1. LIVE INTERACTIVE LEARNING @ YOUR DESKTOP Thursday, January 14, 2010 NOAA: Monitoring Climate Change from Space Presented by: Steve Ackerman and Margaret Mooney

2. Monitoring Climate Change from Space Steve Ackerman stevea@ssec.wisc.edu Margaret Mooney margaret.mooney@ssec.wisc.edu C ooperative I nstitute for M eteorological S atellite S tudies

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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

6. 0.20 0.53 Langleys/Min Explorer 7 Radiance Surface Pressure April 2 nd, 1960 L

7. Let’s Pause for Two Questions from the Audience

8. 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

9. Observing Change Direct 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

10. Observing Change Indirect 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?

11. Observing Change Electromagnetic 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

12. Types of Satellite Orbits Geostationary – 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

13. Question: What orbit would you select to monitor ice bergs and why? Orbit TypeCharacteristicsConsiderations 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 storms  Can observe changes in time  Can not see the poles very well  Can view only one hemisphere  Image 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 earth  Sees 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

14. Let’s Pause for Two Questions from the Audience

15. Making Images Black 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

16. January 5, 2010 Basics of Observing from Satellites

17. January 2, 2010 Basics of Observing from Satellites

18. Interpreting Satellite Image: Four ‘Ws” When

19. Basics of Observing from Satellites Interpreting Satellite Image: Four ‘Ws” When Where

20. Basics of Observing from Satellites Interpreting Satellite Image: Four ‘Ws” When Where Wavelength

21. Basics of Observing from Satellites Interpreting Satellite Image: Four ‘Ws” When Where Wavelength Wesolution (Resolution)

22. Let’s Pause for Two Questions from the Audience

23. 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

24. 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?

25. Monitoring Surface Changes Differences in reflectance at different wavelengths for different surfaces. Satellite Contributions to Climate Research

26. Longer Growing Seasons (about 1 week) Satellite Images allow scientists to monitor chlorophyll activity in the vegetation for monitoring.

27. Monitoring Surface Changes August 5, 1987 Satellite: LandSat

28. Monitoring Surface Changes August 23, 1988 Burned areas are red

29. Monitoring Surface Changes August 2, 1989 793,000 of the park’s 2,221,800 acres had burned

30. Monitoring Surface Changes September 23, 1999

31. Monitoring Surface Changes September 15, 2008

32. Decreasing Snow Cover The 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

33. January 5, 2010 Monitoring Surface Changes

34. December 20, 2009 Monitoring Surface Changes

35. January 3, 2010 Monitoring Surface Changes

36. January 3, 2010 Monitoring Surface Changes

37. 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

38. Satellite studies indicate Arctic sea ice declining annually Diminishing Arctic Sea Ice Monitoring Surface Changes

39. Sea Level Rise Altimeters on satellites provided the first detailed picture of global sea level and now track its change Monitoring Surface Changes

40. Sea Level Rise Altimeters on satellites provided the first detailed picture of global sea level and now track its change Monitoring Surface Changes

41. 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

42. Ozone Hole (measured by NOAA and NASA satellites. Monitoring Atmospheric Changes

43. http://ozonewatch.gsfc.nasa.gov/facts/history.html Total Ozone (DU) 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

44. Atmospheric Water Vapor Warmer temperatures enable an increase in atmospheric water vapor (H20). (the most abundant greenhouse gas) Monitoring Atmospheric Changes

45. Satellite Contributions to Climate Research Sea Surface Temperature http://www.ssec.wisc.edu/data/sst/

46. Hurricanes Hurricane Katrina 2005 Monitoring Atmospheric Changes

47. 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

48. 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

49. 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

50. 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

51. 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

52. 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

53. http:// earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Features/WorldOfChange/solar.php Monitoring Solar Changes April 2009

54. http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2009/01apr_deepsolarminimum.htm Monitoring Solar Changes April 2009

55. 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

56. Let’s Pause for Two Questions from the Audience

57. 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

58. http://cimss.ssec.wisc.edu/sage/

59. Classroom Resources http://www.ssec.wisc.edu/sose/

60. Classroom Resources http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Features/WorldOfChange /

61. Classroom Resources http://cimss.ssec.wisc.edu/climatechange

62. Classroom Resources http://cimss.ssec.wisc.edu/education

63. Contact Information Steve Ackerman steve.ackerman@ssec.wisc.edu Margaret Mooney margaret.mooney@ssec.wisc.edu Stop by if you’re ever in town! QUESTIONS?

64. Thank you to the sponsor of tonight's Web Seminar:

65. http://learningcenter.nsta.org

66. http://www.elluminate.com

67. National Science Teachers Association Dr. 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 Seminars Paul Tingler, Director Jeff Layman, Technical Coordinator