LIVE INTERACTIVE 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 Margaret Mooney C ooperative I nstitute for M eteorological S atellite S tudies

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

Langleys/Min Explorer 7 Radiance Surface Pressure April 2 nd, 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 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

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?

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

Types of Satellite Orbits Geostationary – Polar orbiting. 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 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

Let’s Pause for Two Questions from the Audience

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 We will visit this site

January 5, 2010 Basics of Observing from Satellites

January 2, 2010 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

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, ,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 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

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 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

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

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

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

April Monitoring Solar Changes Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) spacecraft shows sunspots (right) and ultraviolet light (left) emitted by the Sun

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 Monitoring Solar Changes Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) spacecraft shows sunspots (right) and ultraviolet light (left) emitted by the Sun

April 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 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

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

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

Classroom Resources /

Classroom Resources

Classroom Resources

Contact Information Steve Ackerman Margaret Mooney Stop by if you’re ever in town! QUESTIONS?

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

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 YOUR DESKTOP NSTA Web Seminars Paul Tingler, Director Jeff Layman, Technical Coordinator