August 18, 1998:
GLOBE Students to Expand Scientific Studies
Since 1995, GLOBE students have been engaged in regularly taking and reporting of environmental data at their schools. Based on the recent recommendations of a National Science Foundation (NSF) peer review panel, GLOBE students will add several new measurements to their core of study over the next few years.
Dr. Paul Ruscher of Florida State University is developing a protocol for students to measure relative humidity. These measurements will be useful in the analysis of various Earth systems phenomena. Dr. Ruscher is also assuming responsibility for student cloud observations.
GLOBE students will also undertake a study of surface ozone concentrations. The question of separating harmful surface ozone build-up from the overall concentration of ozone in the atmosphere is of great concern in understanding the global environment. According to Dr. Jack Fishman of NASA, who is heading-up this investigation, student observations hold great promise for adding to current knowledge.
Also, in the field of atmospheric science, Dr. David Brooks from Drexel University in Pennsylvania is seeking GLOBE student support in his studies of atmospheric haze. Haze layers affect the surface radiative balance of Earth and, therefore, are a factor in local and global environmental conditions.
In the hydrology field, Dr. Roger Bales and his colleagues at the University of Arizona are developing an aquatic macroinvertabrates protocol. Students will use this protocol to determine the diversity of bottom-dwelling macroinvertabrates at their hydrology site.
Expanding their current land cover studies, GLOBE students will help researchers track seasonal changes. While satellite images reveal the large patterns of seasonal green-up and green-down, they do not provide species specific data. Dr. David Verbyla of the University of Alaska at Fairbanks will use GLOBE student data to improve understanding of changes in growing seasons, a major potential indicator of climate change.