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LIVE INTERACTIVE LEARNING @ YOUR DESKTOP
Thursday, January 14, 2010
NOAA: Monitoring Climate Change from Space
Presented by: Steve Ackerman and
Margaret Mooney
Monitoring Climate Change from Space
Steve Ackerman [email protected]
Margaret Mooney [email protected]
Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies
Monitoring Climate Change from Space
Presentation Outline:
• Historical Perspective• Basics of Observing from Satellites• Satellite Contributions to Climate Research
•Monitoring surface•Monitoring atmosphere•Monitoring the sun
• Classroom Resources
Poll Question
How often do you use satellite observations in your courses?
A) Never
B) Occasionally
C) Often
D) Frequently
E) Less than I want to
1957 – Soviet Union launches Sputnik
• Successful space craft but no instruments
Initiated the Space Race
1959 – NASA launches Explorer VII
• Included UW-Madison Instrument to measure the radiative energy balance of Earth.
Initiated Global Climate Studies of our Planet
Historical Perspective on Satellites & Climate
Historical Perspective on Satellites & Climate
0.200.20 0.530.53Langleys/MinLangleys/Min
Explorer 7 RadianceExplorer 7 Radiance
Surface PressureSurface Pressure
April 2nd, 1960April 2nd, 1960
L
Let’s Pause for Two Questions
from the Audience
Monitoring Climate Change from Space
Presentation Outline:
• Historical Perspective• Basics of Observing from Satellites• Satellite Contributions to Climate Research
•Monitoring surface•Monitoring atmosphere•Monitoring the sun
• Classroom Resources
Observing ChangeDirect methods, also called in situ for “in place,” measure the properties of the air that are in contact with the instrument being used.
Thermometer tells us the temperature of the room is about 60F
Basics of Observing from Satellites
Observing ChangeIndirect methods, also referred to as remote sensing, obtain information without coming into physical contact with the region of the atmosphere being measured.
Basics of Observing from Satellites
Question: What can you tell us about the pan?
Observing ChangeElectromagnetic energy spans a large spectrum of wavelengths. In our conversation we are interested primarily in solar (or shortwave) and infrared (or longwave); maybe a little on the microwave.
Basics of Observing from Satellites
Types of Satellite OrbitsGeostationary – Polar orbiting.
http://www.ssec.wisc.edu/sose/pirs/pirs_m1_leo.html
Most satellite images seen on the local television news or The Weather Channel are produced by GOES satellites.
GOES Satellites orbit the earth above the equator at the same speed as the earth rotates so they can transmit a continuous picture of the region below.
POES orbits are significantly lower and shorter, taking about 100 minutes to travel from pole to pole and produce high resolution "snapshots" of the Earth.
Basics of Observing from Satellites
Question: What orbit would you select to monitor ice bergs and why?
Orbit Type Characteristics Considerations
Geostationary •Orbits the earth above the equator at the same speed the earth rotates•Orbit is high - ~ 36,000 km•Can produce animations of the earth's weather patterns
Good for tracking weather stormsCan observe changes in timeCan not see the poles very wellCan view only one hemisphereImage resolution is not very good because of distance from earth
Polar •Orbits are lower altitude•Takes about 100 minutes to travel from pole to pole•Produces high resolution “snaps shots” of the earth
Image resolution is good because it’s closer to earthSees the poles a lot (~14 times a day)Sees give tropical and middle latitude regions of the globe twice a day
Basics of Observing from Satellites
Let’s Pause for Two Questions
from the Audience
Making ImagesBlack and White Images – single wavelength. Energy
represented by gray scale.
Color scale of derived products from satellite measurements
A true-color image of a subject is an image that appears to the human eye just like the original subject would
A "false-color" is typically used to describe images whose colors represent measured intensities outside the visible portion of the electromagnetic spectrum
Basics of Observing from Satellites
http://cimss.ssec.wisc.edu/satmet/modules/sat_images/index.html
http://www.ssec.wisc.edu/sose/pirs/pirs_m2_footprint.html We will visit this site
January 5, 2010
Basics of Observing from Satellites
January 2, 2010
Basics of Observing from Satellites
Basics of Observing from Satellites
Interpreting Satellite Image: Four ‘Ws”
• When
Basics of Observing from Satellites
Interpreting Satellite Image: Four ‘Ws”
• When
• Where
Basics of Observing from Satellites
Interpreting Satellite Image: Four ‘Ws”
• When
• Where
• Wavelength
Basics of Observing from Satellites
Interpreting Satellite Image: Four ‘Ws”
• When
• Where
• Wavelength
• Wesolution (Resolution)
Let’s Pause for Two Questions
from the Audience
Monitoring Climate Change from Space
Presentation Outline:
• Historical Perspective• Basics of Observing from Satellites• Satellite Contributions to Climate Research
•Monitoring surface•Monitoring atmosphere•Monitoring the sun
• Classroom Resources
Monitoring Surface Changes
Differences in reflectance at different wavelengths for different surfaces.
Satellite Contributions to Climate Research
What two wavelengths would you use to separate snow from dry sand?
What two wavelengths would you use to separate grass from dry gass?
Monitoring Surface Changes
• Differences in reflectance at different wavelengths for different surfaces.
Satellite Contributions to Climate Research
Satellite Contributions to Climate Research
Longer Growing Seasons (about 1 week)
Satellite Images allow scientists to monitor chlorophyll activity in the vegetation for monitoring.
Monitoring Surface Changes
August 5, 1987
Satellite: LandSat
Monitoring Surface Changes
August 23, 1988
Burned areas are red
Monitoring Surface Changes
August 2, 1989
793,000 of the park’s 2,221,800 acres had burned
Monitoring Surface Changes
September 23, 1999
Monitoring Surface Changes
September 15, 2008
Decreasing Snow CoverThe 28 year trend in snow extent derived from visible and passive microwave satellite data indicates an annual decrease of approximately 1 to 3 percent per decade with greater deceases of approximately 3 to 5 percent during spring and summer.
Monitoring Surface Changes
January 5, 2010
Monitoring Surface Changes
December 20, 2009
Monitoring Surface Changes
January 3, 2010
Monitoring Surface Changes
January 3, 2010
Monitoring Surface Changes
This 2001 image of the Himalaya mountains documents glacier stagnation and lake formation. The image was produced using data from the ASTER (Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission & and reflection Radiometer) instrument flown on NASA's Terra satellite.
Glacial Retreat
Monitoring Surface Changes
Satellite studies indicate Arctic sea ice declining annually
Diminishing Arctic Sea Ice
Monitoring Surface Changes
Sea Level Rise
Altimeters on satellites provided the first detailed picture of global sea level and now track its change
Monitoring Surface Changes
Sea Level Rise
Altimeters on satellites provided the first detailed picture of global sea level and now track its change
Monitoring Surface Changes
Desertification
The disappearance of the Aral Sea, as seen by Landsat satellite during the period 1973 to 2000. Over this peroid, more than 60% of the lake vanished, replaced with a dry, dusty plain.
Monitoring Surface Changes
Ozone Hole (measured by NOAA and NASA satellites.
Monitoring Atmospheric Changes
http://ozonewatch.gsfc.nasa.gov/facts/history.html
Tot
al O
zone
(D
U)
Instruments on the ground (at Halley) and high above Antarctica (the Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer [TOMS] and Ozone Monitoring Instrument [OMI]) measured an acute drop in total atmospheric ozone during October in the early and middle 1980s.
Monitoring Atmospheric Changes
Atmospheric Water Vapor
Warmer temperatures enable an increase in atmospheric water vapor (H20). (the most abundant greenhouse gas)
Monitoring Atmospheric Changes
Satellite Contributions to Climate Research
Sea Surface Temperature
http://www.ssec.wisc.edu/data/sst/
Hurricanes
Hurricane Katrina 2005
Monitoring Atmospheric Changes
Hurricanes
James P. Kossin · Suzana J. Camargo, 2009: Hurricane track variability and secular potential intensity trends, Climatic Change
Monitoring Atmospheric Changes
http://profhorn.meteor.wisc.edu/wxwise/hurr/hurr.html
April 1999
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Features/WorldOfChange/solar.php
Monitoring Solar Changes
Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) spacecraft shows sunspots (right) and ultraviolet light (left) emitted by the Sun
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Features/WorldOfChange/solar.php
Monitoring Solar Changes
Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) spacecraft shows sunspots (right) and ultraviolet light (left) emitted by the Sun
April 2001
April 2003
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Features/WorldOfChange/solar.php
Monitoring Solar Changes
Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) spacecraft shows sunspots (right) and ultraviolet light (left) emitted by the Sun
April 2005
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Features/WorldOfChange/solar.php
Monitoring Solar Changes
Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) spacecraft shows sunspots (right) and ultraviolet light (left) emitted by the Sun
April 2007
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Features/WorldOfChange/solar.php
Monitoring Solar Changes
Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) spacecraft shows sunspots (right) and ultraviolet light (left) emitted by the Sun
Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) spacecraft shows sunspots (right) and ultraviolet light (left) emitted by the Sun
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Features/WorldOfChange/solar.php
Monitoring Solar Changes
April 2009
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2009/01apr_deepsolarminimum.htm
Monitoring Solar Changes
April 2009
Satellites monitor changes in surface conditions:
Urban heat island
Sea and land surface temperature
Chlorophyll concentration/sedmiment
Vegetation
Snow and Ice cover
Satellite monitor changes in atmospheric conditions
Ozone (and other trace gases) concentration
Cloud cover and type
Aerosols/Pollution
Temperature structure
Satellite monitor changes in Top of Atmosphere energy budget
Incoming and out going solar energy
Outgoing terrestrial energy
Monitoring Climate Change from Space
Let’s Pause for Two Questions
from the Audience
Monitoring Climate Change from Space
Presentation Outline:
• Historical Perspective• Basics of Observing from Satellites• Satellite Contributions to Climate Research
•Monitoring surface•Monitoring atmosphere•Monitoring the sun
• Classroom Resources
Classroom Resources
http://cimss.ssec.wisc.edu/sage/
Classroom Resources
http://www.ssec.wisc.edu/sose/
Classroom Resources
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Features/WorldOfChange/
Classroom Resources
http://cimss.ssec.wisc.edu/climatechange
Classroom Resources
http://cimss.ssec.wisc.edu/education
Contact Information
Steve Ackerman [email protected]
Margaret Mooney [email protected]
Stop by if you’re ever in town!
QUESTIONS?
Thank you to the sponsor of tonight's Web Seminar:
http://learningcenter.nsta.org
http://www.elluminate.com
National Science Teachers AssociationDr. Francis Q. Eberle, Executive Director
Zipporah Miller, Associate Executive Director Conferences and Programs
Al Byers, Assistant Executive Director e-Learning
LIVE INTERACTIVE LEARNING @ YOUR DESKTOP
NSTA Web SeminarsPaul Tingler, Director
Jeff Layman, Technical Coordinator