Medical and Hospital News  
EARTH OBSERVATION
The combined power of remote earth observations aboard ISS
by Jerryn Puckett for ISS News
Houston TX (SPX) Apr 17, 2020

Image of ECOSTRESS data taken over Peru during 2019 wildfires that shows vegetation temperatures in response to water availability. The flame symbols show the locations of the fires whereas the colors indicate the level of evaporative stress. The browner a region is, the less water is available for plants.

Understanding how Earth's climate behaves is a significant, but important, challenge that NASA supports through data collection. When scientists better comprehend and monitor water and energy cycles, ecosystem changes, sea levels, geological hazards and population migrations, they can provide useful information to decision makers and the broader public regarding climate changes. Earth observations taken from space have provided decades of data that revolutionized weather tracking and forecasting, and provided insights into geophysical and atmospheric changes.

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, we look at how the International Space Station has contributed to this important data set for the nearly 20 years that humans have been constantly on board, and its state-of-the-art tools monitoring our planet right now. The space station does much more than just snap photos of our planet. It has evolved into a robust platform for researchers studying Earth's water, air, land masses, vegetation, and more, contributing new capabilities and unique data using systems mounted both inside and outside the orbiting laboratory.

At 51 degrees inclination and a 90-minute orbit, the station affords a unique perspective with an altitude of approximately 240 miles (400 kilometers) and an orbital path over 90 percent of the Earth's population. This orbital path can provide improved spatial resolution and variable lighting conditions compared to the sun-synchronous orbits of typical Earth remote-sensing satellites.

Several external instruments, including ECOSTRESS, GEDI, OCO-3, DESIS, and HISUI, obtain useful information for researchers looking to better understand Earth's atmosphere, oceans and surface. Though they individually collect data, in combination they provide a unique set of measurements that could push the leading edge of environmental research.

One Earth observation sensor on the space station, the NASA Ecosystem Spaceborne Thermal Radiometer Experiment on Space Station (ECOSTRESS), measures vegetation temperatures to examine how plants interact with the global water cycle and where they are experiencing heat stress. By observing how Earth's foliage responds to water availability, scientists aim to identify crucial thresholds for water use, obtain factors that help predict plant water uptake, and measure agricultural use to aid in drought response planning.

Two instruments that collect detailed information about materials that make up Earth's surface are the Hyperspectral Imager Suite (HISUI) developed by the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry and the German Space Agency (DLR) Earth Sensing Imaging Spectrometer (DESIS). The sensors detect many wavelengths of light reflected by different materials. These light measurements define signatures that are unique to different materials, thus can support resource identification, exploration, agriculture, forestry and other environmental uses.

Other instruments on the station are looking at how Earth's carbon cycles behave, as well as what factors influence it. The NASA Global Ecosystem Dynamics Investigation (GEDI) system uses high resolution lasers to collect observations of Earth's 3D vegetation structure.

These data help researchers understand the impact of carbon sinks, or areas such as forests that absorb carbon dioxide, on the carbon cycle. Scientists are using data collected from GEDI to gain insight into the carbon balance of Earth's forests, how the planet's surface reduces atmospheric carbon, and the implications forests have on biodiversity and habitat quality, as well as to support land use efficiency.

While GEDI is looking at the surface implications of changes to carbon sinks, NASA's Orbiting Carbon Observatory-3 (OCO-3) sensor uses sunlight reflections through the atmosphere to quantify variations in atmospheric carbon dioxide.

The variability in the space station's orbit allows OCO-3 to build on similar data collected from free-flying satellites, particularly over low latitudes. Scientists are using OCO-3 to build targeted "snapshot" maps of Earth's carbon exchange cycle over urban areas, forests, mangroves, oceans and agricultural regions. With OCO-3, researchers will gain a better understanding of how vegetation carbon sinks behave, as well as how human activities and development are affecting them.

Remote sensing instruments on the space station complement research on the ground to develop new models, calibrate data and contextualize existing information that can aid researchers in establishing baselines and improving predictive models.

While information from each sensor can be interpreted individually, a single orbital platform that collects multiple types of data for the same site or region provides the opportunity for enhanced scientific discovery and deeper understanding. This creates a kind of "observational symbiosis" in which different sensor datasets can inform and expand the science analysis done with other sensor data.

For example, the 3D observations obtained from GEDI can be used alongside HISUI's hyperspectral surface material signatures to help visualize Earth's ecosystems. Together, all of the space station Earth observation instruments are helping scientists understand how Earth is changing, as well as how to best use and manage the resources it provides.

Though every day may not be Earth Day, the work done by scientists and station instruments is continuously informing our understanding of the planet and how to protect it.


Related Links
Space Station Research and Technology
Earth Observation News - Suppiliers, Technology and Application


Thanks for being here;
We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain.

With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords.

Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year.

If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor
$5 Billed Once


credit card or paypal
SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter
$5 Billed Monthly


paypal only


EARTH OBSERVATION
Heavy iron isotopes leaking from Earth's core
Davis CA (SPX) Apr 16, 2020
Earth's molten core may be leaking iron, according to researchers who analyzed how iron behaves inside our planet. The boundary between the liquid iron core and the rocky mantle is located some 1,800 miles (2,900 km) below Earth's surface. At this transition, the temperature drops by more than a thousand degrees from the hotter core to the cooler mantle. The new study suggests heavier iron isotopes migrate toward lower temperatures - and into the mantle - while lighter iron isotopes circulat ... read more

Comment using your Disqus, Facebook, Google or Twitter login.



Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle

EARTH OBSERVATION
DoD to spend $133M for 39M N95 masks under Defense Production Act order

Pentagon awards $5.2B in contracts for face masks, other medical supplies

China offers reward for catching Russia border crossers over virus fears

Hong Kong starts standing down riot police after budget hike

EARTH OBSERVATION
Wireless network helps scientists track small animals

USSF reschedules next GPS launch

China to launch last satellite for BeiDou navigation system in May

L3Harris Technologies passes PDR for experimental satellite navigation program

EARTH OBSERVATION
Long-overlooked arch is key to fuction, evolution of human foot

Analysis reveals prehistoric migration from Africa, Asia, Europe to Mediterranean

The evolution of arthritic knees

Our direct human ancestor Homo erectus is older than we thought

EARTH OBSERVATION
Bushfire smoke killed endangered Aussie mice far from blazes

Nearly 50 rhinos killed in Botswana in 10 months as poaching surges

Study: To curb biodiversity declines, protect land in the tropics

Why coronavirus could help save China's endangered species

EARTH OBSERVATION
Low-cost imaging system poised to provide automatic mosquito tracking

Asia virus latest: South Korea votes; China concern at US freeze of WHO funds

Study points to evidence of stray dogs as possible origin of SARS-CoV-2 pandemic

NASA CO2 Conversion Challenge competitor pitches in to help COVID-19 efforts

EARTH OBSERVATION
Fearful of virus return, Beijing turns into virtual fortress

McDonald's apologises after China store bans black people

China sentences Swedish bookseller Gui Minhai to 10 years' jail

China vows improvements for Africans after virus discrimination claims

EARTH OBSERVATION
Trump orders Pentagon to boost drug interdiction efforts

In Colombia, fleet of cartel narco-subs poses challenge for navy

EARTH OBSERVATION








The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.