Earth Science and Applications from Space National Imperatives for the Next Decade and Beyond (2007) / Chapter Skim
Currently Skimming:
Part I: An Integrated Strategy for Earth Science and Applications from Space, 1 Earth Science: Scientific Discovery and Societal Applications
Part I: An Integrated Strategy for Earth Science and Applications from Space, 1 Earth Science: Scientific Discovery and Societal Applications
Pages 17-26
The Chapter Skim interface presents what we've algorithmically identified as the most significant single chunk of text within every page in the chapter.
Select key terms on the right to highlight them within pages of the chapter.
From page 17... ...
part i An Integrated Strategy for Earth Science and Applications from Space 17
|
From page 19... ...
The declarations call for a renewal of the national commitment to a program of Earth observations from space in which attention to securing practical benefits for humankind plays an equal role with the quest to acquire new knowledge about Earth. The interim report described how satellite observations have been critical to scientific efforts to understand Earth as a system of connected components, including the land, oceans, atmosphere, biosphere, and solid Earth.
|
From page 20... ...
In concert with these actions, the nation should execute a strong, intellectually driven Earth sciences program and an integrated in situ and space-based observing system. Improved understanding of the coupled Earth system and global observations of Earth are linked components that are the foundation of an effective Earth information system.
|
From page 21... ...
The impact of natural disasters, and the need for observations that can improve predictions and warnings, will only grow as society becomes more complex and as populations and economic infrastructure increase in vulnerable geographical and ecological areas. Several important lessons are evident from the Katrina disaster.
|
From page 22... ...
. Likewise, satellite observations have played a key role in: • The discovery, understanding, and monitoring of the depletion of stratospheric ozone; • Understanding the transport of air pollution between countries and continents; • Determining the rates of glacial and sea ice retreat; • Monitoring land-use change due to both human and natural causes; • Monitoring and understanding changing weather patterns due to land-use change and aerosols; • Determining changes in strain and stress through the earthquake cycle; • Understanding the global-scale effects of El Niño and La Niña on weather patterns and ocean productivity; • Forecasting the development of and tracking hurricanes, typhoons, and other severe storms; and • Assessing damage from natural disasters and targeting relief efforts.
|
From page 23... ...
A fundamental challenge for the coming decade is to ensure that established societal needs help to guide scientific priorities more effectively and that emerging scientific knowledge is actively applied to obtain societal benefits. New observations and analyses, enhanced understanding and increasingly accurate predictive models, broadened community participation, and improved means for dissemination and use of information are all required.
|
From page 24... ...
Over the last few decades a concerted effort to develop satellite measurements of the ocean has revolutionized understanding of ocean circulation, air-sea interaction, and ocean productivity. Just at the point that capabilities have been realized to make major contributions to climate predictions on times scales of seasons to decades and to monitor the changes in the ocean's health, we are in danger of losing many ocean satellite observations because of programmatic failures or a lack of will to sustain the measurements.
|
From page 25... ...
However, the stresses of global environmental change and growing rates of resource consumption now spur greater demands for collection and analyses of data that describe how environmental factors are related to patterns of morbidity and mortality. Further improvements in the application of remote sensing technologies will allow better understanding of disease risk and prediction of disease outbreaks, more rapid detection of environmental changes that affect human health, identification of spatial variability in environmental health risk, targeted interventions to reduce vulnerability to health risks, and enhanced knowledge of human health-environment interactions.
|
From page 26... ...
2005. Effects of mangrove removal on algal growth: Biotic and abiotic changes with potential implications for adja cent coral patch reefs.
|
Key Terms
This material may be derived from roughly machine-read images, and so is provided only to facilitate research.
More
information on Chapter Skim is available.