Portable Weather Station

Since it can survive very high winds and hail, the TIV provides a good opportunity to collect tornado data. Inside the TIV are a variety of meteorological instruments, including:
  • A blade anemometer, which measures wind speed and force in one dimension
  • A sonic anemometer, which also measures wind speed and force, but in three dimensions
  • Two global positioning system (GPS) units
  • Tools for measuring temperature, pressure and humidity


Photo courtesy George Kourounis
The TIV, after the addition of the IMAX camera turret, parked beside two Doppler on Wheels units.

Another weather research tool, the Doppler on Wheels (DOW), also uses the same instruments in addition to a mobile Doppler radar. The DOW, however, must stay between two and eight miles away from a tornado. Since the TIV houses the same instruments as the DOW, scientists can combine their data to create a more complete picture of the life of a tornado.

Now, let's look at what happens when the TIV finds a tornado.

Tornado Research
Scientists are eager to know more about tornados. What exactly causes them? What factors determine their strength? Why do they behave the way they do?

Two of the major projects underway to gather and analyze more data about tornadoes are:

  • Radar Observations of Tornadoes and Thunderstorms (ROTATE)
  • Verification of the Origin of Rotation in Tornadoes Experiment (VORTEX) - 2