Thriving on Our Changing Planet: A Decadal Strategy for Earth Observation from Space An Overview for Decision Makers and the Public (2019) / Chapter Skim
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Excerpts from the Report Summary
Excerpts from the Report Summary
Pages 17-26
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From page 17... ...
This process assumed that the existing and planned instruments in the Program of Record are implemented as expected. ESTABLISHING SCIENCE AND APPLICATIONS PRIORITIES Starting from an initial set of 290 community-submitted ideas, the committee, working with the five interdisciplinary panels, narrowed this large set of ideas to a set of 35 key Earth science and applications questions to be addressed over the next decade.
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From page 18... ...
and the implications for issues such as water availability for human consumption and irrigation; • Understanding alterations to surface characteristics and landscapes (e.g., snow cover, snow melt, landslides, earthquakes, eruptions, urbanization, land-cover and land use) and the implications for applications such as risk management and resource management; • Assessing the evolving characteristics and health of terrestrial vegetation and aquatic ecosystems, which is important for understanding key consequences such as crop yields, carbon uptake, and biodiversity; and • Examining movement of land and ice surfaces to determine, in the case of ice, the likelihood of rapid ice loss and significantly accelerated rates of sea-level rise, and in the case of land, changes in strain rates that impact and provide critical insights into earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, landslides, and tectonic plate deformation.
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From page 19... ...
The knowledge developed in the coming decade, through this science, holds great promise for informing actions and investments for a successful future.
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From page 20... ...
Sea Level Rise (C-1) How much will sea level rise, globally and regionally, over the next decade and beyond, and what will be the role of ice sheets and ocean heat storage?
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From page 21... ...
Designated Incubation Designated Incubation Explorer Explorer Targeted Targeted Observable Science/Applications Summary Candidate Measurement Approach Observable Science/Applications Summary Candidate Measurement Approach Aerosols Aerosol properties, aerosol vertical profiles, and cloud Backscatter lidar and multichannel/multiangle/ Aerosols Aerosol properties, aerosol vertical profiles, and cloud properties to understand their effects on climate and air Backscatter lidar and multichannel/multiangle/ polarization imaging radiometer flown properties to understand their effects on climate and air X quality together on the same platform flown polarization imaging radiometer X quality together on the same platform Clouds, Convection, Coupled cloud-precipitation state and dynamics for Dual-frequency radar, with multifrequency Clouds, Convection, and Precipitation Coupled cloud-precipitation state and dynamics for monitoring global hydrological cycle and understanding Dual-frequency radar, with multifrequency passive microwave and sub-mm radiometer and Precipitation monitoring global hydrological cycle and understanding passive microwave and sub-mm radiometer X contributing processes including cloud feedback X contributing processes including cloud feedback Mass Change Large-scale Earth dynamics measured by the changing Spacecraft ranging measurement of gravity Mass Change mass distribution dynamics measured by the changing Large-scale Earthwithin and between the Earth's anomaly ranging measurement of gravity Spacecraft mass distribution within and between the Earth's anomaly X atmosphere, oceans, groundwater, and ice sheets X atmosphere, oceans, groundwater, and ice sheets Surface Biology and Earth surface geology and biology, ground/water Hyperspectral imagery in the visible and Surface Biology and Geology temperature, geology and biology, ground/water Earth surfacesnow reflectivity, active geologic processes, Hyperspectral imagery in the visible and shortwave infrared (IR) , multi- or Geology temperature, snow reflectivity, active geologic processes, shortwave infrared (IR)
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From page 22... ...
Together, these new program elements complement existing NASA flight program elements such as the Venture program. The foundational observations in Table S.2 -- the five shown in the "Designated" column that are recommended specifically by the committee for implementation, and the three to be competitively selected from among the identified set of seven "Earth System Explorer" candidates -- augment the existing POR and ensure that the survey's 35 priority science and applications questions can be effectively addressed, to the extent that resources allow.
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From page 23... ...
The flight program provides observations that the research and analysis program draws on to perform scientific exploration, the applied sciences program transforms the science into real-world benefits, and the technology program accelerates the inclusion of technology advances in flight programs. The current balance across these four program elements is largely appropriate, enabling a robust and resilient Earth science program, and can be effectively maintained using decision rules such as recommended in this report.
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From page 24... ...
New observations and data products enable innovative commercial applications that have the potential for substantial economic benefit to both developers and end users. Building on the success and discoveries of the past several decades, the report's balanced program provides a pathway to realizing remarkable scientific and societal benefits from space-based Earth observations.
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From page 25... ...
24-25. NASA Earth Observatory, 2012, https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/79800; image by Robert Simmon, using Suomi NPP VIIRS data provided courtesy of Chris Elvidge (NOAA National Geophysical Data Center)
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From page 26... ...
Building on the success and discoveries of the past several decades, the report's balanced program provides a pathway to realizing remarkable scientific and societal benefits from space-based Earth observations. It ensures that the United States will continue to be a visionary leader and partner in Earth observation over the coming decade, inspiring the next generation of Earth science and applications innovation and the people who make that possible.
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