Science MissionDirectorate

Understanding and Protecting Our Home Planet:NASA and Earth ScienceCheryl YuhasSuborbital Science Program Manager

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Earth Science in NASA’s Mission

Understand and Protect Our Home Planet by using our view from space to study the Earth system and improve prediction of Earth system change

Help Explore the Universe and Search for Life by applying our scientific understanding of the Earth system to the identification and study of Earth-like planets around other stars

Inspire the Next Generation of Earth Explorers by providing Earth system science content and training to educators, and by sponsoring the education and early careers of Earth scientists

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How is the global Earth system changing?

What are the primary forcings of the Earth system?

How does the Earth system respond to natural and human-induced changes?

What are the consequences of changes in the Earth system for human civilization?

How well can we predict future changes in the Earth system?

How is the Earth changing and what are the consequences of life on Earth?

Overarching Science Questions

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Earth Observation from Space Today

ERBS

Terra

Aqua

GRACE

QuikScatSAGE III

SeaWinds

TRMM

TOMS-EP

UARS

Jason Landsat 7

SORCE

ACRIMSAT

EO-1

TOPEX/Poseidon

SeaWiFS

ICESat

We have given the world its first capability to study the Earth as a system

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But Much More Remains to Be Done to Achieve a Comprehensive, Coordinated & Sustained Global Observing System

A Comprehensive Global Observing System

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Suborbital Science Programs

Objectives

•Development of new space sensors and new remote-sensing techniques.

•Satellite calibration/validation.

• Targeted observations of ephemeral phenomena with variable temporal and spatial scales.

•Atmosphere/near-space in-situ observations.

•Improvement and validation of predictive Earth process models using satellite data.

•Next-generation scientists with hands-on sensor hardware and field experiment experience.

To understand and protect our home planet, we need data from multiple perspectives. Suborbital fills time and space gap between surface observing networks and orbital platforms.

Sounding Rocket Program

Balloon Program

Aircraft & UAV Programs

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Higher altitude rockets with high resolution instruments opened the door to a whole new class of auroral physics phenomena.

• Field Aligned Electron Bursts• Ion Conics• Lower Hybrid Solitary Structures• Large Amplitude Alfvén Waves• Intense Langmuir Waves• Shock-Like Electric Fields

New Physics

New Capabilities on Sounding Rockets Enabled New Studies of Auroral Physics

Early Rocket Observations (1960’s, 70’s)

Discovered the source of auroral light is due to keV electron beams

Explored auroral optical emissions, Ionosphere fields, currents, effects, etc.

Auroral Optical Emissions

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Suborbital Observing Capabilities: Aircraft/UAVs

DC8

GHPr

ALTUS-II

LALTUS-I

P3

0 4000 8000 12000Range (nm)

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30A

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Payload is proportional to font size (truncated at 2000 lb. and 600 lb.)Bold indicates payload greater than 2000 lb.

Tropical Tropopause

Polar Tropopause

Troposphere

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Pla

net

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Sca

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Stratosphere

Wal

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ITC

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Convective Detrainment

Boundary Layer

GH = Global Hawk

Pr = Proteus

L = Lear Jet

UAV

Performance Envelope

ALTAIR

WB57ER2

Cirrus

(ALTUS I)

(ALTUS II)(ALTAIR)

Newman & Schoeberl, GSFC

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NASA Suborbital Science Missions of the Future Workshop: 31 Mission Concepts in 6 Science Focus Areas

• Multiple requirements for cloud data

• Vertical resolution data through atmosphere & into ocean

• Almost universal OTH requirements

• Real-time data to the scientist on the ground, at least for QA

• Many, many missions with multiple, coordinated platforms

• Interesting combinations of mother/daughter platforms, sondes

• Intelligent, autonomous tracking of events or phenomena

• Synergy with satellite activities.

Interagency Workshop for UAV Collaboration: 11 Proposals to Demonstrate UAV Enhancement of Science Objectives. 3 areas identified as high-value demonstration missions

• High Impact Events• Carbon Fluxes• Climate Profiles

Results from Previous Workshops

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Satellites Provide Global Observations - Suborbital Provides Key In-Situ/Local Observations

Internal Structure of Hurricane Bonnie from NASA

research aircraft

Hurricane winds as an ocean anomaly from QuikSCAT

Hurricane size and landfall observation from GOES

Combining Global, Regional, and Local Scale Views Improves Understanding of Processes and Variability Trends