Gary Lagerloef, PhD Science on Tap, 7 April Apollo 17 December 1972 Climate Science in the Space Age Gary Lagerloef Oceanographer & Climate Scientist Earth & Space Research AZA, 16 September 2009 Portland, OR

Gary Lagerloef, PhD Science on Tap, 7 April NASA Earth Observatories

Gary Lagerloef, PhD Science on Tap, 7 April 2009 Climate Science in the Space Age 3 What is Measured by Satellites Atmosphere –Temperature –Tropical Storms –Ozone –Humidity –Rainfall –Cloud structure –Evaporation –Aerosols –Carbon Dioxide –Carbon Monoxide –Energy balance This is not a complete list Atmosphere –Temperature –Tropical Storms –Ozone –Humidity –Rainfall –Cloud structure –Evaporation –Aerosols –Carbon Dioxide –Carbon Monoxide –Energy balance This is not a complete list Ocean –Sea level –Surface winds –Surface currents –Surface temperature –Ocean Salinity (coming soon) –Ocean color (biology) Cryosphere –Sea ice cover –Ice sheet mass –Ice sheet elevation

Gary Lagerloef, PhD Science on Tap, 7 April 2009 Climate Science in the Space Age 4 Mapping Sea Level with Satellites Sea water expands as it warms. Very accurate satellite radar altimeters can measure changes in sea level with an accuracy of about 2 cm (less than an inch) from 800 miles high. Jason-1

Gary Lagerloef, PhD Science on Tap, 7 April 2009 Climate Science in the Space Age 5 Measuring Ocean Winds from Space Tropical Storm Emilia, July 26, 2006

Gary Lagerloef, PhD Science on Tap, 7 April 2009 Climate Science in the Space Age 6 Ocean Currents from Satellite Data

Gary Lagerloef, PhD Science on Tap, 7 April 2009 Climate Science in the Space Age 7 Apollo 17 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), Fourth Assessment (2007) The Warming of Earth’s Climate Temperature rise during the past 25 years is about 0.18 º C (0.32º F) per decade. This is about 4X faster than the past 150 years Temperature rise during the past 25 years is about 0.18 º C (0.32º F) per decade. This is about 4X faster than the past 150 years Most of the satellite capability has developed during the past few decades when we also observed the most rapid increase in global warming

Gary Lagerloef, PhD Science on Tap, 7 April 2009 Climate Science in the Space Age 8 Satellite Radar Altimeter Global Average Sea Level Rise About half the sea level rise is due to expansion as the ocean warms, and the other half is water added to the ocean from melting land ice. Sea level is presently rising at about 1 foot (33 cm) per century. This is about twice the 20 th Century average Sea level is presently rising at about 1 foot (33 cm) per century. This is about twice the 20 th Century average

Gary Lagerloef, PhD Science on Tap, 7 April 2009 Climate Science in the Space Age 9 Mapping Sea Level with Satellites This map shows the time average rate of sea level change from 1993 through 2008 (15 years). Jason-1 The patterns reflect differential rates of ocean heating and cooling. Cooling has occurred in the eastern North Pacific (PDO pattern). Warming has been concentrated in western tropical Pacific. Most of the ocean area is rising at about the global average rate (pale green color). ½ inch/year-½ inch/year Global Average

Gary Lagerloef, PhD Science on Tap, 7 April GRACE can measure the change in mass at the Earth’s surface that is equivalent to a layer of water just 1 cm thick spread over an area about the size of the State of Washington (i.e. about 450 km square) Climate Science in the Space Age

Gary Lagerloef, PhD Science on Tap, 7 April 2009 Climate Science in the Space Age 11 Trend, Apr 02-Jun07: -238 km 3 /yr Greenland Mass Variation From GRACE Trend Apr 2002-Sep 2008: -242+/-36 km 3 /yr (= 0.6 mm/yr sea level rise) Isabella Velicogna, NASA/JPL, 2009 GRACE gravity is used to monitor the change of ice mass (volume) of the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets. Most of the change in Greenland is in the southern half. Volume Km 3

Gary Lagerloef, PhD Science on Tap, 7 April 2009 Climate Science in the Space Age Volume Km 3 12 Antarctica Ice mass Change ---- Apr ‘02-Sep ‘07: /-80 km 3 /yr /-80 km 3 /yr = 0.4 mm/yr sea level rise Velicogna, 2008 Most of the Antarctic ice loss is from West Antarctica The ice mass loss from Greenland and Antarctica together account for one third of the total observed sea level rise. Trend Apr 2002-Sep 2008: ---- Apr ‘02-Sep 08: /-80 km 3 /yr ~ 0.5 mm/yr sea level rise Isabella Velicogna, NASA/JPL, 2009

Gary Lagerloef, PhD Science on Tap, 7 April 2009 Climate Science in the Space Age Arctic Sea Ice Cover is Shrinking Satellite data shows about 15% reduction since 1978, until a record minimum in 2005 Rapid Arctic Sea Ice melting. Satellite data now indicate 2007 minimum ice area was >20% below the previous low in

Gary Lagerloef, PhD Science on Tap, 7 April 2009 Climate Science in the Space Age 14 Ice Loss in 2008 was Similar to 2007

Gary Lagerloef, PhD Science on Tap, 7 April 2009 Climate Science in the Space Age 15 Arctic Sea Ice Video in 2008

Gary Lagerloef, PhD Science on Tap, 7 April 2009 Climate Science in the Space Age 16 Understanding the Interactions Between the Ocean Circulation, Global Water Cycle and Climate by Measuring Sea Surface Salinity Ocean Salinity; the Next Challenge WOA 2001 NOAA/NODC Global salinity patterns are linked to rainfall and evaporation Salinity affects seawater density, which in turn governs ocean circulation and climate The higher salinity of the Atlantic sustains the oceanic deep overturning circulation Salinity variations are driven by precipitation, evaporation, runoff and ice freezing and melting

Gary Lagerloef, PhD Science on Tap, 7 April Launch Date May 2010 Climate Science in the Space Age