Events - United States of America

Mission SnowGLOBE

Starting fall 2023

SnowGLOBE with University of Wisconsin-Madison (Michael Notaro)

As part of a SeaGrant project, Michael Notaro (University of Wisconsin-Madison) developed a new SnowGLOBE initiative. This 22-minute video explains the SnowGLOBE project. 

Michael is recruiting schools and nature centers to work with their students in collecting snowfall-related measurements and photography. Equipment will be provided free of charge for participants. Michael is also available to give presentations or lead class activities. Please contact Michael if you wish to participate. 

To upload snowflake photos

Michael Notaro created a Google Form for educators and students to upload their photos of snowflakes. Contact Michael if you want to add your data and photos; he will give you access to the form and instructions. The following information is requested via the form (you do not need to provide information for every field):

• Upload snow crystal photo 

• Location name 

• Date 

• Time 

• Longest dimension (mm) in 10th of mm 

• Crystal type 

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January to February 2023 

The GLOBE U.S. Coordination Office invited GLOBE educators and students to participate in Mission SnowGLOBE in January and February 2023. We worked in partnership with the NASA Investigation of Microphysics and Precipitation for Atlantic Coast-Threatening Snowstorms (IMPACTS) field campaign to collect measurements during snow events and upload the data to the GLOBE website. Anyone was welcome to participate, although we specifically asked for data from these areas: southern Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, New York, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, and southern Wisconsin. Storms over North Carolina and Virginia were also monitored by the IMPACTS team.

We asked participants to collect data using the protocols: 

• Solid Precipitation Protocol Field Guide and Lab Guide (this includes: new snow depth, snowpack depth, and snow water equivalent, see the full precipitation protocol here) 

• Clouds (Optional, available on The GLOBE Program’s app, GLOBE Observer) 

Mission-Related News Stories

• Educators and Students Weather the Storm in Support of NASA's IMPACTS Mission (GLOBE, 17 April 2023)

• What scientists are hoping to learn by flying directly into snowstorms (NPR Shortwave podcast, 17 March 2023; 13 minutes); Podcast transcript

• Scientists are flying into snowstorms to explore winter storm mysteries (NPR Shortwave podcast, 27 February 2023; 4 minutes); Podcast transcript

• NASA tracks winter storms from Georgia (Fox 5 Atlanta, 24 February 2023; 2 minutes)

Previous Mission Materials

Getting Ready to Participate

Prior to the start of the mission in January, you will need to: 

• Become familiar with the protocols: scroll down the Atmosphere Protocol eTraining page to find the “Precipitation - Snow” eTraining and “Clouds” eTraining 

• Define your study site(s)

• Gather the equipment, including making a snowboard (a list of equipment needed can be found below) 

The expectation is that you and your students would collect data when alerted through the SnowGLOBE Community for a snow event. You will be given 48 hours' notice of a snow event. The IMPACTS team will provide webinars for students to meet the mission pilots, and have offered to mentor students participating in the U.S. GLOBE Regional Student Research Symposia or the International Virtual Science Symposium using data from this project. 

Webinar Recordings

• Mission SnowGLOBE Informational Webinar: Learn how to participate and what data you will collect.

  • Watch the recording

  • Slides from the webinar

• Mission SnowGLOBE Webinar for Students and Educators: Learn the science behind the mission and how to connect with the scientists

  • Watch the recording

  • Interested in connecting with the IMPACTS scientists? Get in touch with Brenna Biggs (b.biggs@baeri.org), the NASA Airborne Science Program Communications Lead

Resources

• GLOBE "Precipitation - Snow" eTraining

• The GLOBE Observer App can be used to record data and send it to GLOBE.

• Simple directions for making a snowboard

• Current Snow Depth Map from the USDA Forest Service is a great resource to complement Mission SnowGLOBE!

• How-to take snowflake photos using your phone and a laser pointer

• Map to track NASA flights in real time

• Calendar for NASA Airborne Science Program

• CoCoRaHS - The Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network is a non-profit, community-based network of volunteers of all ages and backgrounds working together to measure and map precipitation (rain, hail and snow). A great complement to GLOBE!

Connect with Scientists

If you are interested in connecting with the mission scientists, please get in touch with Brenna Biggs, the NASA Airborne Science Program Communication Lead (b.biggs@baeri.org).

Literacy Connections

• It's Snowing by Gail Gibbons

• The Story of Snow: The Science of Winter's Wonder by Mark Cassino

• Snowflake Bentley by Jacqueline Briggs Martin

• Curious About Snow by Gina Shaw

• Snowflakes in Photographs by W.A. Bentley

• The Secret Life of a Snowflake by Kenneth Libbrecht

• Studying Snowflakes by Joseph Otterman

• 'We Love Snow' recommended reading from the Wisconsin Water Library

Opportunities to Share Student Research

• The U.S. GLOBE Regional Student Research Symposia (SRS) take place across the country each spring. Check out the SRS webpage to learn more and see locations for 2023. These events are open to 5th-12th grade students and there is travel funding available for qualifying teams.

• The 2023 GLOBE International Virtual Science Symposium is open to all GLOBE students. The deadline for submitting a project is 10 March 2023. 

Event Topics: Campaigns and Projects (IOPs, etc)

Events origin: United States of America

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