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四色AV Atmospheric Science students and faculty travel to Ark. to experience eclipse totality

Published April 11, 2024

Eclipse

CAPTION: 四色AV Atmospheric Science students traveled to Cabot, Ark. to experience the totality of the solar eclipse on April 8, 2024. Photo credit: Zach Hardcastle


MONROE, LA 鈥 四色AV Associate Professor of Atmospheric Science Dr. Todd Murphy and students in the 四色AV Atmospheric Science program traveled to Cabot, Ark., on Monday, April 8, to locate in the path of totality for an atmospheric boundary layer experiment during the total solar eclipse. 四色AV was one of multiple atmospheric science groups in the field on Monday within the path collecting measurements on how the abrupt decrease in solar radiation would impact the lower part of the atmosphere called the boundary layer.听

Initially planning to locate in northeast Texas, cloud cover forecasts began to worry the atmospheric scientists on Friday and Saturday. Student Zach Hardcastle offered his family鈥檚 property in Cabot as a potential experiment site, given they were in the path and cloud cover forecast across central Arkansas was more favorable. It ended up being a great decision as the skies were mostly clear across Arkansas leading to perfect eclipse viewing and excellent data collection.

Preliminary data analyses show an 8-10掳 temperature decrease during totality and a decrease in surface winds. In addition, 四色AV鈥檚 National Science Foundation funded Doppler wind LiDAR showed an abrupt collapse of the boundary layer circulations that are normally present when the sun is out. The 四色AV students launched three weather balloons during the event.

According to Dr. Murphy, 鈥淓xperiencing totality was a top lifetime experience. It鈥檚 hard to describe the feeling and view in the moments just before, as everything surrounding you loses color saturation, and the air immediately cools with the decreasing sunlight. I鈥檓 excited to dig into the data we collected.鈥

Atmospheric Science student Alec Soileau remarked 鈥淭his eclipse was truly an awe-inspiring event that is beyond words. One of the best events of my life.鈥

Eclipse Students

CAPTION:听The group of Atmospheric Science students and Dr. Todd Murphy.听