Desert Research Institute scientists will lead 20 high school science teachers and students on a three-week study of the variability of ultraviolet (UV) radiation exposure in the Reno-Lake Tahoe Region beginning June 13 as part of DRI's Nevada Science Teacher Enhancement Project (NSTEP). UV is an invisible part of solar radiation that can cause cancer and other health problems.
The UV study will involve teachers and students from four southern Nevada high schools and from Manogue High School in Reno in measuring UV radiation in downtown Reno, in the Tahoe Meadows near the summit of the Mt. Rose highway, and at Lake Tahoe.
Dr. Melanie Wetzel of DRI's Atmospheric Sciences Center will lead the UV study group while another NSTEP project takes Washoe County, Elko and southern Nevada students to the Amargosa Desert to examine the record of climate change in the Death Valley region during the past 10,000 years. A third project, involving a study of microorganisms in surface waters in the Ruby Mountains of northeastern Nevada, will be conducted in late July and early August.
Wetzel said the objective of the UV analysis project is the describe how the exposure to ultraviolet rays varies in the microclimate of the region. She said ozone and airborne particles are major causes of variability of UV exposure. Clouds and snow cover also cause significant variations in UV exposure risk, especially in mountainous areas.
Excessive UV exposure damages skin and increases susceptibility to skin cancer and is also the most damaging part of the ultraviolet spectrum for the eye, causing cataracts of the eye lens and corneal thickening which also reduces vision. Health authorities also believe it may lead to suppression of the immune system in humans.
The project team will be establishing meteorological stations in Reno and on Mt. Rose to measure UV radiation levels and weather conditions, as well as taking measurements with hand-held UV and ozone sensors in various locations. They will also incorporate computer-based analyses of satellite data. An additional component will look at the effects of UV exposure to microorganisms which live in the waters of Lake Tahoe. Team activities will also include visits to local state and federal agencies who are involved in the monitoring of air quality and meteorological conditions.
The students and teachers attended special training sessions during the past semester to learn research procedures and field methods. During the coming fall semester they will analyze the data collected this summer and write projects reports. Special project web sites have been set up by DRI to allow the teams to communicate with each other and to post their data and reports.