Events - United States of America
Mission SnowGLOBE
Join Mission SnowGLOBE starting January 2023
The GLOBE U.S. Coordination Office invites you and your students to participate in Mission SnowGLOBE starting in January 2023! We are working 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 is welcome to participate, although we are specifically looking 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. If storms occur over North Carolina and Virginia, the IMPACTS team can fly there as well.
We are asking you and your students 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 Blog Posts
Prior to the start of the mission in January, you will need to:
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Become familiar with the protocols: scroll down the Atmosphere Protocol eTraining page to find the “Precipitation - Snow” eTraining and “Clouds” eTraining
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Define your study site(s)
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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.
Equipment needed
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Snow board (plywood board painted white - instructions on how to make one can be found here)
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Meter Stick
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Flag or marker
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Straight—sided container (such as overflow tube from rain gauge)
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Containers or jars to store snow samples
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Something flat and clean to slide under inverted containers
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Rain Gauge
How to Join
If you are interested in learning more, complete this Google Form by December 31, 2022, to be notified of data collection storm events and plan to attend at least one of the webinars.
Webinars and Resources
- Mission SnowGLOBE Informational Webinar: Learn how to participate and what data you will collect.
- 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
- The GLOBE "Precipitation - Snow" eTraining can be found here.
- The GLOBE Observer App can be used to record data and send it to GLOBE.
- Simple directions for making a snowboard can be found here.
- 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 take place across the country each spring. Check out this page 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.
Events origin: United States of America