Welcome to the Center for Satellite Applications and Research (STAR)

The Center for Satellite Applications and Research (STAR) is the science arm of the National Environmental Satellite, Data and Information Service (NESDIS), which acquires and manages the nation's operational Earth-observing satellites. NESDIS provides data from these satellites, and conducts research to make that possible.

STAR's Mission

To transfer satellite observations of the land, atmosphere, ocean, and climate from scientific research and development into routine operations, and to offer state-of-the-art data, products and services to decision-makers.

The United States invests billions of dollars every year in satellites and data, in order to monitor the ever-changing environment of Earth. The Center for Satellite Applications and Research (STAR) uses the data from satellites to offer sound information about the Earth. STAR is the science arm of the National Environmental Satellite Data and Information Service (NESDIS), which acquires and manages the nation's Earth-observing satellites. STAR supports NESDIS and NOAA in their mission to assess current conditions and predict future changes on the Earth, and to understand long-term changes in the environment.

STAR Scientists' Work Links Sea Surface Temperature and Atmospheric Dust

March 11, 2009 - Over the last few decades, sea surface temperatures (SST) in the Atlantic Ocean have increased significantly. Much recent research has demonstrated the link between increased Hurricane Intensity and increased SST. Work at the University of Wisconsin using NESDIS data sets has shown that since 1980, the amount dust flowing out over the Atlantic Ocean from the Saharan Desert has also decreased dramatically. A recent study published in Science led by Amato Evan and including Andrew Heidinger and James Kossin of NESDIS shows that dust accounts for much of the observed SST variability, as well as the positive SST trend in the region of the Atlantic Ocean where most Hurricanes form. Because the presence of dust acts to cool the ocean surface, a decrease in dust causes an increase in SST. This study highlights the importance of long-term satellite data sets in observing the complex and sometimes unexpected mechanisms that control the earth's climate. The data set used in this study was the NESDIS PATMOS-x (Pathfinder Atmospheres Extended) generated from the 30 years of Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) data on the POES platform.