April 29, 2024

NASA Finds Each State Has Its Own Climatic Threshold for Triggering Flu Outbreaks

A visualization of the AIRS instruments measurements of atmospheric water vapor around the world during a couple of months of the flu study, which focused on information from 2003 to 2015. AIRS is on NASAs Aqua satellite. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/AIRS
These threshold levels of low humidity carefully parallel each states typical environment. Although all 48 states have various limits, states with damp environments, such as those in the Southeast, have greater threshold values than arid states, consisting of those in the West and Southwest.
The research study wasnt developed to respond to why lower humidity leads to influenza break outs.
Recommendation: “Spatial Variation in Humidity and the Onset of Seasonal Influenza Across the Contiguous United States” by E. Serman, H. Th. Thrastarson, M. Franklin and J. Teixeira, 13 December 2021, GeoHealth.DOI: 10.1029/ 2021GH000469.

A visualization of the AIRS instruments measurements of atmospheric water vapor around the globe. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/AIRS
NASA satellite information illuminates a critical relationship in between low humidity and the break out of influenza in the U.S
. What activates a break out of the influenza virus? A brand-new study of the flu in the 48 contiguous U.S. states, using data from the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) on NASAs Aqua satellite, has discovered that the answer is carefully connected to local weather– specifically, to low humidity– and varies from one state to another.
This chart reveals low-humidity limits that signal influenza outbreaks in 48 U.S. states. The color range from lighter to darker shows lower to higher humidity thresholds, with the driest state, Wyoming, having the most affordable threshold and Florida the highest.
Average humidity varies widely throughout the United States, however even in the most humid states, it begins to drop as winter methods. The researchers discovered that in each state, there is a particular level of low humidity that might signal a flu outbreak is imminent.

A brand-new research study of the flu in the 48 adjoining U.S. states, using information from the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) on NASAs Aqua satellite, has actually discovered that the answer is carefully tied to regional weather condition– specifically, to low humidity– and varies from state to state.
The color variety from lighter to darker indicates lower to higher humidity thresholds, with the driest state, Wyoming, having the lowest limit and Florida the highest. Typical humidity differs extensively across the United States, but even in the most damp states, it begins to drop as winter approaches. The scientists found that in each state, there is a particular level of low humidity that might signal an influenza break out is impending.