Scientists in the Field: The Tornado Scientist [hc]
Seeing Inside Severe Storms
Part of the Scientists in the Field series
Written by Mary Kay Carson [Ohio] with photographs by Tom Uhlman [Ohio]
Robin Tanamachi has been captivated by tornadoes and extreme weather her entire life. When she realized people researched weather for a job, she was hooked. She now studies tornadogenesis, or how tornadoes form, and what causes them to get weaker versus strengthen. For her, driving around in a Doppler radar truck aiming towards storms is a normal day in the office. The data she collects is then modeled and studied on computers- with math, physics, and computer science working hand in hand with meteorology. At the end of the day, knowing exactly how, when, and where these violent storms happen can give more warning time for everyone involved. 80 pages
"In their photobiography of Tanamachi, Carson and Uhlman present much more than her life: they explore and discuss tornado research and processes scientists use to understand the storms in their attempt to make weather situations safer for citizens. Uhlman's rich color photographs (along with some from Tanamachi's own collection) and Carson's eloquent text take readers into the chase truck with Tanamachi; her husband, Dan Dawson; and their colleagues." -Booklist (Grades 5-8)
March 19, 2019
AR Level=5.8; Lexile Level=850
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