1. Lesson 2 Earth System Observation: NASA’s Earth Observation System (EOS) Satellites NOAA’s Polar Orbiting and Geostationary Satellites

2. Overview of NASA’s EOS Satellite Orbits
Overview of NASA Earth Observation System
Principle of R&S
Passive and active RS
Major parameters measured from space
Validation of R/S products
This slide provided by Jon Ranson Project Scientist, NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center,

3. Geostationary Orbit

4. NASA’S Earth Observation System
EOS (Earth Observing System)
Earth system science wouldn’t emerge and develop so fast without the NASA’s earth observation system.
EOS is the principal component within the Earth Science Enterprise
Develop an understanding of the total Earth system, and the effects of natural and human-induced changes on the global environment
Expand scientific knowledge of the Earth system using NASA’s unique capabilities from the vantage points of space, aircraft, and in situ platforms
Disseminate information about the Earth system
Mission objectives
Acquire and assemble a global database emphasizing remote sensing measurements from space over a decade or more
Improve predictive models of the Earth system

5. EOS Missions Landsat 7 QuikScat Terra ACRIMSAT Jason-1 SAGE III Aqua
ICESat
SORCE
Aura
Landsat 7
Jason-1
Aura
SAGE III
SORCE
Aqua
ICESat

6. The Afternoon Constellation “A-Train”
2007
The Afternoon constellation consists of 5 U.S. and international Earth Science satellites that fly within approximately 15 minutes of each other to enable coordinated science
The joint measurements provide an unprecedented sensor system for Earth observations

7. Major Satellite and Sensors Used in this Course (Continued)
Resource Satellite
Landsat (1972-present)
Remote sensing at high spatial resolution of the Earth’s land masses
Open skies policy of access to data on the world’s environment
ERTS-1 renamed Landsat 1 in January 1975
Radiation Research Satellite
Nimbus (launches )
Successor to the polar-orbiting TIROS 1-3 series
Medium resolution satellites with sensors for monitoring the Earth’s atmosphere (ozone and other trace gases in the stratosphere, aerosols, radiation budget, clouds, temperature), oceans (ocean color & sea surface temperature), and cryosphere (sea ice)
Earth Radiation Budget Experiment ( , ?
launch October 5, 1984)
Earth radiation budget and solar occultation of aerosols and ozone
first science satellite launched by the shuttle (Challenger; Sally Ride)

8. Recent History of Digital Remote Sensing
Precipitation
TRMM (Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission; launch November 27, 1997)
tropical rainfall measurement using spaceborne radar and passive microwave sensing (joint NASA & NASDA)
Atmospheric Profile
UARS (Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite, launch September 14, 1991
global photochemistry of the upper atmosphere
launched by the shuttle (Discovery)
Sea-Level
TOPEX/Poseidon (Ocean Topography Experiment, launch August 10, 1992)
radar altimetry of ocean surface topography (joint NASA & CNES)

9. The Afternoon Constellation “A-Train”
The Afternoon constellation consists of 7 U.S. and international Earth Science satellites that fly within approximately 30 minutes of each other to enable coordinated science
The joint measurements provide an unprecedented sensor system for Earth observations

10. NASA Earth Science Spacecraft in Orbit
TRMM
11/27/97
Landsat 7
4/15/99
QuikScat
6/19/99
Terra
12/18/99

11. EOS Spacecraft Under Development
11/21/00
Aqua
7/01
ICESat
12/01
Aura
7/03

12. Aqua/MODIS Coverage 1 day coverage 2 day coverage July 11, 2005

13. Earth Observing System Measurements
Discipline
Measurement
EOS-AM Instruments
Atmosphere Cloud Properties MODIS, MISR, ASTER
Radiative Energy Fluxes CERES, MODIS, MISR
Precipitation
Tropospheric Chemistry MOPITT
Stratospheric Chemistry
Aerosol Properties MISR, MODIS
Atmospheric Temperature MODIS
Atmospheric Humidity MODIS
Lightning
Solar Radiation Total Solar Radiation
Ultraviolet Spectral Irradiance

14. Earth Observing System Measurements
Discipline
Measurement
EOS-AM Instruments
Ocean Surface Temperature MODIS
Phytoplankton MODIS, MISR
Dissolved Organic Matter MODIS, MISR
Surface Wind Fields
Ocean Surface Topography
Cryosphere Land Ice Change ASTER
Sea Ice MODIS, ASTER
Snow Cover MODIS, ASTER

15. Earth Observing System Measurements
Discipline
Measurement
EOS-AM Instruments
Land Land Cover/Land Use Change MODIS, MISR, ASTER
Vegetation Dynamics MODIS, MISR, ASTER
Surface Temperature MODIS, ASTER
Fire Occurrence MODIS, ASTER
Volcanic Effects MODIS, MISR, ASTER
Surface Wetness

16. Major Satellite and Sensors for Weather
Weather Satellites
GOES 1-15 (1975-present)
High temporal resolution geosynchronous satellites fixed over the equator at about 35,800km
hemispheric views of the Earth every 15 minutes
Meteosat (Europe), GMS (Japan), and INSAT (India) complement GOES-E and GOES-W in a global meteorological geosynchronous constellation
POES (Polar-Orbiting Operational Environmental Satellites)
TIROS-N (1978) & NOAA 6-19 (1979-present)
Remote sensing at moderate resolution of the Earth’s land, ocean, and atmosphere
backbone of the US (NOAA’s) operational meteorological program
operational instruments AVHRR, HIRS/MSU/SSU (TOVS), SBUV

17. Geosynchronous Meteorological Satellites WMO Member States

20. Spectral Distribution of Energy Radiated from Blackbodies at Various Temperatures

21. Spectral Characteristics of Energy Sources and Sensing Systems

22. Why do we use different channels
Biomass burning
Cuiabá, Brazil (August 25, 1995)
10 km
q0 = 36°
R = 0.66 µm
G = 0.55 µm
B = 0.47 µm
R = 1.65 µm
G = 1.2 µm
B = 2.1 µm
20 km
AVIRIS Data

23. Spectral Characteristics of Atmospheric Transmission and Sensing Systems

24. Typical Spectral Reflectance Curves for Vegetation, Soil, and Water

25. Generalized Spectral Reflectance Envelopes for Deciduous and Coniferous Trees

26. Specular versus Diffuse Reflectance

27. LIDAR Measurement Concept

28. Diagram of Radar Transmission and Reception (Fig. 1
Diagram of Radar Transmission and Reception (Fig. 1.1 from Batan and Fig. 8.1 from Stephens)

29. CALIPSO/CALIOP (Lidar) June 7, 2006
Aura/OMI Column SO2

30. New EOS science results published in lay terms on NASA’s new, award-winning Web site: