07-05-06

Students and Iowa State University researchers -- particularly Partha Sarkar, a professor of aerospace engineering; Fred Haan, an assistant professor of aerospace engineering; and Bill Gallus, a professor of geological and atmospheric sciences -- use the Tornado/Microburst Simulator to study how wind storms affect buildings. Photo by Bob Elbert.

ISU tornadoes on TV

The History Channel will feature Iowa State University tornadoes blowing through a model of downtown Chicago. Could the real buildings stand up to real storms? Find out by watching The History Channel's "Mega Disasters: Windy City Tornado." The show airs at 8 p.m. Central time on Tuesday, July 11. The show will be rebroadcast at midnight on Wednesday morning, July 12. The show features tornadoes created by Iowa State's Tornado/Microburst Simulator. The show's producers filmed lab tornadoes hitting a model of downtown Chicago built by Bill Rickard of Iowa State's Wind Simulation and Testing Laboratory and several students.

-30-