AOML is an environmental laboratory of NOAA’s Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research located on Virginia Key in Miami, Florida

July-August-September 2017Vol. 21/No. 4

AOML KeynotesATLANTIC OCEANOGRAPHIC AND METEOROLOGICAL LABORATORY

August and September were busy months for scientists with AOML’s Hurricane Research Division (HRD), who sampled four tropical systems that formed in the Atlantic in quick succession. Flying aboard NOAA’s Hurricane Hunter aircraft, the data they gathered in Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, Jose, and Maria were used to generate up-to-date forecasts as part of NOAA’s efforts to inform and prepare the public for severe weather.

HRD scientists were tasked with conducting tail Doppler radar missions in all four storms. Tail Doppler radar produces detailed analyses of the wind speed and ­wind­ direction­ along­ the­ flight­ track­ of­a storm. The data are quality controlled and transmitted to the Environmental Monitoring Center for use in NOAA’s operational Hurricane Weather Research and Forecasting (HWRF) model to improve forecast guidance, as well as to evaluate the model and for other research purposes.

Tail Doppler radar analyses help researchers pinpoint where the strongest winds are located, how far they extend outward from the storm’s center, and the regions of heaviest rainfall. They also enable researchers to observe changes in intensity and storm structure.

Throughout the missions, GPS drop-sondes­were­deployed­for­vertical­profiles­of atmospheric pressure, humidity, and temperature, while NOAA’s high altitude Gulfstream-IV jet sampled the environment above and around each hurricane. All data were transmitted in real-time for assimila-tion into the HWRF model to aid the National Hurricane Center in issuing updated, accurate forecasts.

Research missions into Harvey began on August 24 after remnants of then Tropical Storm Harvey crossed the Yucatan Peninsula and drifted into the Bay of Campeche. Over the next 24 hours,

Hurricane Researchers Sample Series of Powerful Hurricanes

­HRD­scientists­flew­four­back-to-back­tail­ Doppler radar missions to measure the strength of Harvey’s winds.During­ the­ first­ mission,­ Harvey­

regenerated into a tropical depression that was forecast to become a hurricane with landfall somewhere along the Texas- Mexico border. By­ the­ fourth­ and­ ­final­ mission on August 25, Harvey had rapidly intensified­into­the­­season’s­first­­Category-4 hurricane on its approach toward the Texas coastline. Harvey came ashore near Rockport, Texas around 10 pm on August 25 with 130 mph winds, heavy rainfall, and a storm surge that brought catastrophic flooding­to­the­­region.

As Harvey dissipated on August 30, Tropical Storm Irma formed in the eastern Atlantic. HRD scientists deployed to Barbados on September 2 to prepare for a series of tail Doppler radar missions into Irma, by then a major Category-3 hurri-

cane with 115 mph winds. Over the next 5 days, missions into the powerful storm captured­ Irma’s­ rapid­ ­intensification­ into­the­season’s­first­­Category-5­hurricane­as­it approached the Lesser Antilles.

HRD researchers continued gathering data in the eye and surrounding eyewall of Irma as the storm passed over many of the islands of the Lesser Antilles with 185 mph winds and then tracked westward across the Caribbean. Sampling operations ended on September 8 as Irma approached the southeastern Bahamas, Cuba, and the Florida coast.

Throughout the missions into Irma, the massive storm remained a major hurricane with sustained winds above 110 mph. Irma would subsequently make landfalls in Cuba, the Florida Keys, and Marco Island on the west coast of Florida.

On September 8, Jose strengthened into a major Category-4 hurricane (cont. page 2)

The eyewall of Hurricane Harvey as viewed by AOML’s hurricane researchers from aboard NOAA’s P3 Hurricane Hunter aircraft on August 25.

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with winds of 155 mph, but weakened to a tropical storm as it executed a clockwise loop in the Atlantic far from land. Jose ­reintensified­ into a hurricane prior to the HRD’s missions.

Tail Doppler radar missions into Hurricane Jose were conducted on September 17-18 as the storm churned east of the Carolinas with 90 mph winds. Jose continued its northward path for the next few days, producing tropical storm force winds, dangerous surf, and rip current conditions along the US east coast before dissipating at sea.

Missions into Hurricane Maria began on September 22 after Maria had already carved a path of destruction through the Caribbean, with particularly devastating landfalls across Dominica, the US Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico. HRD scientists conducted a series of research and tail Doppler radar missions as Maria moved north of the Bahamas as a Category-3 hurricane. By September 26 when the missions ended, Maria had weakened to a minimal hurricane near North Carolina’s outer banks.

As part of the Maria missions, a Doppler wind lidar instrument was operated, which uses laser and Doppler technology to ­generate­ ­vertical­ profiles­ of­ the­ winds­above and below the aircraft. The instru-ment, used in conjunction with tail Doppler radar measurements, provided researchers with a more complete, three-dimensional depiction of Maria’s winds.

HRD scientists also tested an unmanned aerial system called Coyote during the Maria missions to assess its ability to gather data in the lowest reaches of the hurricane environment, a critically important region. While turbulent exchanges of heat, moisture, and momentum regularly occur in this region, they are rarely, if ever, observed. Deployed from the P3 aircraft, the Coyote gathered data in both the eye and surrounding eyewall of Maria at altitudes as low as 300 feet above the ocean surface.

In early August, NOAA increased the likelihood of a more active Atlantic hurri- cane season based on several environmental

factors that help hurricanes develop, grow, and persist. These factors—warmer than average ocean temperatures, lower levels of wind shear, and weaker trade winds— enabled Harvey, Irma, Jose, and Maria to form in quick succession, rapidly intensify into major hurricanes, and endure longer than would normally be expected.In­total,­HRD­scientists­flew­more­than­

130 hours aboard Hurricane Hunter aircraft in August and September. The data they gathered were vital to forecasts and for helping vu lnerable communities prepare for severe weather, aiding NOAA’s mission of building a more weather-ready nation.

“It seems the hurricane is now hunting the hunters and the scientists who know these storms the best.”

NOAA-OAR Assistant Administrator Craig McLeanSeptember 7, 2017

Irma Pays a Visit

Top image: One of the many trees located on the grounds of AOML that was pummeled by the outer bands of Hurricane Irma as the storm passed over Miami.

Bottom image: Irma’s 90+ mph wind gusts blew fume hoods sideways on the AOML roof.

As AOML’s hurricane researchers flew missions into Irma, the massive storm travelled westward across the Caribbean towards south Florida. With forecasts indicating the likelihood that Irma would make landfall in the region as a major hurricane, AOML activated its Hurricane Preparedness and Recovery Plan, excused employees, and closed its doors on September 7. Slow-moving Irma passed over Miami on September 10 with hurricane-force gusts that left AOML without power for several days. Roof damage resulted in numerous leaks throughout the facility that flooded hallways and offices and left standing water in the lobby. The leaks also caused extensive damage to computer servers, while storm surge flooded the basement with 3 inches of water. Emergency employees worked around the clock to repair the leaks, drain excess water, and bring all computer and electrical systems online. Due to their diligent efforts, AOML reopened on September 18.

NOAA GOES-16 satellite image of Hurricane Irma making landfall in Florida near Marco Island on September 10, 2017. Before coming ashore on Marco Island, Irma made a landfall along the northern coast of Cuba as a Category-5 hurricane and then passed over the lower Florida Keys as a Category-4 hurricane. Irma’s massive size, more than 500 miles wide, impacted communities throughout the state of Florida.

(cont. from page 1)

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NOAA’s operational Hurricane Weather Research and Forecasting (HWRF) model, jointly developed by scientists with NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Prediction and AOML under auspices of the Hurricane Forecast Improvement Project (HFIP), continues to be the best hurricane forecasting model for intensity during the 2017 Atlantic season to date (i.e., the end of October).

Increased vertical resolution and timely updates of initial data from NOAA’s P3 and Gulfstream-IV Hurricane Hunter aircraft resulted in more accurate track and intensity forecasts for Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria. Furthermore, recent experiments have shown that NOAA’s Hurricane Hunter aircraft reconnaissance data helped improve intensity skill by at least 10-15%.

Additionally, during this year’s hurricane season, an experimental, more advanced version of the 2017 HWRF model called the basin-scale HWRF, or HWRF-B, was run in parallel with the HWRF model during Hurricanes Harvey and Irma (see images at right). Developed at AOML and supported by HFIP, HWRF-B demonstrated up to a 10% improvement in the track forecasts of Harvey and Irma over the operational HWRF model.

This experimental system also accurately captured the rapid intensification of Harvey over several cycles in advance of the storm’s Texas landfall, as well generated tropical cyclone genesis forecasts that helped pinpoint tropical systems to be sampled by NOAA’s Hurricane Field Program. For the first time, tail Doppler radar wind data from NOAA’s P3 and Gulfstream-IV Hurricane Hunter aircraft were assimilated in real-time into HWRF-B.

These milestones mark critical advances in numerical weather prediction.

NOAA’s HWRF Model Leads the Pack in Performance for 2017

Intensity predictions from AOML’s basin-scale HWRF forecast cycles for Hurricane Harvey, with Harvey’s actual intensity denoted by red hurricane symbols. Inset shows model radar refelectivity at landfall from one of the cycles.

Hurricane Harvey

Tracks from AOML’s basin-scale HWRF forecast cycles for Hurricane Irma, with Irma’s actual track shown in black. Inset shows model radar reflectivity at landfall from one of the cycles.

Hurricane Irma

Hurricane Andrew made landfall in Homestead, Florida on August 24, 1992.

Remembering Andrew

Hurricane Andrew made landfall in Homestead, Florida, on August 24, 1992, with sustained winds of 165 mph. This year marks the 25th anniversary of the storm, still one of the most catastrophic and costliest hurricanes in US history. Andrew was a small, compact, fast-moving Category-5 hurricane whose formidable winds decimated much of the south Florida landscape, causing an estimated $26.5 billion in direct damages. The storm’s landfall and subsequent passage across south Florida spurred a wave of studies that led researchers to a greater understanding of storm structure and dynamics, as well as to the development of new, more accurate instruments, observing platforms, and high-resolution computer models that have greatly improved forecasts over the past 25 years.

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AOML Mourns the Loss of Michael BlackAOML was saddened by the recent loss of Michael Black,

a research meteorologist with the Hurricane Research Division. Mike passed away unexpectedly on July 14 after battling ailments that included diabetes and pneumonia. He was 62 years old.

Mike joined the Hurricane Research Division in 1985. Over the years, his research focused on the analysis of airborne Doppler radar and Global Positioning System (GPS) dropsonde data to better understand the physical processes in the hurricane eyewall that contribute to intensity change.

One of Mike’s lasting legacies was his pioneering use of GPS dropsondes—instruments deployed from NOAA’s Hurricane Hunter aircraft that measure temperature, barometric pressure, humidity, wind speed, and wind direction as they descend through the atmosphere. In 1997 while on a mission into Hurricane Guillermo in­the­­eastern­Pacific,­Mike­suggested­the­flight­team­deploy­a­few­GPS­­dropsondes­into­ Guillermo’s eyewall. The details that emerged of Guillermo’s vertical wind structure were unprecedented and led to a new, more accurate methodology for how meteorologists estimate the intensity of tropical cyclones.Mike’s­ research­ on­ GPS­ dropsonde­ wind­ profiles­ led­ to­ him­ receiving,­ along­ with­

colleagues James Franklin and Krystal Valde, a Department of Commerce Gold Medal in 2003, the agency’s highest honor. The following year the trio received the prestigious Banner I. Miller award from the American Meteorological Society. The GPS dropsonde methodology for estimating surface winds was also a critical factor in the National Hurricane Center’s upgrade of Hurricane Andrew from a Category-4 to a Category-5 storm ten years after Andrew made landfall in southern Miami-Dade County on August 24, 1992.

In addition to these accomplishments, Mike played a major role in NOAA’s annual ­Hurricane­Field­Program­for­many­years,­flying­into­the­eye­of­more­than­50­hurricanes­to­­collect data. More recently, he was a key member of the NOAA team that pioneered the use of the high-altitude, long-duration Global Hawk unmanned aircraft. Working in partnership with NASA researchers, Mike helped develop the capability for real-time processing and data transmission of GPS dropsonde observations from the Global Hawk. He also served for more than a decade as the Union steward of the National Weather Service Employees Organization at AOML, providing wise counsel to both coworkers and management alike.

Mike was a valued colleague and friend who will be missed but not forgotten. His ashes will­one­day­be­scattered­in­the­eye­of­a­hurricane.­He­is­­survived­by­his­five­­children—Brinn, Jordyn, Austyn, Michael Jr., and Brian.

AOML director Dr. Bob Atlas addresses the family, friends, coworkers, and colleagues of Michael Black during a celebration of his life hosted at AOML on July 19.

Frank Marks: Beyond Mike’s significant scientific accomplishments, he was a kind and very generous person with his time and energy. He was also a great mentor for young people interested in the field of meteorology and hurricane research, always willing to spend time working and encouraging their interests. Mike was an amazing friend who helped many of us in times of need. I know I will miss his scientific insight, boundless enthusiasm, wise counsel, and friendship.

Stanley Goldenberg: It was on a mission into Hurricane Guillermo that Mike said to James Franklin (who was with HRD at that time) “hey, how about we drop a few of these [dropsondes] in the eyewall? We’ve never dropped in the eyewall before.” The insight into the vertical structure of the wind was mind-blowing. Using dropsondes in that way became a regular practice immediately and greatly enhanced our understanding of the wind structure of hurricanes.

John Kaplan: Mike had a big heart and was an extremely good friend to me and many others in the scientific community. Years from now many scientists will still be referencing the papers he coauthored, so that may be his scientific legacy, but his friendship and big heart will be what I remember the most about him.

Peter Black: Mike’s creative mind was always in play, whether on the aircraft or during down time. The example Frank [Marks] mentioned is the one that stands out in my mind as Mike’s pre-eminent contribution to hurricane observations—his idea to drop sondes in the hurricane eyewall.

Peter Dodge: I am going to miss talking to him and swapping tales of the old days when we chased hurricanes on land to capture the radar data. Sometimes it took both of our memories working together to reconstruct our epic chase of Elena, Hugo in the Carolinas, and Gilbert in Texas.

Here are a few rememberances of Mike Black from some of his current and former colleagues with the Hurricane Research Division:

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The GOMECC-3 science team aboard the NOAA Ship Ronald H. Brown.

AOML and partner scientists departed Key West, Florida on July 18 for the start of the third Gulf of Mexico Ecosystems and Carbon Cycle (GOMECC-3) cruise. The research effort aboard the NOAA Ship Ronald H. Brown was undertaken in support of ­NOAA’s­Ocean­­Acidification­Program­to­study­ocean­­acidification­processes in the Gulf of Mexico over a wide range of oceanographic and biogeochemical conditions.

During their 35 days at sea, the science team—24 researchers and students from nine institutions—conducted a large-scale survey of the Gulf of Mexico’s coastal waters, including, for the first­time,­the­territorial­coastal­waters­of­Mexico.­The­coastal­zone­ contains many ecosystems of great socioeconomic importance and is­particularly­vulnerable­to­ocean­acidification­processes.Ocean­ acidification­ occurs­ as­ ­greater­ amounts­ of­ CO2 from

atmospheric emissions are absorbed by the oceans, lowering pH levels and making seawater more acidic. Although the ocean’s uptake of CO2 helps to regulate atmospheric CO2 levels, the lower pH negatively impacts a wide range of marine organisms, particularly those that produce calcium carbonate shells or skeletons, impairing their ability to thrive. Consequently, in addition to quantifying the increase of CO2 in near surface coastal waters, the science team also sought to study the abundance, diversity, and health of a variety of marine species.

The GOMECC-3 cruise track consisted of 12 transects with a total of 107 sampling stations designed to capture key carbon, physical, and biogeochemical parameters. Full water column samples were collected with a 24-bottle CTD/rosette at each station and analyzed for salinity, oxygen, nutrients, dissolved organic carbon, total alkalinity, pH, the partial pressure of CO2, dissolved organic matter, ocean color to verify satellite imaging, and micro-plankton community distributions. “Bongo” nets of varying mesh sizes were used to collect samples of phytoplankton, zooplankton, icthyoplankton­ (fish­ eggs­ and­ larvae)­ and­ pteropods­ (e.g.,­ sea­snails,­sea­butterflies)­to­characterize­their­distribution.

National Park Service (NPS) staff also contributed to the GOMECC-3 effort by collecting onshore and nearshore water sam-ples­to­measure­ocean­acidification­at­four­NPS­sites—Dry­­Tortugas­National Park, Everglades National Park, Biscayne National Park, and Padre Island National Seashore.

GOMECC-3 Cruise Samples Gulf of Mexico for Ocean Acidification Impacts

Additionally, 25 custom-made, GPS-equipped, biodegradable drifters were released to study ocean surface currents. The joint effort with the Consortium for Advanced Research on Transport of Hydrocarbon in the Environment (CARTHE) will enable CARTHE researchers better predict where oil and other toxins may travel in the event of a future spill.Two­previous­cruises­that­surveyed­ocean­acidification­impacts­

along the US east and Gulf coasts were completed in 2007 and 2012. These cruises, together with the GOMECC-3 cruise, provide coastal ocean measurements that enable researchers to better ­understand­where­ocean­acidification­is­occurring­and­how­ocean­chemistry patterns are changing over time.The­cruises­also­fulfill­a­component­of­the­Ocean­Acidification­

Program’s­requirement­to­establish­a­national­ocean­acidification­observing system. Data from the cruises provide baseline measure-ments to assess changes in the Gulf of Mexico’s physical, chemical, and biological characteristics that support the Federal Ocean ­Acidification­Research­and­Monitoring­(FOARAM)­Act­of­2009.Coastal­ ecosystems­ support­ lucrative­ tourism­ and­ fishing­

industries throughout the Gulf, but these industries are increasingly imperiled by changes in seawater chemistry. Large-scale surveys such as the GOMECC-3 effort provide NOAA with a framework for­ monitoring­ long-term­ ocean­ acidification­ trends­ and­ their­ overall impact on the Gulf of Mexico.

Andy Stefanick and Jay Hooper of AOML prepare the conductivity-temperature-depth (CTD)/rosette for the next station.

Left: Co-chief scientist Denis Pierrot of AOML at work in the Hydro Lab. Right: Chief scientist Leticia Barbero of AOML uses a hand-held Niskin bottle to collect water samples near an ocean acidification buoy.

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AOML welcomes talented students from across the country every summer to join its research team by way of intern-ships. This year, 16 highly motivated students spent their break from the academic school year working alongside AOML staff on a variety of projects. AOML’s 2017 summer interns ran the gamut from high school to graduate level students, including three NOAA Hollings Scholars and a NOAA-CREST Fellow.

NOAA scholarships have made a ­significant­impact­on­the­rising­generation­of future federal scientists, with 75% of NOAA undergraduate scholarship alumni pursuing graduate degrees. CREST ( Center for Earth System Sciences and Remote Sensing Technologies) fellowships provide experiential learning opportunities for early career scientists and engineers. Internships enable students to develop both research and­field­skills,­giving­them­a­glimpse­of­what it takes to establish a professional career at a federal research facility.

AOML Hollings Scholar Emily Paltz, a University of Nebraska meteorology major, interned with the Hurricane Research Division under the supervision of Drs. Leon Nguyen and Rob Rogers. Emily’s research focused on analyzing data collected by thousands of dropsondes released from NOAA’s Hurricane Hunter aircraft since 1996 to better understand how tropical cyclones are negatively impacted by vertical wind shear.

Summer Interns add Value to Research

Student interns from AOML, the Southeast Fisheries Science Center, and National Hurricane Center met and mingled during a pizza social hosted by the NOAA Regional library at AOML on July 11.

2017 Summer Interns AOML Mentors

David GoldbergEthical Culture Fieldston School

Chris Sinigalliano/Maribeth GidleyOcean Chemistry and Ecosystems Division

Michael GoldbergEmory University

Chris Sinigalliano/Maribeth GidleyOcean Chemistry and Ecosystems Division

Andrea Gomez, NOAA-CREST FellowCity College of New York

James HendeeOcean Chemistry and Ecosystems Division

Thomas Heeb, Jr.Florida International University

Chris LabbeComputer Networks and Services

Yasmeen JulemisteEverglades High School

Ruth AlmonteOffice of the Director/Administrative Office

Nathan Lanning, NOAA Hollings ScholarUniversity of New Haven

Jia-Zhong ZhangOcean Chemistry and Ecosystems Division

Steven MarreroMAST Academy

Greg Foltz/Marlos GoesPhysical Oceanography Division

Shyama MohantyIndian Institute of Technology

Sundararaman GopalakrishnanHurricane Research Division

Rigoberto OliveroFlorida International University

Linda Pikula/Ashley JeffersonNOAA Miami Regional Library at AOML

Emily Paltz, NOAA Hollings ScholarUniversity of Nebraska

Leon Nguyen/Robert RogersHurricane Research Division

Alexander RichardsonUniversity of Miami

Chris Sinigalliano/Maribeth GidleyOcean Chemistry and Ecosystems Division

Sierra SarkisUniversity of Miami/Rosenstiel School

Erica RuleOffice of the Director

Jennifer SimmsUniversity of Miami/Rosenstiel School

Erica RuleOffice of the Director

Dylan SinnicksonUniversity of Miami/Rosenstiel School

Christopher KelbleOcean Chemistry and Ecosystems Division

Luiz Fernando ValleMAST Academy

Ulises RiveroPhysical Oceanography Division

Rani Wiggins, NOAA Hollings ScholarUniversity of Oklahoma

Altug AksoyHurricane Research Division

AOML’s Physical Oceanography Division hosted two MAST Academy high school students over the summer—Luiz Fernando Valle and Steve Marrero. Pictured above from left to right are Luiz Fernando Valle, Ulises Rivero, Steve Marrero, Gregory Foltz, and Marlos Goes.

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NOAA-AOML CREST Fellow Andrea Gomez conducted studies on coral reefs in La Parguera, Puerto Rico.

Rani Wiggins, an AOML Hollings Scholar majoring in meteorology at the University of Oklahoma, also interned with the Hurricane Research Division. Working under the tutelage of Dr. Altug Aksoy, Rani investigated vortex-scale model sensitivity in tropical cyclones to improve­aircraft­flight­pattern­design­and­observation targeting.

Nathan Lanning, AOML’s third Hollings Scholar, interned with Dr. Jia-Zhong Zhang in the Ocean Chemistry and Ecosystems Division. Nathan is currently a marine biology and biochemistry major at the University of New Haven. During his time at AOML, he participated in a research cruise aboard the R/V F.G. Walton Smith to learn nutrient measure-ment techniques for analysis of water and sediment samples.

PhD candidate and NOAA-CREST Fellow Andrea Gomez also interned with the Ocean Chemistry and Ecosystems Division under the guidance of Dr. Jim Hendee. Andrea’s research focused on evaluating coral bleaching at reef sites in

the Florida Keys and Puerto Rico by comparing in situ and satellite-based seawater temperatures and light levels.

AOML also welcomed a host of interns who supported the lab’s research through specialized training and the completion of a range of technical tasks. Regardless of whether AOML’s interns were supported by NOAA’s educational opportunities, all worked side-by-side with a mentor, who advised and guided their efforts (see table on the previous page). A few of these interns are highlighted below.

Michael and David Goldberg, along with Alexander Richardson, interned with Drs. Chris Sinigalliano and Maribeth Gidley of AOML’s Environmental Micro-biology Laboratory. Michael is a senior at Emory University, David is a high school senior at Fieldston School in New York,

and Alex is a freshman at the University of Miami. The trio assisted in gathering water samples from the Florida Keys and coastal waterways and learned laboratory techniques that enabled them to analyze the samples for the presence of microbial contaminants. They extracted environ-mental DNA from samples, conducted real-time PCR (polymerase chain reaction) analysis of fecal indicator bacteria and other microbial contaminants, and prepared extracts for community sequencing analysis of coral reef microbiomes.

AOML’s Physical Oceanography Division hosted two high school students—Luiz Fernando Valle and Steve Marrero—from the MAST Academy on Virginia Key. Luiz interned with Ulises Rivero to learn the C and Python programming languages and to develop software that outputs test data that will be used for running bench tests on the Adaptable Bottom Instrument Information Shuttle System. Steve interned with Drs. Greg Foltz and Marlos Goes on a project to explore the variability of the Atlantic Equatorial Undercurrent using expendable bathythermograph and altimetry data, as well as data from a PIRATA mooring. Steven learned MATLAB programming, basic statistics and time series analysis, and equatorial oceanography.

AOML’s industrious summer interns assisted­ with­ field­ sampling­ efforts,­ performed research, learned new skills, and tended to a variety of technical tasks in support of the laboratory’s science programs. AOML applauds their efforts and is honored to have played a role in preparing them for future educational opportunities and successful careers in the marine and atmospheric sciences.

NOAA-AOML Hollings Scholars Emily Paltz and Rani Wiggins sit in the cockpit of a NOAA P3 Hurricane Hunter aircraft during a visit to the Aircraft Operations Center at Linder Regional Airport in Lakeland, Florida.

David and Michael Goldberg collect water samples in the Florida Keys for analysis in the Environmental Microbiology Laboratory at AOML.

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NOAA Corps diver LTJG Ben VanDine collects a coral tissue sample.

Researchers Assess Microbial Biodiversity of Reefs in the Florida Keys

Coral researchers at AOML collected water, sediment, and coral tissue samples in July for the Marine Biodiversity Observing Network (MBON) of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. AOML microbiology researchers are analyzing these samples to determine their microbial biodiversity using both traditional and state-of-the-art molecular tools to better characterize overall coral reef community structure and health trends. The work, performed in support of AOML’s Coral Genomic Observing Network, seeks to characterize the microbial community structure and biodiversity of coral reef microbiomes in the Florida Keys. It’s also part of a larger MBON effort to document biodiversity across trophic levels in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.

Underwater Gliders Deployed in Support of Atlantic Hurricane SeasonA new underwater glider mission began in July in support of NOAA’s Hurricane Field Program to enhance understanding of air-sea interaction processes that occur during hurricane-force winds. AOML and CARICOOS (Caribbean Coastal Ocean Observing System) partners deployed three gliders in the Caribbean Sea and tropical North Atlantic that will perform the same repeated transects as in previous missions and/or gather targeted observations before, during, and after the passage of a tropical cyclone. The mission is planned until November, with the gliders expected to collect approximately 5,000 profiles of a suite of parameters that includes temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, dissolved organic matter, and chlorophyll. Data from the gliders will be transmitted in real-time into the Global Telecommunication System to initialize ocean-atmospheric numerical models.

CARICOOS and AOML partners deploy an underwater glider in the coastal waters off La Parguera, Puerto RIco.

Staffers Representing Florida Congressman Carlos Curbelo Visit AOML

AOML Director Dr. Bob Atlas was pleased to welcome Mr. Christopher Miles, the Deputy Chief of Staff/Miami District Director for Florida Congressman Carlos Curbelo, and Mr. Daniel Leyte-Vidal, a Field Representative for Congressman Curbelo, to the lab on July 7. Mr. Miles and Leyte-Vidal visited AOML to become acquainted with the lab’s research and how it positively impacts both the South Florida community and the nation. During their time at AOML, they toured the facility, spoke with researchers from AOML’s three science divisions, and personally met with AOML director Dr. Bob Atlas.

The tour began with a visit to AOML’s Future Reefs Laboratory on the University of Miami- Rosenstiel School campus where Drs. Jim Hendee and Ian Enochs explained the importance of studying the molecular mechanisms of coral resiliency. While there, Dr. Chris Kelble also discussed AOML’s research to study how juvenile sportfish populations in Florida Bay respond to water quality and habitat. Back at AOML, Dr. Rick Lumpkin highlighted a variety of ocean observing instruments that enable researchers to monitor the physical, chemical, and biological properties of the ocean. A visit with AOML’s hurricane researchers highlighted advances in hurricane modeling and continued improvements to hurricane forecasts.

Clockwise: Upper right: Ian Enochs explains to Chris Miles and Daniel Leyte-Vidal how increased oceanic levels of carbon dioxide lowers the pH of seawater and negatively impacts coral reefs. Middle right: Rick Lumpkin discusses how drifting buoys and other observing instruments enable researchers to globally monitor ocean temperatures, salinity, and other parameters. Bottom right: Rob Rogers shows a model of NOAA’S P3 Hurricane Hunter aircraft and discusses how data gathered by the P3 in the eye and eyewall of tropical cyclones are critical to forecasts.

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FarewellNOAA­ Corps­ Officer­ CDR­ Justin­ Kibbey,­ AOML’s­ Associate­

Director, departed AOML in August to become the new Deputy Director of Operations at NOAA’s Aircraft Operations Center in Lakeland, Florida. Justin served as the Associate Director of AOML for roughly one and a half years, overseeing the daily operation and maintenance of the AOML facility. He also tended to security, safety, and preparedness measures and spearheaded several repair and enhancement projects at the lab,­­including­the­redesign­and­renovation­of­a­2,850­square-foot­office­area­on­the­first­floor.

Linda Pikula, the NOAA Southern Regional Librarian at AOML and the National Hurricane Center, retired in August after 29 years of federal service. Besides managing two NOAA libraries in Miami, Linda was recognized as a marine information management expert who helped develop international standards for the exchange and management of oceanographic data. She also strongly supported the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission’s OceanTeacher program and was a founding member of two professional societies—the Atmospheric Science Libraries International and the Southern Aquatic Information Libraries. Additionally, Linda was an elected representa-tive of the US Federal Library and Information Center Committee for the Library of Congress.

Thomas Sevilla, a University of Miami-Cooperative Institute electrical engineer with AOML’s Physical Oceanography Division, departed in July to accept a position with Selected Engineered Systems, Inc. During Tom’s 2 years at AOML, he worked with PhOD’s engineering group to design, test, fabricate, and deploy ocean-observing instruments. He also helped­maintain­ existing­ instruments­used­ for­field­projects­ and­was­ a­seagoing participant on research vessels and merchant ships where he assisted­in­the­collection­of­scientific­data.

Welcome AboardDr. Soumi Chakravorty joined the staff of AOML’s Physical

Oceanography Division in August as a postdoctoral fellow with the University of Miami’s Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies. Soumi is supported by a research project funded by the National Science Foundation and will work with Drs. Renellys Perez and Rick Lumpkin to examine extratropical atmospheric forcing of the El Niño-Southern­Oscillation.­She­was­previously­affiliated­with­ the­Earth­and­Climate Science Department of the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research in Pune, India.

Dr. Stepanie Rosales joined AOML’s Ocean Chemistry and Ecosystems Division in July as a postdoctoral fellow with the University of Miami’s Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies. Stephanie will serve as a bioinformatics specialist for AOML’s ‘omics initiative, where she will oversee the new Environmental Bioinformatics Center at AOML and conduct analyses of environmental Next-Generation-Sequencing (NGS) data for a variety of projects. She will also provide training work-shops for other researchers on metagenomic bioinformatics analysis of environmental NGS data. Stephanie holds a PhD in Microbiology from Oregon State University.

Dr. Jonathan Zawislak joined the staff of AOML’s Hurricane Research Division in July as an Assistant Scientist through the University of Miami’s Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies. Jon will study the role of precipitation processes in tropical cyclone structure and intensity change and work to improve the representation of these processes in numerical models. To accomplish this, he will analyze data from aircraft missions and satellite observations, as well as evaluate numerical models. Jon holds an MS and PhD from the University of Utah’s Department of Atmospheric Sciences.

CongratulationsShirley Murillo, a

research meteorologist with AOML’s Hurricane Research Division (HRD), was selected in mid June to become the new Deputy Director of HRD. She follows Howard Friedman in the role, who previously served as the HRD Deputy Director for more than 35 years.­ Shirley­ is­ also­ the­ first­ woman­named the Deputy Director for the divi-sion.

Shirley is a 19-year veteran of HRD whose research interests include the wind field­ structure­of­ tropical­ cyclones,­ radar­observations,­ hurricane­ field­ program­planning,­ and­ the­ transition­ of­ scientific­research into the hurricane forecasting operational environment. As the Deputy Director, she will manage the day-to-day activities of the division and oversee its research. Shirley holds a master’s degree in meteorology from the University of Hawaii.

Oceanographers Libby Johns and Ryan Smith of AOML’s Physical Oceanography Division, along with team members from NOAA’s Southeast Fisheries Science ­Center­ and­ the­ Office­ of­ Marine­ and­ Aviation Operations, are the recipients of a 2017 NOAA Administrator’s Award for conducting groundbreaking collaborative larval­­Atlantic­bluefin­tuna­surveys­across­Cuban and Mexican territorial waters in 2015 and 2016.

The surveys, conducted aboard the NOAA Ship Nancy Foster in collaboration with scientists from several nations, helped establish a protocol for effectively moni-toring­ ­Atlantic­ bluefin­ tuna­ spawning,­ abundance, and larval distributions within the Gulf of Mexico and adjacent marine ecosystems.

The research supports NOAA’s strategic goal for ecosystems to protect, restore, and manage the use of coastal and ocean resources. It also addresses NOAA’s focus on ecosystem-based management and the need for expanded stock assessments in our own and surrounding marine regions.

Dr. Libby Johns and Ryan Smith of AOML’s Physical Oceanography Division.

10 | July-August-September 2017 www.aoml.noaa.gov/keynotes/

Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory

Dr. Robert M. AtlasDirector

Dr. Molly O. BaringerDeputy Director

LTJG Benjamin E. VanDineActing Associate Director

Dr. Frank D. MarksHurricane Research Division Director

Dr. James C. HendeeOcean Chemistry and Ecosystems

Division Director

Dr. Gustavo J. GoniPhysical Oceanography Division Director

4301 Rickenbacker CausewayMiami, FL 33149

www.aoml.noaa.gov

Keynotes is published bimonthly to highlight AOML’s recent research

activities and staff accomplishments.

Keynotes publishing editor: Gail Derr

U.S. Department of CommerceMr. Wilbur L. Ross, Jr.

Secretary of Commercewww.doc.gov

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Mr. Benjamin P. FriedmanActing Undersecretary of Commerce

for Oceans and Atmosphere and NOAA Administrator

www.noaa.gov

Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research

Mr. Craig N. McLean Assistant Administrator

www.oar.noaa.gov

Recent Publications (AOML authors are denoted by bolded capital letters)

Akhand, A., A. Chanda, S. Manna, S. Das, S. Hazra, R. Roy, S.B. Choudhury, K.H. Rao, V.K. Dadhwal, K. Chakraborty, K.M.G. Mostofa, T. Tokoro, T. Kuwae, and R. WANNINKHOF, 2016: A comparison of CO2 dynamics and air-water fluxes in a river-dominated estuary and a mangrove-dominated marine estuary. Geophysical Research Letters, 43(22):11,726-11,735.

Araujo, M.L.V., C.R.B. Mendes, V.M. Tavano, C.A.E. Garcia, and M.O. BARINGER, 2017: Contrasting patterns of phytoplankton pigments and chemotaxonomic groups along 30°S in the subtropical South Atlantic Ocean. Deep Sea Research, Part I, 120:112-121.

Beron-Vera, F.J., M.J. Olascoaga, and R. LUMPKIN, 2016: Inertia-induced accumulation of flotsam in the subtropical gyres. Geophysical Research Letters, 43(23):12,229-12,233.

Boukabara, S.A., T. Zhu, H.L. Tolman, S. Lord, S. Goodman, R. ATLAS, M. Goldberg, T. Auligne, B. Pierce, L. CUCURULL, M. Zupanski, M. Zhang, I. Moradi, J. Otkin, D. Santek, B. Hoover, Z. Pu, X. Zhan, C. Hain, E. Kalnay, D. Hotta, S. Nolin, E. Bayler, A. Mehra, S.P.F. CASEY, D. Lindsey, L. Grasso, V.K. Kumar, A. Powell, J. Xu, T. Greenwald, J. Zajic, J. Li, J. Li, B. Li, J. Liu, L. Fang, P. Wang, and T.-C. Chen, 2016: S4: An O2R/R2O infrastructure for optimizing satellite data utilization in NOAA numerical modeling systems: A step toward bridging the gap between research and operations. Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, 97(12): 2359-2378.

CHRISTOPHERSEN, H., A. AKSOY, J. DUNION, and K. SELLWOOD, 2017: The impact of NASA Global Hawk unmanned aircraft dropwind-sonde observations on tropical cyclone track, intensity, and structure: Case studies. Monthly Weather Review, 145(5):1817-1830.

Cormier, R., C.R. KELBLE, M.R. Anderson, J.I. Allen, A. Grehan, and O. Gregersen, 2017: Moving from ecosystem-based policy objectives to operational implementation of ecosystem-based management measures. ICES Journal of Marine Science, 74(1):406-413.

Harvey, C.J., C.R. KELBLE, and F.B. Schwing, 2017: Implementing “the IEA”: Using integrated ecosystem assessment frameworks, programs, and applications in support of operationalizing ecosystem-based management. ICES Journal of Marine Science, 74(1):398-405.

Leidner, S.M., T. Nehrkorn, J. Henderson, M. Mountain, T. Yunck, and R.N. HOFFMAN, 2017: A severe weather quick observing system simulation experiment (QuickOSSE) of global navigation satellite system (GNSS) radio occultation (RO) superconstellations. Monthly Weather Review, 145(2):637-651.

PIERROT, D., and F.J. Millero, 2017: The speciation of metals in natural waters. Aquatic Geochemistry, 23(1):1-20.

Pu, Z., L. Zhang, S. Zhang, B. Gentry, D. Emmitt, B. Demoz, and R. ATLAS, 2016: The impact of Doppler wind lidar measurements on high-impact weather forecasting: Regional OSSE and data assimilation studies. In Data Assimilation for Atmospheric, Oceanic and Hydrological Applications, Volume 3, S.K. Park and L. Xu (eds.). Springer International, 259-283.

PUTMAN, N.F., R. LUMPKIN, A.E. Sacco, and K.L. Mansfield, 2016: Passive drift or active swimming in marine organisms? Proceedings of the Royal Society B, 283(1844):20161689.

Rydbeck, A.V., E.D. Maloney, and G.J. ALAKA, 2017: In situ initiation of east Pacific easterly waves in a regional model. Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences, 74(2):333-351.

Staley, C., T. Kaiser, M.L. GIDLEY, I.C. ENOCHS, P.R. JONES, K.D. GOODWIN, C.D. SINIGALLIANO, M.J. Sadowsky, and C.L. Chun, 2017: A next-generation sequencing approach to char-acterize the impacts of land-based sources of pollution on the microbiota of southeast Florida coral reefs. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 83(10):e03378-16.

VAN HOOIDONK, R., J. Maynard, J. Tamelander, J. Gove, G. Ahmadia, L. Raymundo, G. Williams, S.F. Heron, and S. Planes, 2016: Local-scale projections of coral reef futures and implica-tions of the Paris Agreement. Nature Scientific Reports, 6:39666.

VOLKOV, D.L., S.-K. LEE, F.W. Landerer, and R. LUMPKIN, 2017: Decade-long deep-ocean warming detected in the subtropical South Pacific. Geophysical Research Letters, 44(2): 927-936.

WANNINKHOF, R., and J. TRINANES, 2017: The impact of changing wind speeds on gas transfer and its effect on global air-sea CO2 fluxes. Global Biogeochemical Cycles, 31(6): 961-974.

Wentz, F.J., L. Ricciardulli, E. Rodriguez, B.W. Stiles, M.A. Bourassa, D.G. Long, R.N. HOFFMAN, A. Stoffelen, A. Verhoef, L.W. O’Neill, J.T. Farrar, D. Vandemark, A.G. Fore, S.M. Hristova-Veleva, F.J. Turk, R. Gaston, and D. Tyler, 2017: Evaluating and extending the ocean wind climate data record. IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Applied Earth Observa-tions and Remote Sensing, 10(5):2165-2185.

ZHANG, J.A., and X. Li., 2017:Tropical cyclone multiscale wind features from spaceborne synthetic aperture radar. In Hurricane Monitoring with Spaceborne Synthetic Aperture Radar, X. Li (ed.). Springer Singapore, 25-39.