Category Archives: Atmosphere

“Fropas”

Posted on 05/23/2008 by peggy

One of the most exciting weather phenomena is the passage of a front, called a “Fropas” (FROH-pah) by meteorologists. Especially a strong cold front. A front is simply the boundary between a large mass of cold air and a large … Continue reading →

Posted in Atmosphere, Backyard Science, GLOBE Protocols | Leave a comment

Wind Power

Posted on 05/16/2008 by peggy

The cost of using fossil fuels has gone up – we paid over $4.00 a gallon for gasoline for the first time this weekend. But of course there is the no-longer-hidden cost of what the carbon dioxide and other greenhouse … Continue reading →

Posted in Atmosphere, Carbon, Earth as a System | Leave a comment

Watching Clouds

Posted on 05/09/2008 by peggy

In the last blog, I looked down – at a puddle. But most of the time, I look up: to see what birds are overhead, and to watch clouds. Figure 1. Picture of fair-weather cumulus clouds east of Beloit, Wisconsin, … Continue reading →

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Puddles and the GLOBE inquiry model

Posted on 04/25/2008 by peggy

As the last (I promise!) blog on the Missouri puddle, I describe the informal puddle investigation in terms of the GLOBE Inquiry Model. The GLOBE Inquiry Model is a simple way to describe how scientists investigate questions. It’s easier to … Continue reading →

Posted in Atmosphere, General Science, Hydrology, Soil | Leave a comment

Puddles and Soil Temperature, Part 4: Cool soil in the summertime

Posted on 04/07/2008 by peggy

During the summer, abundant sunshine during the long days heats up the ground near the surface. I’ve seen surface temperatures on dry ground up to 50°C in the south-central Great Plains of the United States. If you’ve dug a hole … Continue reading →

Posted in Atmosphere, Backyard Science, Hydrology, Land Cover, Soil | 1 Comment