How a NASA Supercomputer Views Earth's Weather

By: By Eric Zerkel

Published: November 22,2013

 

 

 

 

 

William Putman/NASA Goddard Space Flight Center

This visualization by NASA shows global wind patterns. Surface winds, including Atlantic and Pacific cyclones, are shown in white, while upper-level winds are colored by speed, with red representing faster winds.

Saturated with brilliant reds and swirling blues, the latest visualization produced by NASA's Discover supercomputer looks more befitting of van Gogh than a faceless machine. But NASA's latest cyber-toy hopes to create something not even the most Avant-garde artist could hope to muster:  simulations that could potentially predict future weather events and patterns.
In the illustration above, the Discover supercomputer processes data formulated out of the Goddard Earth Observing System Model (GEOS-5)—a complex network of variables that factors in observable global features like sea surface temperatures, volcanoes, and human-derived pollution—to produce a stunning simulation of Earth's global wind patterns, NASA reports.
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White swirls and streams on the graphic represent surface winds—those at lower elevations, including tropical cyclones—while the ribbons of color circumnavigating the globe represent upper-level winds, or the jet stream. The variation in color across the jet stream indicates variation in wind speed, with darker colors representing the quickest winds.
The video below shows the simulation in action. Watch closely, at around 15 seconds the jet stream begins to dip deep into North America.


The current of dips and bulges seen above can potentially dramatically affect weather, according to weather.com meteorologist Chris Dolce.
"The southward dips and northward bulges in the jet stream can lead to extreme weather at times, including extreme variations in temperature," said Dolce. "Bouts of flooding or drought can result if these patterns persist for a significant period of time in any one place."
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And while NASA's simulations provide a unique glimpse into the potential for technology in forecasting, it's important to note that, like all simulations, those produced by Discover are still a long way away from predicting future weather. Still, as technology progresses, NASA hopes supercomputers like Discover may hold the key to creating potentially life-saving forecasts in the future.

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Open pit mines near Fort McMurray in Alberta, Canada. Left: September 22, 2000. Right: July 31, 2007. The oil sands from these mines provide refinery-ready raw crude oil and diesel fuel. (Credit: NASA)