High-tech research buoy gathers lots of offshore wind data, but future funding is uncertain

Lindsey Smith — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 02:47:42 +0000

An 8-ton research buoy that’s been floating around Lake Michigan collecting detailed data about wind conditions offshore has been brought back on land for the winter. With the mild winter the buoy stayed about four miles offshore for twice as long as researchers expected; 58 days instead of 30.

Turning data over to researchers

Arn Boezaart heads the Michigan Alternative and Renewable Energy Center that’s operating the buoy from Muskegon. He’s been able to see 10 minute averages of wind conditions in real time. But now that the buoy is back on land, he’s got data cards with wind data for every second the buoy was out there; plus data on bats and birds that flew by.

“I literally keep looking at this plastic bag in my brief case with this data card sitting in it and thinking ‘people don’t realize how valuable this is,” Boezaart said. “I sort of feel like I’m carrying gold bars in my case here. This is really first of its kind data.”

Michigan football and their bowl games, those who stayed became champions

John U. Bacon — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 11:30:47 +0000

The Big Ten is still considered one of the nation’s top leagues, despite its frequent belly flops in bowl games.

This year, the Big Ten placed a record ten teams in bowl games – then watched them drop, one by one.

And not just in the storied Rose Bowl, but in games like the Taxslayer.com Gator Bowl, the Meineke Car Care Bowl of Texas, and the Insight Bowl.

When Iowa got whipped 31-14, I wonder just how much insight they had gained.

Michigan State Universiy

High-tech research buoy gathers lots of offshore wind data, but future funding is uncertain

Michigan football and their bowl games, those who stayed became champions