Thriving on Our Changing Planet A Decadal Strategy for Earth Observation from Space (2018) / Chapter Skim
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1 A Vision for the Decade
1 A Vision for the Decade
Pages 17-30
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From page 17... ...
An ice-free summer Arctic will introduce major perturbations to climate, weather, and ecosystem patterns, but will also provide access to new resources and reduced shipping times. Managing the risks and understanding the opportunities inherent to a changing world requires observations and knowledge -- not only of the changes that are occurring, but also of the reasons for them and the associated implications.
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Earth observations from space are critical in this effort. Over the past few decades, the United States has been a clear leader of the global effort to acquire sophisticated observational data from satellites.
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These new observation priorities will be complemented by an additional two new small missions and six new instruments to be selected through NASA's existing Earth Venture program element, and two opportunities for value of Earth observation satellites in depth. 3The committee fully recognizes that accomplishing science today and achieving societal benefits from science requires treating information as an end-to-end process, involving observations, analysis, modeling, archive, automated analytics, applications, data communication, and far more.
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20 THRIVING ON OUR CHANGING PLANET FIGURE 1.1 We all depend extensively on Earth information. Sometimes to the minute, our daily lives are guided and enhanced (often in ways we do not readily recognize)
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Ensuring Resource Availability -- UN-Water, 2007; McKinsey Global Institute, 2017.
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, overlaid with current and potential Arctic shipping routes (dotted red lines) resulting from sea-ice loss.
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The US Navy Arctic Roadmap 2014-2030 was developed with the changing Arctic in mind, to guide future strategic operations. The roadmap calls for additional research on rising seas and improved ability to predict sea ice thickness, as well as assessments of the surveillance and facility needs in this critical region of our world.
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From page 24... ...
Space-based Earth observations are also vital for national security.4 As an example, understanding atmospheric and oceanic processes (such as sea-level rise and the impacts of ocean warming on ocean circulation associated with climate change) and their implications is critical for naval operations.
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Ocean Water Freshening Post-Glacial Rebound & Subsidence SEA LEVEL Ocean Heat Salt Water Uptake & RISE Contamination of Thermal Groundwater in Expansion Coastal Areas Deep Ocean Processes that Contribute to Sea Level Rise Impacts of Sea Level Rise (in Italic) FIGURE 1.2 The complex interacting components of the Earth system that contribute to sea-level rise and its consequences.
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From page 26... ...
understanding the role of climate and other environmental changes is important for anticipating future sources of geopolitical instability. Finding 1.1: Space-based Earth observations provide a global perspective of Earth that has • ver the past 60 years, transformed our "scientific understanding" of the planet, revealing it to O be an integrated system of dynamic interactions between the atmosphere, ocean, land, ice, and human society across a range of spatial and temporal scales irrespective of geographic, political, or disciplinary boundaries.
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From page 27... ...
. The committee recognizes that resource constraints are likely to remain a practical concern during the next decade, and that new resources must be applied wisely when available.6 The importance of an effective Earth system science and applications enterprise requires that our entire community of scientists and practitioners rise to the following community challenge within the next decade: 6Various proposals for reducing agency budgets and eliminating particular Program of Record (POR)
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From page 28... ...
For the period following known budget requests, a simple inflation-adjusted increase is assured. Decadal Community Challenge Pursue increasingly ambitious objectives and innovative solutions that enhance and accelerate the science/applications value of space-based Earth observation and analysis to the nation and to the world in a way that delivers great value, even when resources are constrained, and ensures that further investment will pay substantial dividends.
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as the changing climate and other influences shape the world in which we will live. Building on the success and discoveries of the last several decades, the report's balanced program provides a pathway to realizing tremendous scientific and societal benefits from space-based Earth observations.
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From page 30... ...
2016. "Cutting NASA Earth Observations Would Be a Costly Mistake," Defense One.
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