Tag Archives: Manhattan

Hudson River or Estuary? (you may be surprised)

Posted on March 23, 2011 by Philip Orton

An estuary is defined as a semi-enclosed body of brackish water – a mixture of salty and fresh water.  So strictly speaking, the Hudson by Manhattan and northward past the Tappan Zee is normally an estuary and typically has more … Continue reading →

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Airborne plume dispersion in coastal areas

Posted on March 14, 2011 by juliepullen

New York City, like most megacities including Tokyo, does not have mechanisms in place to evacuate the population of the entire city.  Even the direst catastrophic scenarios entail a strategy of sheltering in place for at least some of the … Continue reading →

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Blast-proofing the PATH tunnels

Posted on March 8, 2011 by juliepullen

For the past several months the Port Authority has led a concerted effort to enhance the security of the PATH tunnels that cross beneath the Hudson River.   The four underwater railway tunnels connect New Jersey to lower and midtown Manhattan.  … Continue reading →

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The NYC Storm Surge Threat

Posted on February 14, 2011 by Philip Orton

New York City is highly vulnerable to a hurricane strike due to its location near the coast where winds and storm surges are usually at their maximum.  On one hand, we are fortunate that direct hurricane strikes are extremely rare … Continue reading →

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Which way would airborne toxic gases blow during a terrorist release?

Posted on February 4, 2011 by juliepullen

In the event of a terrorist release of a harmful chemical, biological or radiological (CBR) agent as a weapon in an urban area, the motion of the gas and particles is unpredictable.  Factors that contribute to the complexity of the … Continue reading →

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The Big Stink: II. Scents and the Weather

Posted on January 17, 2011 by Philip Orton

Weather conditions can promote or inhibit bad smells in an urban area.  Warm weather can increase bacterial decomposition of organic matter, which under certain conditions can produce sulfurous smells – this is why it often reeks when you walk past … Continue reading →

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The Big Stink: I. Scents and the City

Posted on January 10, 2011 by Philip Orton

Four years ago, on the morning of Monday, January 8th, 2007, a mysterious foul odor settled upon New York City and surrounding regions, causing confusion, consternation and even building evacuations in some cases.  Many were concerned it might be dangerous … Continue reading →

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Urban Oceanographer: The Lights of Manhattan Island

Posted on January 7, 2011 by michaelsbruno

All good sea stories should begin with “no shi#, there I was”. This is one of those. [censored to avoid continuing to get blocked by school obscenity filters …] Back in the summer of 1994, Professor Tom Herrington and I … Continue reading →

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Earthquake = Tsunami?

Posted on November 30, 2010 by Philip Orton

A mild 3.9-magnitude earthquake occurred this morning out at sea off the New York Bight, and was felt by many people across the region.  An obvious question is whether such an earthquake could cause a tsunami.  A large tsunami clearly … Continue reading →

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Skyline Seabreeze

Posted on November 18, 2010 by Philip Orton

Have you ever been at the beach in early summer and had a day ruined by arrival of a cold seabreeze?  I was attempting to have my first barbecue of the year last April 3rd in Morningside Park – the … Continue reading →

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