ENSO Project Assignment #1 (START EARLY)
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• Due May 13 by 11:59pm
• Points 100
• Submitting a file upload
• Available after Apr 8 at 12am
Project assignment #1 includes:
• Collect data from the NOAA, TAO buoy data website (Links to an external site.) for your assigned buoy (see city/buoy assignment below)
• Fill out the attached Excel spreadsheet template with your data (template below)
• Create some graphs of this data showing trends (for instance, Sea Surface Temperature “SST” across each time period…show what happens to SST as an El Nino develops)
There are five documents attached to this Assignment #1
1) Project Overview:
• ENSO Research Project Assignment Overview.pdf
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2) Project Goals:
• G320 ENSO Research – Goals and Objectives.pdf
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3) Project buoy and city assignment (your specific Buoy AND City locations are listed on this document – click on link:
• City & Buoy Assignment S20.xlsx
4) Assignment #1 Spreadsheet Template – fill this out for assignment #1 – click link:
• TAO Data Spreadsheet S20.xlsx
5) Project Assignment #1 “What-to-Do” (This is specific – READ CAREFULLY):
• G302A01 ENSO Research Assignment #1 – What to do.pdf
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Read the documents carefully. The “What to Do” document will walk you through specifics.
You will also be creating graphs of this data to be included with the submitted spreadsheet. You decide what to graph, and some suggestions are provided in the document.
As an example, many students choose to plot buoy variables against time (weeks in our case). This will provide a clear view of how these variables change as El Nino or La Nina conditions develop through the time periods we are examining. Plotting a single variable taken from all four time periods on the same graph (4 time periods, 4 lines on one graph) is a good way to compare the known El Nino, La Nina trends with the current time period. This will make more sense as you get into the project and data.
IMPORTANT NOTE ON MISSING DATA: If your buoy is missing a significant amount of data, let me know ASAP, and we will get data from another neighboring buoy, or if necessary, assign a different buoy. If only one historic event is missing significant data, you can use another ENSO events in its place. A few are listed at the bottom of the spreadsheet. Do not wait last minute to address missing data. I can help, but only if we have at least a week to reassign a buoy.
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Project assignment #2 will involve:
• gather weather data for a specific city over the same time periods as recorded for your buoy
• write a research paper describing your findings. Does the “recent” data look similar to the past known El Nino events? La Nina? Is it neutral? What impacts are seen in your assigned city during the ENSO events? What do the current trends show?
• Incorporate references in your paper. See the assignment document for details.
• post a short presentation of your findings to the others in your group
• discussing the presentations in your discussion groups
Rubric
ENSO Paper Rubric
ENSO Paper Rubric
Criteria Ratings Pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeOverall quality: format, grammar, spelling
The report should be comprised of 5-6 pages of text, including references, using1.5 line spacing, ~1” margins (maximum), and “Times Roman” or similar font. Use bold to highlight the section headings (Introduction, Results, etc). Figures, spreadsheet results and graphs would be in addition to this suggested page length. NOTE: All figures, diagrams and tables must be numbered by you (in order of presentation in your report) and have a caption or title (Figure 1. Map of __________, Source: ______; Figure 2. Graph showing the relationship between _________). You should follow the example of the journal articles you will read. 10.0 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeIntroduction
This section should include a description of the purpose of the project and a physical description of each of the sites (TAO and city) for which you have collated data. Set the stage: what are you writing about and why should the reader care? 15.0 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeResults
This section should present the data, using your (1) spreadsheets, and (2) graphs that summarize and text that describes what you have found (that is, do not only include the spreadsheet). This section should summarize the results for each of your two sites (TAO and city) and compare the data sets (present and past La Nina events, and the past El Nino event). In addition, explore the relationships between variables by graphing water temp vs. water depth, SST vs, air temp, SST vs. SSS, etc. See some suggestions on the last page (4) of this handout!. NOTES: 1. INCLUDE YOUR FINAL SPREADSHEET and GRAPHS HERE! 2. Give each of your graphs a Figure # and use it (when you refer to the Fig. in the text). Save any interpretations of the data (what you think it means) for the next section. This section should also contain any comments you might have about your data (such as gaps in any of the records) that might affect your results, interpretation and the conclusions that you draw.- includes points for graphs, figures, etc In short; – present the data, using (1) spreadsheets (2) graphs that summarize (3) text that describes what you have found (4) Include final graphs and spreadsheets here Graphs have Figure #s referred to in the text Graphs must have axes labeled and include legend Discuss or explain any issues you had with data collections (did you borrow data from another buoy?) 30.0 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeDiscussion and Interpretation
— In this section, discuss and interpret the data that you have collected, and discuss how these events compare to other El Nino and La Nina events. Were they typical of what might be expected for an El Nino or La Nina year? If not, any ideas why not? Is there an ENSO ‘signature’ for ‘your city’? — Comment on the predictions that were made for your city – were they accurate? If not, how did they vary? This section will require that you find journal articles about the region around your city, and the Pacific equatorial region, to support you statements. For instance, you might find an article that provides data to suggest that other factors are more significant than ENSO in producing climate variations at your city site. If so, you should describe and discuss these in this section. — Refer to and cite the journal articles that you have found, and compare or contrast their results with the data you have collected. This section should also contain any comments you might have about your data (such as gaps in any of the records, particular errors that are relevant, etc) that might affect your results, interpretation and the conclusions that you draw. IN SHORT: • discuss and interpret the data • why do the variables you chose to use react to ENSO events the way they do? • discuss how these events compare to other El Nino and La Nina events. • comment city predictions– were they accurate? If not, how did they vary? • refer to and cite the journal articles • compare or contrast their results with the data • comments about your data (such as gaps in records, errors that are relevant, etc). 20.0 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeConclusions
Summarize the regional patterns you have observed for of each of the sites (TAO and city), your ideas about primary controlling factors and a brief reminder of the evidence that supports these conclusions. 15.0 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeReferences
Four (4) relevant articles are sufficient to meet the minimum requirements for the report. (More are always accepted!) This is an alphabetized list of all the sources you have referred to (and cited) in the report. You may use information from websites and books (properly referenced), but you must include at least one (1) scientific journal article. Use a standard reference format for geology (see detailed information on Bb). START NOW IF YOU ALREADY KNOW HOW TO SEARCH FOR JOURNALS! NOTES: 1. Keep track of your sources of information (including diagrams and figures) so that you Do not have to scramble to find them as you write the report. 2. See links (at bottom of page) that contains names of some possible journals.• At least one scientific journal articles and 2 other • May also include websites, books, and personal communication (NOAA) http://journals.ametsoc.org http://www.nature.com/search?q=el%20nino&q_match=all&sp-a=sp1001702d&sp-m=0&sp-p-1=phrase&sp-sfvl-field=subject%7Cujournal&sp-x-1=ujournal&submit=go http://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/hub/search/?journal-doi=all&q=El+Nino (Links to an external site.) 10.0 pts
Total Points: 100.0
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