Final answer:
Scientists use computer models integrating force, energy equations, and satellite data to predict hurricane impacts on coastal cities. Statistical models add to prediction capabilities, though exact landfall remains uncertain. Ecosystems and animal populations can be randomly affected by hurricanes' destructive power.
Step-by-step explanation:
To create a model to predict the effects of hurricanes on a coastal city, scientists use computer models that integrate force and energy equations, along with energy budgets of solar energy. These models take into account developing weather patterns and numerically integrate these equations over time. A prime example is the Weather Research and Forecasting Model used to create pressure maps, like the one for Hurricane Arthur. Data from various sources, including satellite photos and pressure maps, feed into these models to simulate and predict the hurricane's path and potential impact.
Statistical models also play a crucial role as they incorporate the idea that one value affects another, allowing for the prediction of uncertain events like hurricane landfall. Progress is being made, yet predicting the exact landfall location remains a challenge. Engineers apply these predictions to plan and build coastal defenses, like breakwater systems, to protect against the energy of waves and potential erosion caused by storm surges.
When hurricanes hit, like in the Mississippi Gulf Coast, natural ecosystems and animal populations such as seabirds can be dramatically affected, with hurricanes sparing and killing individuals at random. The effects on a real population often lead scientists to study the bottleneck effect, which refers to how a population's genetic structure is impacted by such natural disasters.