What Equipment Is Used to Track a Hurricane?

In your endeavor to find out what equipment is used to track a hurricane, you will discover that a variety of different tools and options are used to do so. Always remember that professionals need to operate this equipment in order to harbor accurate results and to maintain safety.

There are different ways of tracking a hurricane. However, NASA uses some very specific tools to track hurricanes. The tools, devices, and equipment which they use are:

• NASA's DC-8 aircraft
• NASA's ER-2 aircraft
• WC-130J Hercules aircraft
• NOAA's WP-3 Orion aircraft
• NOAA's Gulfstream IV aircraft
• Aerosonde Robotic Aircraft
• Altimetry
• Aqua AIRS
• Aqua satellite
• CAMEX-4
• CAMEX-3
• Extra Tropical Storm Tracks
• Computer tracking devices
• Global Positioning System technology
• Jason-1
• TOPEX/Poseidon
• Lidar atmospheric sensing
• MISR instrument
• SeaWinds
• QuikScat
• Satellites
• Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission Satellite
• Specialized surface wind instruments
• Weather sensors
• Tracking maps

How Hurricanes Are Tracked

Now that you know the names of the tools and equipment used to track of hurricanes, you might be inclined to do some more specific research about each of these tools. However, you also might want to know how two or more of these different devices work in tandem in order to gather the most information about a hurricane that is available.

NASA explains its process of hurricane tracking to students and to those interested in this branch of science. Basically, when they want to track a hurricane, they go through the following steps.

1. The NASA satellites take pictures of the hurricanes from outer space. With these photos, researchers are able to look at the big picture as well as the different weather patterns in certain areas to learn how and why these types of storms develop.
2. Many of the various tools and equipment used by NASA perform a specific function in the tracking of hurricanes.

• The Aqua satellite measures rainfall, sea surface temperatures and clouds.
• The Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission takes the 3-D pattern of rainfall in hurricanes into account. Furthermore, this tool can help researchers to find out where the heart of the hurricane is located, since it will sometimes become hidden.
• The Seawinds tool is able to measure wind speed and direction of the storm. Doing so enable researchers to get early readings on a storm, but also to be able to know that a storm is going to happen before it actually begins.

Once a storm is located, the various air crafts can go up into the storm to take further measurements. There is a robotic aircraft that can go into the storm if it is too dangerous for humans. Having tools to take measurements beforehand is helpful, so that NASA knows if its employees should go up with the aircraft or send the robotic aircraft.

Considerations for Storm Chasing

People are often interested in how people chase storms because they want to engage in the activity themselves. Hopefully, seeing all of these complex devices used by NASA will remind you that storm chaser is reserved for professionals. Without the proper equipment, safety gear, and knowledge, chasing a hurricane not only becomes ineffective and dangerous, but also has the potential to become fatal.

Individuals who are really interested in this discipline should contact NASA or other types of storm chasing units, in order to find out what the requirements are for obtaining a job in such a field.