 Brief
Description:
CALIPSO, CloudSat, and Aura are three satellite-based
research missions that will provide students globally
with a link to NASA research through their education
and outreach programs. Each of these satellites is
scheduled to be included in a formation of six satellites
known as the Afternoon Satellite Constellation, also
known as the "A-Train." The
satellites composing the A-Train will fly in close
proximity, providing combined detailed observations
about the condition of Earth, assisting scientists
with making predictions related to climate change.
CALIPSO and CloudSat will use remote sensing instruments
that are unique to their mission for data collection.
CloudSat will use radar and provide a global survey
of cloud properties to aid with improving cloud models
and the accuracy of weather forecasts. CALIPSO will
use lidar to detect size and distribution of aerosols
to improve our understanding of the role aerosols and
clouds play in Earth's climate system. The Aura mission
is designed to attack several science questions: (1)
Is the ozone layer recovering as expected? (2) What
are the sources and processes that control tropospheric
pollutants? (3) What is the quantitative impact of
aerosols, upper tropospheric water vapor and ozone
on climate change? Aura will answer these questions
by globally measuring a comprehensive set of atmospheric
constituents at high vertical and horizontal resolution.
Educator
Workshop
An educator workshop titled NASA
Satellites Study Earth's Atmosphere: CALIPSO, CloudSat
and Aura working with the GLOBE Project is currently scheduled
for July 12-22, 2004 in Fort Collins Colorado. This workshop
primarily targets middle school educators who will work
with the CALIPSO, CloudSat and Aura missions to involve
students in reporting visual cloud observations and sun
photometer data collection through the GLOBE project website.
Accepted participants will receive both a stipend and
travel expenses. Support will be provided to the participants
to develop and present at regional workshops in their
local school systems. Applications are available online.
Contacts:
CALIPSO: Barbara Maggi, Hampton University - barbara.maggi@hamptonu.edu
CloudSat: Sue Lini, Colorado State University - lini@atmos.colostate.edu
Aura: Stephanie Stockman - stockman@core2.gsfc.nasa.gov |
