Scientists turn to sharks to improve hurricane predictions
CTD tags on sharks could help scientists measure ocean heat and salinity, giving forecasters better data on storm strength, researchers said.
- University of Delaware researchers are testing whether sharks can serve as mobile ocean-data observers, deploying electronic sensors to monitor conditions informing hurricane forecasts along the U.S. East Coast.
- While oceanographers have long used animal-borne sensors on elephant seals in polar regions, Aaron Carlisle, principal investigator at the School of Marine Science and Policy, noted sharks are abundant and widely distributed, making them ideal research candidates.
- Tags attached to dorsal fins transmit data via satellite whenever sharks surface. Carlisle describes the tagging process as operating "like a pit crew," ensuring the procedure takes less than five minutes to minimize animal stress.
- By measuring the ocean's mixed layer heat content, sensors provide critical data on storm intensity drivers. This information could offer communities from North Carolina to Massachusetts more reliable hurricane warnings, increasing coastal resilience.
- The project also helps reframe public perception of sharks beyond "absurdly dramatic" pop culture portrayals. Carlisle noted that demonstrating how these animals can assist human safety creates a "win-win situation" for conservation and public preparedness.
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Sharks: Ocean Sentinels in Hurricane Forecasting | Science-Environment
Sharks tagged with sensors are providing valuable ocean data to help forecast hurricanes. University of Delaware researchers are using sharks as mobile monitors, collecting data on ocean temperatures that influence storm intensity. This innovative approach could lead to better hurricane predictions, enhancing coastal resilience.
Scientists turn to sharks to improve hurricane predictions
From the killer shark of Jaws to the tornado-tossed predators of the Sharknado movies, films long have portrayed sharks as objects of summer fear. But when a shark cuts through the waters off the U.S. East Coast, it now may be doing more than hunting. It may also be gathering data that helps scientists understand the potential intensity of a hurricane before it makes landfall.
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