1
00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:07,000
Hi, Dr. Smith. I'm Kaylee, one of the triage detectives. We've heard that you've developed

2
00:00:07,000 --> 00:00:12,000
a new satellite that will be able to predict weather more accurately.

3
00:00:12,000 --> 00:00:14,000
That's right. It's called the GIFS.

4
00:00:14,000 --> 00:00:16,000
GIFS? You mean like present?

5
00:00:16,000 --> 00:00:22,000
No. GIFS is an acronym that stands for Geostationary Imaging Fourier Transform Spectrometer.

6
00:00:22,000 --> 00:00:28,000
Or more simply, GIFS is a digital camera placed on a satellite high above the Earth.

7
00:00:28,000 --> 00:00:31,000
Why is it important that the satellite remain in place?

8
00:00:31,000 --> 00:00:38,000
Oh, because if the camera is in a geostationary position, we can make 3D movies of the atmosphere.

9
00:00:38,000 --> 00:00:40,000
Do you need to wear 3D glasses to see them?

10
00:00:40,000 --> 00:00:42,000
No, it's not that kind of a movie.

11
00:00:42,000 --> 00:00:44,000
Why is the 3D important?

12
00:00:44,000 --> 00:00:48,000
Most geostationary satellites provide two-dimensional movies.

13
00:00:48,000 --> 00:00:51,000
But the GIFS adds a third dimension, altitude.

14
00:00:51,000 --> 00:00:56,000
So with the GIFS, we can tell the height of the storm as well as its geographical location.

15
00:00:56,000 --> 00:01:00,000
The three-dimensional data from GIFS, such as temperature, water vapor, and winds,

16
00:01:00,000 --> 00:01:02,000
will be fed into computer models.

17
00:01:02,000 --> 00:01:07,000
And this will greatly improve forecasts of weather, climate, and air pollution.

18
00:01:07,000 --> 00:01:10,000
Will GIFS help meteorologists predict storms even sooner?

19
00:01:10,000 --> 00:01:17,000
Yes. GIFS, unlike any other satellite camera, can observe the upward spiraling motion of air molecules

20
00:01:17,000 --> 00:01:24,000
and alert meteorologists that storms will form long before they're observed on radar or in other satellite pictures.

21
00:01:24,000 --> 00:01:28,000
We would know not to go to Florida way before the storm even gets there.

22
00:01:28,000 --> 00:01:31,000
How will GIFS predict the path of a hurricane?

23
00:01:31,000 --> 00:01:37,000
GIFS senses the motion of air molecules and clouds at different altitudes in the atmosphere.

24
00:01:37,000 --> 00:01:42,000
It provides a measure of the atmospheric winds that steer the storm's movement.

25
00:01:42,000 --> 00:01:45,000
In other words, the winds tell us where the storm will go.

26
00:01:45,000 --> 00:01:51,000
Given the speed and the velocity of the wind, we can predict the future position of a hurricane.

27
00:01:51,000 --> 00:01:55,000
We talked to a family in Miami whose house was destroyed by Hurricane Andrew.

28
00:01:55,000 --> 00:01:57,000
I wonder if GIFS would have helped them.

29
00:01:57,000 --> 00:02:02,000
Most definitely. The earlier we can warn people, the more time they have to prepare for the storm.

30
00:02:02,000 --> 00:02:06,000
This will result in less property damage and fewer deaths.

31
00:02:06,000 --> 00:02:08,000
It can even help save millions of dollars.

32
00:02:08,000 --> 00:02:10,000
Wow. How can it do that?

33
00:02:10,000 --> 00:02:14,000
Well, for each mile of coastline that is warned of a hurricane coming ashore,

34
00:02:14,000 --> 00:02:18,000
a million dollars is spent in preparing for the hurricane's landfall.

35
00:02:18,000 --> 00:02:21,000
So if you knew exactly where the hurricane was going to hit,

36
00:02:21,000 --> 00:02:24,000
fewer people would have to spend money preparing for it.

37
00:02:24,000 --> 00:02:32,000
Right. The average error predicting where landfall will occur 24 hours in advance is 125 miles.

38
00:02:32,000 --> 00:02:39,000
So if we were able to reduce that error by, say, a small 10%, well, how many miles would that be?

39
00:02:39,000 --> 00:02:44,000
Well, 10% of 125 is 12.5 miles.

40
00:02:44,000 --> 00:02:47,000
So that would be $12.5 million.

41
00:02:47,000 --> 00:02:51,000
That's correct. We expect even much greater improvements with GIFS.

42
00:02:51,000 --> 00:02:53,000
That's going to be awesome.

43
00:02:53,000 --> 00:02:58,000
But I wish you had it right now so we would know if the hurricane was going to be anywhere near SeaWorld in Florida.

44
00:02:58,000 --> 00:03:02,000
I'll let you know when it gets close, but it won't be in the next couple of weeks.

45
00:03:02,000 --> 00:03:04,000
Thanks, Dr. Smith.

46
00:03:04,000 --> 00:03:05,000
You're welcome.

47
00:03:05,000 --> 00:03:06,000
Bye.