2024 JPSS Virtual Science Fair Top Projects
High School: 1st Place
Title: Canadian Wildfires Polluted New Jersey in Early June 2023
William Yang from West-Windsor-Plainsboro High School South, West Windsor, New Jersey
Coach: Dr. Liwei Jia
Abstract: In early June 2023, New Jersey experienced a historical pollution event. In this project, I utilized satellite images and ground observations to investigate this pollution event and its link to the Canadian wildfires. The VIIRS images detected widespread wildfire hot spots in Quebec, Canada and large-scale smoke plumes spreading the Canadian wildfire pollution across the northeastern US (including NJ) during this event. Further meteorological data analysis shows that a cyclone, positioned over Nova Scotia, Canada, generated a counterclockwise wind flow, carrying the pollutants from Canada into New Jersey. This project demonstrates VIIRS’s ability to pinpoint wildfire locations and monitor the wildfire pollution plumes, providing scientific guidance to potentially mitigate the health risks posed by wildfire pollution on human beings. Additionally, this study emphasizes how meteorological wind patterns can transport wildfire pollutants across borders, underscoring the importance of a global approach to combating wildfire pollution.
High School: Honorable Mentions
Title: Omega Block Effects on Wildfire Smoke
Srivishnu Sugumaran from Skyline High School, Sammamish, Washington
Coach: Shankar Subramaniam
Title: Using Cloud Optical Depth Data to Monitor Atmospheric Rivers in Southern California
Deepa Shanmugam from Richard Montgomery High School, Rockville, Maryland
Coach: Mani Meiyappan
Middle School: 1st Place
Title: Investigation of Hurricane Ian
David Frith, Tatiana Garcia, Inler Lu, and Emma York from Desert Ridge Middle School, Albuquerque, New Mexico
COACH: Turtle Haste
Abstract: We are investigating Hurricane Ian’s damage on human settlements. VIIRS is the tool we are going to use, as it provides high-quality data that can be used for this kind of research. We think that coastal cities located near the Equator will receive less damage than other cities, because hurricanes do not enter the area around the Equator. We also expect to see that coastal cities with a warmer climate will receive more damage, as hurricanes will direct themselves toward warm water.
Middle School: Honorable Mention
Title: VIIRS Imagery Viewer helps see what happens at High Latitudes
Braylon Cummings, Maddison Legrand, and Sam Generosa from Desert Ridge Middle School, Albuquerque, New Mexico
Coach: Turtle Haste
