The University of Helsinki has acquired a state-of-the-art polarimetric weather radar to study the physics of rain clouds, snow and sleet.
Snowfall and its polarimetric measurements have hardly been studied anywhere else in the world, the researchers said.
The first test measurements of the prototype radar built for the university's radar laboratory provided good evidence for the potential of a polarization weather radar.
The largest road traffic catastrophe in the Helsinki metropolitan area took place March 17, 2005, with several multiple pile-ups.
The new radar was just undergoing test runs and it immediately revealed the meteorological factors which led to the accidents.
Radar images showed the road conditions before the accident were dry and cold with only slight snowfall. However, super-cooled water in the air made the road surfaces slippery immediately prior to the accidents.
At the time of the accidents, a narrow band of snow suddenly reduced visibility.
Copyright 2006 by United Press International
Related stories:
International team establishes unique observatory in Antarctica
A team of scientists representing six international institutions, including Texas A&M University, has succeeded in reaching the summit of Antarctica – also a monumental achievement for ground-based astronomy -- to establish a new astronomical observatory at Dome Argus on the highest point of the Antarctic Plateau.
CryoSat-2 on the road to recovery
Building a satellite in just three years is without doubt an ambitious undertaking. Nevertheless, the decision to rebuild CryoSat and recover the mission includes just that goal. A year on and the mission is now well on the way to recovery, with a design that incorporates no less than 85 separate improvements.
Earth from Space: ALOS sends its first image
This image of Mt. Fuji is the first data to be acquired by Japan’s recently launched Advanced Land Observing Satellite (ALOS) on 24 January 2006.
UW-Madison programmer gives weather for the palm of your hand
Weather lovers have a new tool at hand to obtain weather information on demand through a PDA-friendly weather Web service created by Russ Dengel at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Researchers examine impact of beetle kill on Rocky Mountain weather, air quality
Mountain pine beetles appear to be doing more than killing large swaths of forests in the Rocky Mountains. Scientists suspect they are also altering local weather patterns and air quality.
IU sends innovative technology to Antarctica to speed polar research
Environmental scientists studying the world's shrinking polar ice sheets will soon get a substantial boost in computing power thanks to IU's Polar Grid Project.
Wilkins Ice Shelf hanging by its last thread
The Wilkins Ice Shelf is experiencing further disintegration that is threatening the collapse of the ice bridge connecting the shelf to Charcot Island. Since the connection to the island in the image centre helps to stabilise the ice shelf, it is likely the break-up of the bridge will put the remainder of the ice shelf at risk.
Even the Antarctic winter cannot protect Wilkins Ice Shelf
Wilkins Ice Shelf has experienced further break-up with an area of about 160 km˛ breaking off from 30 May to 31 May 2008. ESA's Envisat satellite captured the event – the first ever-documented episode to occur in winter.