MSI PI Tim Griffis, a professor in the Department of Soil, Water, and Climate, was interviewed recently by Minnesota Public Radio about how the change from a prairie landscape to crop fields has affected Minnesota weather. Crops, especially corn, “sweat” moisture into the atmosphere much more than do prairie plants. The result is more water vapor in the air, which makes it more uncomfortable when the temperature rises.
MPR’s story can be found on their website: Feeling sweaty, Minnesota? Blame the corn.
Other media outlets have picked up this story, as well:
- Associated Press
- Al Jazeera
- KTTC (Rochester, Minnesota)
Professor Griffis uses MSI to run computer models that help his studies of heat and mass transfer in the atmosphere. This research was featured on the MSI website in August 2015: Measuring Nitrous Oxide Emissions.