added refernces, etc.

Author: serreaaron

stories/urban-effects.stories.mdx

@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 ---
 id: urban-effects
 name: Urban Effects
-description: "Urban Effects on Cloud Formation, Circulation and Rainfall"
+description: "Urban Footprints in the Sky: How Expanding Cities Alter Weather Patterns"
 media:
   src: ::file ./miamidowntown.jpg
   alt: Picture of the Miami city skyline.
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ taxonomy:
   <Prose>
     ## Introduction
 
-    Many urban areas across the United States have seen major population growth over the past several decades. As a result, cities have been required to build more residential, commercial, industrial, and network infrastructures to accommodate the growing population. The rapid expansion of artificial surfaces and structures associated with urbanization not only significantly alters the landscape, but also has profound effects on local weather and the Earth system. A primary example of these compounding influences can be seen in the Miami metropolitan region (MMR), which experienced the fourth-largest growth of any metropolitan region in the country between 2023-2024, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. This area is susceptible to destructive events including hurricanes and flooding, and urbanization has the potential to exacerbate and heighten these threats. NASA Earth science datasets in combination with other observations can enable researchers to better understand how urban growth influences weather and climate – insights that are increasingly important for city planning, public health, and disaster resilience.
+    Many urban areas across the United States have seen major population growth over the past several decades. As a result, cities have been required to build more residential, commercial, industrial, and network infrastructures to accommodate the growing population. The rapid expansion of artificial surfaces and structures associated with urbanization not only significantly alters the landscape, but also has profound effects on local weather and the Earth system. A primary example of these compounding influences can be seen in the Miami metropolitan region (MMR), which experienced the fourth-largest growth of any metropolitan region in the country between 2023-2024, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. This area is susceptible to destructive events including hurricanes and flooding, and urbanization has the potential to exacerbate and heighten these threats. This is mainly due to the fact that much of the MMR is at or close to sea level. NASA Earth science datasets in combination with other observations can enable researchers to better understand how urban growth influences weather and climate – insights that are increasingly important for city planning, public health, and disaster resilience.
 
   </Prose>
 </Block>
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ taxonomy:
   <Prose>
     ## Data Used 
 
-    We used a combination of NASA satellite datasets and GOES-16 satellite observations to analyze the influence of urbanization on local weather in the MMR. Ultimately, these datasets and observations are necessary to examine differences in cloud occurrence over urban regions and surrounding areas and assess long-term trends in cloud cover, surface heating and cooling, and rainfall.
+    We used a combination of NASA satellite datasets and GOES-16 satellite observations to analyze the influence of urbanization on local weather in the MMR. These datasets and observations enable data users to examine differences in cloud occurrence over urban regions and surrounding areas and assess long-term trends in cloud cover, surface heating and cooling, and rainfall.
 
   </Prose>
 </Block>
@@ -137,9 +137,9 @@ taxonomy:
   <Prose>
     ## Results over the MMR
 
-    GOES-16 observations can depict how often clouds form over a given location and time. This satellite is stationary and provides frequent data about clouds and other parameters.  Animation 1 is a visualization of cloud frequency over the MMR for July 2024 and shows sea breezes as a dominant influence on cloud formation. Between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., a higher frequency of cloudiness can be observed on the southeast coast of Florida as the sea breeze passes over the coastal urban zone, including the MMR. Growth of urban land cover through the expansion and construction of new infrastructure has the potential to modify sea breeze circulation, clouds, and rain. Expansion of urban areas can change how clouds and rainfall develop, which can influence urban weather, flooding, and local climate conditions.
+    GOES-16 observations can depict how often clouds form over a given location and time. This satellite is stationary and provides frequent data about clouds and other parameters.  Animation 1 is a visualization of cloud frequency over the MMR for July 2024 and shows sea breezes as a dominant influence on cloud formation. Between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., a higher frequency of cloudiness can be observed on the southeast coast of Florida as the sea breeze passes over the coastal urban zone, including the MMR.
 
-    Figure 1, however, shows a long-term decreasing trend in cloud coverage over the MMR from 1980-2025.
+    Figure 1 shows a long-term decreasing trend in cloud coverage over the MMR from 1980-2025.
 
   </Prose>
 </Block>
@@ -225,7 +225,7 @@ taxonomy:
 
     We examined the long-term trend of surface-to-atmosphere exchange of heat and moisture over the coastal urban zone using NASA’s North America Land Data Assimilation System (NLDAS). The time series of energy fluxes show an increase in heat and a reduction in moisture transferred to the atmosphere.
 
-    Additionally, we monitored rainfall and cloud cover trends over the MMR using MERRA-2. It can be seen in Figure 4 that cloudiness is decreasing while rainfall is increasing.
+    Additionally, we monitored rainfall and cloud cover trends over the MMR using the Modern-Era Retrospective Analysis for Research and Applications, Version 2 (MERRA-2). It can be seen in Figure 4 that cloudiness is decreasing while rainfall is increasing.
 
   </Prose>
 
@@ -249,7 +249,7 @@ taxonomy:
 
   <Prose>
 
-    Together, this suggests there has been a change in heat and moisture exchanged between the surface and the atmosphere in the MMR. These changes are accompanied by a decrease in cloud cover over the urban core, where surfaces heat more quickly. An increase in rainfall downwind may also occur. However, further research is needed to determine this. 
+    Together, this suggests there has been a change in heat and moisture exchanged between the surface and the atmosphere in the MMR. These changes are accompanied by a decrease in cloud cover over the urban core, where surfaces heat more quickly, and an increase in rainfall downwind. However, further research is needed to determine this. 
 
   </Prose>
 
@@ -259,7 +259,7 @@ taxonomy:
   <Prose>
     ## Conclusion
 
-    Understanding how urbanization affects weather patterns, especially cloud formation and rainfall, is essential for several reasons. In cities like Miami, which are prone to heavy rainfall events and tropical systems, urban-induced changes to the atmosphere can amplify existing hazards. For instance, enhanced cloud formation can cause an increased possibility of precipitation, increasing the threat for localized thunderstorms and urban flash flooding. Changes to wind and moisture transport near the surface can also shift where rain forms and falls, potentially impacting water resources and stormwater infrastructure planning. Urban areas like Miami do more than just alter the landscape, they reshape the local atmosphere in complex ways. Urbanization changes the roughness from buildings and terrain, affecting wind patterns which in turn changes in winds, rainfall, cloud formation.
+    Understanding how urbanization affects weather patterns, especially cloud formation and rainfall, is essential for several reasons. In cities like Miami, which are prone to heavy rainfall events and tropical systems, urban-induced changes to the atmosphere can amplify existing hazards. For instance, enhanced cloud formation can cause an increased possibility of precipitation, increasing the threat for localized thunderstorms and urban flash flooding. Changes to wind and moisture transport near the surface can also shift where rain forms and falls, potentially impacting water resources and stormwater infrastructure planning. Urban areas like Miami do more than just alter the landscape, they reshape the local atmosphere in complex ways. Urbanization changes the roughness as a result of buildings and artificial terrain, affecting wind patterns which in turn changes in winds, rainfall, cloud formation.
 
     By using NASA Earth science data, city planners, emergency managers, and educators can access and explore high-resolution satellite data and model outputs. These tools allow stakeholders to visualize where clouds form most frequently, how surface heating varies across the urban landscape, and where wind convergence may enhance rainfall or limit it altogether. As cities grow, these insights are crucial when designing climate-resilient infrastructure and managing environmental risks. 
 
@@ -269,67 +269,39 @@ taxonomy:
 <Block>
   <Prose>
     ## References
-  </Prose>
-</Block>
+    Nair, Udaysankar, et al. Impact of Growth of a Medium-Sized Indian Coastal City on Urban Climate: A Case Study Using Data Fusion and Analytics - Sciencedirect, www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2212095523001190. 
 
-<Block>
-  <Prose>
-    ### Data Access
-  </Prose>
-</Block>
+    Jensen, Michael P., et al. "Studying Aerosol, Clouds, and Air Quality in the Coastal Urban Environment of Southeastern Texas". Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society (published online ahead of print 2025), BAMS-D-23-0331.1. https://doi.org/10.1175/BAMS-D-23-0331.1 Web.
 
-<Block>
-  <Prose>
+    Case, Jonathan L., Mark M. Wheeler, John Manobianco, Johnny W. Weems, and William P. Roeder. "A 7-Yr Climatological Study of Land Breezes over the Florida Spaceport". Journal of Applied Meteorology 44.3 (2005): 340-356. https://doi.org/10.1175/JAM-2202.1 Web.
 
-    **Editors**: Aaron Serre, Andrew Blackford, and Chelsea Aaron
+    Hendricks, Eric A., and Jason C. Knievel. "Evaluation of Urban Canopy Models against Near-Surface Measurements in Houston during a Strong Frontal Passage." Atmosphere 13.10 (2022): 1548.
 
-    **Developers**: Aaron Serre
-
-    **Science and Content Contributors**: Aaron Serre and Udaysankar Nair
-
-    **Questions / Feedback**: Email veda@uah.edu
-
-    ### Additional Resources
-  </Prose>
-</Block>
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-<Block>
-  <Prose>
-    ### References
-    Fry, R., and P. Taylor, 2012: The Rise of Residential Segregation by Income. Pew Research Center, 25 pp.
-    
-    Logan, J. R., C. Fischer, and C. Buchmann, 2013: US2010: Discovery America in a New Century. 1–62. http://www.s4.brown.edu/us2010/Data/data.htm.
+    Kusaka, Hiroyuki, et al. "Simulation of the urban heat island effects over the Greater Houston Area with the high resolution WRF/LSM/Urban coupled system." Simulation 1.4 (2004).
 
   </Prose>
 </Block>
 
 <Block>
   <Prose>
     ### Data Access
-
-    * [NASA Extreme Heat Data - Pathfinders](https://www.earthdata.nasa.gov/learn/pathfinders/disasters/extreme-heat-data-pathfinder) 
-
+    * [NASA MERRA](https://gmao.gsfc.nasa.gov/gmao-products/merra-2)
+    * [NASA Giovanni](https://giovanni.gsfc.nasa.gov/giovanni/)
   </Prose>
 </Block>
 
 <Block>
   <Prose>
 
-    **Editors**: Andrew Blackford, Trent Cowan, Jerika Chung, Derek Koehl, Hanbyul Jo, Yaitza Luna-Cruz, and Udaysankar Nair
+    **Editors**: Aaron Serre, Udaysankar Nair, Andrew Blackford, and Chelsea Aaron 
 
-    **Developers**: Andrew Blackford and Trent Cowan
+    **Developers**: Aaron Serre
 
-    **Science and Content Contributors**: Andrew Blackford, Trent Cowan, Udaysankar Nair, and Brian Freitag
+    **Science and Content Contributors**: Aaron Serre and Udaysankar Nair
 
-    **Questions / Feedback**: Email Andrew.Blackford@uah.edu
+    **Questions / Feedback**: Email veda@uah.edu
 
+    ### Additional Resources
+    * [US Census](https://www.census.gov/)
   </Prose>
-</Block>
+</Block>