CE/NR797 Lab: Climate and
Water Movement
[Prepared by R.
Fortner for ：Digital and Field Techniques for Coastal Environment
Studies,； 7/02]
Models and observations of
Great Lakes water movement and the wind/water relationship are available to
assist in visualizing the changes the system undergoes on a regular (and often
rapid) basis. This lab is designed to
The Great Lakes Forecasting System
http://superior.eng.ohio-state.edu
Coastwatch http://www.lre.usace.army.mil/hmpghh.html
US Army Corps of Engineers http://www.lre.usace.army.mil/hmpghh.html
and
MAROBS buoy network http://superior.eng.ohio-state.edu/marobs/nf-index.html
Materials:
Computer with internet access and Excel, aquarium model of lake stratification
from ES-EAGLS: Climate and Water Movement in the Great Lakes, paint roller
pan.
Procedure:
Go to the internet
site http://www.ag.ohio-state.edu/~earthsys/gl_activ.html
Assume you represent the same lake you had in the first day・s awareness
activity, and work through the Updated Version of the Original Activity,
student procedure and worksheet for that lake using the information and links
provided. When you reach Item 13, join your classmates for a discussion of the
patterns you observed. Continue with the other components of the lab.
Answer the following questions using data from the demonstrations and web
sites above. You may prepare your answers in a Word document that simply flows
from question to answer, to next question, etc. Illustrate your work as
necessary with inserted images.
A. Temperature.
Locate a
set of 4-5 GLFS profile images from 2001 that illustrate the
approximate dates for Lake Erie・s spring turnover, surface warming pattern,
stratification and fall turnover. How do this year・s dates of thermal events
compare with last year・s?
B.
Storm surges and seiches.
People often ask if the Great Lakes have tides. We have to say that the
influence of the moon and sun on lake water is certainly present, but
differences are not sufficient for people to take notice of them. Instead we
have movements called seiches, wind setups, and storm surges.
From your readings and the web sites, make a concept map that
demonstrates the causes of these processes and events, and your understanding
of the distinctions between them.
Locate GLFS archival images that show a time series (T) of what
you believe to be a seiche, a wind setup and a storm surge. Attach the images
or provide links to them. What information within the images did you
need to know to distinguish a surge from a setup?
C. Water levels.
Concern
about water levels seems always to be present in the coastal community.
Examine the Army Corps of Engineers website to see the range of water levels
over the past years in
Lake Erie and the other Great Lakes. A hard copy of earlier changes is available in graph form for
your use as well
Compare the current month・s water levels at Toledo (Detailed view) in
2002 with the recent past, using the same month・s data for 1997-2001. Graph
the differences and discuss the societal implications of the range of
water levels illustrated.
Add
to your graph some horizontal lines showing the minimum, maximum and long term
average water levels in Lake Erie for June. Discuss the popular
perception that lake levels were really low in 2001. Does the Coastwatch plot
of Marblehead data (all available, daily) confirm the perception? [Click on
the Great Wave of Kanagawa picture to reach this section of the site.]
Using
some of the data available from these web sites, describe how you would
illustrate the impacts of global climate change on the Lake Erie watershed.
References
Fortner and Mayer.1993. The
Great Lake Erie, Chapter 5 The Effect of Lake Erie on Climate by Val Eichenlaub.
Fortner, R.W. and R. L. Meyer. 1996. Climate and Water Movement. A book
of curriculum activities in the series of Earth Systems Education Activities
for Great Lakes Schools (ES-EAGLS). Columbus: Ohio Sea Grant.
Climate
and Water Movement Lab Scoring