Fridgen on the cutting-edge during meteorology studies

Two Valparaiso University meteorology students, including one from Greencastle, are performing cutting-edge weather research this summer as part of a prestigious scholarship program for the nation's top undergraduate meteorology students.

Seniors Beth Stuckmeyer of St. Louis and Tad Fridgen of Greencastle, were among 100 meteorology majors in the United States to be selected Hollings Scholars last year, with the opportunity to do research this summer at an agency of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Stuckmeyer's research internship has taken her to the National Severe Storms Laboratory in Norman, Okla., while Fridgen is working at NOAA's Aircraft Operations Center at MacDill Air Force Base.

Stuckmeyer is analyzing a hail storm that occurred near Norman in August 2006 and was one of the first storms scanned using advanced phased array radar (PAR) that collects new radar images of a storm much more quickly than the National Weather Service's current Doppler radar. Rather than obtaining a new radar image every five minutes, Stuckmeyer said PAR provides an updated image of a storm every 26 seconds.

"That is a huge improvement over current radars, and allows me and other researchers to get much more information about how a storm evolves," she said

Stuckmeyer has been combining PAR data about the August hail storm with data collected by the Oklahoma Lightning Mapping Array showing where lightning flashes occurred during the storm.

"My research is focusing on how lightning evolves relative to the storm structure, both in time and in space," she said. "Although this type of research has been done before, my study is unique in that it is the first study of a hail storm and lightning using the PAR data. Lightning evolves very quickly, so it is a huge advantage to have radar that updates more rapidly."

Meanwhile, at the NOAA Aircraft Operations Center in Tampa, Fla., Fridgen has prepared biweekly forecasts for the flight crews of the agency's "Hurricane Hunter" airplanes and participated in their training flights. The Center coordinates several airplanes and helicopters that operate throughout the United States and overseas to precisely observe, measure and chart the dynamics of the oceans and atmosphere.

Fridgen also is analyzing data collected by hurricane aircraft from past storms to try and determine possible reasons for the rapid intensification of some hurricanes - the hardest aspect of a hurricane to predict.

"This is an area of research that has gone virtually unstudied," Fridgen said, yet the data he's looking at has potential to offer key insights to meteorologists attempting to more accurately predict the behavior of hurricanes.

Fridgen said his time at MacDill has taught him a great deal about the differences of forecasting weather in a tropical climate versus that of the Great Lakes region.

"The weather in Florida has really opened my eyes to how different forecasting techniques are utilized," he said. "There are so many useful forecasting tips I have learned regarding tropical type weather just because of gaining this 'on-the-job' experience."

In addition to working with weather reseachers in Oklahoma and Florida throughout their internships, both Fridgen and Stuckmeyer will present findings from their summer research to scientists at NOAA headquarters in Maryland next month.

Fridgen and Stuckmeyer each are receiving $8,000 scholarships during both their junior and senior years as well as their 10-week paid internships this summer through the Hollings program.

The Hollings program is designed to enhance undergraduate training in oceanic and atmospheric science and research, as well as prepare students for careers with NOAA, other public science agencies or as educators. Valparaiso was one of only 15 institutions in the country with multiple students winning Hollings Scholarships in 2006.