Intensive Observing Periods (IOPs) are focused periods of time where participants are encouraged to collect large amounts of data to be entered in the GLOBE database.
See what Dr Sandy MacDonald, one of the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Deputy Assistant Administrators – has to say about the campaign:
Climate Scientists will lead these Intensive Observing Periods, and both students and scientists can then use the GLOBE data and long-term climate data to develop climate inquiries and conduct research. There are two activities that can be undertaken for these IOPs: the 'Great Global Investigation of Climate' and 'Climate and Land Cover' and you can start either at any of the scheduled times, and complete as many IOPs as you like.
Schedule for Intensive Observation Periods
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Sep
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Oct
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Nov
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Dec
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Jan
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Feb
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Mar
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Apr
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May
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Jun
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Jul
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Climate and Land Cover
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X
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X |
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X |
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X |
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Great Global Investigation of Climate
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X
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X |
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X
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The Great Global Investigation of Climate (GGIC)
The GGIC is focused on defining local climate through GLOBE protocols and the student inquiry question “What is my climate and how has it changed?” Classrooms are asked to collect and enter temperature and precipitation data in the GLOBE database and investigate how to classify local climate using these atmospheric data. In the course of the GGIC students investigate how:
- precipitation and temperature data can be used to characterize climate;
- local climate can be classified; and
- local studies of weather can lead to the study of climate.
The Climate and Land Cover Project (CLC)
The Climate and Land Cover investigation is a research activity involving GLOBE schools and climate scientists to understand land cover and climate.
- Using GLOBE land cover protocols, students will take photographs and classify representative land cover areas near their schools and upload data to the GLOBE database.
- These data can be used by students to compare land cover around the world, and will be used by scientists to improve land cover classifications for climate models.