Conservation Lecture Series

Thursday, April 10, 2014 -7 p.m. 

FSUCML Auditorium

 

Although hurricanes are atmospheric phenomena, they are inherently tied to the ocean, which provides the energy to generate and sustain them.  Understanding the interaction between the ocean and atmosphere at the air-sea interface is critical for predicting hurricane intensification.  However, much of ocean's role in hurricanes lies below the surface, possibly as deep as the sea floor.  

  

Dr. Morey will discuss the ocean's role in hurricanes including the upper layer heat reservoir fueling the storms and the damaging storm surges and waves.  He will present recent findings that are now being used to enhance predictions.  Advances in ocean model experimentation and oceanic observations also reveal new understanding of how the ocean responds to hurricanes.  Strong currents may be generated over a mile deep, and persist for more than a week following the storm.  The upper ocean thermal and biochemical properties are significantly modified during a hurricane.  These impacts of a hurricane on the ocean can affect deepwater structures such as pipelines and risers, marine ecosystems, transport of contaminants (such as an oil spill) and intensification of subsequent storms passing over the region.   
 
 
Upcoming Events:  Click here for a list of lectures and other events
Bio: Dr. Steve Morey
Senior Research Scientist 
Florida State University
Center for Ocean-Atmospheric
Prediction Studies
 
 Dr. Steve Morey is a Senior Research Scientist at the Florida State University Center for Ocean - Atmospheric Prediction Studies, where he has been a member of the research faculty since 2000.  His research fundamentally involves using computer simulations to understand a wide variety of oceanic physical processes and their impacts on ecosystems, offshore oil and gas industry, weather and climate, and coastal regions.  His recent work has centered on topics such as: hurricane impacts on the ocean, the Apalachicola Bay estuary, strong deep currents in the Gulf of Mexico, and the Deep Water Horizon oil spill.

 

 Dr. Morey specializes in integrating results from numerical simulations run on supercomputers with advanced three-dimensional animation techniques, analysis of satellite observations, "wet" observations within the ocean, and theory.  Recently, he has worked on collaborative projects involving deepwater corals in the northern Gulf of Mexico, gag grouper studies, mercury contamination in Gulf of Mexico fish, oil spill prediction and impacts, and hurricane storm surge.

 


Join us

Help Solve the Hunger Crisis
after the talks for the opportunity to chat one-on-one with the speaker. If you have any questions, please email us at fsucml@fsu.edu , or call the main nunmber, 850.697.4120. 
 
Bring non-perishable food to the lecture so that we can passit on to the Second Harvest of the Big Bend to help the people in our community.
   
   The Florida State University Coastal and Marine Laboratory
   3618 Coastal Highway 98, St. Teresa, FL  32358
   Director:  Dr.  Felicia C. Coleman
   visit us on the web:  http://www.marinelab.fsu.edu