>> ON THE NEXT "SCITECH NOW."
WE INTRODUCE YOU TO THE
SCIENTISTS WHO STUDY THE BALLET
DANCERS OF THE SKY.
BATS.
CONCUSSIONS ARE A HOT TOPIC IN
SPORTS, AND SCIENTISTS ARE
FIGURING OUT WHICH PLAYERS ARE
LIKELY TO GET A CONCUSSION.
SCIENTISTS ARE STUDYING WHICH
WAY WATER TRAVELS IN AREAS ROAN
TO DROUGHT AND WHAT IS THE BEST
WAY TO RESPOND TO MUD SLIDES?
ALL ON THE NEXT "SCITECH NOW."
>> HELLO I'M SIMON PEREZ,
WELCOME TO "SCITECH NOW" OUR
WEEKLY PROGRAM BRINGING YOU THE
LATEST BREAKTHROUGHS IN SCIENCE,
TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION HERE
IN CENTRAL NEW YORK AND ACROSS
THE COUNTRY.
WHEN WE THINK OF GRACE AND
ATHLETICISM, GYMNASTS OR BALLET
DANCERS COME TO MIND.
WEEK MARVEL AT HOW THESE
ATHLETES CONTROL THEIR BODIES AS
THEY FLOAT THROUGH THE AIR.
UP NEXT WE INTRODUCE YOU TO THE
RESEARCHERS WHO ARE IN AWE OF
THAT BEAUTY BUT THEY DON'T STUDY
HUMANS.
THEY STUDY BATS.
>> WHEN WE HAVE HIGH SPEED
VIDEO, PEOPLE HAVE THIS VIEW
THAT BAT FLIGHT WAS A MINOR
VARIANCE OF BIRD FLIGHT BUT WHAT
WAVE' FOUND OVER AND OVER AGAIN
IS HOW UNBELIEVABLY MANEUVERABLE
THESE ANIMALS ARE.
>> BEING ABLE TO MANIPULATE
THEIR WINGS AND THEIR BODIES IN
SUCH A WAY THAT THEY CAN ADJUST
AND MANEUVER REALLY BOGGLES THE
MIND.
>> A BAT WING ALLOWS BATS TO
HAVE A KIND OF CONTROL OF THREE
DIMENSIONAL SHAPE THAT WOULD BE
IMPOSSIBLE FOR ANY OTHER KIND OF
FLYING ANIMAL.
>> I'M SHARON SWARTZ.
I STUDY BATS, HOW THEY FLY AND
THE STRUCTURE OF THEIR WINGS.
>> AND I'M KENNY BREUER,
PROFESSOR OF ENGINEERING AND I
STUDY ANIMAL FLIGHT MECHANICS.
SO THE COLLABORATION BETWEEN
SHARON'S LAB AND MY LAB ALLOWS
US TO APPROACH FROM TWO
DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES.
>> WE REALLY FIND THAT WE CAN DO
MUCH MORE INTERESTING THINGS
TOGETHER THAN EITHER OF US CAN
DO BY OURSELVES BECAUSE WE ARE
ABLE TO COMBINE THEIR DYNAMICS
WITH THE MORPHOLOGY OF THE
WINGS.
THERE IS A LOT OF FUNDAMENTAL
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE FLIGHT
OF BIRDS AND BATS.
SO A BIRD WING IS A RELATIVELY
STIFF AIR FOIL.
>> BATS HAVE A WHOLE HAND IN
THEIR WING AND THAT ALLOWS THEM
TO CHANGE THE CONFIRMATION AND
SHAPE OF THE WING WITH DEXTERITY
AND PRECISION.
>> THE BONES OF PART OF THE WING
CLOSEST TO THE SHOULDER, THE
HUMERUS AND RADIUS HAVE THE KIND
OF GEOMETRY THAT WE SEE IN BIRDS
BUT ONCE YOU CROSS THE WRIST
JOINT, YOU SEE BONES THAT ARE
LESS MINERALIZED AND THAT MAKES
THAT BONE ITSELF LESS STIFF.
IT ACTUALLY PROMOTES BENDING.
WE DON'T USUALLY THINK OF SKIN
AS BEING A MUSCULAR ORGAN, BUT
THE SKIN OF THE WING MEMBRANES
OF BATS IS INFESTED WITH A WHOLE
SERIES OF MUSCLES AND WHAT WE
OBSERVED IS THAT THE MUSCLES
TURN ON AND OFF IN EVERY WING
BEAT CYCLE SO THESE MUSCLES CAN
CHANGE THE STIFFNESS OF THE SKIN
IN THE WING MEMBRANE AND SO THAT
MEANS THE MUSCLES CHANGE THE
AERODYNAMIC PROPERTIES OF THE
AIR FOIL.
>> THAT'S COMPLETELY DIFFERENT
FROM A BIRD IN THE WAY IN WHICH
IT OPERATES.
IT BEND, FLEXES, POPS OUT.
>> THEY'RE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO
GENERATE LIFT EVEN AS THEY'RE
MOVING MORE SLOWLY.
>> SO WHEN WE FIRST STARTED,
VERY LITTLE WAS KNOWN ABOUT THE
PRECISE NATURE OF BAT FLIGHT.
WE ARE INTERESTED IN HOW THE
ANIMAL HAS EVOLVED TO GENERATE
THESE FORCES OF MOTION.
WHAT CAN WE LEARN ABOUT THRUST,
LIFT, UNSTEADY FLIGHT MECHANISMS
AND WE DESIGN THESE EXPERIMENTS
AT EACH STAGE TO MOVE OURSELVES
FORWARD.
SO WHEN WE DO OUR TEST, WE DO
TWO FACILITIES ONE IS A FLIGHT
CORRIDOR WHICH IS JUST A ROOM,
WE HAVE OUR CAMERAS SET UP IN
THERE.
>> JUST BEING ABLE TO SEE IN
DETAIL HOW BATS MOVE THEIR WINGS
HAS TURNED OUT TO GIVE US A LOT
OF INSIGHT.
>> THE OTHER ONE IS THIS WIND
TUNNEL.
>> THE EQUIVALENT OF A TREAD
MILL FOR A FLYING ANIMAL.
>> HIGH RESOLUTION HIGH
FREQUENCY MOTION OF THE WINGS
FROM MULTIPLE ANGLES AND
RECONSTRUCT THE MOTION THAT WAY
AND WE FILL THE WIND TUNNEL WITH
A CLOUD AND WE RECORD THE MOTION
OF THE PARTICLES OF THE CLOUD
AND FROM THAT WE CAN RECONSTRUCT
THE WAKE.
>> THAT LETS US LEARN A LOT
ABOUT HOW IT USES THE WINGS TO
PRODUCE AERODYNAMIC FORCES.
>> ONCE WE'VE TAKEN MEASUREMENTS
WITH THE ANIMALS WE RECREATE
ASPECTS OF THE FLAPPING ROBOTIC
WINGS THAT WE TEST AND WE CAN DO
THINGS THAT WE CAN'T ASK THE
ANIMALS TO DO AND IT PROVIDES A
LOT OF INSPIRATION AND IDEAS OF
THINGS WE MIGHT TRY.
>> SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT
BATS DO EXTREMELY WELL IS
LANDING.
>> THEY HAVE TO SLOW DOWN, FLIP
THEMSELVES UPSIDE DOWN AND LAND
HANGING ON TO THE CEILING OR
HANGING ON TO A TREE.
IT'S LIKE DOING A HIGH DIVE
BACKWARDS.
>> WAS WE'VE FOUND IS THAT
DURING THE LAST TWO WING BEATS
OF A BAT PREPARING TO LAND IS
ALMOST NO AERODYNAMIC FORCE
PRODUCED.
>> THEY ALSO USE THE MASS IN
THEIR WINGS TO MANIPULATE THEIR
BODIES AND THAT CONTROLS THEIR
ROTATION IN THE SAME WAY THAT A
HIGH DIVER CONTROLS THEIR
ROTATION WHEN THEY DIVE.
THE BATS ARE INCREDIBLY AGILE
AND MANEUVERABLE AND RESISTANT
TO GUSTS IN THE AIR.
>> IF WE WANT TO UNDERSTAND HOW
BATS ARE ABLE TO DO THIS SO
WELL, WE HAVE TO HAVE SOME WAY
OF PROVIDING A GUST TO THE
ANIMAL IN THE LAB AND THEN
SEEING WHAT IT DOES IN DETAIL.
>> WE HAVE TWO SETS OF LASER
CROSS BEAMS HERE SO WHEN THE BAT
FLIES THROUGH, THE BAT BREAKS
THE LASER BEAMS SENDING A
TRIGGER SIGNAL, IT DELIVERS A
PUFF OF AIR AND WE CAN CAPTURE
THAT FROM HIGH SPEED VIDEO FROM
ABOVE AND BELOW.
>> WE FIND THAT EVEN REALLY
STRONG GUSTS OF WIND, THEY
RECOVER STABILITY IN LESS THAN A
SINGLE WING BEAT SO WHAT WE ARE
TRYING TO UNDERSTAND NOW IS WHAT
ARE THE MECHANISMS THAT THEY USE
TO RECOVER SO QUICKLY.
WHAT IS IT ABOUT THE PROPERTIES
OF THE BODY AND THE WING THAT
MIGHT RETURN CONTROL PASSIVELY
AND HOW MUCH IS ACTIVE.
>> THE ABILITY TO DO THESE
EXPERIMENTS REALLY GIVE US A
UNIQUE INSIGHT OF HOW THESE
ANIMALS MOVE AND MANEUVER AND
HOW THEY EVOLVE.
WHAT IS THE EVOLUTION OF FLIGHT
IN MAMMALS.
>> I THINK IF WE UNDERSTAND
ENOUGH HOW FLIGHT WORKS THAT WE
CAN LOOK AT THE ORIGIN AND
DIVERSIFY INDICATION OF BAT
FLIGHT.
SO BEAUTIFUL EVOLUTIONARY
LABORATORY.
I LOVE THOSE MOMENTS WHERE YOU
RECORDED SOMETHING THAT NO ONE
HAS SEEN BEFORE, A MOMENT OF
INSIGHT INTO THE NATURAL WORLD.
IT DOESN'T MATTER HOW TINY IT
IS.
THERE IS NOTHING LIKE THAT.
>> QUESTIONS ARE A HOT TOP NICK
SPORTS TODAY-- CONCUSSIONS ARE A
HOT TOPIC IN SPORTS TODAY,
ESPECIALLY IN THE NATIONAL
FOOTBALL LEAGUE.
SCIENTISTS KNOW SEVERE
COLLISIONS CAN DAMAGE THE BRAIN
BUT A NEW AREA OF REFER IS
GIVING HOPE TO ATHLETES.
GENETIC TESTING MAY BE ABLE TO
SHOW WHEN PLAYERS ARE MORE
LIKELY TO GET A CONCUSSION.
>> A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE BEEN
THINKING ABOUT IT NOT JUST IN
THE CONTEXT OF NFL PLAYERS BUT
LITTLE LEAGUE SOCCER KIDS AND
LOTS OF THINGS.
IS THERE SOMETHING IN US THAT
MAKES US WORSE OFF IF WE GET A
CONCUSSION?
>> WELL, IT'S STILL EARLY ON IN
RESEARCH IN TERMS OF THE GENES.
WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO IDENTIFY
SOME THINGS.
FIRST THING WE NEED TO DO IS
UNDERSTAND WHAT A CONCUSSION IS.
THE BRAIN HITS THE INSIDE OF THE
SKULL.
WHAT HAPPENS IS THE BRAIN CELLS,
THE NEURONS ACT ERRATICALLY AND
SEND ELECTRICAL CHEMICALS GOING
IN ONE DIRECTION AND THEN
ANOTHER.
WE CAN EXAMINE THE DIFFERENT
TYPES OF GENES THAT LOOK AT OR
MODIFY THOSE SIGNALS.
THAT'S THE FIRST THING THAT THEY
DO.
THE OTHER THING WE CAN DO IS
LOOK AT THE GENES AND SEE HOW
WELL THEY PREPARE.
THAT'S THE SMOKING GUN THEY'VE
FOUND.
THEY FOUND GENE CALLED THE
A.P.O.E. THAT IT SEEMS TO CHANGE
HOW FAST OR IT SLOWS DOWN HOW
FAST IT WILL REPAIR.
AND THAT SEEMS TO BE THE SMOKING
GUN.
THEY SEE THAT IF YOU HAVE A
CERTAIN VARIANT OF A.P.O.E.,
THAT YOU HAVE A TENDENCY FOR
CONCUSSIONS MORE READILY THAN
OTHER PEOPLE.
>> SO IF, MAYBE SOMEWHERE IN THE
FUTURE ARE WE GOING TO HAVE
GENETIC TESTS ON BABIES OR
LITTLE CHILDREN AND WE TELL
THEIR PARENTS, OKAY, THEY HAVE
THIS THING, MAKE SURE THEY WEAR
A HELMET EVERY TOO I AM THEY
RIDE A BICYCLE?
OR HOW DOES IT WORK?
>> I THINK THAT WILL BE ON THE
HORIZON FAIRLY SOON.
IT'S SUSCEPTIBILITY NOT
DETERMINISTIC.
WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT YOU HAVE
A PROCLIVITY FOR CONCUSSIONS BUT
THAT DOESN'T MEAN YOU ARE
DEFINITELY GOING TO GET IT.
THE RESEARCH IS STILL VERY
EARLY.
SO THAT INFORMATION IS USEFUL IF
YOU HAVE A SON OR DAUGHTER WHO
IS INTERESTED IN A SPORT WHERE
THERE IS SOME KIND OF IMPACT,
YOU CAN GET THE TEST AND REALIZE
OKAY, WELL, YOU KNOW, THIS
PERSON SHOULDN'T BE HAVING HARD
IMPACTS DURING PRACTICE ALL THE
TIME.
IT GIVES YOU SOME INFORMATION OF
HOW TO MODIFY YOUR PRACTICE
SCHEDULE.
>> WHAT DO WE DO WITH THE
INFORMATION FOR PEOPLE WHO
ALREADY HAD CONCUSSIONS?
>> THEY CAN SAY OKAY, WELL YOU
MAY HAVE MORE CONCUSSIONS
BECAUSE YOU HAVE THIS GENE AND
THE NERVE CELLS OR BRAIN CELLS
ARE NOT ABLE TO REPAIR AS
QUICKLY BUT IT DOESN'T DO
ANYTHING IN TERMS OF THE
SYMPTOMS.
IT'S JUST GIVING YOU INFORMATION
THAT THIS MIGHT HAPPEN.
>> EVEN IF WE COULD PUT HELMETS
ON PLAYERS THAT DETECT EXACTLY
WHAT KIND OF FORCE THEY HAVE
BEEN HIT BY, THERE IS STILL A
BIG CULTURAL HURDLE WE HAVE TO
OVERCOME TO SAY OKAY, THIS IS
ACTUALLY GOOD INFORMATION THAT
YOU SHOULD HAVE.
YOU SHOULD BE MAKING THESE KINDS
OF DECISIONS WITH IT OR
SOMETIMES FOR EXAMPLE, ONE OF
THE PROBLEMS AT THE NFL LEVEL OR
COLLEGE FOOTBALL LEVEL IS
COLLEGE ATHLETE MIGHT NOT WANT
TO PUT THIS ON BECAUSE IF IT
LOOKS LIKE THEY HAVE TWO STRIKES
AGAINST THEM, THEN TEAM MIGHT
NOT DRAFT THAT GUY, RIGHT?
>> YOU RAISE A GOOD QUESTION.
THE INFORMATION IS GOOD BUT ALSO
IT'S IN A CONTEXT.
WHO KNOWS.
IF YOU ARE A FOOTBALL PLAYER AND
THEY FIND YOU HAVE THIS GENE,
YOUR HEALTH COVERAGE MIGHT
CHANGE.
YOU HAVE TO BE CAREFUL ABOUT
PRIVACY ISSUES AND THE LIKE.
THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS.
SO SCIENTISTS ARE LOOKING TO SEE
WHAT CAUSES A CONCUSSION AND
WHAT PREVENTS PEOPLE FROM
HEALING.
THAT'S ONE PART.
BUT PUTTING IT IN CONTEXT ABOUT
HOW WE CHANGE PRACTICE
SCHEDULES, HOW, YOU KNOW, IF YOU
GET DRAFTED, THOSE ARE THE
CONSEQUENCES AS A RESULT OF THAT
INFORMATION.
>> AINISSA RAMIREZ, THANK YOU
VERY MUCH.
>> THANK YOU.
♪7
♪7
♪7
♪7
>> IT'S NOT A PROBLEM WE HAVE
HERE IN CENTRAL NEW YORK.
WE HAVE LOTS OF WATER.
BUT OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY
DON'T.
SCIENTISTS ARE STUDYING WHICH
WAY WATER TRAVELS IN AREAS PRONE
TO DROUGHT, NOT ONLY ABOVE
GROUND BUT BELOW.
>> ONE OF THE PROBLEMS IS THAT
TEXAS IS IN A SEMI-ARID AREA,
PARTICULARLY THE WESTERN PART.
AND THERE ARE INCREASED DEMANDS
FOR THE WATER, LIMITED RESOURCES
AND SO IT'S BECOME VERY
IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THE
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SURFACE
WATER, GROUND WATER, THE
DEMANDS, RIVER FLOWS, SPRING
FLOWS AND WE HAVE BEEN WORKING
ON DIFFERENT STUDIES IN ORDER TO
LOOK AT THAT.
AND IN PARTICULAR, WE'VE JUST
FINISHED A STUDY ON THE DEVIL'S
RIVER WHICH IS IN A VERY, YOU
KNOW, CHALLENGING AREA BECAUSE
OF THE LIMITED AMOUNT OF
PRECIPITATION AND THE DEMANDS
THAT ARE BEING PLACED UPON THOSE
WATER RESOURCES.
>> THIS IS A MAP OF SOUTH
CENTRAL TEXAS, AND WHAT WE ARE
SHOWING ARE THE DIFFERENT
WATERSHEDS.
SOME GO OFF INTO THE COLORADO
RIVER, OFF TO EAST TEXAS.
THE REST OF THOSE FUNNEL DOWN TO
THE RIO GRANDE.
AND WHAT I SEE IS AT THE CENTER
OF THIS IMAGE IS THE DEVIL'S
RIVER.
YOU SEE THE LOWER PECOS.
AND IF YOU LOOK AT ALL THE WATER
THAT IS DISCHARGED OUT OF THE
RESERVOIR, ABOUT ONE THIRD OF IT
IS RECHARGED OUT OF BELVERDE
COUNTY.
MOST OF THAT COMES OUT OF
DEVIL'S RIVER.
EVEN THOUGH THE WATERSHED LOOKS
RATHER SMALL RELATIVE TO SOME OF
THE OTHER WATERSHEDS, IT
PROVIDES 15 TO 20% OF ALL THE
WATER IN THE LOWER RIO GRANDE.
>> GREEN PROVIDES AN INTERESTING
GRAPHIC TO DEMONSTRATE THE
REGION'S RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN
ROCK AND THE FLOW PATHS OF
GROUND WATER.
>> AN EASY WAY TO VISUALIZE THIS
IS PIPES AND A SPONGE.
THE ROCK IS A SPONGE, THESE FLOW
PATHS ARE PIPES.
SO WE'VE PLACED THEM ALONG SOME
OF THE MAJOR TRIBUTARIES IN THE
DEVIL'S RIVER AS SHOWN IN THIS
GRAPHIC.
SO IF YOU HAPPEN TO PUT IN A
WELL THAT'S CLOSE TO ONE OF
THESE PIPES, YOU ARE GOING TO DO
VERY WELL.
IF YOU HAPPEN TO PUT IN A WELL
AWAY FROM THE PIPES, YOU ARE
GOING TO BE LUCKY TO GET A FEW
GALLONS A MINUTE.
AND SO THAT'S WHAT THIS GRAPHIC
SHOWS, PIPES AND A SPONGE.
>> WHAT HAPPENS WHEN TOO MANY
WELLS ARE PUMPING WATER FROM THE
GROUND IN THE AREA?
>> THE CONCERN IS WHETHER THERE
IS GOING TO BE ANY IMPACT FROM
FUTURE WATER RESOURCE DECISIONS.
AND BY THAT I MEAN THERE ARE
SOME THOUGHTS OF PUTTING IN SOME
WELL FIELDS IN ORDER TO
INTERCEPT SOME OF THE GROUND
WATER AND USE IT WHEREVER THE
NEED MAY BE.
IT MAY BE LOCALLY.
IT MAY BE AT SOME DISTANCE WHERE
THEY NEED PIPELINES.
THE CONCERN IS AT WHAT POINT
DOES THAT GROUND WATER PUMPING
IMPACT THE RIVER?
AND THAT'S A HARD QUESTION TO
ANSWER.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON IT SINCE
ABOUT 2009.
AND WE'VE MADE SOME PROGRESS IN
THE LAST FEW YEARS AND WE DID
THAT BY DEVELOPING GROUND WATER
MODEL, A COMPUTER MODEL AND A
SURFACE WATER MODEL.
BUT WE BASE THAT ON A LOT OF
UNDERGROUND WORK.
WE'VE LOOKED AT THE CHEMISTRY OF
THE WATER THAT TELLS YOU A LOT
ABOUT WHERE THE GROUND WATER
GOES, HOW IT FLOWS.
WE'VE DONE SUBSURFACE IMAGING
USING GEOPHYSICS WHERE WE TRY TO
UNDERSTAND WHAT THE ROCK LOOKS
LIKE, PARTICULARLY NEAR THE
RIVERS.
WE'VE LOOKED AT HYDRAULICS,
WHICH IS THE CAPACITY OF WELLS
IN THE AREA.
>> GREEN AND OTHER SCIENTISTS AT
SOUTHWEST INSTITUTE COMBINE THE
DATA FROM SURFACE WATER AND
GROUND WATER TO CREATE A NEW
NUMERICAL MODEL THAT CAN ANALYZE
AND PREDICT WATER AVAILABILITY
IN THE REGION.
THIS PICTURE SHOWS HOW THE
NUMERICAL MODEL WAS ASSEMBLED.
SO ON THE LEFT YOU SEE SORT OF A
PATTERN THAT LOOKS LIKE LEAF OF
A TREE AND YOU SEE ALL THESE
CONDUITS THAT HAVE BEEN PLACED
IN THE MODEL THAT HAVE
PREFERENTIAL FLOW, ALLOWING
FASTER GROUND WATER FLOW.
THEN ON THE RIGHT, YOU SEE THE
REST OF THE MODEL AND THAT
INCLUDES THE ROCK MATRIX.
THAT'S WHAT WE CALL THE SPONGE,
THE CONDUITS ARE WHAT WE CALL
THE PIPES AND WHEN WE COUPLE
THOSE TOGETHER WITH GROUND WATER
AND SURFACE WATER, WE HAVE A
REGARDS INTRICATE COUPLE MODEL
THAT TAKES INTO ACCOUNT BOTH
SURFACE AND GROUND WATER.
NOW WE UNDERSTAND A FAIR BIT
BETTER, YOU KNOW, HOW THESE TWO
WATER COURSES, SURFACE WATER AND
GROUND WATER INTERACT OUT IN
THIS AREA AND, YOU KNOW, WE
HAVE, I THINK, DEVELOPED A GOOD
TOOL IN ORDER TO HELP MANAGE THE
RESOURCES AS WE GO FORWARD.
>> WILDFIRES CREATE PLENTY OF
DAMAGE ON THEIR OWN BUT WHAT
COMES AFTER CAN ALSO BE
DEVASTATING.
AFTER THE FIRE OBLITERATES TREES
AND BRUSH, A HEAVY RAIN CAN
BRING MUD AND ROCKS ROARING DOWN
HILLSIDES AT 40 MILES PER HOUR.
IN CALIFORNIA EMERGENCY
RESPONDERS AND THE U.S.
GEOLOGICAL SURVEY ARE TRYING TO
FIGURE OUT THE BEST WAY TO
RESPOND TO MUD SLIDES.
>> DECEMBER 2017 SOUTHERN
CALIFORNIA FELL VICTIM TO THE
WORST WILDFIRE EVER RECORDED IN
STATE HISTORY.
THE THOMAS FIRE BURNED NEARLY
300,000 ACRES SCORCHING
EVERYTHING IN ITS PATH ALL THE
WAY FROM VENTURA COUNTY TO SANTA
BARBARA COUNTY.
NO SOONER WERE CALIFORNIANS OUT
OF HARM WAY FROM THE DEVASTATING
BLAZE, MOTHER NATURE DEALT
ANOTHER BLOW, PARTLY CLOUDY
SLIDES INTO THE MONTECITO
NEIGHBORHOOD OF SANTA BARBARA
COUNTY BECAUSE OF THE SCORCHED
EARTH FROM THE FIRE.
21 PEOPLE DIED IN THE DISASTER.
MORE THAN 300 HOMES DAMAGED AND
PART OF ONE OF CALIFORNIA'S
BUSIEST HIGHWAYS, 101 WAS SHUT
DOWN FOR NEARLY TWO WEEKS.
KATE SCHARER IS A GEOLOGIST AND
PART OF THE RESPONSE TEAM THAT
AIDED IN THE RESCUE EFFORT AND
HELPED WITH DAMAGE SURVEILLANCE
AND ASSESSMENT.
SHE MET HER OUT HERE AT A DEBRIS
BASIN IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY
LOCATED AT THE BASE OF THE SAN
GABRIEL MOUNTAINS IN DECEMBER
PARTS WERE SCORCHED FROM WHAT
WAS KNOWN IS AT CREEK FIRE.
>> THE MATERIAL YOU CAN SEE ON
THE LANDSCAPE IS THE DEBRIS
FLOW, A COMMON WORD USED TO
DESCRIBE THAT IS A MUD SWELL.
WE LIKE TO USE THE TERM DEBRIS
FLOW BECAUSE IT CONTAINS MUD
FROM THE SOIL, THE BIG ROCKS,
TREES, BIG CHUNKS OF THE BEDROCK
OR HILL SLOPE THAT GETS
ENTRAINED IN THE FLOWS AS THEY
GO DOWNHILL.
THE REASON WE SAY DEBRIS FLOW IS
THAT IT IS A HUGE VARIETY OF
MATERIAL THAT COMES DOWN, NOT
JUST MUD.
>> IS THAT WHAT CAUSES THE
DEVASTATION?
IS IT THE VELOCITY AND THE
VIOLENCE OF THE FLOW, OR IS IT
SOMETHING ELSE?
>> IT'S CERTAINLY THE VELOCITY
OF IT.
DEBRIS FLOWS CAN MOVE AS FAST AS
30 TO 40 MILES PER HOUR.
IF YOU THINK OF OURS DRIVING IN
A CAR AT THAT SPEED, YOU
WOULDN'T WANT TO HIT ANYBODY,
RIGHT?
WHEN YOU ENVISION THAT YOU CAN
TAKE ALL THE MATERIAL IN THE
LANDSCAPE AND HAVE IT MOVE THAT
QUICKLY IN A FLURRY THAT HAS THE
CONCENTRATION OF LIKE CEMENT,
FOR EXAMPLE, AND IT'S MOVING
THAT FAST, IT CAN TAKE YOU OUT
VERY QUICKLY.
>> SHE EXPLAINS THE CHARRED
HILLS ARE EXACTLY LIKE THE
HILLSIDES IN MONTECITO AFTER THE
THOMAS FIRE.
THE INFERNO BURNED ALL THE
LIVING AND DEAD VEGETATION THAT
SHELTERED THE SOIL, THE LANDS
QUICKLY ERODED BECAUSE THERE WAS
NO PROTECTIVE SHIELD.
>> YOU CAN SEE WHERE THERE USED
TO BE VEGETATION BEFORE THE FIRE
AND THE VEGETATION, ALL OF THE
ROOTS THAT GO IN, THE SMALLER
PLANTS BURNED UP, THE ROOTS GO
IN AND LOCK THE SOIL INTO THE
BEDROCK.
ONCE YOU HAVE THIS BURN, THE
ROOTS THAT ACT LIKE THE STAPLES
THAT HOLD THE SOIL INTO THE
GROUND ARE ALL GONE AND SO FOR
TWO TO FIVE YEARS AFTER ONE OF
THESE FIRES, YOU CAN EXPECT THAT
IF THE RIGHT KIND OF RAIN STORM
COMES THROUGH, MATERIAL WILL GET
MOBILIZED AND THIS THIN VENEER
OF SOIL AND RUBBLE WILL GET
MOBILIZED AND COME DOWN IN A
FREE FLOW.
>> THERE IS NO WAY TO QUICKLY
GET AWAY FROM THIS ONCE THE LAND
STARTS CRUMBLING DOWN.
>> THAT'S CORRECT.
>> THE DESCRIPTIONS YOU HEAR
FROM PEOPLE THAT IT SOUNDS LIKE
A FREIGHT TRAIN COMING AT YOU.
SO YOU CAN ENVISION, YOU HAVE
BOULDERS OUT IN THE AREA THAT
WERE TWO METERS HIGH.
THAT'S TALLER THAN ME.
>> YOU'RE SIX FEET TALL.
>> AND THOSE THINGS WERE COMING
DOWN WITH THE VELOCITY OF
40 MILES PER HOUR.
THE EQUIVALENT OF A TRUCK COMING
AT YOU.
I HAVE NOT SEEN A DEBRIS FLOW
THIS BAD WITHIN 20 YEARS.
>> JANIS HERNANDEZ IS WITH THE
CALIFORNIA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY AND
WAS PART OF THE TEAM IN
MONTECITO HELPING EMERGENCY
RESPONDERS AND DOCUMENTING THE
PATH OF THE DEBRIS FLOW AND MUD
SLIDE.
>> FREE FLOWS ARE CHARACTERIZED
AS SEDIMENT, ROCK, WOODED
DEBRIS, MATERIALS, AIR, WATER
THAT GETS ENTRAINED AND
MOBILIZED IN A RAPID DEPOSIT
THAT COMES BARRELING DOWN THE
CANYONS AT A RAPID PACE AND AS
THIS MATERIAL WORKS ITS WAY DOWN
THE SLOPES, IT'S PICKING UP
STUFF.
WE CALL IT ENTRAINING.
IT'S PICKING UP STUFF FROM THE
SIDES, FROM THE FRONT.
AND IT'S JUST MAKING THE MASS
EVEN GREATER.
IF, AT THE BOTTOM OF THE CANYON
WE HAVE A DEBRIS BASIN DOWN
THERE, IT'S SUPPOSED TO CATCH
THE LIGHTER MATERIAL TO FLOW OUT
OF IT.
BUT IN THE CASE AFTER A FIRE,
THERE WAS JUST TOO MUCH MATERIAL
TO COME DOWN AND THE BASIN
FILLED UP AND OVER TOPPED AND
ALL THAT MATERIAL WAS SPILLING
OUT INTO THE NEIGHBORHOODS
UNCONTROLLABLY.
IF YOU HAPPEN TO BE HOPE, YOU
MOST LIKELY WILL BE PART OF THAT
DEPOSIT.
ENOUGH MATERIAL CAME OUT OF THE
CANYON TO FILL 300 FOOTBALL
FIELDS.
>> NOW THE CALIFORNIA GEOLOGICAL
SURVEY IS EDUCATING THE PUBLIC.
THEY'VE COMPILED A SAFETY AND
PREPAREDNESS CHECK LIST FOR ALL
CALIFORNIA RESIDENTS AND ANY
OTHER U.S. RESIDENTS WHO LIVE IN
PARTS OF THE COUNTRY WHERE THEY
COULD BE VICTIMS OF WILDFIRES
THAT COULD LEAD TO MUD SLIDES OR
DEBRIS FLOWS IN THE FUTURE.
IT IS CRITICAL THAT RESIDENTS
HE'D ALL EVACUATION WARNINGS.
SECONDLY, CGS TELLS RESIDENTS TO
EXPECT DEBRIS FLOWS FOR TWO TO
FIVE YEARS AFTER A WILDFIRE.
IT TAKES INTENSE RAIN TYPICALLY
HALF AN INCH AN HOUR TO TRIGGER
A DEBRIS FLOW OR MUD SLIDE.
THIRDLY MONITOR ALL NATIONAL
WEATHER SERVICE OR LOCAL WEATHER
FORECASTS FOR FLASH FLOOD
WATCHES OR FLASH FLOOD WARNINGS
AND IF YOU MUST SHELTER IN
PLACE, CHOOSE YOUR LOCATION IN
ADVANCE AND STAY THERE AND FIND
THE HIGHEST POINT OF SHELTER
SUCH AS A SECOND STORY OR ROOF
TOP.
TO HELP WITH THESE LIFE SAVING
EFFORTS, GEOLOGISTS ARE
COMBINING SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
TO MAP, THE MOST FIRE DANGER
ZONES FOR DEBRIS FLOWS, A
COLLABORATIVE EFFORT WITH THE
U.S.G.S. AND C.G.S. AND OTHER
TECHNICAL SPECIALIST SUCH AS
HYDROLOGISTS, ENGINEERS, THE
U.S. FOREST SERVICE AND WEATHER
SERVICE HELPING TO CREATE
SPECIALIZED LANDSLIDE MAPS THAT
SCIENTIST TRAP AND MAP THINGS
LIKE SOIL TEXTURE, BURN SEVERITY
AND TOPOGRAPHIC INFORMATION.
GEOLOGISTS ARE USING AERIAL
IMAGERY AND SATELLITE DATA AND L
IDA R, ANOTHER MAPPING TECHNIQUE
USING LASER BEAMS FLOWN FROM AN
AIRPLANE TO COLLECT INFORMATION.
THEY CAN SEE THROUGH THINGS LIKE
TREES, BRUSH AND OTHER
VEGETATION AND WITH DIGITAL
PROCESSING, GET DETAILED IMAGERY
OF EVERYTHING ON THE GROUND LIKE
HOMES, BUILDINGS, CREEKS,
RIVERS, DRAINAGE SYSTEMS AND IT
CAN IDENTIFY ANY TYPE OF
TERRAIN, BE IT ROUGH, HILLY OR
MOUNTAINOUS.
HELPING GEOLOGISTS STUDY LAND
FORMS AS IF THEY'RE UNDER A MY
MAGNIFYING GLASS.
>> MOTHER NATURE IS GOING TO DO
WHAT MOTHER NATURE DOES.
NO VEGETATION, LOOSE SOIL IS
JUST A RECIPE FOR DISASTER.
YOU BASICALLY GET BURIED BY THE
DEBRIS.
>> THAT'S IT FOR THIS EDITION OF
"SCITECH NOW."
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR PROGRAM,
JOIN THE CONVERSATION WITH YOUR
QUESTIONS, COMMENTS AND THOUGHTS
ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER.
I'M SIMON PEREZ.
SEE NEXT WEEK ON "SCITECH NOW."
>> ON THE NEXT "SCITECH NOW"
WE'LL SHOW YOU HOW TECHNOLOGY
CAN SCIENTISTS PREDICT THE SUN'S
MOVEMENT.
LOOKING FOR LIFE IN OUTER SPACE
WITHOUT MAKING A MESS.
WE'LL TAKE YOU TO THE CHURCH
WHERE DURING SERVICE
PARISHIONERS ARE ASKED TO PICK
UP THEIR PHONES, NOT PUT THEM
DOWN.
AND CHECK OUT THE SPEED RACERS
WHO DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT USING
FOSSIL FUEL.
ALL ON THE NEXT "SCITECH NOW."