CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — In recent years, South Texas has become a hotspot for remarkable celestial and weather events, from solar eclipses to hurricanes. As public interest in these phenomena grows, they are closely tracked by students and faculty in Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi’s Atmospheric Science program.

自2016年秋季启动以来，该项目只有12名学生，目前已发展到49个专业。 该项目以其实践学习和研究而闻名，为学生提供了宝贵的实习和就业机会。 根据美国劳工统计局（Bureau of Labor Statistics）的数据，截至2023年5月，包括气象学家在内的大气科学家的平均年薪为92,860美元，这使其成为对理解和预测天气和气候充满热情的学生的一个有前途的领域。

今年，该项目的学生为一个项目做出了贡献，该项目目前正在接受审查，准备在《美国气象学会公报》上发表。 The Solar Eclipse Observational Campaign project showcased their work on weather balloon launches and surface electric field observations conducted during the April 8, 2024, total solar eclipse. 在国家科学基金的支持下，由大气科学教授刘春涛博士领导，日食项目为岛民提供了宝贵的实地研究经验。 该团队发射了两个气象气球来收集大气数据，并对其进行分析，以确定日食期间关键大气参数的变化。

“Ballooning is not an easy process,” Liu said. “It takes a lot of preparation, training, and data analysis. Developing, testing, and calibrating the instruments takes even more effort.”

Audrey Garza ’98, ’08, ’21, Technician II and Lab Coordinator, added that the skills students developed through this experience are invaluable to their professional growth.

“Many of these students can place this opportunity on their CV or resume,” she said. “Should a future employer ask if they have collected scientific data in the field, the students can reply yes, and these are the types of instruments to which I am familiar with.”

参与日食活动的学生被赋予了实际的责任，以确保数据收集的准确和及时。 每个学生的任务是为他们的移动气象站和传感器选择一个理想的设置位置。 他们需要一个直径至少20英尺的草地，没有障碍物，以避免干扰设备。

“We hoped that the students would understand the importance of a total solar eclipse event and that these events did not occur very often in a person’s lifetime,” Garza said. “Moreover, we wanted them to have the responsibility to take scientific equipment to an assigned location to gather scientific data in real-time.”

在活动开始前，学生们练习组装移动气象站，并学习如何操作传感器。 气球发射小组的成员一起准备气球，而回收小组则熟悉了在下降后收集气象气球的过程。 刘和他的学生们还测试了他们定制的仪器，以确保它们能够承受具有挑战性的高海拔条件，如低温和低压。 The balloons were launched from multiple sites along the eclipse path, each led by a student, emphasizing the program’s commitment to experiential learning. 面对活动当天不可预测的情况，刘和他的学生们做出了实时调整，以确保他们的数据安全。

“The pop point is not predictable which makes the landing location very uncertain,” Liu said. “The software we use predicts in real time, but with large uncertainties. I’m proud to report that all ground stations collected data smoothly without any problems.”

该项目收集的数据为日蚀如何影响温度、湿度和紫外线辐射等大气变量的研究增添了新的内容。

Quincy Walker ’23, ’25, who earned his Bachelor of Science in Atmospheric Science and Meteorology from TAMU-CC and is now pursuing a master’s in Coastal Marine System Science, also took part in the solar eclipse campaign.

 

“I never pictured myself pursuing a master’s degree, let alone considering a Ph.D., but it just shows how much impact this program has had on my goals,” said Walker, who credits his favorite childhood TV show, “Storm Chasers,” with inspiring his career path. “I want to contribute to our understanding of our planet, and the opportunities we have been presented within this program are unmatched.”