azhar University.

Don't Waste Your Chance

For more information click here.

Keep visiting thegeoscienceforum.blogspot.com.

Hurricane Season 2011: Tropical Depression 98B (Northern Indian Ocean)

NASA's Aqua Satellite Sees Tropical Depression 98B in North Indian Ocean

Text credit: Rob Gutro
NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center/, Greenbelt, Md. 

NASA's Aqua Satellite is watching a low pressure area in the northern Indian Ocean that has become a tropical depression. Tropical Depression 98B continues to consolidate and organize, and over the last 24 hours and bands of thunderstorms have formed around its center.

When bands of thunderstorms form around a developing low, it is an indication that the storm is strengthening and getting organized. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer instrument on NASA's Aqua satellite captured an infrared image of System 98B that showed its cloud cover consolidating into a rounded area of clouds, indicating better circulation.

NASA's Aqua satellite captured this infrared image of System 98B, developing into a tropical depression in the Northern Indian Ocean on Nov. 25, 2011. The low pressure center is consolidating, and 98B is expected to become a tropical storm. Credit: NASA/NRL

On Nov. 25, System 98B had maximum sustained winds between 25 and 30 knots (34 mph/55 kmh) which is tropical depression strength. It is located near 4.9 North latitude and 78.3 East longitude and is moving northwest at 13 knots (15 mph/24 kmh). That's about 150 miles (241 km) southwest of Colombo, Sri Lanka. It is forecast by the Joint Typhoon Warning center to continue moving to the northwest and may affect southwestern India over the next several days.

The Joint Typhoon Warning Center gives System 98B a high chance of becoming a tropical storm in the next 48 hours.

Keep visiting thegeoscienceforum.blogspot.com

Bahria University Honour- SPE-PAPG- Annual Technical Confernce 2011

Two students of Bahria University, Islamabad Campus won the student paper presentation contest at "SPE-PAPG ANNUAL TECHNICAL CONFERENCE 2011'' held at Serena Hotel, Islamabad from 21st to 23rd November 2011 in which 7 different papers were presented in G & G SECTION by students of different universities of Pakistan. More than one students contributed in the papers they presented. But the students who are mentioned below worked solely on their respective papers and presentation which is really appreciable. 

Ist position was captured by Mr.Muhammad Usman ( Bs-8 Geophysics)

topic of presentation 'Earthquakes and climate change''.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3rd position  holder was Mr. Ali Wahid (MS Geophysics) 

topic of presentation ''Rerservoir characterisation and sequence stratigraphy of Sanghar area lower indus basin using neural networks".

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Geoscience Forum, Bahria University Society of Exploration Geophysicists (BU-SEG) and PAPG student chapter congratulate both students for their brilliance and achieving good name for institute. We wish them good luck in the future.

Keep visiting thegeoscienceforum.blogspot.com