THE EARTH OBSERVER November/December 2002, Vol
rvin bse g S O ys th t r e a m E
THE EARTH OBSERVER November/December 2002, Vol. 14, No. 6
In this issue ... EDITOR’S CORNER
Meeting/Workshop Summaries Michael King CERES Science Team Meeting ...... 9 EOS Senior Project Scientist Aura Science and Validation Team I’m pleased to share with you news that NASA was nominated for and has Meeting ...... 13 won three of Popular Science magazine’s “Best of What’s New” awards for International Workshop on Surface Albedo Product Validation ...... 17 2002. The Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE), the Aqua GOFC/GOLD Regional Workshop . 19 mission, and the Mars Odyssey mission were chosen in the Aviation/Space SAFARI 2000 Synthesis Workshop. 24 category of the magazine’s annual awards program. The December 2002 issue Alaska SAR Facility User Working of Popular Science features 100 winners in 10 categories. The winners are Group ...... 26 considered the best among thousands of new and innovative products and DAAC Alliance Data Interoperability Workshop ...... 27 services reviewed annually by the magazine, and represent significant advancements in their categories. Other Items of Interest An Overview of ICESat ...... 3 Of the three NASA missions, two are within the Earth Science Enterprise Joanne Simpson Honored ...... 16 (ESE). GRACE is nine months into its mission to precisely measure the Earth’s shifting water masses and map their effects on the Earth’s gravity field. A Mous Cahine Honored...... 23 global gravity field map created from just 14 days of GRACE data is proving An Overview of SEEDS ...... 30 to be substantially more accurate than the combined results of more than Thirty Years of Airborne Research at the University of Washington ...... 35 three decades of satellite and surface measurements collected before GRACE (see map on next page). These new gravity maps provide unprecedented The “Firemapper” Airborne Sensor and Flight Plans to Support insight into variations in the weight of the Earth’s oceans and polar ice sheets, Validation of MODIS Fire Products which will greatly advance studies of ocean circulation and ice sheet mass. over Brazil ...... 38 GRACE is a joint partnership between NASA and the German Aerospace Kudos ...... 42 Center. The University of Texas Center for Space Research has overall mission Shifts in Rice Farming Practices in China Reduce Methane Emis- responsibility, and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the U.S. portion of sions ...... 43 the project for NASA.
Regular Features Aqua is the latest in a series of larger EOS spacecraft dedicated to advancing EOS Scientists in the News ...... 44 our understanding of climate and global change. As its name implies, Aqua’s Earth Science Education Program instruments are primarily designed to gather information on the Earth’s Update ...... 46 water cycle. Aqua is enabling greatly improved understanding of the global Science Calendars ...... 47 water cycle and its influence on the Earth’s climate system. All of Aqua’s six The Earth Observer Information/ Inquiries ...... Back Cover Continued on page 2 THE EARTH OBSERVER ¥ November/December 2002 Vol. 14 No. 6
meeting is the primary forum for sharing information on the latest EOS program and science activities, and this year focused on new science results from Aqua and other recently launched missions, including Jason-1, GRACE, and SAGE III.
Aqua Project Scientist Claire Parkinson chaired a session on new science results from Aqua, and Terra Project Scientist Jon Ranson chaired a similar session on Terra. Both sessions emphasized integrated data sources from multiple missions. There was also a special session on Earth science applications, chaired by Ron Birk, Director of the NASA Headquarters Applications Division, which included several presentations by program managers 0 10 20 30 40 50 leading the 12 specific NASA themes GRAVITY EFFECT SENSED BY GRACE IN MICROMETERS involving human health and the First Data from GRACE. The Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment was selected by environment, community growth Popular Science magazine as one of three NASA recipients of “The Best of What’s New” award. management, public health, air and The image above is a grayscale version of a color graphic depicting the sensitivity of the two water quality, and others. GRACE satellites to changes in the Earth’s gravity field. The changes are measured using the K- band Ranging system onboard GRACE, which is sensitive to changes in distance down to one-tenth the width of a human hair. The influence of larger scale spatial features on gravity has been removed Finally, I’m happy to report the for this calculation so that smaller scale changes in gravity can be highlighted. The GRACE Science appointment of Steven Platnick as the Team will process this and similar images and expects to have a preliminary map of the Earth’s geoid—mean gravity field—by the Spring. Byron Tapley, GRACE Project Scientist, says, “ In 30 Aqua Deputy Project Scientist. Platnick days, the GRACE mission has exceeded the information gained [about Earth’s gravity field] in over recently joined Goddard Space Flight 30 years of previous study!” Center after having been a Research Associate Professor at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County for the past 6 years. Platnick received his instruments are performing exception- I am pleased to be associated with these Ph.D. in Atmospheric Sciences from the ally well and are beginning to provide prestigious awards, and I hope you University of Arizona and his M.S. and validated data products and exciting share with me the sense of contribution B.S. degrees in Electrical Engineering new science discoveries. In addition, and excitement that they bring. from Duke University and the Univer- data gathered from the MODIS and Together with several other important sity of California-Berkeley, respectively. CERES instruments on Aqua are operational and future EOS missions, He has had considerable experience complemented by identical instru- these recent accomplishments highlight with remote sensing of cloud optical ments on Aqua’s sibling satellite Terra, the significant scientific and societal properties using MODIS, AVHRR, and effectively doubling the data archive contributions of NASA’s Earth science MODIS Airborne Simulator data, and from these instruments, and enabling program. the generation of valuable blended has participated in numerous satellite data products. Aqua is also a joint The EOS Investigators Working Group validation airborne field campaigns. I international project among NASA, the meeting was held November 18-20 at look forward to his participation in National Space Development Agency the Turf Valley Resort and Conference Aqua validation and related activities. of Japan, and Brazil. Center in Ellicott City, MD. The IWG
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An Overview of the Ice Clouds and land Elevation Satellite (ICESat)
— Jay Zwally, [email protected], NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, ICESat Project Scientist — Christopher Shuman, [email protected], NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, ICESat Deputy Project Scientist — Waleed Abdalati, [email protected], NASA Headquarters, ICESat Program Scientist — Bob Schutz, [email protected], University of Texas, ICESat Science Team Leader — Jim Abshire, [email protected], NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, ICESat Instrument Scientist — Jim Watzin, [email protected], NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Project Manager
“Possible changes in the mass balance of the Antarctic and Greenland ice sheets are fundamental gaps in our understanding and are crucial to the quantification and refinement of sea-level forecasts.” —Sea-Level Change Report, National Research Council (1990)
“In light of…abrupt ice-sheet changes affecting global climate and sea level, enhanced emphasis on ice-sheet character- ization over time is essential.” —Abrupt Climate Change Report, National Research Council (2002)
Introduction to ICESat
Are the ice sheets that still blanket the Earth’s poles growing or shrinking? Will global sea level rise or fall? NASA’s Earth Science Enterprise (ESE) has developed the Ice Clouds and land Elevation Satellite (ICESat) mission to provide answers to these and other questions - to help fulfill NASA’s mission to understand and protect our home planet. The primary goal of FIGURE 1: The Geoscience Laser Altimeter System (GLAS) on the Ice, Clouds, and ICESat is to quantify ice sheet mass land Elevation Satellite (ICESat) spacecraft immediately following its initial mechanical integration on June 18, 2002. Note that ICESat’s solar arrays have not yet been attached. balance and understand how changes Left – Gordon Casto, NASA/GSFC. Right – John Bishop, Mantech. Photo Credit: in the Earth’s atmosphere and climate Courtesy of Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp.
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ice sheets are an average of 2.4 km level is believed to be rising about 2 cm (7900 ft) thick, cover 10% of the Earth’s (0.8 in) every 10 years, less rapidly than land area, and contain 77% of the at the end of the ice age, but still Earth’s fresh water (33 million km3 or 8 significantly. Thermal expansion as the million mi3 ). If their collective stored oceans warm accounts for 25% of the water volume were released into the observed sea level rise, and another ocean, global sea level would rise by 25% is attributed to the melting of about 80 m (260 ft). Their vast size and small glaciers around the world. The inhospitable environment make remaining 50% could be due to ice loss satellites one of the most appropriate from Greenland and Antarctica, but our means for monitoring their changes. uncertainty concerning their actual FIGURE 2: This 1-km resolution image of contributions (plus or minus) is as large clouds and sea ice around northern Greenland was obtained by the Moderate Resolution ICESat is designed to detect changes in as the total rise in recent decades. Of Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on ice sheet surface elevation as small as particular concern is the “marine” ice NASA’s Aqua satellite on July 13, 2002. 1.5 cm (0.6 in) per year over areas of sheet in West Antarctica, much of ICESat will greatly enhance our understanding of the role these important phenomena play in 100 km by 100 km (62 mi by 62 mi). which is grounded on bedrock and regulating Earth’s climate. Image Credit: Changes in ice sheet thickness are sediment below sea level. Some Aqua MODIS Science Team. calculated from elevation changes by researchers believe that West correcting for small vertical motions of Antarctica’s ice could thin rapidly and affect the polar ice masses and global the underlying bedrock. Elevation impact global sea level dramatically sea level. time-series constructed from ICESat’s with continued climate warming. continuous observations throughout its ICESat’s multi-year elevation-change The ICESat satellite, part of NASA’s 3- to 5-year mission will detect seasonal data, combined with other satellite, Earth Observing System (EOS), has and interannual changes in the mass atmospheric, oceanic, and ice flow been shipped to Vandenberg AFB, balance, caused by short-term changes data, should enable more accurate Lompoc, CA, and is scheduled to in ice accumulation and surface predictions of ice-sheet changes that launch in December 2002 on a Boeing melting, as well as the long-term trends could impact sea level. Delta II rocket (Figure 1). The Geo- in the net balance between the surface science Laser Altimeter System (GLAS), processes and the ice flow. How do Clouds and Aerosols ICESat’s scientific instrument, will Affect Climate? spend years measuring ice sheet How Fast is Sea Level Rising? The distribution of atmospheric clouds elevations and their change through Fifteen thousand years ago, vast ice and aerosols is one of the most impor- time, heights of clouds and aerosols, sheets covered much of North America tant factors in global climate. Clouds land elevations and vegetation cover, and parts of Eurasia. In Antarctica, the can cool the Earth’s surface by reflect- and approximate sea ice thickness. ice sheet reached to the edge of the ing solar radiation or warm the surface Together with other elements of continental shelf, as much as 200 km by trapping its radiated heat. Low NASA’s ESE and current and planned (125 mi) farther out to sea than today. clouds are typically more reflective EOS satellites, the ICESat mission will As the climate warmed during the end than the Earth’s surface, and primarily enable scientists to study the Earth’s of the last Ice Age, much of the Earth’s reflect solar radiation and cause climate and, ultimately, predict how ice ice cover melted. Global sea level rose relative cooling. High, thin clouds, on sheets and sea level will respond to rapidly by almost 100 m (330 ft) the other hand, are usually less future climate change. between 14,000 and 6,000 years ago. effective at reflecting solar radiation but effectively trap outgoing infrared Are The Greenland and Antarctic heat radiation. Accurate knowledge of Ice Sheets Growing or Shrinking? The Antarctic and Greenland ice sheets (Figure 2 shows Greenland), which are the type and height of clouds is thus This question lies at the heart of the most significant remnants of that very important for climate studies. Like NASA’s rationale for the ICESat period, are currently reacting to present clouds, aerosols tend to cool the Earth’s mission. The Greenland and Antarctic and past climate changes. Global sea surface and heat the atmosphere by
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scattering and absorbing solar radia- navigation, and forecasting the intervening clouds and aerosols tion. In general terms, aerosols are occurrence and impact of natural (Figures 3a and 3b). It will do this by distinguished from clouds by existing hazards such as volcanic eruptions, precisely measuring the time it takes at humidity levels below saturation landslides, floods, and wild fires. for a short pulse of laser light to travel and by a particle size which is typically to the reflecting object and return to the 10 to 100 times smaller than the size of The ICESat elevation profiles will satellite. Although surveyors routinely cloud droplets. provide a global sampling of the use laser methods, the challenge for Earth’s land surface at unprecedented ICESat is to perform the measurement The laser-profiling measurements from accuracy. This globally-consistent grid 40 times a second from a platform GLAS are a fundamentally new way to of high-accuracy elevation data will be moving 26,000 km (16,000 mi) per hour. study the atmosphere from space. To used as a reference framework to ICESat will be about 600 km above the better understand climate, scientists evaluate and improve the accuracy of Earth and the precise locations of the need to distinguish the multiple cloud topographic maps acquired by other satellite in space and the laser beam on and aerosol layers that typically exist in airborne and space-based methods the surface below must be determined the atmosphere. Other satellite remote- such as conventional stereo-photo- at the same time. The GLAS instrument sensing techniques currently in use are grammetry and radar interferometry. In on ICESat will measure precisely how limited to passive observations, i.e., the particular, ICESat profiles will be long it takes for photons from a laser to sensor images the Earth at a given combined with the near-global map- pass through the atmosphere, reflect off wavelength but views all atmospheric ping accomplished by the Shuttle the surface or clouds, return through layers simultaneously. Another issue is Radar Topography Mission to greatly the atmosphere, collect in the GLAS that such passive instruments cannot improve our knowledge of the Earth’s telescope, and trigger photon detectors. measure the height of layers suffi- topography. After halving the total travel time and ciently to fully understand the role of applying corrections for the speed of clouds in global climate change. The In addition to acquiring elevation data, light through the atmosphere, the GLAS instrument on ICESat will enable ICESat’s measurement of the laser distance from ICESat to the laser the accurate, multi-year height profil- pulse return shape provides unique footprint on Earth’s surface will be ing of atmospheric cloud and aerosol information about the height distribu- known. The GLAS receiver uses a 1-m layers directly from space for the first tion of the surface features within each (3-ft) diameter telescope to collect the time. laser footprint. In areas lacking reflected laser light. A digitizer records vegetation cover, this is a measure of each transmitted and reflected laser Measuring Earth’s Land Surface relief (ground slope and roughness), an pulse with 1 nanosecond (ns) resolu- and Vegetation indication of the intensity of geomor- tion. When each pulse is fired, ICESat The topography and vegetation cover phic processes. In vegetated areas of will collect data for calculating exactly of the Earth’s land surface form a low relief, the elevation of the ground where it is in space using on-board GPS complex mosaic. The landscape we see and the height and density of the (Global Positioning System) receivers today is the cumulative result of the vegetation cover can be inferred from augmented by a network of ground interaction of those many formative the return pulse. The vegetation GPS receivers and satellite laser processes through time. Measurement observations enable estimation of ranging stations. The angle at which of landscape properties, including above-ground biomass and its loss due the laser beam points relative to stars elevation, slope, roughness, and to deforestation, an important compo- and the center of the Earth will be vegetation height and density, is a nent of the carbon cycle. measured precisely with a star-tracking necessary step toward understanding camera that is integral to GLAS. The the interplay between formative How Will ICESat Measure Earth’s data on the distance to the laser Ice, Clouds, Oceans, Land, and processes and better modeling of future footprint on the surface, the position of Vegetation? changes. Knowledge of these proper- the satellite in space, and the pointing ties and their changes with time is The GLAS instrument on ICESat will of the laser are all combined to calcu- important for resource management, determine the distance from the late the elevation and position of each land use, infrastructure development, satellite to the Earth’s surface and to point measurement on the Earth.
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GLAS measures continuously along This produces a series of approximately the mission and every 183 days during ground tracks (Figure 4) defined by the 70 m (230 ft) diameter spots on the the main portion of ICESat’s multi-year sequence of laser spots as ICESat orbits surface that are separated by nearly 170 mission. Elevation-change data sets can the Earth. The GLAS laser pulses are m (560 ft) along track. These tracks will be analyzed along repeat ground tracks emitted at a rate of 40 per second from be repeated every 8 days during the as well as at orbital crossover points. In the Earth-facing (nadir) side of ICESat. initial calibration-validation phase of addition, ICESat has the ability to point GLAS off-nadir to repeatedly measure areas of interest such as an erupting volcano or a collapsing ice shelf. ICESat will also provide detailed information on the global distribution of clouds and aerosols. To do this, GLAS emits laser energy at both 1064 nm and 532 nm, as this allows co- located elevation and atmospheric data to be obtained simultaneously. This will also aid precise determination of the distance between ICESat and the Earth, as it is important to know if the laser pulses have traveled through cloud and aerosol layers—such phenomena can diffuse the laser energy and thereby extend the distance the laser light travels.
(a) Land, vegetation, and ocean elevation data will also be obtained around the globe along ICESat’s ground tracks. Data on elevation of the world’s oceans and ice-free landforms is expected to be of great interest to the broader scientific community. The recently launched Gravity Recovery and Climate Experi- ment (GRACE) satellite will enhance the ICESat mission by mapping the Earth’s gravitational field in unprec- edented detail. The GRACE data, in conjunction with ICESat results, will enable a greater understanding of any changes in the distribution of snow, ice, and water around the globe.
ICESat Mission Summary (b) The overall mission is composed of the FIGURE 3: These two line drawings show two perspectives of the GLAS instrument. The top GLAS instrument, the ICESat space- drawing (a) presents a nadir (pointing down toward earth) view, while the bottom drawing (b) craft, the launch vehicle, mission presents a zenith (pointing upward toward space) view. Image Credit: Jason Budinoff, NASA/ operations, and the science team. GSFC and the GLAS Instrument Team. Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC)
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staff developed the GLAS instrument in partnership with university and aerospace industry personnel. Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp. in Boulder, CO, developed the ICESat spacecraft. NASA Kennedy Space Center is providing the expendable Boeing Corporation Delta II launch vehicle (Figure 5). The science team is composed of researchers from universi- ties, GSFC staff, and supporting industry personnel. They are develop- ing the science algorithms and is responsible for all science data process- ing, as well as the generation of science data products.
Once ICESat is on orbit, mission operations will be conducted by two organizations. The Earth Science Data and Information System (ESDIS) Project at GSFC will provide space and FIGURE 4: Illustration of ICESat’s 8-day repeat ground track relative to the continental area of Antarctica. Note the convergence of the ground tracks around the ground network support. The Univer- South Pole. Coverage will be much denser in the 183-day repeat orbit. ICESat’s orbit sity of Colorado’s Laboratory for was designed to maximize coverage over the polar ice sheets. The pattern is similar over the northern polar region. Credit: Bob Schutz. Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP), teamed with Ball Aerospace, will provide mission operations and
FIGURE 5: Photo of a Delta II launch and illustration of the ICESat launch sequence. Photo/ Illustration Credit: Deborah McLean and Boeing Corporation.
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flight dynamics support. The ICESat ment. This commissioning phase will More information on the ICESat Science Investigator Processing System be followed by a period of intense mission can be found at (I-SIPS) at GSFC will conduct data activity to verify the performance of icesat.gsfc.nasa.gov, as well as links to processing and generation of products GLAS and all related systems. The many other supporting sites related to with support from the Center for Space objective of this intense calibration/ this and other NASA EOS satellite Research (CSR) at the University of validation (cal/val) period, is to help missions. Texas, Austin. The National Snow and insure that geophysical interpretations Ice Data Center (NSIDC), located at the can be drawn from the data products. University of Colorado in Boulder, will Cal/val includes evaluation of the archive and distribute ICESat data GLAS measurements against ground products to the scientific community truth observations. A variety of and other users. instrumented and precisely mapped ground-truth sites will be used, In the 60 days following launch, ICESat including dry lakebeds, landscapes will undergo a series of tests to with undulating surface topography, establish that all systems are function- and the ocean, all of which will be ing as expected in the orbital environ- periodically scanned.
MODIS Views Midwest Snow. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on the Aqua spacecraft acquired this image of the Midwest U.S. on December 6, 2002. From left to right, a swath of snow is clearly visible across southern Kansas and northern Oklahoma, southern Missouri and northern Arkansas, southern Illinois, southern Indiana, Kentucky, and southern Ohio. Another streak of snow runs from northern Ohio into Michigan, northern Indiana, northern Illinois,Wisconsin, and eastern Minnesota. The southern end of Lake Michigan is visible at the top of the image (partially covered by clouds), the western tip of Lake Erie is just visible at the top right corner, and the Gulf of Mexico is visible at the bottom of the image. Credit: Image Courtesy of Jacques Descloitres—MODIS Rapid Response Team and text taken from the Earth Observatory website and modified.
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The Science Team tentatively approved Minutes of the CERES Science Team the TRMM-validated Surface Radiation Budget Average (SRBAVG) Level 3 Meeting gridded and time averaged (monthly) data products. These are the first of the — Gary G. Gibson, [email protected], NASA Langley Research new generation of CERES Level 3 data Center products that improve diurnal sam- — Shashi K. Gupta, [email protected], NASA Langley Research Center pling and reduce time interpolation errors. The team accepted the TOA fluxes in these products, but final The 27th Clouds and the Earth’s Data Products Approved verification of the new surface fluxes requires further analysis. Integrating Radiant Energy System (CERES) The Science Team approved production Science Team meeting was hosted by the 3-hourly diurnal sampling of processing of the validated Terra single geostationary satellite data with the Leo Donner at the NOAA Geophysical scanner footprint (SSF) data product, Fluid Dynamics Laboratory (GFDL) in broadband calibrated CERES data this is a major step as this is the improves diurnal sampling error in the Princeton, NJ, on September 17-19, integrated MODIS/CERES (MODIS is 2002. The meeting focused on the status CERES TRMM data by a factor of 2, the Moderate Resolution Imaging and even larger improvements are of new Tropical Rainfall Measuring Spectroradiometer) cloud-aerosol- Mission (TRMM) and Terra data expected in future Terra versions radiation Level 2 data product. Two because of the systematic diurnal products, Aqua instrument calibration, years of data will be processed by and Science Team results. The next sampling of the Terra sun-synchronous February 2003 and will be used to orbit. CERES Science Team Meeting is develop and validate the new Terra planned for Spring 2003 near Langley. angular distribution models (ADMs) by The Science Team approved the August 2003. The early-validated SSF validated TRMM Cloud and Radiation CERES on NPP and NPOESS product will take advantage of the Swath (CRS) data product. This is the Bruce Wielicki (Langley Research TRMM CERES ADMs at low and first CERES data product to include Center [LaRC]) noted that a clearer middle latitudes. Early looks at night radiative fluxes at the surface, in the picture of whether or not a CERES polar clouds and surface fluxes indicate atmosphere, and at the TOA. This instrument will be included on the some remaining problems and users product constrains the surface and National Polar-orbiting Operational will be cautioned in the data-quality atmosphere flux estimates to be Environmental Satellite System summary about polar-night cloud consistent with state-of-the-art radia- (NPOESS) is not expected to emerge for properties and surface longwave (LW) tive transfer theory as well as the perhaps 4-6 months. NPOESS is fluxes. Polar top-of-atmosphere (TOA) CERES TOA flux measurements for working on major cost and schedule flux accuracies will also be in question each field of view. It is our best view of startup issues with the major imager until the new Terra angular models are the atmospheric-column radiative and sounder instruments, and since produced. heating/cooling. CERES has flown before, it is on the The Science Team also approved Instrument Working Group back burner for now. Edition 2 of the validated Terra Level Kory Priestley (LaRC) reported on 1b Bidirectional-Scan (BDS) data and calibration and validation for the There will be an October meeting of the the ERBE-like (ERBE is the Earth CERES instruments. Terra and Aqua NASA Earth Science Enterprise (ESE) Radiation Budget Experiment) TOA CERES instruments continue to Program Management Council to flux Levels 2 and 3 data products. function nominally. Work is continuing decide whether to add a CERES These new products correct all known on early calibration and consistency- instrument on the NPOESS Preparatory changes in ground to in-orbit calibra- check studies of the Aqua CERES Project (NPP) to fill the anticipated gap tion as well as the small gain drifts seen instruments. Four of the six channels in the radiation budget data record in one of the channels on the Flight appear nominal (in-orbit versus ground between Aqua and NPOESS. Model 2 (FM2) instrument. calibration). Two others differ from
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ground calibration by 2% and 4%, changes of the HITRAN database or CERES/Terra ADMs in cloudy condi- respectively, and a coding error is the continuum, but the continuum had tions. suspected. (NOTE: Shortly after the a large effect on broadband shortwave Cloud Working Group meeting, the Instrument Working (SW) fluxes. Group found the Aqua instrument code Patrick Minnis (LaRC) summarized The SARB group has the following bug that caused the large 6-7% differ- the activities of the CERES Cloud action items: ences in three-channel-consistency tests Working Group. Minnis and Xiquan shown at the meeting.) The Instrument • Complete the TRMM CRS Edition Dong (University of North Dakota) Group has an action item to make the 2B data quality summary so the presented recent efforts to validate first validated Aqua Level 1b radiances data products can be released. cloud properties from both the Visible and ERBE-like Levels 2 and 3 TOA flux • Test the Terra beta CRS including and Infrared Scanner (VIRS) and products available by late December improved Fu-Liou code and MODIS instruments. There are instru- 2002. MODIS aerosols over land with ment problems with the 1.6-µm monthly aerosol background channel, so the group discussed the SARB and Surface-only Working maps. possibility of allowing a different Groups version of the cloud algorithm for CERES ADM Working Group The Surface and Atmospheric Radia- MODIS on Terra with 2.13 µm replac- tion Budget (SARB) Working Group Norman Loeb (Hampton University ing the unreliable channel. The group and Surface-Only Working Group [HU]) led the ADM working group discussed the effects of relatively low meeting was jointly chaired by Thomas meeting with a general overview of vertical resolutions, particularly near Charlock and David Kratz (both from critical ADM/inversion research issues. the surface, in both Goddard Data LaRC). Charlock led the discussions Konstantin Loukachine (Science Assimilation Office (DAO) and and invited those in the audience to Applications International Corporation European Centre for Medium-range make use of the validation data sets [SAIC]) presented an overview of a Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) sound- and the coupled ocean-atmosphere neural network scheme for TOA flux ings. radiative transfer model available at estimation that relates measured The Cloud Working Group has several the CERES/Atmospheric Radiation CERES SW and LW radiances directly action items: Measurement (ARM) Validation to anisotropic factors for TOA flux Experiment (CAVE) web site. estimation. Nitchie Manalo-Smith • Complete Terra SSF data-quality Zhonghai Jin (Analytical Services & (AS&M) presented preliminary results summary in October so that the Materials, Inc. [AS&M]) presented a of LW ADMs for clear and overcast new Terra Edition 1 SSF processing discussion of the many issues related to conditions using four months of can be released to the public. the presence of snow and ice at the CERES/Terra measurements. Arvind • Test early Aqua MODIS data. surface and their considerable impor- Gambheer (AS&M) presented an • Advance the next critical step in tance to CERES processing and other update of a study on the azimuthal- matching CERES cloud properties radiation and climate studies. Jin also angle dependence of LW radiances to surface ARM-based estimates by discussed the microphysical and over land. Seiji Kato (HU) presented a using wind speed/direction at the optical properties of snow/ice that are progress report on ADM development dominant cloud layer. relevant to radiative transfer models. over snow. Wenbo Sun (HU) presented Time Interpolation Spatial David Kratz examined the effect of the an overview of a technique for infer- Averaging (TISA) Working Group evolving versions of the HITRAN ring optical depth, asymmetry factor, database on the results obtained from and albedo for ice clouds using multi- The TISA Group has the following the Fu-Liou radiative transfer code, angle measurements. Lin Chambers action items: which is used as the primary processor (LaRC) presented early results of a • Complete validation of 3-hourly for CERES/SARB. Results showed that theoretical study that examines how and monthly mean surface-flux window fluxes and broadband infrared sigmoidal fits to CERES radiances as a products in TRMM SRBAVG by (IR) fluxes at the TOA and surface were function of imager-derived cloud early October. not affected significantly by either the properties can be used to develop • Complete data quality summary
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for TRMM SRBAVG so final data showed a negative bias. Clear-sky LW retrievals of cloud height from MODIS products can be released. fluxes showed good agreement as did showed good agreement with ground • Begin testing Terra gridded beta all-sky fluxes for one LW model. data during daytime, but overestima- products and development of tion at night. Stratus retrievals from Robert Cess (State University of New Synoptic and AVG products. MODIS with LaRC and GSFC algo- York at Stony Brook) compared the • Add daily means to future rithms agreed well with each other and dramatic CERES cloud-radiative SRBAVG products. with ground data, but cirrus retrievals forcing (CRF) ratio changes found in need more work. Invited Presentations the tropics at the peak of the 1998 El Niño (but absent in the 1987 El Niño) to Gerald Mace (University of Utah) Roger Davies (JPL) summarized early current climate-model simulations analyzed the errors incurred in Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRadiom- from the National Center for Atmo- retrievals of cirrus cloud properties eter (MISR) spectral albedo results. He spheric Research (NCAR) Community using an estimation-theory algorithm and Norm Loeb are now ready to begin Climate Model (CCM). The simulations framework. Errors in retrievals are more detailed comparisons of the suggest that the model is not respond- generally related to instrument CERES broadband and MISR narrow ing correctly to the El Niño sea surface calibration problems, assumptions band angular results. temperature (SST) forcing (cloud made in the models, and specifications Paul Stackhouse (LaRC) summarized response is too weak). The focus is on of model parameters. Mace also the newly available 1-degree gridded deep convective and marine boundary presented comparisons of TOA SW and Surface Radiation Budget (SRB) data layer cloud modeling. This dramatic LW parameters derived using cloud products for 1985-1995 using Interna- signal will be used as a metric to test properties and other data available tional Satellite Cloud Climatology improved cloud models. from ground-based measurements at Project (ISCCP) clouds and Goddard the ARM sites and those derived from Leo Donner (GFDL) presented results Earth Observing System (GEOS-1) CERES observations. He concluded from a study of closures for cumulus meteorological input and multiple SW that the integrated systems developed parameterizations and examined the and LW algorithms. Stackhouse and deployed at the ARM sites are conditions for equilibrium in deep included comparisons to Global Energy sufficient to provide TOA fluxes and cumulus convection. The closures Balance Archive (GEBA) and Baseline CRF. currently utilized relate cumulus Surface Radiation Network (BSRN) intensity to the properties of resolved Taneil Uttal (NOAA Environmental surface data. He also ran 1998 data flow in the model, e.g., the convective Technology Laboratory) reported on using the same ECWMF input as available potential energy (CAPE) or ground-based Arctic cloud validation CERES to allow direct comparisons of the cloud work function (CWF). These data sets obtained at the ARM North SRB and CERES data products. These closures are widely used in the general Slope of Alaska (NSA) site and several results will be available soon. circulation models (GCMs), yet there is ground-satellite comparisons. She Investigator Presentation little observational evidence that they reported good progress on retrievals Highlights are realistic. Donner concluded that for water and ice clouds but limited cumulus intensity was not related to progress with mixed-phase clouds. David Kratz (LaRC) presented results CAPE or CWF in a simple way, and on the validation of surface SW and LW that CAPE evolution under deep Bing Lin (LaRC) examined cloud- fluxes from Terra SSF for November cumulus convection was driven liquid-water feedback in the tropics, 2000 to July 2001. These fluxes were primarily by large changes in the midlatitude, and polar regions. He derived from the surface-only algo- planetary boundary layer. found negative feedback in polar rithms, which are based on fast regions, but positive in mid and low radiation parameterizations or TOA-to- Xiquan Dong compared cloud proper- latitudes. surface transfer algorithms. Surface ties derived from satellite data with measurements for validation were ground measurements at the ARM Qingyuan Han (University of Alabama obtained from three ARM sites. Clear- Southern Great Plains (SGP) site for - Huntsville [UAH]) presented a study sky SW comparisons at most sites November 2000 to June 2001. LaRC of ice-crystal shapes using CERES/
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TRMM data obtained in the rotating be compared by analyzing matched als with these and other ground-based azimuth plane scanner (RAPS) mode. footprints. The 15-minute temporal measurements. Han recommended that CERES should resolution of GERB measurements will use polycrystal phase functions in the be utilized to validate CERES time- Shi-Keng Yang (NOAA National retrieval of cloud properties and fluxes. interpolation schemes. Centers for Environmental Prediction [NCEP]) presented comparisons of Ron Welch (UAH) reported on the F. Li and Anand Inamdar (both from radiative fluxes from the global validation of satellite-derived cloud Scripps Institute of Oceanography) ensemble forecast model runs at the masks using data obtained from presented studies of radiative forcing NCEP. He showed that ensemble ground-based instruments. These of TOA SW and LW radiation by forecasts provide very valuable satellite cloud masks were derived Saharan and Arabian dust aerosols information for numerical weather from MODIS data using neural using CERES and MODIS data from prediction but less so for climate runs. network methodology. Comparisons Terra. The forecast skill of the ensemble mean with different ground-based instru- was much higher than for a single ments provided differing degrees of Alexander Ignatov (NOAA National control run. He stressed that ensemble agreement. Welch concluded that Environmental Satellite, Data and forecasts do not resolve model biases, multiple instruments should be used Information Service [NESDIS]) and the spread among members shows for validating satellite retrievals. compared aerosol properties from the degree of agreement between Terra/SSF derived using the VIRS-like members and not the degree of Robert Kandel (Laboratoire de single-channel algorithm to those confidence in predictability. Meteorologie Dynamique [LMD] derived with the MODIS multi-channel France) reported on the effort at the algorithm as provided by the MODIS David Randall (Colorado State LMD to derive broadband SW fluxes processing system. Aerosol optical University [CSU]) discussed a new using Meteosat-5 visible counts over depth values from the two algorithms radiation parameterization scheme the Indian Ocean Experiment for those footprints were in good being developed at the CSU by Graeme (INDOEX) region during March 2000. agreement suggesting that the differ- Stephens and colleagues. This param- Kandel also gave a presentation on the ences between VIRS-like and MODIS eterization is currently being tested in Earth Clouds, Aerosols, and Radiation retrieval algorithms were not signifi- the CSU GCM and CAM2, the latest in Explorer (EarthCARE) project, which is cant. the series of NCAR Community currently in planning stages at the Climate Models (CCMs). It is being European and Japanese Space Agen- Tom Zhao (NESDIS) presented tested to test the feasibility of using it cies. comparisons of aerosol properties from to replace the old parameterization (by CERES SSF derived from VIRS and Harshvardhan) in the above GCMs Nicolas Clerbaux (Royal Meteorologi- MODIS radiances. The objective of the because it provides better spectral cal Institute of Belgium [RMIB]) gave a comparisons was to assess the consis- accuracy in both SW and LW and status report on the Geostationary tency of aerosol data sets as transition includes aerosols. Also, it has a linear Earth Radiation Budget (GERB) data occurs from VIRS-based to MODIS- scaling with the number of layers processing system. The GERB instru- based products. which makes it very efficient even with ment was launched onboard the a high vertical resolution. Meteosat Second Generation satellite in Tom Charlock (LaRC) compared August 2002 and is currently awaiting CERES/SARB surface albedos from commissioning. SSF data with those derived from helicopter measurements made at the Lou Smith (Virginia Tech) made a ARM SGP site. The objective of this presentation on the status of the GERB experiment was to survey the surface instrument and on the cooperative albedo of an area about the size of a activities between GERB and CERES CERES footprint centered on the SGP projects. CERES and GERB ADMs will site and then compare satellite retriev-
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region would test the HIRDLS mea- surements of ClONO and CH and Minutes from the Aura Science and 2 4 also test the Microwave Limb Validation Team Meeting Sounder’s (MLS) measurements of HCl
and N2O. — Anne Douglass, [email protected], NASA Goddard Space Flight Center It is anticipated that observations from high altitude balloons will be required to provide correlative data for the entire suite of Aura constituents. Jim Margitan provided a summary of balloon capability. The instruments are available to meet all requirements, and
The Earth Observing System’s (EOS) mission-science requirements are met. it will be possible to achieve coinci- dence with the Aura flight track to Aura Science and Validation Team Examples of missions are the Intercon- meeting took place at the National tinental Chemical Transport Experi- within 2° latitude and 15° longitude and less than 1 day, criteria that have Center for Atmospheric Research in ment (INTEX), planned for Summer Boulder, CO, September 17-20, 2002. 2004 and Spring 2006, and several other proven adequate for stratospheric observations (depending somewhat on The meeting had two goals: proposed missions including the Tropical Composition and Climate meteorology). Possible sites include Fairbanks, AK, in the U.S., Kiruna, 1. Develop an implementation Coupling Experiment (TC3), a related strategy for validation of Aura mission called Cirrus Regional Study of Brazil, and a site in Costa Rica. measurements as described in Tropical Anvils and Cirrus Layers - Version 1.0 of the Aura validation Tropical Western Pacific (CRYSTAL- Rich Stolarski stressed the role of the document (available from the Aura TWP), and a polar mission. Aircraft Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) in continuing the global total ozone website at eos-aura.gsfc.nasa.gov/ observations in the tropical western mission/validation.html). Pacific during the northern hemisphere record from space. Overlaps do not necessarily provide the whole story 2. Develop the basis for the Aura winter for TC3/TWP would provide Science Plan. This plan encom- constituent observations for compari- when developing a trend quality data set. He stressed the need for the passes the science goals of the son with satellite observations where Aura mission and includes the atmosphere is coldest. Such Network for Detection of Stratospheric Change (NDSC), Dobson/Brewer, expanded science goals associated measurements will be most valuable with sub-orbital measurements. A for validation if coincidence criteria are sondes, and lidar ozone observations for the duration of the mission. series of presentations demon- met, and the aircraft flight path follows strated how the Aura observations the satellite line of sight. A polar Calibration of Dobsons is necessary periodically; the intercomparison will be combined with the aircraft mission would also provide important missions to address the primary validation for the High Resolution exercises are not expensive (though not free) and will require leadership and questions facing Earth Scientists Dynamics Limb Sounder (HIRDLS) in a (www.earth.nasa.gov). region of very low temperature. Polar planning
observations of Nitric Acid (HNO3) will Ozone (O ) and its precursors in the Aura Validation also test the satellite observations 3 troposphere are highly variable due to Aura validation will include observa- under extreme conditions. In addition, meteorology and spatial variability in tions from existing ground- and Chlorine Nitrate (ClONO2) is expected the sources and sinks of pollution. balloon-based networks and from new to be high in the collar region of the Validation of these species is one of the aircraft missions designed to investi- polar vortex and there should be strong major challenges facing the Aura gate specific chemistry issues. The gradients in Hydrochloric Acid (HCl), community. The Tropospheric Emission aircraft missions will be planned so Nitrous Oxide (N2O) and Methane Spectrometer (TES) will retrieve ocean that both satellite-validation and (CH4). In situ measurements in this
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scenes first because the surface Bojkov and Lucien Froidevaux tion. Hugh Pumphrey showed that the emissivity is known over the ocean. discussed possibilities for a data center Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) Thus correlative data over the ocean is to facilitate access to these data and instrument flying on Aura will produce needed for TES validation soon after also possible requirements for docu- a much better data set for lower launch. Pierternel Levelt described mentation and format of validation stratospheric/ upper tropospheric how OMI will provide very high data. Ozonesonde data will be key to water than UARS MLS. There will be spatial resolution observations and validation of OMI and TES observa- more than twice as many profiles per emphasized that validation is needed tions; thus it will be necessary to day, with much better vertical resolu- for measurements in the lower tropo- develop procedures to obtain coinci- tion. Bill Read argued that MLS ozone sphere, tropospheric profiles, and in dent launches and to ensure observa- and water measurements could be used both polluted and clean conditions. tions in different conditions. Sam to test whether convective dehydration Oltmans presented observations from or cold-trap dehydration is responsible Kaley Walker described the Atmo- the Southern Hemisphere Additional for low stratospheric water. Ozone and spheric Chemistry Experiment (ACE) Ozonesondes (SHADOZ) network; water should be correlated if the instrument on the Canadian SCISAT. such measurements will play a key role convective dehydration is dominant, ACE will provide satellite-to-satellite in validation of Aura measurements in but not if cold-trap dehydration validation for Aura. The primary the tropical troposphere. Jay Herman predominates. Mark Schoeberl pointed instrument is a high-resolution Fourier presented a proposal for a mobile suite out the possibility that the Atmospheric transform infrared spectrometer (ACE- of ground-based instruments for Infrared Sounder (AIRS) on Aqua FTS) with two-channel near infrared validation of OMI measurements. Mike could provide information for an MLS (NIR)/visible/ultraviolet (UV) imager. Newchurch showed the capabilities of analysis such as this. Bob Harwood A dual channel spectrograph called the Regional Atmospheric Profiling discussed possible mechanisms to Measurements of Aerosol Extinction in Center for Discovery (RAPCD). produce a trend in stratospheric water the Stratosphere and Troposphere RAPCD should provide continuous that would not rely on a trend in the Retrieved by Occultation (MAESTRO) measurements of ozone and complex tropopause temperature. For example, will provide coverage in the visible and information on aerosols and thus El Niño does not significantly impact near UV spectral regions. ACE will information on short temporal scales tropopause temperature, but it does provide sunrise and sunset measure- that is needed for Aura validation. alter the location of the most intense ments mainly at high latitudes that will Information in this talk was supple- convection. Dong Wu discussed the be useful for comparison with Aura mented by several posters. MLS ice-cloud measurements and stratospheric observations. David Lary implications for water vapor transport showed how similar observations from Aura Science near the tropopause. There are three the Atmospheric Trace Molecule Thorough understanding of the role of steps that must be followed to retrieve Spectroscopy Experiment on Spacelab water vapor in the upper tropical cloud ice. In step one, the radiances (ATMOS) could be assimilated with troposphere and lower stratosphere is must be identified that are not within photochemical and transport models to key to prediction of global climate clear sky limits. In step two, the ice- account for the lack of spatial and change. As a consequence, this topic water path must be determined. Step temporal coincidence with Aura occupied a prominent location on the three requires conversion to cloud observations. meeting program. Andy Dessler properties. Both steps two and three showed satellite and in situ observa- have large errors. This work will be Much of the validation of Aura tions to argue that the monsoon does enhanced by cooperation with measurements will rely on routine not play a role in producing the “tape CloudSat (both Aura and CloudSat are observations of ozone and temperature, recorder” as observed in tropical water members of the A-Train satellite observations from other satellite vapor. Eric Jensen used back trajecto- formation), and could profit from platforms including the Upper Atmo- ries to show the dependence of cirrus correlative observations of total-water sphere Research Satellite (UARS), formation on dehydration, ice nucle- content. Liz Moyer showed results ENVISAT, and SCISAT, and ground- ation, thermodynamics, cloud proper- from a mission flown in Costa Rica based observations from NDSC. Bojan ties, and the ice-crystal-size distribu- during the summer of 2001. Her results
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suggest that convection can hydrate or from various aircraft. Layers of about 1- tropospheric ozone by up to 50%, dehydrate the upper troposphere, km vertical extent can be characterized whereas scattering aerosols increase the depending upon the ambient state of as elevated in ozone and depleted in sensitivity to tropospheric ozone by the air into which the cirrus remnant of water (or vice versa), giving clues to 10% or more. These results may explain convection is injected. Bill Randel their origin. These layers will impact why GEOS CHEM differs from GOME showed an analysis of the thermal Aura tropospheric observations even in different directions for various variability of the Tropical Transition though the layers cannot be resolved. polluted regions in the U.S. Layer (TTL) using Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) data. The variability The Aura platform will provide new The Aura platform will also provide could be related to the outgoing information on aerosols that can be unique information about stratospheric longwave radiation. used with observations from other composition and processes to under- platforms to understand their effect on stand long-term changes in ozone. The Aura platform brings new capabil- climate. Steve Massie showed results Michelle Santee provided an overview ity to tropospheric chemical measure- for aerosols from the Moderate of the details concerning polar pro- ments. Analysis of these new measure- Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer cesses that will be clarified using ments will lead to improved under- (MODIS) on Terra, the second Strato- observations from EOS MLS and its standing of the sources and distribu- spheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment superior observations of nitric acid, tion of pollution. Dylan Jones showed (SAGE II), and the Total Ozone water, and Chlorine Monoxide (ClO) that it should be possible to use TES Monitoring Spectrometer (TOMS). relative to those obtained by UARS. A data to constrain the sources of Carbon Sulfate can be distinguished from dust climatology of UARS MLS ClO was Monoxide (CO) by deriving a TES-like and smoke using the aerosol index in presented in a poster. Gloria Manney data set from the Harvard Three- the visible and a near UV index. Smoke described information expected from Dimensional Tropospheric Chemistry and dust show different indices for Aura MLS and HIRDLS that can be and Transport Model (known as GEOS- much of the range; it may therefore be used to assess aspects of polar vortex CHEM) simulation, and inverting this possible for OMI to distinguish dust behavior such as mesospheric descent simulated data set to obtain the original from smoke as well. The HCN and that are not well understood. The six sources. This work shows how INTEX CH3CN from MLS may also be useful years of measurements expected from aircraft data will be complemented by to distinguish dust from smoke. Simon Aura will be used to evaluate variabil- data from Aura. The former will Carn gave an overview of TOMS work ity in water vapor that is inferred using provide high-resolution measurements on volcanic clouds. Strong eruptions potential vorticity mapping from Polar of outflow from the North American are important, and some volcanoes Ozone and Aerosol Measurement continent, and the latter will provide such as Nyranuregira in the Demo- (POAM) data, as such variability is the global coverage necessary to cratic Republic of the Congo erupt important to polar processes involving constrain the CO sources. Both sets of continuously for weeks at a time every Polar Stratospheric Clouds (PSCs). observations will be interpreted using year or two. In addition, some volca- Limitations to determining ozone loss the same global model. Lucien noes “de-gas passively” nearly from constituent correlations were Froidevaux discussed MLS measure- constantly. Because of its small pixel presented in a poster (Gloria Manney), ments of Ozone (O3), Carbon Monoxide size, OMI should detect such volca- as were techniques for identifying
(CO), Methyl Cyanide (CH3CN) and noes. Pepijn Veelfkind suggested that ozone laminae (Hope Michelson). EOS Cyanide (HCN) in the upper tropo- ground-based monitoring of the single MLS will provide information to make sphere. Since the latter two constituents scattering albedo for a long time would more detailed assessment of contribu- are associated with biomass burning, be useful to OMI validation. This work tions of chemical loss and dynamics to these observations may be used to would define the direct effect of interannual variability in lower- decouple biomass burning from fossil aerosols. Randall Martin showed stratospheric high-latitude ozone fuel burning, further constraining the results from the Global Ozone Monitor- during northern hemisphere spring sources. Reggie Newell reminded the ing Experiment (GOME) as a prelude (Gloria Manney). These discussions team that atmospheric layers are for OMI. Biomass burning aerosols can be used to develop a proposal for ubiquitous, as shown by observations reduce the sensitivity of GOME to the polar mission mentioned below.
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Such a mission is needed in order to try and transport models and modern Although some progress was made validate MLS and also can provide assimilation techniques to bring towards development of an implemen- additional information about particles. unprecedented power to both interpre- tation plan for Aura validation during tation of observations as well as to this meeting, many important details Validation and Science aircraft mission planning. An outline of remain to be resolved. These will be this document and the persons considered through the validation- The document , Aura Collaborative responsible for developing the various working group chaired by Lucien Science - The Union of Missions, will sections are available on the Aura web Froidevaux and Anne Douglass, with serve to merge these concepts. Satellite site. A draft of this document is assistance provided by representatives observations, ground based observa- expected by January 2003. Further of each instrument and by program tions, and in situ and remote measure- development of these concepts will managers at NASA Headquarters. ments from aircraft will be brought take place at the next Aura Science together with meteorological informa- Team Meeting planned for March 18- tion using global and regional chemis- 21, 2003.
Joanne Simpson Honored by the World Meteorological Organization
NASA research scientist Joanne Simpson has been awarded the prestigious International Meteorological Organization Prize by the Executive Council of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the first woman ever to win this prize.
Simpson, internationally acclaimed for her 54 years of pioneering work on cloud modeling, observational experiments on convective cloud systems and hurricane research, is being honored for her role as a leading participant in the aircraft aspects of several WMO Global Atmospheric Research Programme (GARP) experiments and for helping to establish a basic understanding of tropical circulation and heat balance.
The IMO Prize originates from WMO’s predecessor body, the International Meteorological Organization (IMO), founded in 1873. The award is presented annually and consists of a gold medal, a sum of money and an official citation.
Simpson is currently chief scientist for Meteorology at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. Previously, she served as the project scientist for the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) Observatory. Simpson is the first woman to ever receive a Ph.D. in meteorology, which she obtained at the University of Chicago in 1949.
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be systematically underestimating Summary of the International completely snow-covered areas, although it appears to handle mixtures Workshop on Surface Albedo of canopy and snow competently. In Product Validation general, the MODIS algorithm appears to be robust for missing data (few cloud-free samples), but is sensitive to — Jeffrey L. Privette, [email protected], NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center noise in data. Thus, subpixel clouds or — Crystal B. Schaaf, [email protected], Boston University geolocation errors can diminish — Alan Strahler, [email protected], Boston University accuracy. Impacts of sensor degrada- — Rachel T. Pinker, [email protected], University of Maryland, tion with time (e.g., decreasing signal- College Park — Michael J. Barnsley, [email protected], University of Wales, to-noise) have yet to be determined. Swansea — Jeffrey T. Morisette, [email protected], NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center Key Issues Breakout groups, focused on site-level measurements and product developers’ validation needs, met on both days. Introduction and Overview LPV Subgroup of the CEOS/WGCV The site-level group developed a Boston University hosted the Commit- helps coordinate researchers and prioritized list of challenges, including tee on Earth Observation Satellites/ activities to achieve these goals more scaling point measurements to values Working Group on Calibration and effectively and economically. commensurate with product cell sizes, Validation (CEOS/WGCV) Land instrument calibration, aircraft-based Product Validation (LPV) Workshop on MODIS Albedo Product Accuracy data, “footprint” analysis and stan- Surface Albedo October 23-24, 2002. dards, and cloud-filtering. The international workshop was held The albedo workshop included both The group emphasized the validation in association with the Moderate plenary presentations and breakout of broadband (vs. spectral) products Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer group discussions. Crystal Schaaf and due to the relative maturity and (MODIS) Radiation Products Outreach Yves Govaerts briefed participants on prevalence of the associated field Workshop, and marked the fourth LPV the MODIS and METEOSAT albedo instrumentation and satellite algo- topical workshop (following assemblies products, respectively, and their rithms. Some science networks, e.g., the on Leaf Area Index, Fire/Burn Scar, evaluation activities to date. Other Baseline Surface Radiation Network and Land Cover). About 25 experts in researchers described their approaches (BSRN), have developed error budgets satellite-product development, field to measuring plot-level albedo and for point-scale broadband measure- measurements, and process modeling comparing field-derived and airborne ments. At present, however, the various participated. data to the MODIS product. data validation chains to scale up field With Aqua and ENVISAT joining Terra Collectively, the researchers found that data (from point to satellite-product in space this year, the volume of the mean accuracy of the MODIS cell size) are relatively complex and operational land products has become broadband (visible, near-infrared and involve many stages. It is not clear immense by traditional standards. Each shortwave) products is about 0.02 which are the critical elements in terms new product has unique characteristics, (absolute) over vegetated areas. A back- of error sources (e.g., radiometric the performance and accuracy of which up algorithm (“Magnitude Inversion”), calibration of the ground-based can only be determined through used when an insufficient number of instrumentation, atmospheric correc- postlaunch data analysis. To allow independent cloud-free samples are tion of the intermediate spatial resolu- credible and responsible product use, available in a 16-day compilation tion image data, application of plant- these characteristics must be deter- window, produces consistent results growth models (where appropriate), mined and described to the user relative to the main algorithm. The spatial aggregation, or narrow-to- community as quickly as possible. The current broadband product appears to broad-band conversion of satellite
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data). Guidelines for field instrument rapidly addressed and resolved via height relative to surface-heterogeneity campaigns. This would complement scale are also not established. Partici- long-term monitoring sites required for pants agreed that a rigorous, statistical annual cycles. error-budget analysis is required, and this could be achieved through a Next Steps community effort including aircraft- The final session was dedicated to based pyranometers. developing a research agenda and discussing albedo community coordi- Group members also noted that a wide nation. The Oak Ridge National range of field instrumentation is Laboratory (ORNL) DAAC accepted an currently used to acquire field albedo action to create and distribute 7-km x 7- data. The significance of differences km ASCII-formatted subsets of the between the values from these instru- MODIS albedo product over more than ments, variations from manufacturer to 200 sites involved in various science manufacturer, or variations between networks (e.g., FLUXNET, BSRN, EOS similar instruments produced by the Core Sites). The data will complement same manufacturer, are currently other MODIS product subsets currently unknown. In part, this arises from available through the DAAC (see varying practices relating to the public.ornl.gov/fluxnet/modis.cfm). The absolute radiometric calibration of the action will be expedited such that instruments by the manufacturers and subsets are generated for the complete the users. To resolve some of these MODIS Collection 4 reprocessing, issues, participants suggested a slated to begin in November 2002. Alan coordinated field-measurement and Strahler proposed that participants calibration campaign or a “round meet again in about one year to discuss robin” approach using a reference- evolving priorities, including coordi- calibration instrument passed between nated activities, as validation extent user sites. This effort could be sup- and quality mature. ported by a national standards or instrument vendor calibration labora- Details of the workshop, including tory. copies of presentations and breakout group recommendations, will be The product developer subgroup noted available through the LPV web site that product accuracy is estimated (modis.gsfc.nasa.gov/MODIS/LAND/VAL/ through a convergence of evidence, CEOS_WGCV/surfrad.html). Boston including that from site, aircraft, and University will host an LPV-sponsored other satellite product comparisons. land-cover-validation workshop in Global validation priorities, particu- December 2002. The next meeting of larly the number and spatial distribu- the CEOS WGCV will be in Hobart, tion of sites, remained unresolved, Australia on February 12-14, 2003. pending further analysis of the MODIS and other satellite products. Climate Acknowledgement modelers in attendance advocated closer ties between their community The NPOESS Integrated Program and product validation scientists such Office (S. Mango) provided travel that regional albedo outliers found funding for some participants. We are through modeling studies could be grateful for this support.
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ment of regional networks in northern Summary of the GOFC/GOLD Eurasia under the GOFC/GOLD program will provide support to Regional Workshop: Information NEESPI infrastructure and NEESPI Products for Forest and Land projects relevant to GOFC/GOLD goals will feed in the necessary science to the Management in Siberia/Far East newly emerging networks.
— Kathleen M. Bergen, [email protected], School of Natural Resources The purpose of this article is to report and Environment, University of Michigan on an important element of this — Eugene Vaganov, [email protected], V.N. Sukachev Institute of growing program, the GOFC/GOLD Forest, Russian Academy of Sciences, Siberian Branch Siberia/Far East Regional Information — Garik Gutman, [email protected], Land Cover-Land Use Change Program, NASA HQ, Code YS Network (SFERIN) and the recent — Chris Justice, [email protected], Department of Geogra- workshop that established this net- phy, University of Maryland work. The great geographic extent and the constant dynamics of the Siberian/ Far East boreal forest make good access to remotely-sensed data an increasing advantage in forest science and forest Introduction tion. In 1994, the NASA Land-Cover/ management of the region. Therefore, The boreal forests of Siberia and the Far Land-Use Change (LCLUC) program the GOFC/GOLD Siberia/Far East began supporting research projects in East (Siberia/Far East) stretch from the regional workshop was held at the V.N. Ural Mountains of Russia on the west the region. In 2000, the Global Observa- Sukachev Institute of Forest, tion of Forest Cover/Global Observa- across northern Asia to the Pacific Krasnoyarsk, Russia August 7-8, 2002. tion of Land Dynamics (GOFC/GOLD) Ocean on the east; and from the The theme for the workshop was northern reaches of Central Asia and program, which is part of the Global GOFC/GOLD Satellite Information Terrestrial Observing System (GTOS), China on the south to the reaches of the Products for Forest and Land Manage- tundra on the north. For the NASA ESE began holding regional workshops ment in Siberia/Far East. Eugene addressing development of, and access (Earth Science Enterprise) to complete a Vaganov (Russia) and Kathleen Bergen global picture of carbon dynamics, to, remotely sensed data sets for global- (U.S.A.) co-organized the workshop. change science and natural-resource knowledge of this region is increas- The workshop was held in conjunction ingly important. The boreal forest of management. This international with the International Boreal Forest program recognizes the need for Siberia/Far East is the world’s largest Research Association (IBFRA) confer- forest. In addition, this region is one of improved coordination with respect to ence that took place August 5-8, and ground and satellite observations and is the greatest global stores of carbon, is a attendance at the workshop and dynamic fire-dominated landscape, is being implemented through a series of conference included 150 scientists from regional networks. The Northern growing in importance—and risk—in Russia and the international commu- regional (Russia-China-Japan) timber- Eurasian Earth Science Partnership nity. The website for the SFERIN Initiative (NEESPI), coordinated at based economics, and may already network (www.snre.umich.edu/ show early effects of global warming. NASA by Garik Gutman and Don ruworkshop/index.htm) is hosted jointly Deering, is aimed at developing a new by the V. N. Sukachev Institute of A deeper ESE scientific understanding science program that will identify Forest and the University of Michigan. of the boreal forest and carbon dynam- critical science and applications ics of this region is also increasingly questions and coordinate research on Role of GOFC/GOLD possible. In 1991, the new Russian the state and dynamics of terrestrial The goals of the GOFC/GOLD Federation and the Russian Academy ecosystems in northern Eurasia and program are to coordinate ongoing of Sciences opened the doors for much their interactions with Earth’s climate space-based and in situ observations of greater international scientific coopera- system (neespi.gsfc.nasa.gov). Develop- forests, to facilitate sustainable man-
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agement of terrestrial resources, and to half day of invited formal presentations Northern Eurasia Forests. obtain an accurate understanding of focused on science and management • Sheingauz (Russia). Forest Cover the terrestrial carbon budget. Regional issues concerning the dynamics of the Dynamics in the Russian Far East: meetings, leading to regional networks, Siberian/Far Eastern forest, 3) one-half Trends, Factors, Method Difficul- act as a mechanism for achieving these day of invited formal presentations ties. objectives. The Siberia/Far East focused on satellite information needs • Belov et al. (Russia). Satellite workshop was the third in a series of and GOFC/GOLD information Monitoring of Forest Fires in the GOFC/GOLD workshops in Russia, products, and 4) one-half day of Tomsk Region of Boreal Forests of including the Global Observation of participatory discussion time. In Western Siberia. Forest Cover Boreal Forest Initiative addition, participants were exposed to • Blam et al. (Russia). Timber Workshop held in Novosibirsk, Russia the IBRFA conference science papers. Industry Complex in Siberia - in August 2000, and the Western Kathleen Bergen moderated the Strategies of Survival and Devel- Russia/Fennoscandia Workshop held sessions. opment. in St. Petersburg, Russia in June 2001. Summary of Invited Presentations The first workshop recommended that Papers that provided an overview of regional workshops and networks be A successful workshop necessitated a data and information management formed. The Siberia/Far East region is sound understanding of the aims of issues and needs followed. GOFC/GOLD and its programmatic distinguished by the remoteness and • Isaev and Bartalev et al. (Russia, inaccessibility of large amounts of the context. Chris Justice (U.S.A.), the Italy) A Land-Cover Database for GOFC/GOLD representative at the forested area; the significance, size, Forest and Land Management in number of forest fires and management meeting, delivered the following Northern Eurasia. (SPOT-VGT presentations. challenges in monitoring and manag- classification). ing them; the proximity to neighboring • Global Observations of Forest • Bergen et al. (U.S.A.). Using wood-consuming countries of China, Cover/Global Observations of Heterogeneous Landsat ETM+, Japan, and other Asia-Pacific econo- Land Cover Dynamics (GOFC/ TM, and MSS for Land-Cover mies; and strong regional forest-science GOLD): An International Pro- Change Detection in the Siberian and remote sensing institutions. gram for Improved Observations Boreal Forest. • Mironov et al. (Russia). Micro- Siberia/Far East Workshop Goals and Monitoring. • GOFC/GOLD Priorities for wave Methods in Airborne Remote The goals of the GOFC/GOLD Siberia/ Development of a Global Forest Sensing of Eurasian Boreal Forest Far East regional workshop were to: and Land Cover Characteristics Areas. • Vekshin et al. (Russia). Problems 1. Discuss and define the critical and Changes Observatory. of Forest Management in Siberia. boreal forest science and resource • GOFC/GOLD-Fire: A Mechanism • Malykh and Faleychik (Russia). management issues. for International Coordination on GIS for Environmental Investiga- 2. Discuss and define the priority Fire Observations and Their Use. tions of Nature-Protected Forests GOFC/GOLD information Following these GOFC overviews, a of Chita Oblast. products and network needs. series of invited presentations summa- 3. Establish the components of a Because the GOFC/GOLD Siberia/Far rized important issues in forest science regional GOFC/GOLD network. East Regional Network should coordi- and management in the Siberia/Far 4. Plan and implement the next steps nate with other existing networks or East region. Abstracts are available and in the new regional network. projects, reports were solicited provid- selected papers will be published. ing overviews of these other programs. Schedule and Venue • Shvidenko et al. (Austria/IIASA • Erickson (Germany) gave an The GOFC/GOLD 2002 workshop and international). An Integrated update on the SIBERIA project in included: 1) overview presentations Approach to Assessing the Major the absence of project coordinator on the GOFC/GOLD program, 2) one- Greenhouse Gases Budget of Schmullius.
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• Krankina and Isaev (U.S.A./ In the Russian Federation there is a Science and Management Priorities: Russia) reviewed the GOFC/ multilevel system of government: Discussion GOLD Western Russia/ regional, national, and federal; all Alexander Isaev (Russia) summarized Fennoscandia Regional Network. require information products. The the five main science and management • Gutman and Deering (U.S.A.) federal and national level includes the priorities in the region for the products introduced the Northern Eurasian Forest Protection Service, governmental and services to be provided by the Earth Science Partnership Initiative land-surveys, and weather services. A regional network. The first includes (NEESPI). new component of interested users forest fire extent, behavior, manage- • Efremov (Russia) discussed issues includes new commercial wood and ment, and control. Russian scientists and data needs in the Siberian Far mining companies. Finally, this have considerable experience in these East information is critical for ecological- areas and there is already much interest • Dye (Japan) reported on two monitoring specialists who are now on a national level, indicating good programs concerning the Far East increasing in number across Russia. governmental support. From the hosted in Japan: the Frontier The need for satellite and in situ workshop it is clear that the same can Research Program (FRSGC) and information products will increase in be expected from other countries in the the MODIS station at the Univer- the near future in both government and region. sity of Tokyo. private sectors. Other participants noted that training would be needed The second area is carbon. This Discussion and for the most fruitful application of the includes the mapping of forest cover; Recommendations data. estimation of carbon pools, emissions, An open discussion session was held and carbon balance; adherence to Kyoto protocol standards; and eco- on the second day of the workshop. Users and Participants: The topics included: 1) Users and Recommendations nomic implications of forest and carbon management. Participants, 2) Science and Manage- • There should be one international ment Priorities, 3) Computer Networks, Siberian/Far East network for Forest pests are a third priority. Insect and 4) Data Integration and Network GOFC/GOLD rather than splitting outbreaks in Siberia are often extensive Organization. it into two Russian and non- and cause considerable economic Russian networks. Future meetings damage. The future goal is to record Users and Participants: Discussion of the network should be hosted in outbreaks across the region in a similar way to which fire is currently being A key question for all GOFC/GOLD different centers in the region. detected and monitored by satellite. networks concerns identification of the • In addition to scientists repre- data users and their information sented by the RAS institutes, it will These are the three main areas; the requirements. Representatives from the be important to include local and fourth area is related to monitoring the major forest administrative units in regional government and the non- location and extent of logging and Siberian Russia, including Tomsk science community in setting the control of illegal cutting, and the fifth Oblast, Krasnoyarsk Krai, Chita information requirements and in to monitoring industrial pollution. Oblast, Khabarovsk Krai, and others the evaluation and use of emerging Science and Management Priorities: were present. Scientists from the data and information products. Recommendations institutes of the Russian Academy of • Data should be made available but Science (RAS) dominated the numbers should be translated into efficient • In its initial phase, the Siberia/Far present; however, there were also applications products for new East Network should provide data representatives from national and users. The information products and services that emphasize the regional government, non-governmen- should be considered as a compo- three areas: 1) fire, 2) carbon, and tal organizations (NGOs), and develop- nent to decision and resource- 3) insect outbreaks. ment organizations. Alexander Isaev management-support systems • The Siberia/Far East Network (Russia) summarized the main users of within the region. should provide data and services GOFC/GOLD network data in Russia. that secondarily emphasize the
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following areas: 1) logging, and access Landsat, ASTER scenes and Vaganov (Russia) explained that the 2) industrial pollution effects. similar data via FTP for locations such Sukachev Institute has had similar as Krasnoyarsk. prior experience working with the Computer Networks: Discussion European Commission. Participants Computer Networks: Good data and network capabilities for Recommendations suggested that if the Sukachev is GOFC/GOLD depend on two things: willing to host the network, other 1) network technology and organiza- • It is important that individual institutions could help support the data tion, and 2) funding. In terms of projects that rely on products and hosting. Those who agreed to coordi- technology, Internet access and high- network services need to have a nate this were Eugene Vaganov speed networks are inconsistent in data-support component written (Russia), Dennis Dye (Japan), Russia and across the region. The into the implementation plan or Kathleen Bergen (U.S.A.), and Anatoly technology exists; however, services are proposal. Shvidenko (Austria/IIASA). often limited at the local level and this • As the network begins hosting needs to be addressed. Susan Conard data associated with research Data Integration and Network (U.S.A.) noted that there are often high- projects, there needs to be a Organization: Recommendations speed cables to important locations in mechanism in place to host and • The first step is to send a form to Russia such as Krasnoyarsk, but the maintain the data once individual all potential participants to list problem is that there is often no money research projects are finished. their completed, ongoing, and for the service and that this is a major • There needs to be an increased planned projects and data sets, obstacle to accessing the existing data emphasis on metadata and control plus data needs and point of sets. Thus, it is important that those on data and product quality. contact. who manage institutes understand that Data Integration and Network • This list should be analyzed and each project needs the data manage- Organization: Discussion data sets key to several projects ment component to be supported should be given priority. financially. Alexander Isaev (Russia) Data requirements need to be identified • The priority data sets should be and Garik Gutman (U.S.A.) noted that based on the regional-science and generated and hosted by the new computer networks are emerging resource-management priorities network. in Russia. For example, Tomsk Oblast is outlined above. Common themes and • The Sukachev Institute and building a well-equipped computer data requirements between projects Eugene Vaganov (Russia) should center. There are also plans to build indicate one basis for prioritizing be the Russian host for the Siberia/ similar computer centers in regional data sets. Anatoly Shvidenko Far East Network. Several interna- Novosibirsk and other cities. (Austria/IIASA) identified the need for focal points responsible for data tional partners including Don Deering provided a summary of integration, especially for Siberia, and Shvidenko (Austria), Bergen the Fast-Net project underway begin- suggested that such a focal point could (U.S.A.), and Dye (Japan) should ning September 2002. This is a joint be located somewhere within the also assist with organization. NASA-Russian Ministry of Science Presidium of the Siberian Branch of the • During the workshop a small project that could include an activity to Russian Academy of Sciences. At the regional network subgroup was transfer MODIS fire data processed in regional level of the Siberia/Far East developed focused on fire. The the U.S. to Russia. The organizers are network, most participants agreed that group led by Evgeny Loupian discussing the way that data could be data integration is a group effort. Chris (Russia) consists of scientists and transferred to Moscow and on to Justice (U.S.A.) offered examples from data providers across the region locations such as Tomsk and Irktusk, other GOFC/GOLD regional networks. developing and using satellite- where the data could be used by fire- There was a discussion about generat- based fire information. A small monitoring specialists. Peter ing a form to send out to all partici- follow-up workshop on fire Schlesinger (U.S.A.) noted that data pants at the workshop. It was sug- monitoring and use is planned for transfer is currently possible on a gested that the host institute for a 2003. It is hoped that other smaller scale; it is also possible to website be in the region. Eugene thematic groups will self-organize
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around the priority themes identified above.
Acknowledgments
NASA ESE provided support for workshop planning. START (Amy Freise, U.S.A.), with funding from NASA, provided support for some of the regional scientists to participate in this workshop. Elena Muratova (Russia) and Mike Apps (Canada) successfully integrated the IBFRA conference and the GOFC workshop. Julia Gorbunova (Russia), Lara Peterson, Bryan Emmett, and Tingting Zhao (University of Michigan, U.S.A.) assisted in activities during the workshop and afterwards. We thank the Sukachev Institute of Forest of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Acad- emy of Sciences and all of the Russian and international presenters who traveled to this meeting to share their work.
References Mous Chahine Honored at International Space Congress Gutman, G., O. Krankina, and J. Townshend, 2001: Remote At the International Space Congress in Houston October 10-19, Mous Sensing of Forest Cover in Western Chahine (pictured above) AIRS Science Team Leader, was awarded the Russia and Fennoscandia. The Nordberg Medal from COSPAR for “distinguished contributions to the Earth Observer, 13:5, pp. 23-24, 26. application of space science to the study of the environment.” The Nordberg Medal is named for William Nordberg (1930-1976), a Goddard Kasischke, E., G. Gutman, and T. Space Flight Center pioneer in using remote sensing for Earth observa- Perrott, 2000: The CEOS Global tions. Chahine has worked on the Advanced Microwave Souding Unit Observation of Forest Cover Boreal (AMSU) and the Humidity Sounder for Brazil (HSB) as well as the Forest Initiative Summary of Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) instruments on Aqua from the August 25-September 1 Workshop. beginning and, most notable, the retrieval techniques for the AIRS/ The Earth Observer, 12:5, p. 29. AMSU/HSB system are based in part on the relaxation inversion algorithm proposed by Chahine back in 1968 in an article in the Journal of the Optical Society of America entitled “Determination of the temperature profile in an atmosphere from its outgoing radiance.”
The Earth Observer staff and the entire EOS community wishes to con- gratulate Chahine on this outstanding achievement, and thank him for his contributions to the success of the EOS program.
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• Relevance of SAFARI 2000 Science Summary of the SAFARI 2000 to national and international program goals; Synthesis Workshop • aircraft science to date; • examples of SAFARI science synthesis components; — R.J. Swap, [email protected], University of Virginia • ecosystem and land processes; • fuel, fires, and emissions; and • atmospheric processes and transport.
Nearly 70 oral and poster presentations were given during the first three days
Introduction Science Foundation (NSF). of the workshop on topics that in- cluded improved Terra algorithm The Southern African Regional Science More than three-fourths of the presen- development; use of Terra fire products Initiative (SAFARI 2000) Synthesis tations focused on science, with the for improved assessment of economic Workshop, held in Charlottesville, remainder addressing highly applied losses in farming; use of airborne Virginia, from October 7 - 11, 2002, was or policy-related topics. This was in remote sensing data to monitor focused on the analyses, results, and response to the overall objectives of drainage from mine tailings; biogenic working group discussions of the key SAFARI 2000 to produce science that is production of trace gases; regional SAFARI findings to date. The work- relevant to the needs of societies in the models on fire-fuel-load production; shop provided an opportunity for region [3]. Along those lines, the how SAFARI 2000 results can feed the scientists involved with both the SAFARI 2000 community was chal- Air Pollution Information Network in SAFARI 2000 Wet Season Campaign [1] lenged both by Diane Wickland, Africa (APINA); inter-comparisons of and the Dry Season Campaign [2] to NASA Research and Analysis Program ground-based, in situ and remotely interact and to make key contacts with Manager and by Rejoice Mabudafhasi, sensed data; and the determination of respect to developing Phase II science Deputy Minister of Environmental preliminary regional emissions questions (i.e., post-data collection and Affairs and Tourism of South Africa estimates. Students gave a significant initial analysis into synthesis activities). and Chair of the African Process, to number of these presentations (nearly continually relate in plain terms the 20). Approximately 110 registrants, SAFARI agenda and accomplishments comprised of scientists, students, and with respect to the goals of program The SAFARI 2000 Data Team unveiled program officers, participated in the managers, government administrators, and distributed the second volume in workshop. Nearly 40 of the participants and other policy makers, both region- the CD-ROM Series of SAFARI 2000 came from southern Africa. NASA’s ally and internationally. Mabudafhasi data (5 disk set). Through the work- Terra mission was well represented emphasized the relevance and timeli- shop, the team solicited further data with workshop participants from the ness of this facet of SAFARI research and metadata to be included in the Moderate Resolution Imaging with clear ties to the outcomes of the third and final volume in the series Spectroradiometer (MODIS), the World Summit on Sustainable Develop- (expected in late 2003). Multiangle Imaging SpectroRadiometer ment that was recently hosted by the (MISR) and the Measurement of Republic of South Africa in The working groups focused on the Pollution in the Troposphere (MOPITT) Johannesburg. following issues: science teams. There was also represen- tation from a number of U.S. govern- Thematically, the plenary sessions were • What do we know now as a result mental agencies such as Department of organized around the following of SAFARI 2000 that we didn’t State, U.S. Agency for International progression: know before? Development (USAID), and National • What currently funded analytical
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efforts are underway regarding collection and archiving of metadata, cate with in-region science-to-policy/ SAFARI 2000 and what types of data, and scientific products. Consen- science-to-management efforts such as products are expected? sus was reached on several synthesis APINA, Miombo Network, and the • What next science efforts are objectives during the closing plenary Southern African Fire Network needed over the next 12 months or session. Regarding the integrative, (SAFNET). so to enable project-wide synthe- interdisciplinary science efforts that sis? need to occur before complete project Several avenues were recommended as • What can the SAFARI 2000 synthesis can take place, participants a lasting legacy for SAFARI 2000 community say that relates to agreed to start by following a set of activities, data, and results. The first is issues of natural resource manage- events. First, the group proposed an the completion of the third volume in ment, air quality, and fire manage- analysis of the Timbavati controlled the SAFARI 2000 CD-ROM series ment in southern Africa? burn on Sept. 7, 2000 from vegetation composed of newly emerging data sets. • What can be done to keep south- to fuel-load production to determina- Accordingly, the SAFARI Data Team is ern African scientists plugged into tion of emissions from in situ sampling currently developing this CD-ROM in larger international programs to the use of remotely sensed data to concert with the needs of the larger during the post-field-campaign the modeling of that system from the SAFARI community. The volume phase of SAFARI 2000? empirical evidence. Second, the “River should be ready for release in late 2003 of Smoke” event that occurred roughly to coincide with the public release of Participants broke into one of three from August 29 to September 7 over the entire SAFARI 2000 data archive. large working groups: 1) Fire, Fuel, much of southern Africa must be The second focus, again coordinated by and Emissions; 2) Ecosystem Processes; further studied, with emphasis on the SAFARI Data Team, is the push for and 3) Aerosols, Trace Gases, Clouds, usage of field, laboratory, in situ, the continued population of the and Radiation. Summary reports from remotely sensed, and modeled data SAFARI 2000 metadata and data the groups indicated that much had pertaining to fuel, fire, and emissions. archive to serve the broader commu- been learned about the physical, And finally, participants suggested nity in the future. The third focus is on chemical and biological characteriza- extensive analysis of the emissions that compilation of relevant information in tion of their respective systems along occurred during the SAFARI 2000 the form of one to two books. A need gradients of ecosystem and land-use period from mid-August to the end of was articulated by the southern African types in southern Africa since the September 2000. participants, in particular, to produce a previous large-scale science initiative in book that presents an overview of what 1992 (The Southern Africa Fire- To address policy maker needs, both is known to date about the operation of Atmosphere Research Initiative - regionally and internationally, it was the southern African biogeophysical SAFARI-92). Participants stressed the agreed that SAFARI 2000 will help system and that can be used by upper- need for a greater involvement of the facilitate the production of fact sheets level undergraduate and entering atmospheric chemistry modeling that deal with issues such as: Fire in graduate students, as well as policy community and their interfacing with Africa; Trans-boundary Air Pollution; makers, as a desk reference for interdis- current SAFARI 2000 modeling Global Change and Radiative Forcing; ciplinary information. It was agreed activities to aid in the drive towards Rural and Urban use of biofuels; and that much of the information for such project synthesis. Remote Sensing of the Environment. an effort already exists and that Representatives from APINA and the SAFARI 2000 should go forward with a Way Forward Miombo Network agreed to work with proposal to produce and publish this Although the field component of SAFARI 2000 leadership to help contribution. During the concluding SAFARI 2000 has ended, participants distribute this information to the plenary session, it was also agreed that indicated that SAFARI 2000 coordina- appropriate people involved with while a book representing the synthesis tion should continue in terms of environmental policy making both of SAFARI 2000 is needed, publication overseeing, guiding, and facilitating the nationally and regionally in southern should await the next set of integrative, analytical and synthesis efforts, the Africa. As a project, SAFARI 2000 will interdisciplinary studies that have been dissemination of information, and the take steps to more actively communi- identified for SAFARI Phase II.
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For more details on the SAFARI 2000 Synthesis Workshop program, ab- Summary of the Alaska SAR Facility stracts, presentations, and summary, please visit www.safari.gecp.virginia.edu. User Working Group Meeting Interested readers can also watch for special issues dedicated to SAFARI — Harry Stern, [email protected], University of Washington, Seattle work in four journals: J. Geophysical Research, J. Arid Environments, Int. J. Remote Sensing, and Global Change The Alaska SAR Facility (ASF) User Alaska and NOAA was recently signed. Biology. Each is currently in the review Working Group (UWG) met in Seattle The Memorandum of Understanding phase. October 28-29, 2002. A brief summary between NOAA and the National Space of the meeting follows. Development Agency (NASDA) of References Japan will be in place by April 2003. Nettie LaBelle-Hamer was appointed ASF will pay royalties to NASDA and Director of ASF in September. The will receive (by tape from Japan) all the [1] Otter, L.B., R.J. Scholes, P. Dowty, J. UWG expressed their approval of the data collected over North and South Privette, K. Caylor, S. Ringrose, M. new appointment and their confidence America. ASF will then distribute the Mukelabai, P. Frost, N. Hanan, O. in the new Director. data to American users for the cost of Totolo and E.M. Veenendaal, 2002: ASF is doing very well with data reproduction. ASF is hosting the fifth The Southern African Regional delivery and customer service. They ALOS Data Node meeting in Fairbanks Science Initiative (SAFARI 2000): received praise from representatives of in March 2003. wet season campaigns. South the National Oceanic and Atmospheric African Journal of Science, 98:3-4, pp. Among the recommendations made by Administration (NOAA), the Radarsat 131-137. the UWG to ASF and NASA are: Geophysical Processor System (RGPS), and Level 0 data users. • ASF should coordinate the writing [2] Swap, R.J., Annegarn H.J., Suttles of a science plan for ALOS data of J.T., Haywood J., Helmlinger M.C., ASF has established closer ties with the the Americas. Hely C., Hobbs P.V., Holben B.N., Geophysical Institute at the University Ji J., King M.D., Landmann T., of Alaska/Fairbanks, and plans to • ASF should try to negotiate Maenhaut W., Otter L., Pak B., interact more with other units on advance agreements for bulk Piketh S.J., Platnick S., Privette J., campus and externally. The UWG purchase of ALOS data by Roy D., Thompson A.M., Ward D., encourages ASF to make these connec- interested government agencies Yokelson R., 2002: The Southern tions. and organizations. African Regional Science Initiative A new five-year contract between • The UWG encourages NASA to (SAFARI 2000): overview of the NASA and ASF will be in place by pursue agreements with the dry season field campaign. South March 2003. The contract will preserve European Space Agency in African Journal of Science, 98:3-4, pp. funding for core functions such as data connection with ENVISAT data, 125-130. reception, processing, distribution, and and with the Canadian Space archiving, but science activities will Agency in connection with [3] Swap R.J., H.J. Annegarn, and L. have to compete for new funding Radarsat-2 data. Otter, 2002: Southern African through research announcements from Regional Science Initiative ASF has compiled an on-line SAR NASA and other agencies. (SAFARI 2000) summary of science bibliography with over 1700 entries. plan. South African Journal of The Japanese Advanced Land Observ- See asfbd.asf.alaska.edu/sarweb.html. The Science, 98:3-4, pp. 119-124, 2002. ing Satellite (ALOS) is scheduled for UWG is seeking new members— launch in 2004. ASF, in partnership contact Harry Stern if interested. More with NOAA, will become the ALOS information, including notes from past Americas Data Node. A formal meetings, is available at agreement between the University of psc.apl.washington.edu/ASFUWG.
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sion Laboratory (JPL) Physical Ocean- Summary of the DAAC Alliance Data ography DAAC (PO.DAAC) and SEDAC have lead roles in NASA’s Interoperability Workshop Federation of Earth Science Informa- tion Partners (ESIPs) Interoperability — Bob Chen, [email protected], Socioeconomic Data and Committee and GIS Services Cluster. Applications Center (SEDAC) However, these efforts by individual Alliance members have not generally been coordinated across the Alliance and for the most part address different applications and user groups.
Therefore, the workshop participants The Distributed Active Archive Center interoperability activities include: agreed that coordinated development of one or more interoperability proto- (DAAC) Alliance held a DAAC Alliance Data Interoperability (DADI) • boosting the Alliance’s overall types would be beneficial to the Alliance as a whole, to individual workshop at the Socioeconomic Data capabilities to share and dissemi- and Applications Center (SEDAC) in nate data from different disci- Alliance members, and, in the long run, to the general user community. The Palisades, New York on August 13-15, plines; 2002. The overall purpose of the • responding more flexibly and group identified a number of specific criteria for selecting prototypes, workshop was to assess the usefulness quickly to user needs; and of emerging standards for spatial data • adopting new open standards and including: interoperability for providing access to technologies as they become different types of Earth Science data for available. • the existence of a clear need and research and applications. All nine identifiable user community; the applicability of data from DAAC Alliance members were Moreover, it is important for the • represented at the workshop, along Alliance to ensure that it remains at the multiple Alliance members to the need; with representatives from the NASA cutting edge in terms of data manage- Geospatial Interoperability Office ment and user support within NASA, • the potential evolvability of a prototype into one or more useful (GIO), the ESDIS Science Operations across the larger Earth Science data Office (SOO), and the Open GIS community, and in the context of the operational services; and the degree to which a prototype Consortium (OGC). More detailed National Spatial Data Infrastructure • information, including workshop (NSDI) and the Federal Geospatial might facilitate external collabora- tion through open standards. presentations and related materials are One-Stop Initiative. This includes direct available online at: involvement in developing, testing, Certainly, the lack of interoperability of nasadaacs.eos.nasa.gov/0int/dadi/. and implementing emerging data- management standards. current data sets and data systems must be one of the chief limiting factors Participants recognized the importance of exploring new interoperability During the workshop, it became clear in more widespread use of EOS and other data by a specific user commu- approaches in order to meet emerging that a number of Alliance members are user needs, improve data flow both already heavily involved in developing nity. The data interoperability and integration promoted by a prototype within the NASA Earth Observing new data services based on open System Data and Information System standards, such as those under must also have a sound scientific basis. (EOSDIS) and between EOSDIS and development by the OGC. For example, external data sources, and assess ways both the Global Hydrology Resource The group also recognized that development of multiple prototypes to reduce costs, improve system reuse, Center (GHRC) and SEDAC have been and allow for evolution. Specific involved in recent OGC Open Web may be desirable, if these are selected in a way to cover the range of desired benefits for DAAC involvement in Services testbeds, and the Jet Propul-
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goals in a complementary way. For as standards for metadata and data would expand on a JPL initiative to example, it may be sensible to select at registry functions. Using a mix of meet the data needs of both researchers least one prototype focused on science specifications is clearly required given and decision makers concerned with community needs, e.g., a field experi- the diversity of data types held by the human-environment interactions in the ment or science issue, and another on DAAC Alliance members, and it will be Southern California “bight,” the coastal an application area, e.g., a decision- important to ensure compatibility and waters and region extending from support problem. Similarly, it may be consistency among prototypes as these Point Conception (just west of Santa desirable to explore a mix of lower-risk, evolve into operational systems. Barbara) past Los Angeles and south to more mature technologies and higher- San Diego. With more than 20 million risk, more experimental approaches, a The workshop highlighted the wide people in the region, recognition of the range of open standards, and a range of questions and issues sur- need for spatial data integrated diversity of data types and sources. rounding the emerging set of seamlessly across the coastal land/ Some prototypes may scale up from a interoperability approaches, including ocean boundary is growing. Satellite specific location or region to the globe their short- and long-term costs, data on surface ocean conditions, land and others from a narrow topic, e.g., a possible performance opportunities cover, hydrology, and atmospheric single hazard to a broad set of related and limitations, and their scalability. parameters are applicable to a variety topics, e.g., multiple hazards. Some The implications of current and future of coastal issues, but must be accessed prototypes may be relatively quick to requirements relating to metadata, in conjunction with a diverse set of in implement with only modest addi- billing and accounting, metrics, situ environmental measurements and tional effort, whereas others may software reuse, privacy, and security socioeconomic data. Alliance members require more time and extra resources have not yet been addressed in detail. could make a wide range of region- to develop. However, the latter more Workshop participants discussed some specific data holdings accessible expensive alternative may do a better of the pros and cons of open source through open interfaces, building on job of demonstrating the long-term versus proprietary versus custom- JPL’s initial development of a user potential using these approaches to coding approaches, and recognized interface. scale up to fully operational systems. that a key issue is how to share knowledge and learning experiences to Volcanoes: A prototype focused on Workshop participants considered a promote efficient and effective collabo- volcanoes would capitalize on the number of interoperability specifica- ration and data integration. For Earth Science Enterprise’s substantial tions under development by the OGC, example, most ongoing interoperability focus on mapping and monitoring such as the Web Map Service (WMS), efforts have not explicitly dealt with volcanoes using visible, near-infrared, the Web Feature Service (WFS), the underlying data projection issues that and thermal sensors. Data from Terra Web Coverage Service (WCS), and the must be carefully addressed in order to and Aqua (e.g., MISR, CERES, MODIS, Coverage Portrayal Service (CPS). support high quality co-registration of and ASTER), Earth Probe (TOMS), and These are in different stages of imple- different data sets, accurate spatial Landsat 7 are being used to assess mentation, ranging from fairly mature search functions, and appropriate data thermal hot spots, lava flow, volcanic specifications with numerous imple- visualization and analysis. ash, volcanic clouds, and other volcanic mentations by commercial and activity. These data could be made noncommercial organizations to early Through a set of working group more accessible on an ongoing basis in draft specifications with rapidly discussions, workshop participants conjunction with georeferenced data on evolving implementations by a limited identified four candidate prototypes: human settlements, infrastructure, and number of groups. Also important to Southern California Coast, Volcanoes, land use. An initial prototype would consider are standards and specifica- Environmental Features, and Cold likely focus on a few selected volcanic tions emerging from the science Land Processes. Each is discussed areas and attempt to demonstrate the community such as the Earth Science below. potential for development of a near- Markup Language (ESML) and the real-time service for delivering Distributed Oceanographic System Southern California Coast: The integrated volcano-related data to (DODS) Data Access Protocol, as well Southern California Coast prototype selected user groups, e.g., emergency
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managers and local municipal officials. feedback, e.g., from the relevant science could be completed before the end of teams and incremental resources. 2002 and that the DAAC Alliance as a Environmental Features: Medium-to- Moreover, it was recognized that these whole would consider going ahead high-resolution data from various EOS initial ideas need to be fleshed out in with specific prototype efforts in early satellites may be useful in identifying more detail before firm decisions can be 2003. and characterizing certain environmen- made. It was agreed that subgroups of tal features such as large piles of workshop participants would take discarded tires, landfills, and wetlands. responsibility for writing up more For some local and regional govern- detailed prototype-planning docu- ments, identifying and monitoring ments. Leads for the four groups are: these features across large land areas Rob Raskin (JPL) for the Southern can be a difficult and costly task. This California coast; Sue Heinz (JPL) for prototype effort would explore volcanoes; Bruce Barkstrom (LaRC) for development of algorithms for identify- environmental features; and Ron ing environmental features of interest Weaver (NSIDC) for cold land pro- from EOS data and make derived cesses. products available through interoperable interfaces in combination An important short-term need is to with other relevant spatial data. explore the interest of key user groups and get their feedback on specific Cold Land Processes: The Cold Land prototype ideas. In parallel, it may be Processes mission is a NASA ESE worthwhile to explore potential cross- activity within the Land Surface prototype functions that should be Hydrology Program designed to developed regardless of the final integrate microwave observations from selection of prototype efforts. space within an Earth System Science modeling framework. A mesoscale field Last but not least, it is important to experiment is being conducted in 2002 explore sources of additional support and 2003 in the Colorado Rockies that for these prototype efforts, as not all involves intensive collection and DAAC Alliance members will be able analysis of active and passive micro- to contribute actively solely from their wave data, ground- and aircraft-based current resource base. Possible sources snow and soil observations, and optical include the Data System Enhancement and radar remotely sensed data. Some projects sometimes funded by the of these data have already been ESDIS Project and a new GIO testbed organized into a Geographic Informa- activity under development in conjunc- tion System (GIS) database. A proto- tion with the OGC. Collaboration with type system would attempt to make a the Synergy Project, especially with wide range of relevant Alliance data respect to the current development and sets available for the specific field sites implementation of data pools and through an integrated interface tailored associated interfaces, needs to be to the needs of the science team. explored. Alliance members may also need to consult with their User The workshop did not attempt to make Working Groups concerning user needs a final selection of which prototype relative to the various possible proto- efforts to pursue, since this is depen- types and the relative priority to be dent on a number of different factors given to these efforts. It was envisioned including staff availability, user that these initial follow-on activities
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projects to facilitate use of the ESE data An Overview of SEEDS: The for specialized research community needs and to support broader user Strategic Evolution of the Earth community access to the data and data Science Enterprise’s Data Systems products from the ESE missions. These projects included Pathfinder data sets, the Regional Earth Science Applications — Kathy Fontaine, [email protected], NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center Centers (RESACs), the Applications Research Centers (ARCs), Earth Science Information Partners (ESIPs), and the Synergy Program.
Introduction systems; an overview of SEEDS, Pathfinder data sets date back to 1991. Formulation Team findings and They were compiled and released NASA’s Earth Science Enterprise (ESE) recommendations; and suggestions for under the EOS Program to provide has had a number of initiatives to how you, the user, can be involved. research-quality, consistently calibrated advance its data systems and deliver and processed data sets to the commu- data products and results to the Nation. The Context nity prior to the availability of data First, it initiated a multiyear Earth from the EOS satellites. The Pathfinder The acquisition of more data from Science Information Partner (ESIP) data sets focused initially on long-term, public and commercial systems—data Experiment that formed a federation of calibrated and validated data sets for with better spectral and spatial competitively-selected data centers to studying climate change. In 1995, resolution than ever before—presents a explore the issues associated with additional types of data products were challenge to government and com- distributed, heterogeneous data and added along with reprocessing of some merce to make those data and data information systems and service earlier product sets and the develop- products readily available to the user providers. Second, the EOSDIS ment of new data-processing algo- community, to extract the information architecture evolved to accommodate rithms. and knowledge content from these rich the generation of data products by observations, and assimilate the data external processing systems developed In 1995, the National Research Council and knowledge into decision-support under the direction of the EOS instru- recommended that NASA shift systems. ment teams. Third, the ESE chartered a appropriate functions of its EOSDIS study team called New Data and The central element of NASA’s implementation to a federation of Information Systems and Services, or response to the challenge is the Earth competitively selected ESIPs. Three “NewDISS,” to capture and consolidate Observing System Data and Informa- types of ESIPs were defined. Type 1 the input from the community in a tion System (EOSDIS). EOSDIS ESIPs are responsible for standard data series of recommendations (see archives, distributes, and manages data and information products and associ- lennier.gsfc.nasa.gov/seeds for this and and information from ESE activities ated services whose production other SEEDS documentation referred to and other data required for production requires considerable emphasis on throughout the article). SEEDS is an and effective use of Earth observations. reliability and disciplined adherence to outcome of this study, leveraging the A set of discipline-oriented Distributed schedules. While the DAACs provide lessons learned from earlier efforts. Its Active Archive Centers (DAACs) some processing, much of the produc- purpose is to establish a strategy and provides production, distribution, and tion for EOS Standard Products has coordinating program to evolve the user services to members of the shifted to Science Investigator-led Earth Science Enterprise network of community. Processing Systems (SIPS). Type 2 data systems and service providers ESIPs are responsible for data and from 2004 to 2010. What follows is a Concurrent with the implementation of information products and services in brief history of Earth Science data the DAACs, ESE has sponsored support of global change research
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(other than those provided by the Type developed readily; contributes to the be informed by, and supportive of, 1 ESIPs) that are developmental or development of an Earth science science concerns and questions. It is research in nature and where emphasis information economy through the also recognized that individual on flexibility and creativity is key to comprehensive consideration of scientists and disciplinary communities meeting the advancing research needs. applications, research, and commerce; of scientists are both consumers and Type 3 ESIPs provide data and infor- and increases the diversity and breadth producers of data products and derived mation products and services to users of users and uses of Earth science data, information and therefore must be beyond the ESE science research information, products, and services. partners. Other principles relate to the community. issue of immediate and long-term In 1999, the Pathfinder Program also services for a highly distributed and The RESACs, established in 1998, focus focused on understanding critical heterogeneous user base in the face of NASA’s Earth science research on interactions and feedback mechanisms rapid technological change. These applications of regional significance, among physical, chemical, and principles are summarized as follows: integrate remote sensing and its biological processes. In order to study 1. Science questions and priorities attending technologies into the local these processes, a more regional focus must determine the design and decision-making processes, and was required, with combined data sets function of systems and services. support regional assessments associ- consisting of the available satellite and 2. Future requirements will be driven ated with the U.S. global change airborne remote sensing data along by a high data volume, a broader research. Through the ARCs, NASA with relevant in situ data for tuning user base and increasing demand encourages partnerships between U.S. algorithms and validating results. for a variety of data and data companies and university affiliates to products. work on commercialization of informa- The ESE recognizes its responsibility to 3. Technological change will occur tion technologies, including spatial assure that all the information, knowl- rapidly: systems and services information technologies, remote edge, and capabilities derived from its must be able to take advantage of sensing, geographic information research programs achieve maximum these changes. systems, and the Global Positioning usefulness in research, applications, 4. Competition is a key NASA tool System. The ARCs help project and education. ESE is evolving its for selection of NewDISS compo- participants become familiar with science data and information systems nents and infrastructure. remote sensing technologies, and the towards a more open, distributed set of 5. Principal Investigator (PI) process- information provided by the technolo- data systems and service providers. ing and PI data management will gies. This approach will capitalize on the be a significant part of future expertise and resources of the commu- missions and science. The ESIPs federated in 1998 as part of nity of providers and facilitate innova- 6. Long-term stewardship and the NASA-assigned prototyping tion. Implementation of this approach archiving must occur. activities and in recognition that a relies, in part, on leveraging informa- 7. NewDISS evolutionary design federation would assist its members in tion technologies from the commercial must move beyond data and meeting project objectives. The existing sector, such as web-based techniques information and towards knowl- Federation has embraced the nomen- for data discovery and access, and edge-based systems. clature of ESIPs, and has grown to involving the end-user community in include new non-NASA-funded technology assessment and evolution. The objective of the SEEDS Formula- members. The existing Federation The SEEDS effort is the embodiment of tion is to recommend a framework and encourages and establishes the use of this approach. management strategy to enable best science practices in the production evolution of ESE data systems towards of high-quality data, information, SEEDS a future network of ESE data systems products, and services; ensures that The guiding principles of SEEDS were and providers that: data and information are readily defined in the NewDISS Strategy • Leverages the capabilities and accessible and easily exchanged so that Document. SEEDS starts from the lessons learned from the EOSDIS Earth science data products can be premise that systems and services must
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and other ESE data-systems Levels of Service, Benchmarks, and • If NASA/SEEDS should invest in efforts. Cost Estimation: This study team will either of these efforts (i.e., reuse • Encourages development and work with the research and applica- and/or a reference architecture), evolution of heterogeneous tions communities to develop the what is the best method to assure systems and services. minimum and recommended levels of effective and accountable commu- • Gives systems and service provid- service for core data sets and services nity involvement; what is the best ers appropriate local control over required from ESE data-management- technical approach? data-system design, implementa- service providers. It will determine, tion, and operation. from benchmarking, what data- Criteria for judging, in order of priority, • Leverages competition, technology management services should cost, and were determined to be cost savings infusion, and reuse to improve develop a capability to perform end-to- over time; increasing flexibility/ system effectiveness. end cost estimates for ESE data- responsiveness to new missions and • Ensures that products and services management services. increasing use of NASA data for meet norms for utility and research/applications; and promoting accessibility. Standards and Interfaces Processes: an increase in effective and accountable • Ensures that systems and products This study team will define a process community participation. meet NASA security and surviv- for SEEDS to develop, adopt, evolve, Metrics Planning and Reporting: This ability requirements. and maintain standards and interfaces study team will define appropriate • Monitors collective performance in for data and information systems and metrics and reporting requirements for meeting the Enterprise objectives services across the Earth Science the participants in ESE Data Manage- and goals. Enterprise. The process should ment Activities and demonstrate that • Maintains sufficient organizational capitalize on the methods and experi- the proposed SEEDS organization structure to allow effective ence of existing relevant data-systems structure can provide adequate resource management and standards bodies (e.g., ISO, OGC) and accountability. implementation for NASA to carry NASA programs (e.g., EOSDIS, ESIP out its science mission. Federation). Technology Needs and Infusion Plans: This study team will determine Formulation Approach Data Life Cycle and Long-Term processes by which technology needs Archive: The tasks of this study team To achieve its objective, the SEEDS are identified and technology invest- are to ensure safe handling of SEEDS- Formulation Team has set up study ments are infused into the evolving era data products as they migrate from teams to investigate specific subjects of NewDISS. New strategies for technol- data providers to active archive and concern to SEEDS and make recom- ogy infusion are being explored for the long-term archive (LTA), even as mendations. Currently there are seven SEEDS initiative to address the gap for numerous individuals and institutions study teams with members from technology development beyond the take responsibility for the product government agencies, universities, and research stage and into the mid- during its life cycle. industry. The seven study teams and technology readiness levels. The study their tasks are described below. team will recommend ways for SEEDS Reference Architecture and Reuse to leverage the processes of the NASA Standards for Near-Term Missions: Assessment: This study team aims to Earth Science Technology Office’s The tasks of the team include consider- answer the following questions: (ESTO) Advanced Information System ing ESE’s near-term systematic- Technologies (AIST) Program, involve measurement missions; recommending • Should NASA/SEEDS invest in a the ESE user community, and designate science data, metadata, and software-and-component reuse roles of AIST and SEEDS with regard to interoperability standards for applica- effort? prototyping needs. tions; and incorporating advice and • Should NASA/SEEDS invest in Over the past decade, NASA ESE has experience of the mission-science developing a reference architec- made a substantial investment in the community in making recommenda- ture? tions. development of data and information
32 THE EARTH OBSERVER ¥ November/December 2002 Vol. 14, No. 6 systems. This is most evident in the Preliminary Findings and • An initial cost-estimation model by EOSDIS Core System (ECS) but also Recommendations analogy derived from those levels includes unique components devel- The SEEDS Formulation Team is of service will be completed oped by the DAACs, data processing presently assembling and integrating during fiscal year 2003, but the systems developed by the instrument its separate study-team recommenda- initial database will be small. teams, and a variety of other capabili- tions into a single document. Simulta- • Levels of service and cost-estima- ties that are still actively used and neously, these findings are being tion information should be built maintained as a result of heritage circulated among various groups, into future funding documents. missions and initiatives. SEEDS is not including NASA Code Y advisory • A parallel effort to model costs intended to be a replacement of these groups (through presentations at their from the PI point of view is under capabilities but rather the evolution of meetings), the data provider and development. existing systems, through improved science communities (through articles Standards and Interfaces: effectiveness and efficiency of opera- and workshops), and other interested • Common standards and interfaces tion, and services to maximize the users (through talks at conferences and are critical to the effective ex- return on those previous investments. other venues). What follows are, at a change of data and information high level, the initial SEEDS findings between and among data provid- The SEEDS Formulation effort has and recommendations. ers and users. been, and will continue to be, outward • In general, standards processes looking and inclusive. Wherever Programmatic: should: be open; encourage wide appropriate, the SEEDS studies are • In order to effectively govern the participation (users, other agen- addressing as wide a range of related processes in the SEEDS era, there cies, entities, standards bodies, activities as possible, within govern- should be a SEEDS Program etc.); encourage use of existing ment, industry, and academia in the Office: Scope, location, and other standards where applicable; make U.S. and abroad. By taking a broad details still to be determined. specific recommendations (still view, it is expected that the recommen- • In order for the processes them- under review) concerning data dations that emerge from the SEEDS selves to work, there must be interface, packaging, distribution, studies will capitalize on the extended community participation to the and interchange formats, and experience base and the best practices maximum extent possible in each metadata and documentation and latest technical approaches process. standards; and provide a process available to achieve maximum effec- • Accountability and authority for evolving and/or adopting tiveness and efficiency in development should be pushed down to the standards and operation of the NASA Earth most appropriate level, even as the • A draft standards review/ Science data and information manage- SEEDS Program Office is coordi- approval/adoption process has ment system. nating efforts. been developed (see the SEEDS • Working groups will be estab- site for further information) SEEDS continues to seek the active and lished to implement several of the substantial involvement of users and major processes developed during Data Life Cycle and Long-Term providers of Earth Science data and the study phase (initially for Archive: services in the definition and execution standards, metrics, reuse, and • Balance must be struck between of the SEEDS processes, practices, and technology infusion.) ‘save it all no matter what’ and policies. A number of the study teams ‘save only what we can afford have representatives of these communi- Levels of Service/Cost Estimation: right now.’ ties either as members or consultants, • A comprehensive list of Levels of • Considerations of data life-cycle and all of the teams individually and Service has been compiled, by issues should be built into the collectively are making every effort to function, and is available for entire process, but not be consid- interact with the community through review in Working Paper 5, ered expendable when budgets interviews, meetings, and workshops. available on the SEEDS website. decline.
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• Complete documentation is vital to highly reliable production or important to note here that SEEDS is whatever is archived, no matter archiving needs. not in the business of defining an where it is archived. • Mission-success environments are overall system architecture a la • Missions should have a ‘data point defined as driven by need for EOSDIS. We will, however, provide a of contact’ for questions about the research and innovation in science, coordinating role for ESE data systems data. applications, or information consistent with the principles outlined • Many internal and interagency systems. above, and with the needs of both the issues must still be resolved. • ESE should develop a “coarse- Enterprise and the science community. grained,” notional reference Technology Infusion: architecture, with concrete details As such, we need feedback from you, • Develop a 10+ year SEEDS in a limited set of functional areas. the science user. We invite you to look capabilities vision to aid in at the information on the SEEDS community understanding and What’s Next? website and comment. We encourage guide technology-infusion efforts. you to attend the SEEDS workshops • Develop a technology-infusion For the moment, the SEEDS team is that are held roughly twice per year. As process modeled after successful concentrating its effort on refining and we present to various User Working commercial/academia/govern- disseminating study findings by Groups, we encourage challenging ment cooperative processes (e.g., compiling a draft study-phase-findings questions about relevant issues. World Wide Web Communications report, presenting SEEDS recommenda- [W3C], Open GIS Consortium tions in user forums and conferences, And, as the SEEDS Working Groups are [OGC]). and iterating the recommendations chartered and populated, we encourage based on inputs received. you to become involved in those Metrics Planning and Reporting: processes and provide your expertise in • Current funding activities are Over the course of fiscal year 2003, the metrics development, reuse and open- adequate to address metrics and Formulation Team will be developing a source issues, technology-infusion reporting issues; current metrics transition plan to define how the processes, and standards and interface are useful. recommendations are to be imple- issues. • Metrics and reporting require- mented. This entails establishing ments should be explicitly working groups, working through Note: This article has been compiled requested in future solicitations, allocation of roles and responsibilities, from existing presentations, docu- and costed in responding propos- and integrating study-phase recom- ments, and notes written for various als. mendations. purposes by members of the SEEDS • Outcome metrics are needed, are Formulation Team. Please feel free to currently lacking, and should be In the near term, we will be chartering contact the author of this article with developed. the working groups and defining their questions, concerns, or comments initial set of activities, and gathering about SEEDS. Reuse and Reference Architecture: comments from the community. As of • ESE should actively support reuse this writing, we are planning the next through “improved clone-and- public workshop for February in the own” and “open source” ap- Annapolis area. proaches. • Mission-critical environments How Can You Contribute? should have a different approach SEEDS is, by definition, an ongoing than mission-success environ- evolutionary process. Although there is ments. no end point per se, we seek to • Mission-critical environments are maximize and balance both the defined as driven by launch effectiveness of ESE data systems and schedules and a need for daily, the involvement of its users. It is
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Studies with the Convair C-131A over Thirty Years of Airborne Research at the next 12 years focused on the structures of clouds (with emphasis on the University of Washington ice in clouds), the effects of clouds on solar radiation, pollution in the Arctic, — Tim Suttles, [email protected], Science Systems & Applications, the properties of smoke and its effects Inc. on climate, the chemistry of the marine — Michael D. King, [email protected], EOS Senior Project Scientist, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center atmosphere, and aerosol-cloud interactions. Of particular note were the CARG’s studies of smoke from the 1991 Kuwait oil fires, extensive study of smoke from biomass burning in the Amazon Basin as part of the Smoke After more than 30 years of airborne these flights provided the basis for Clouds and Aerosol—Brazil (SCAR-B) experimental campaign in 1995, and studies, the Cloud and Aerosol Research some 80 scientific papers and 30 Group (CARG) at the University of student theses on subjects ranging from studies of cloud structures and the organization of precipitation on the Washington has flown its last research atmospheric aerosol and cloud chemis- flight. The CARG, under the direction of try to cloud physics and mesoscale East Coast and in the Central United States. The latter studies led to a new Professor Peter Hobbs, has owned and meteorology. Large field projects of instrumented three aircraft for atmospheric note were: the Cascade Project (1970- conceptual model known as the Structurally Transformed by Orogra- research purposes. From a research 1974), in which the structures of clouds standpoint, the unique feature of all three and the formation of precipitation over phy Model (STORM) for cyclones west of the Rockies. Some other studies with aircraft was that they were equipped with the Cascade Mountains, and their state-of-the-art instrumentation for the modification by cloud seeding, were the C-131A include the Monterey Area measurement of aerosols, trace gases, cloud studied; and, the Cyclonic Extratropical Ship Track (MAST), the Arctic Radia- tion Measurement in Column Atmo- structures, and radiation. This made it Storms (CYCLES) Project (1973-1986), possible for the CARG and its collaborators which was concerned with cloud sphere-surface System (ARMCAS), and the Tropospheric Aerosol Radiative to carry out pioneering studies in many microphysics and the mesoscale areas of atmospheric sciences. organization of rainfall in cyclonic Forcing Observational Experiment (TARFOX). storms in the Pacific Northwest. The Brief History demonstration that color-display In March 1997 the CARG obtained a Doppler radars can be used to track In the early 1960s, the research work of mesoscale cloud and rainfall features Convair-580 aircraft (Figure 1c). Within the CARG revolved around laboratory a year of receiving the Convair-580 the was first shown in the CYCLES Project, simulations and theoretical studies of some 20 years before it was to be used CARG had modified it for research cloud processes. In the late 1960s, the purposes, transferred to it some of the routinely by television weather CARG started to do ground-based field forecasters. The B-23 was also used in research instrumentation from the studies of aerosols and clouds, includ- Convair C-131A, and added new some of the first airborne studies of ing measurements from a field station volcanic effluents: Mt. Baker (in 1975), instruments. This made it one of the near 8000 ft. on Mt. Olympus in the best equipped aircraft in the world for several volcanoes in Alaska and, most Olympic National Park. spectacularly, Mt. St. Helens in 1980. measurements of trace gases, atmo- spheric aerosols, clouds, and radiation. In 1970, the CARG obtained its first In 1984, the B-23 was replaced by the research aircraft, a World War-II Recent Research considerably larger Convair C-131A Douglas B-23, previously owned by (Figure 1b), which the CARG fitted The first field project with the Convair- Howard Hughes (Figure 1a). Between with state-of-the-art instruments for 580 was the First International Satellite 1970 and 1984 the CARG flew 3400 studying atmospheric aerosols, clouds, Cloud Climatology Project [ISCCP] hours on the B-23. Data collected on atmospheric chemistry and radiation. Regional Experiment—Arctic Clouds
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(a)
FIGURE 1:These photographs show the three different aircraft that have been employed by the Cloud and Aerosol Research Group (CARG) at the University of Washington. These include: (a) A World War- II era Douglas B-23, previously owned by Howard Hughes—Photo Credit: University of Washington Clouds and Aerosol Research Group (CARG); (b) a considerably larger Convair C-131A—Photo Credit: CARG; and (c) a Convair-580 aircraft. Each was modified to be equipped with scientific instrumentation for studying clouds and aerosols—Photo Credit: NASA Dryden Flight Research Center.
(b)
(c)
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Experiment/Surface Heat Budget of tional Verification Experiments the Arctic Ocean (FIRE-ACE/SHEBA) (IMPROVE) field project. The goals in the Arctic in the spring of 1998. In were to obtain measurements of the this large cooperative project, the microphysical structures of precipitat- Convair-580 flew 23 flights over the ing systems within a dynamical Arctic Ocean, many above a research framework for the purpose of improv- ship frozen into the Arctic ice. The ing the representation of cloud and measurements obtained from the precipitation processes in mesoscale Convair-580 are being compared to models. IMPROVE-1 concentrated on remote sensing measurements from the frontal systems off the coast of Wash- ship, satellites, and the NASA ER-2 ington State. During the winter of 2001- high-altitude aircraft. Extensive 2002, IMPROVE-2 studied orographic measurements were also obtained from systems over the Oregon Cascades. the Convair-580 on aerosols and cloud The CARG, with the Convair-580, structures in the Arctic, and the participated in the Chesapeake reflectivity properties of various ice Lighthouse and Aircraft Measurements surfaces. These data are being used to for Satellites (CLAMS) field study off increase understanding of aerosol- the Delmarva Peninsula, USA, in the cloud-climate interactions in the Arctic. summer of 2001. Airborne measure- In 1999, the Convair-580 was used to ments were made to validate NASA study convective clouds over the EOS-Terra data products. western tropical Pacific Ocean in the CARG’s Legacy Kwajalein Experiment (KWAJEX), and to determine how well precipitation After more than 30 years of science from these clouds can be monitored missions, the CARG closed down its from the Tropical Rainfall Monitoring aircraft flight facility at the end of 2001. Mission (TRMM) satellite. The productivity and value of the CARG’s work over the past 30 years is Summer 2000 saw the Convair-580 in probably best indicated by its over 300 southern Africa for the South African publications, the more than 60 graduate Regional Science Initiative—2000 students who have received their M.S. (SAFARI 2000) field project. Thirty-one or Ph.D. degrees for research carried research flights were carried out in five out in the CARG, and its training of countries for the purpose of obtaining many scientists in airborne research in situ measurements of aerosols and (both the current and former Director trace gases for comparison with remote of the National Center for Atmoshperic sensing measurements from the NASA Research’s (NCAR’s) aviation facility, Terra satellite, ER-2 aircraft, and and the current Director of the National ground-based instruments; to measure Science Foundation (NSF)/NCAR’s emissions from biomass burning and High-performance Instrumental industries; to study regional hazes; and Airborne Platform for Environmental to investigate cloud structures off the Studies (HIAPER) Project Office, are all west coast of southern Africa. former CARG students). Although the In the winter of 2000-2001, the CARG CARG has flown its last aircraft, its carried out the first phase of the research will continue, concentrating Improvement of Microphysical on the analyses of the many large data Parameterizations through Observa- sets collected in recent years.
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(MODIS) sensor onboard the Terra and The “Firemapper™” Airborne Aqua spacecraft, a new set of satellite derived fire products became available Sensor and Flight Plans to Support (Justice 2002). In order for IBAMA to Validation of MODIS Fire Products explore these data sets to their full extent and use them operationally, it is over Brazil necessary to validate these products. With this purpose in mind, a coopera- — Wilfrid Schroederl, [email protected], Brazilian Institute for the tive group from NASA Goddard Space Environment and Natural Renewable Resources Flight Center, University of Maryland, — João A. Raposo Pereira, [email protected], Brazilian Institute for and IBAMA was established to the Environment and Natural Renewable Resources — Jeffrey Morisette, [email protected], NASA/Goddard Space quantify the uncertainty in satellite- Flight Center derived active fire and burn-scar — Ivan Csiszar, [email protected], University of Maryland, products concentrating primarily on College Park new MODIS fire products. The group — Philip Riggan, [email protected], United States Forest Service - Pacific Southwest Research Station will also investigate land-cover-change — James W. Hoffman, [email protected], Space Instruments, Inc. dynamics and their relations with fire. This work is part of the LBA-Ecology Phase II program. The fundamental data set for this study will be the In the context of the joint NASA- Introduction airborne Firemapper™ imagery. Ministry of Science and Technology of Satellite monitoring of vegetation fires The Firemapper™ System Brazil’s Large Scale Biosphere-Atmosphere over the Brazilian Amazon forest has Experiment in Amazônia (LBA), a proven to be of exceptional value in the IBAMA, through a cooperative validation campaign has been designed to past decade. Given the large aerial agreement with the USFS, has been address MODIS (Moderate Resolution extent and the limited number of roads participating in different airborne data- Imaging Spectroradiometer) fire-product in the region, observations from above acquisition campaigns flown over quality over the Amazon basin. To are the only practical way to track land- Brazil since the very early stages of the accomplish this task, data from both high- cover dynamics in the Amazon basin. development of that nation’s national resolution Earth Observing System (EOS) As a result, satellite data from NOAA’s fire-monitoring system. Many airborne spaceborne sensors, such as the Advanced Advanced Very High Resolution campaigns have been scheduled and Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Radiometer (AVHRR) have been used flown since 1991, when the cooperative Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) and effectively since the 1980´s by the agreement between IBAMA and USFS Landsat 7 Enhanced Thematic Mapper national fire-monitoring facility of the was first signed. During this time, a Plus (ETM+), and airborne missions will Brazilian Institute for the Environment variety of airborne configuration be used. The airborne instrument, called and Natural Renewable Resources systems were used, from small twin- Firemapper™, comprises two digital (IBAMA). During this time, a number engine propeller aircraft (like the USFS cameras and an infrared sensor based on of aircraft-based validation campaigns Piper Navajo) to high-speed-high- an uncooled detector array. Five primary were conducted in cooperation with altitude jet aircraft (like the Brazilian areas were chosen as potential core sites; the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) to Air Force Learjet). These flights have these were areas with the highest fire address satellite data quality and other involved various imaging sensors, frequency during previous years. Flight fire-related issues such as emission including NASA’s Airborne Infrared lines will be planned to match coincident factors and area burned (Riggan et al., Disaster Assessment System (AIRDAS), satellite overpasses, providing high-spatial 1993; Miranda et al., 1996; Miranda et a four-band cryogenic-cooled infrared -resolution data (down to 1.5 m @ 10000- al., 1997). sensor, and most recently the SIVAM (a feet flight altitude). This article describes Brazilian program for monitoring the the Firemapper™ instrument and its With the launch of the Moderate Amazon Forest) multi-spectral scanner current flight plans. Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MSS) mounted on a Brazilian Air
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Force EMBRAER-145 regional jet sensor built previously by Space digital cameras have spectral filters at aircraft. Instruments for NASA. This space 615-685 nm and 815-885 nm to obtain sensor called Infrared Spectral Imaging Normalized Difference Vegetation The experience gained during previous Radiometer (ISIR) was flown success- Index (NDVI) maps of the vegetation airborne campaigns helped both fully by NASA as an experiment on and allow the detection of vegetation- IBAMA and the USFS address the most shuttle mission STS-85 in 1997. During cover disturbance. important aspects of the science behind this mission, over 50 hours of multi- airborne-data acquisition. As a result, spectral data were collected at 240- The cameras are mounted on an in 1998 the USFS - Pacific Southwest meter spatial resolution (Hoffman et aluminum base plate fixed to the Research Station, started working on al., 1998). ISIR was the first demonstra- aircraft’s bottom compartment, the development of an instrument tion of an uncooled microbolometer specially designed for receiving the called Firemapper™. This instrument sensor in space. instrument. Both cameras are con- was designed to have the major trolled by software installed in the characteristics needed to accurately The Firemapper™ sensors cover Firemapper™ server, where the sense active fires and land-cover approximately 35 degrees in the cross- operator can set different parameters to conditions associated with burning, flight direction and map contiguously adjust image acquisition for frame deforestation and selective harvesting. in the direction of flight in all 5 spectral exposure, gain and trigger timing Firemapper™ was designed and bands. The 16-bit dynamic range (among others), depending on flight fabricated by Space Instruments, Inc., allows accurate fire-intensity measure- altitude and desired image overlap- of Encinitas, CA, with funding from the ments to be made without saturation. ping. The in-flight operator can modify U.S. Department of Agriculture An internal calibration system provides any of the parameters for best results (USDA). accurate absolute calibration of the and highlight frames containing special entire optical, detector, and electronics features during image acquisition, Firemapper™ is made of two sensor train. A photograph of the facilitating the job of image selection components: a 3-band microbolometer Firemapper™ airborne system is after landing. infrared sensor and a pair of visible/ shown in Figure 1. NIR digital cameras (details of these IR Sensor components are given below). The Visible Bands - Digital Cameras The microbolometer is based on the system includes a server for data The visible bands of the Firemapper™ concept of an uncooled-detector array. acquisition and recording during flight. were designed based on two Kodak This technology eliminates the need of The Firemapper™ infrared sensor Megaplus 1.6i digital cameras, each cryogenic cooling, making operation design was based on a microbolometer containing 1.6 million pixels. Triggering simpler and reducing instrument total can be selected at frame intervals down weight. The infrared bands utilize a to 1.5 seconds to obtain desired image single uncooled microbolometer overlap in the flight direction. Camera detector array and operate without integration is also selectable down to 1 mechanical scanning. The detector msec to accommodate a wide range of array features an internal calibration scene conditions. The Instantaneous system and automatic drift correction Field of View (IFOV) of the digital to obtain stable, highly calibrated cameras is 0.375 mrad, and the radiometric measurements. The three crosstrack field of view is 32.8º. Given infrared spectral bands are separated as these characteristics, the total number follows: (i) 8.2 to 9.0 µm (to line up of usable pixels per image frame is 1528 with MODIS band 29 at 8.55 µm); (ii) rows x 1024 columns. This configura- 11.5 to 12.5 µm (to match AVHRR FIGURE 1: This is a photograph of the Firemapper(tm) airborne system. The system tion produces the curves shown in channel 5 and MODIS band 32); and consists of two visible/near-infrared digital Figure 2, from which ground-pixel area (iii) 8.0 to 12.5 µm (for wideband, cameras and an infrared microbolometer sensor. and total frame swath can be calculated maximum sensitivity imaging). Flame according to flight conditions. The two temperatures and radiant intensities
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can be calculated from the 8.5-µm and A real-time display of any of the Firemapper™ system’s operating 12-µm band data. The instrument field- spectral images is available to the in- server. Information on frame acquisi- of-view (IFOV) of this sensor is 1.85 flight operator through a flat-screen tion date, time, central latitude and mrad and the crosstrack field of view is LCD monitor. The operator can control longitude, aircraft speed and heading 34.7º. Total number of usable pixels image display features (color palette), are automatically fed into the file amounts to 327 rows x 245 columns. As zooming, and make all modifications header where it can be used for post- in the case of the visible bands, the regarding flight parameters. All of the flight image georeferencing. system operator controls image five spectral images are automatically parameters (frame rate in hertz, scan tagged with a header containing GPS An Example of Firemapper™ mode, filter selection, among others), coordinates, flight speed, and acquisi- Observations data recording, and management. tion parameters. Firemapper™ was completed in August 2000 and taken to Brazil in Airborne Data Acquisition System Software has been specifically designed September 2000 for flight demonstra- for visualizing and preprocessing tions over the Amazon region. The The Firemapper™ onboard system Firemapper™ images. The software Firemapper™ imagery was collected control is accomplished by a Micron performs image selection, and coincident with IBAMA field experi- NetFrame server mounted in the resampling, and creates images in ments, flown in a Piper Navajo aircraft’s passenger compartment. The standard formats that can be exported research aircraft owned and operated equipment can hold up to six 18 GByte to other image-processing software. by the Pacific Southwest Research removable hard disks of high-speed Station of the USFS. Several fires and data-recording capacity. These disks Individual image referencing is agricultural areas in the Amazon region can be taken out of the aircraft for accomplished through an 8-channel were mapped in these initial flight transfer to another computer, erased XTS/III Motorola ONCORETM GPS experiments. and reused in another flight. receiver that is integrated to the
GROUND GROUND RESOLUTION SWATH (meters) WIDTH
ALTITUDE (meters)
LEGEND: IR RES VIS RES VIS SW IR SW
FIGURE 2: This graph shows Firemapper(tm) image acquisition properties for different flight altitudes.
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Acre (lba-ecology.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/ web/investigations/inv_abstracts.pl), located in the western-most region of the Arc of Deforestation, where some complementary studies on vegetation fire research are being carried out. If budget and time allows, Firemapper™ imagery will be acquired over Acre to complement the work of Brown et al. FIGURE 3: The above images of a fire at the IBGE Ecological Reserve in Brasília, Brazil were acquired September 19, 2000, using Firemapper™. The 8.5-µm image is on the left, the visible band is The aircraft selected for use during the in the center, and the 12-µm image is on the right. LBA airborne campaigns is a Bandeirante-EMB 110 owned and
Figure 3 shows images of a fire at the spread. Out of the seven Brazilian operated by the National Institute for Space Research (INPE) in Brazil. The Brazilian Institute of National Statistics states covered by the Arc of Deforesta- and Geography (IBGE) Ecological tion, Pará is most impacted. Three sites aircraft is specially designed for remote sensing activities with its original Reserve in Brasília taken on September in Pará appear as the leading locations 19, 2000, with the Firemapper™ in terms of the number of vegetation frame modified to accommodate a variety of instruments. The base plate system. The infrared imagery illustrates fires detected and are thus included in the capability to detect temperature this study. Furthermore, there are two where both visible and IR sensors are mounted is fixed to the bottom of the variations within the flames. The distinct fire seasons in Brazil; the visible imagery is not able to resolve second affects the state of Roraima aircraft. within-flame variability, but clearly during the months of December shows the location of the most intense through March every year. Thus, a For all sites, data acquisition requests flames and the smoke plume. fourth site was chosen in Roraima. This will be submitted to obtain coincident Terra/ASTER and Landsat/ETM+ also feeds the study with a more- imagery as well as data from the Planned Flight Areas periodic flow of data. experimental fire satellite Bi-spectral Having over 60% of its continental area Following the hot spot frequency maps Infrared Detection (BIRD) – originally covered by the Amazon derived from NOAA/AVHRR detec- spacesensors.dlr.de/SE/bird/). Forest, Brazil plays a major role in tion during the last four years (July tropical land-cover dynamics. This 1998 - July 2002), four potential areas References large extent of forested areas, together were selected for the study. These are: Hoffman, J. W., K. Cashman, R. Grush, with the widespread use of fire as a K. Manizade, J. Spinhirne, 1998: 1. Santa Maria das Barreiras, state of mechanism for land management ISIR (Infrared Spectral Imaging Pará: central coordinate 50º 48' results in a high number of vegetation Radiometer) flight results from 00"W, 08º 30' 00"S; fires being observed every year shuttle mission STS-85. SPIE 2. São Felix do Xingu, state of Pará: (www2.ibama.gov.br/proarco). This is Optical Science & Instrumentation central coordinate 51º 36' 00"W, 06º particularly true for the Arc of Defores- ’98 Symposium. 2 12' 00"S; tation, a 1.6 million-km area separat- Justice, C. O., L. Giglio, S. Korontzi, J. 3. Marabá, state of Pará: central ing the dense Amazon forest from the Owens, J.T. Morisette, D. Roy, J. coordinate 49º 12' 00"W, 05º 24' surrounding cerrado (savanna) Descloitres, S. Alleaume, F. 00"S; vegetation. In this area, thousands of Petitcolin, and Y. Kaufman, 2002: 4. Boa Vista, state of Roraima: central vegetation fires are detected every year The MODIS Fire Products. Remote coordinate 60º 54' 00"W, 02º 42' from June to October, when the Sensing of Environment. 00"N. combination of reduced rainfall, high temperatures, and low air humidity A related LBA investigation comprises See FIREMAPPER; page 45 creates ideal conditions for fire to Foster Brown’s et al. sites in the state of
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Kudos Vince Salomonson Receives Nordberg Award
The William Nordberg Memorial Award for Earth Sciences is given each year to an Outstanding Leader in NASA’s Earth Observing System. Salomonson, a senior scientist for NASA’s Earth Science Directorate and team leader for the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) instruments on both Terra and Aqua, was the 2002 recipient. The award was presented at the November 15 Scien- tific Colloquium during the William Nordberg Memorial Lecture presented by Eric G. Adelberger from the University Of Washington. Salomonson is the ninth recipi- ent since the Goddard honor was first introduced in 1994.
NASA and Department of Interior (DOI) Honor Achievements in Remote Sens- ing
NASA and DOI officials presented the 2001 and 2002 William T. Pecora award, a prestigious federal award given to individuals and groups for contributions in remote sensing at a ceremony in Denver, Colorado. The 2001 award winners were: • Ronald J. P. Lyon • The Landsat 7 Team The 2002 award winners were: • Ichtiaque Rasool • The Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite Team. Mary Cleave, Deputy Associate Administrator for Earth Science (Advanced Plan- ning) in the NASA Office of Earth Science, and U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Regional Director Tom Casadevall, representing the DOI, presented the award at the annual Pecora 15/Land Satellite Information IV Symposium. The award, sponsored jointly by NASA and the DOI, recognizes outstanding con- tributions to the understanding of the Earth by means of remote sensing. It has been presented annually since 1974 in memory of William T. Pecora, whose early vision and support helped establish what we know today as the Landsat satellite program. Pecora was Director of the USGS from 1965-71, and later served as Undersecretary, Department of the Interior, until his death in 1972. The Earth Observer staff congratulates these individuals and teams for their achieve- ments.
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to 2000. The two scenarios included Shifts in Rice Farming Practices in continuous flooding over each season, and draining of paddy water three China Reduce Methane Emissions times over the course of each season.
— Krishna Ramanujan, [email protected], NASA Goddard When the two model runs were Space Flight Center compared, the researchers found that — Sharon Keeler, [email protected], University of New Hampshire methane emissions from China’s paddy fields were reduced over that time period by about 40%, or by 5 million metric tons per year, an amount Excerpts taken from Press Release No. 02- greater warming potential than CO2, 172. For more information and full release, but at the same time, methane is very roughly equivalent to the decrease in please see www.gsfc.nasa.gov/topstory/ sensitive to management practices.” the rate of growth of total global 2002/1204paddies.html. Currently, about 8 percent of global methane emissions. methane emissions come from the Changes to farming practices in rice “The modeled decline in methane world’s rice paddies..... paddies in China may have led to a emissions in China is consistent with decrease in methane emissions, and an ..... The researchers have spent more the slowing of the growth rate of observed decline in the rate that than 10 years developing a bio- atmospheric methane during the same methane has entered the Earth’s geochemical model, called the Denitri- period,” Li said. “Still, more work will atmosphere over the last 20 years, a fication-Decomposition (DNDC) be needed to further verify the relation- NASA-funded study finds. model, which handles all the major ship demonstrated in this study with factors relating to methane emissions limited data points.” Changsheng Li, a professor of natural from rice paddies. These factors resources in the University of New Demand for rice in Asia is projected to included weather, soil properties, crop Hampshire’s Institute for the Study of increase by 70% over the next 30 years, types and rotations, tillage, fertilizer Earth, Oceans, and Space, and lead and agriculture currently accounts for and manure use, and water manage- author of the study, notes that in the about 86% of total water consumption ment. The model was employed in the early 1980s Chinese farmers began in Asia, according to a recent report study to scale up the observed impacts draining their paddies midway from the International Rice Research of water management from the local through the rice growing season when Institute. Changes to management sites to larger regional scales. Remotely they learned that replacing a strategy of practices like this will be more impor- sensed data from the NASA/U.S. continuous flooding would in fact tant and likely in the future as the Geological Survey Landsat Thematic increase their yields and save water. As world’s water resources become Mapper (TM) satellite were utilized to an unintended consequence of this increasingly limited, Li said. locate the geographic distributions and shift, less methane was emitted out of quantify the acreage of all the rice “Just like the Chinese farmers did, if rice paddies. fields in China. A Geographic Informa- farmers around the world change Methane is 21 times more potent as a tion System data base amended with management practices, we can increase greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide this Landsat data was constructed to yields, save water and reduce methane as a greenhouse gas,” Li said. “That’s a (CO2) over 100 years. At the same time, support the model runs at the national since 1750, methane concentrations in scale and to predict methane emissions win-win situation.” the atmosphere have more than from all rice fields in the country. The study, which appears in the print doubled, though the rate of increase The researchers adopted 1990 as a version of Geophysical Research Letters in has slowed during the 1980s-90s. mean representative year as they had late December, was funded by NASA “There are three major greenhouse detailed, reliable data for that year, and through grants from the multi-agency gases emitted from agricultural lands— then ran the model with two water Terrestrial Ecosystems and Global carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous management scenarios to cover the Change Program, and also NASA’s oxide,” said Li. “Methane has a much changes in farming practices from 1980 Earth Science Enterprise.
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Cosmiverse, Honolulu Star Bulletin, Der Wissenschaft (Scientific Germany), ScienceDaily, The Weather Channel, Village 2 on-line (42 Canadian Newspa- pers). Steve Businger and Robert Mazany (both U-HI), discuss a new lightning index that uses measure- ments of water vapor in the atmo- sphere from Global Positioning — Robert Gutro, rgutro Systems and has improved the lead- @pop900.gsfc,nasa.gov, NASA time for predicting the first lightning Earth Science News Team. strikes from thunderstorms.
Ocean Temperatures Affect Intensity Measurements in Lake Pontchartrain, Study Shows Global Warming Will of South Asian Monsoons, Nov. 7; Nov. 28; Times-Picayune. Richard Miller Devastate Water in West, Nov. 21; UPI, SpaceDaily, Cosmiverse. Man Li Wu (NASA Stennis) is using remote sensing CNN. Global warming will have a (NASA Goddard) says warmer or to measure the incidence and causes of devastating effect on water availability colder sea surface temperatures affect re-suspension in Louisiana’s Lake in the Western United States over the the Madden-Julian Oscillation, a large- Pontchartrain. next 25 to 50 years, a new national scale atmospheric circulation that climate forecasting effort says. Dennis regulates rainfall associated with South The Arctic Perennial Sea Ice Could Be Lettenmaier (U-WA) and Bill Patzert Asian and Australian monsoons. Gone By End Of The Century, Nov. 27; (JPL) were quoted. CBS Evening News, CNN, CBS Transition from El Niño to La Niña Newspath. Estimated audience for the Scientists Dismiss ‘Chemical Trail’ Affected Vegetation, Nov. 6, story so far is 14 million. Josefino Theories, Nov. 18; Durango, CO Herald. ScienceDaily, Cosmiverse. Compton Comiso (NASA Goddard) found that Paul Newman (NASA Goddard) and Tucker, Assaf Anyamba and Bob perennial sea ice in the Arctic is melting B. Owen Toon (U-CO-Boulder) said Mahoney (all NASA Goddard) have faster than previously thought—at a there is nothing dangerous about the used satellite data to show that shifts in rate of 9 percent per decade. If these white contrails from aircraft that a New rainfall patterns from one of the melting rates continue for a few more Mexico scientist and some Durango- strongest El Niño events of the century decades, the perennial sea ice will area residents say are causing sickness in 1997 to a La Niña event in 2000 likely disappear entirely within this and drought around the county. significantly changed vegetation century, due to rising temperatures and patterns over Africa. interactions between ice, ocean, and the NASA Satellite Flies High to Monitor atmosphere that accelerate the melting Sun’s Influence on Ozone, Nov. 15; Changing Rain Patterns Could Ruin process. Spacedaily, Comsiverse, UPI. Gary Rottman (U-CO) and Charles Jackman Crops, Oct. 31, Weather Channel, Der NASA Maps Lewis and Clark’s Trails, (NASA Goddard) explained that in Wissenschaft Scientific Germany, Edie. Nov. 26, NASA Commercial Technology October, the Upper Atmosphere com, Environment News Service, UPI. Network. Marco Giardino (NASA Research Satellite (UARS) completed Cynthia Rosenzweig and Francesco Stennis) directed a project using remote the first measurement of the solar Tubiello, (NASA Goddard Institute for sensing to create precision 3-D maps ultraviolet radiation spectrum over the Space Studies and Columbia Univ.) and visualizations of Lewis and Clark’s duration of an 11-year solar cycle, a found that an increased frequency of trail and campsites. The project period marked by cyclical shifts in the extreme precipitation events has been coincides with the upcoming Lewis Sun’s activity. observed over the last 100 years in the and Clark bicentennial commemoration United States. Using computer climate and examines how the ecosystem has New Method Strikes an Improvement and crop-model simulations, they changed in the last 200 years. in Lightning Predictions, Nov. 7, predict that U.S. agricultural produc-
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tion losses due to excess rainfall may from space through satellites, all double in the next 30 years, resulting in tailored into useful maps and databases Firemapperª an estimated $3 billion per year in for streamlining efforts to combat the Continued from page 41 damages. disease.
NASA Joins International Ozone Land Use Alters Climate, Oct. 2, 2002; Study in Arctic, Oct. 31, BBC, CNN, Coloradoan Newspaper, Miranda, A. C.; H. S. Miranda, J. Grace, Cosmiverse.com, Spaceflightnow.com, US Cosmiverse, Der Wissenschaft Germany, J. Lloyd, J. McIntyre, P. Meier, P. J. Global Change Research Program. NASA Earthwatch Radio, Environment News Riggan, R. N. Lockwood, and J. A. researchers will join more than 350 Service, Washington Times, and many Brass, 1996: Fluxes of CO2 over a scientists from the United States, the more. A study by Roger Pielke, Sr., an Cerrado sensu stricto in Central European Union, Canada, Iceland, atmospheric scientist at Colorado State Brazil. In. Amazonian Deforestation Japan, Norway, Poland, Russia, and University, Fort Collins, CO, points to and Climate. J. H. Gash; C. A. Switzerland this winter to measure the importance of also including Nobre; J. M. Roberts and R. L. ozone and other atmospheric gases human-caused land-use changes as a Victoria (Eds.). John Wiley and using aircraft, large and small balloons, major factor contributing to climate Sons, Chichester, 353-363. ground-based instruments, and change. Miranda, A.C.; H. S. Miranda, J. Lloyd, satellites. J. Grace, J. A. Francey, J. McIntyre, Ozone Hole Splits in Half, Sept. 30, P. Meir, P. J. Riggan, R. N. NAUTILUS Project, Oct. 15, ABC, CBS, CNN Newssource, Australian Lockwood, and J. A. Brass, 1997: Spacedaily.com. Rodney McKellip Broadcasting, Ananova, Canadian Fluxes of carbon, water and energy (NASA Stennis) is managing a Regional Broadcasting Corp., Chicago Sun Times, over Brazilian cerrado: an analysis Earth Science Applications Centers Discovery Channel, Fox News, India using eddy covariance and stable project, the Northeast Application of Times, MSNBC, Newsday, NY Times, isotopes. Plant, Cell and Environ- Usable Technology in Land Planning Philadelphia Inquirer, Reuters, The ment, 20:315-328. for Urban Sprawl, or NAUTILUS, Weather Channel., and many more. The Riggan, P. J., J.A. Brass, R. N. developed to make data from satellites story ended up in virtually every top 20 Lockwood, 1993, Assessing Fire such as Landsat 7, Terra, Aqua, and U.S. media market. Estimated total Emission from Tropical Savanna Jason-1 available to decision makers at audience between 25-30 million. Paul and Forests of Central Brazil. the local level. Newman (NASA Goddard) and Photogrammetric Engineering & scientists from the Commerce Remote Sensing, 59:6. NASA Developing Tools to Track and Department’s National Oceanic and Predict West Nile Virus, Oct. 7; Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Ananova, CNN, Spacedaily, CBS, NBC, have confirmed that the ozone hole ABC news and many more. 175 total over the Antarctic this past September stories were picked up in the top 200 was not only much smaller than it was markets; 20 live television interviews. in 2000 and 2001, but has split into two Audience estimate: 12 million viewers. separate “holes.” Robert Venezia (NASA HQ), program manager for NASA’s Public Health Applications Program, said NASA researchers are developing tools that may one day allow public health officials to better track and predict the spread of West Nile Virus. NASA hopes to provide people on the front lines of public health with innovative technolo- gies, data, and a unique vantage point
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programs, activities, and resources Earth Science Education Program leading up to Sun-Earth Day 2003, visit Update sunearth.gsfc.nasa.gov. ChemMatters Magazine: Special — Blanche Meeson, [email protected], NASA Goddard Space Issue on NASA’s EOS Aura Flight Center Mission — Theresa Schwerin, [email protected], IGES ChemMatters is an award-winning quarterly magazine for high school chemistry students. Each issue includes articles that reveal chemistry at work in everyday life. A teacher’s guide is available which provides additional PUMAS—Practical Uses of Math integrate the material into their lesson information on articles, follow-up And Science: The On-Line plans. hands-on activities, classroom demon- Journal of Math and Science strations, and additional resources. The Examples for Pre-College Interested in participating? The September 2002 issue is the second in a Education examples are available to everyone via series designed to tell the story of Here’s an opportunity to make a high- the PUMAS web site—pumas.jpl. NASA’s Aura mission, which will impact contribution to K-12 education nasa.gov. Teachers at all grade levels, study the chemistry of our changing with a relatively small investment of scientists, and engineers are needed to atmosphere. This issue focuses on time and effort. PUMAS is an on-line serve as volunteers for the pool of people: the fascinating stories of the journal of brief examples illustrating PUMAS reviewers. Good examples of scientists and engineers behind the how math and science concepts taught the Practical Uses of Math And Science mission. It is downloadable as a PDF in pre-college classes are actually used are always welcome. file with an accompanying teachers’ in everyday life. PUMAS examples guide at www.chemistry.org/portal/. may be activities, anecdotes, descrip- Simply search on EOS Aura (top left) Sun-Earth Day 2003: Live from and you will be directed to the proper tions of “neat ideas,” formal exercises, the Aurora puzzles, or demonstrations, written sites. primarily by scientists, in any style that Students and educators are invited to serves the material well. They are “Join the Search” in February in Science and Applications News preparation for NASA’s Sun-Earth Day intended mainly to help K-12 teachers For the latest NASA Earth Science 2003. There are many exciting opportu- enrich their presentation of science and Enterprise news, visit the NASA Earth nities for both formal and informal math in the classroom. All examples are Observatory (earthobservatory.nasa.gov), education communities leading to Sun- distributed via the PUMAS web site. or Science@NASA (science.nasa.gov). Earth Day on March 18th. For example, All submissions are peer-reviewed by a documentary, “Auroras—Living with at least one scientist with a relevant a Star,” will air on February 11 and will background, and at least one teacher at be divided into short video segments an appropriate grade level. Once by topic and placed online. Each topic accepted, an example is a citable will be supported with a series of reference in a refereed science educa- activities including a web quest. Sun- tion journal, and may be listed in your Earth Day 2003 will introduce educa- resume. Teachers can search the tors to a new and exciting method to PUMAS collection based on curriculum involve students with real NASA data topic, grade level, or subject. They can called the Student Observation select relevant examples and develop Network. To learn more about these, as ideas of their own about how to well as the many other exciting events,
46 THE EARTH OBSERVER ¥ November/December 2002 Vol. 14, No. 6
March 11-13 June 30-July11 EOS Science Calendar Eleventh Annual Workshop on Adaptive International Union of Geodesy and Sensor Array Processing (ASAP 2003), Geophysics 2003, Saporo, Japan. Email: Boston, MA. Contact: James Ward, Email: [email protected], URL: January 29-30 [email protected], URL: www.ll.mit.edu/ www.jamstec.go.jp/jamstec-e/iugg/ asap. index.html. CERES Data Products Workshop, Norfolk, VA. Contact: Shannon Lynch, Email: March 31-April 2 July 21-25 [email protected], URL: asd- IGARSS 2003, Toulouse, France. Email: www.larc.nasa.gov/ceres/DP_wkshp/. Challenging Times:Towards an operational system for monitoring, modeling, and [email protected], URL: www.igarss03.com. February 12-14 forecasting of phenological changes and August 30-September 6 their socio-economic impacts, Wageningen, Committee on Earth Observation Satellites Second International Swiss NCCR Climate (CEOS) Working Group on Calibration and The Netherlands. Contac: Mark Grutters, Email [email protected], URL: Summer School: “Climate Change – Validation (WGCV)—Plenary 20, Hobart, Impacts of Terrestrial Ecosystems.” Australia. Contact: Jeffrey Privette, Email: www.dow.wau.nl/msa/epn/ challengingtimes/ Grindelwald, Switzerland. Contact: Kaspar [email protected], URL: Meuli, Email: [email protected], www.wgcvceos.org/index1.htm. April 6-11 URL: www.nccr-climate.unibe.ch. February 25-28 AGU/European Geographical Society (EGS)/ September 8-10 European Union of Geosciences (EUG) 2003 AVIRIS Earth Science and Sixth Baiona Workshop on Signal Joint Spring Meeting, Nice, France. Applications Workshop, Pasadena, CA. Processing in Communications, Baiona, Email:[email protected], URL: Contact: Robert Green, Email: Spain. Contact Carlos Mosquera, Email: www.copernicus.org/EGS/egsga/nice03/. [email protected]. [email protected], URL: May 7-9 www.baionaworkshop.org March 18-20 September 23-26 3rd SEEDS Public Workshop, Annapolis, American Society of Photgrammetry and MD. Contact: Kathy Fontaine, Email: Remote Sensing, Anchorage, AK. Contact: Oceans ‘03, San Diego, CA. Contact: Brock [email protected], URL: Thomas Eidel, Email:[email protected], URL: Rosenthal, Email: [email protected], www.westoverconferences.com. www.asprs.org/alaska2003/. Tel: (858) 454 4044, URL: www.o- vations.com. March 18-21 June 2-3 November 10-14 Aura Science Team Meeting, Greenbelt, 16th Annual Geographic Information MD. Contact: Anne Douglass, Email: Sciences Conference, Towson University, 30th International Symposium on Remote [email protected]. Baltimore, MD. Contact John Morgan, tel. Sensing of Environment, Honolulu, HI. (410) 704-2964, Fax: (410) 704-3888, Email: [email protected], URL: Email: [email protected], URL: www.symposia.org. Global Change Calendar cgis.towson.edu/tugis2003.
May 5-8
Final Open Science Conference, "A Sea of February 9-13 Change: JGOFS Accomplishments and the American Meteorological Society Annual Future of Ocean Biogeochemistry.,” Meeting, Long Beach, CA. Washington, DC. URL: usjgofs.whoi.edu/ Email:[email protected], URL: osc2003.html ametsoc.org/AMS/. June 4-6 February 13-18 Oceanology International (OI) Americas, AAAS Annual Meeting, Denver, CO. URL: New Orleans, LA. URL: www.aaas.org/meetings/. www.oiamericas.com.
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The Earth Observer
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