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Anna Murphree
Rhodes College
NASA Goddard Space Center Intern
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
Final presentation
Extreme precipitation events (EPEs) can cause natural hazards such as flooding and landslides. To better predict these events and avoid hazards, this study aimed to identify controlling mechanisms of EPEs. Previous work generated a database of EPEs from the Integrated Multi-satellitE Retrievals for GPM (IMERG) dataset for the continental US (CONUS). This study developed code to characterize these events with meteorological variables from the Modern-Era Retrospective analysis for Research and Applications (MERRA-2) dataset. Variables such as humidity, wind speed, and temperature were collected at time steps before, during, and after the events. The study looked for correlations between these meteorological variables and characteristics of the EPEs, such as intensity, duration, and total accumulation. Further work is necessary to determine which variables best characterize EPEs. The study also computed seasonal trends of wind speeds over CONUS from 1980 to 2019 and found that the decreasing horizonal wind speed might be responsible for the decreasing propagation of short duration EPEs in the summer season.
I am a rising senior at Rhodes College in Memphis, TN. I am pairing my physics major with minors in mathematics and philosophy. Through working in our on-campus observatory and in various research groups, I have developed a passion for astrophysics that I hope to continue into graduate school. My dream career would probably involve working in an observatory before becoming a professor of astronomy. I am excited to explore new research with NASA this summer!
Outside of academics, our SPS chapter has had a huge impact on my college experience. I have loved doing local outreach and building fun demonstrations, and I look forward to being our chapter’s president next year. I also help run our Philosophy Club and our newly-founded Women in STEM club. At home, I love watching films, reading philosophy, and taking care of my plants.