New Short #NASA #Earth Science Data Tutorial Released:

This video focuses on the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) Terra and Aqua Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) Version 6 Surface Reflectance data distributed by NASA’s Land Processes Distributed Active Archive Center (LP DAAC). Information about the MODIS Version 6 Surface Reflectance products, changes between the Version 5 and Version 6 products, and information about how to access MODIS Version 6 Surface Reflectance data using NASA’s Earthdata Search is provided. https://search.earthdata.nasa.gov

Who Uses NASA Earth Science Data?

Dr. Nancy Glenn, Professor, Department of Geosciences and Director, Boise Center Aerospace Laboratory (BCAL), Boise State University

Research interests: Using remotely sensed data to analyze and characterize ecosystem responses to human activity with a focus on dryland ecosystems and the response of these areas to disturbance and climate change.

Research highlights: It is easy to overlook waxflower (Jamesia tetrapetala). This fragrant flowering shrub clings to alpine and subalpine cliffs and rock slopes at elevations between roughly 2,100 and 3,400 meters (about 6,900 and 11,100 feet) and stands about 3-10 decimeters (about 1-3 feet) tall. But if you happen across this small shrub with the four-petaled white flowers in the wild you know you are in the Great Basin of the United States. Waxflower is one of about six plant species found only in the Great Basin, and nowhere else in the world, according to the U.S. Forest Service. This region, and the plant and animal species within it, is extremely sensitive to the effects of climate change, human development, and excessive water use. Dr. Nancy Glenn conducts research and leads research teams to help quantify the sensitivity of the Great Basin to these effects.

To read the full profile, https://earthdata.nasa.gov/user-resources/who-uses-nasa-earth-science-data-user-profiles/user-profile-dr-nancy-glenn

New Data Chat Released-Talking about NASA’s EOSDIS Earth Science Data Collection with NASA Program Executive Kevin Murphy

NASA’s Earth Observing System Data and Information System (EOSDIS) currently archives more than 17.5 petabytes of Earth science data collected from satellites, airborne campaigns, and field observations. The more than 11,000 unique data products produced from these data represent one of the largest collections of Earth observing data in the world. Overseeing the ingesting, processing, archiving, and distributing of these products is one of the many responsibilities of Kevin Murphy, the Program Executive for Earth Science Data Systems within NASA’s Earth Science Division. The fact that all of these data are delivered under a free and open data policy entails a number of unique challenges for Mr. Murphy and NASA, along with the prospect of exciting new products being available in the not-too-distant future.

To read the full story, https://earthdata.nasa.gov/user-resources/data-chat/data-chat-kevin-murphy

Who uses NASA Earth Science Data?

Dr. Xiaofeng Li, Scientist; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service (NESDIS)

Research Interests:Using remote sensing data, primarily synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data, to study atmospheric and oceanic processes.

Research Highlights: Radar is a simple concept—radio waves are sent out and their time and power of return are calculated to determine the range, angle, velocity, and characteristics of objects off of which the radar beam bounces. Synthetic aperture radar, or SAR, bounces a microwave radar signal off Earth’s surface to detect physical properties. While the word “aperture” when used in reference to an optical instrument like a film camera refers to the size of an opening in a lens that lets light in, the term “aperture” in radar use refers to the antenna generating the microwave pulses. In general, the larger the radar antenna, the more information and better surface resolution the radar can produce. Since antenna size is limited on satellite instruments, scientists use the spacecraft’s motion along with advanced signal-processing techniques to simulate a larger antenna and create high resolution images. This is where the “synthetic aperture” comes from. Significant advantages of SAR are that it can create high resolution images without the need for illumination (such as from the sun) and can penetrate clouds, fog, tree canopies, or other obstructions to create these images. This makes SAR ideal for use in Earth observing satellites.

Dr. Xiaofeng Li uses SAR data to study a wide range of processes occurring in the atmosphere and ocean, including air-sea interactions, ocean surface winds, waves, coastal upwelling, oil seeps, and tropical cyclones. In fact, SAR has been used to observe tropical cyclones since the launch of the first satellite-borne SAR aboard NASA’s Seasat mission in 1978. SAR reveals visible tropical cyclone features like eye structure, rain bands, and arc clouds, as well as features that may not be visible, such as the presence of high winds within a cyclone’s eye. Dr. Li and his colleagues use SAR to better understand tropical cyclone morphology as well as to help determine physical parameters including wind speed and direction, rain rate, and eye location, all of which help improve cyclone tracking and intensity predictions.

To read his full profile,
https://earthdata.nasa.gov/user-resources/who-uses-nasa-earth-science-data-user-profiles/user-profile-dr-xiaofeng-li

This webinar represents the encore presentation of the webinar held on 11/21/16. During this webinar we discuss remotely sensed environmental indicator data sets that can enable environmental decision making. We focus on three major issue areas: ambient air pollution, coastal eutrophication and biomass burning.

Detailed Information: There is a high demand for environmental indicators in policy and management contexts, yet serious data deficiencies exist for many parameters of interest to environmental decision making. With its global synoptic coverage and the wide range of instruments available, satellite remote sensing has the potential to fill data gaps. This webinar presents results of a NASA-ROSES pilot study to develop satellite-derived indicators in three major issue areas: ambient air pollution, coastal eutrophication, and biomass burning. The presentation describes what makes an indicator that passes muster with policy and technical audiences and the underlying satellite data and methodologies. The presentation will also cover several SEDAC data holdings that are derived from satellite data: time series global grids of PM2.5 (particulate matter at 2.5 microns), a global urban heat island (UHI) data set, and forthcoming time series global NO2 (nitrogen-dioxide) grid and global fire emissions indicators.

For more information about NASA SEDAC, http://sedac.ciesin.columbia.edu

During this webinar we discuss remotely sensed environmental indicator data sets that can enable environmental decision making. We focus on three major issue areas: ambient air pollution, coastal eutrophication and biomass burning.

Detailed Information: There is a high demand for environmental indicators in policy and management contexts, yet serious data deficiencies exist for many parameters of interest to environmental decision making. With its global synoptic coverage and the wide range of instruments available, satellite remote sensing has the potential to fill data gaps. This webinar presents results of a NASA-ROSES pilot study to develop satellite-derived indicators in three major issue areas: ambient air pollution, coastal eutrophication, and biomass burning. The presentation describes what makes an indicator that passes muster with policy and technical audiences and the underlying satellite data and methodologies. The presentation will also cover several SEDAC data holdings that are derived from satellite data: time series global grids of PM2.5 (particulate matter at 2.5 microns), a global urban heat island (UHI) data set, and forthcoming time series global NO2 (nitrogen-dioxide) grid and global fire emissions indicators.

For more information about NASA SEDAC, http://sedac.ciesin.columbia.edu

Bringing Light to the Night: New VIIRS Nighttime Imagery Available through #NASA GIBS

Night presents special challenges—as well as a wealth of opportunities—to users of remote sensing imagery. From tracking severe nighttime storms using pinpricks of lightning flashes to monitoring ice concentrations through the reflection of moonlight off frozen ocean surfaces, remotely sensed imagery of Earth at night literally open an entire new world of observations. Now, near real-time imagery available through NASA’s Global Imagery Browse Services (GIBS) provide a stunningly clear view of our nighttime world.

To learn more about these NASA Earth science data products,
https://earthdata.nasa.gov/viirs-dnb

To explore these imagery within #NASAWorldview
http://go.nasa.gov/2iFEzX8

The NASA EOSDIS 2016 Data User Profile Yearbook is Released

NASA’s Earth Observing System Data and Information System (EOSDIS) is pleased to present the 2016 EOSDIS Data User Profile Yearbook. From investigating the effects of biomass burning in Sub-Saharan Africa to testing predictions of the theory of general relativity, EOSDIS data users are applying NASA Earth observing data to a wide range of research. The EOSDIS Data User Profile series showcases these scientists, researchers, managers, and educators alongwith the data products that make their work possible. Our Data User Profile Yearbook gives you a taste of the breadth of research enabled by the vast NASA EOSDIS data collection.

To read or download this year's edition, visit:
https://earthdata.nasa.gov/2016-eosdis-user-profile-yearbook

Why should #NASA study #Earth? Read NASA's Sensing Our Planet 2016 to find out. https://goo.gl/I0bdPC 

Global Land Ice Measurements from Space: Observing Glaciers Using ASTER

A new 'Data in Action' story has been released at the NASA Land Processes Distributed Active Archive Center (LP DAAC).The Global Land Ice Measurements from Space (GLIMS) project monitors all of the Earth’s glaciers using satellite imagery from sensors such as the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and reflection Radiometer (ASTER) onboard NASA’s Terra satellite.

GLIMS was originally an ASTER Science Team project that is now approaching its 20th anniversary. The project is made up of a network of regional experts from over 60 institutions across the planet who analyze glaciers in their respective regions of expertise. The researchers produce glacier measurements such as digital glacier outlines, center flow lines, snow lines, surface velocity fields, hypsometry data, associated metadata, and literature references. The regional results are archived as a part of the GLIMS Glacier Database (GGDB) at the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC).(http://nsidc.org)

To read the full story,
https://lpdaac.usgs.gov/user_resources/data_in_action/global_land_ice_measurements_space_observing_glaciers

NASA LP DAAC is one of twelve Earth Observing System Data and Information System (EOSDIS) DAACs that manage, archive and distribute Earth science data as part of the Earth Science Data System Program. https://lpdaac.usgs.gov

For more information about NASA Earth science data, information, services and tools, https://earthdata.nasa.gov

Record Texas Flooding Left a “Horseshoe” in the Gulf of Mexico

In May 2015, more than 35 trillion gallons of water fell over Texas, enough to cover the entire state 8 inches deep in water. Of course, this severe flooding had an impact on land; 11 people died and property were lost. But this significant amount of water had to have an impact on the ocean too.

NASA's Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) satellite and other satellite instruments along with in situ data were used to create a comprehensive chronology of the flood from land to ocean. Besides SMAP Sea Surface Salinity (SSS) and soil moisture, the study used a wide array of other NASA observations: precipitation data from the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) and Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) missions, water storage observations from the Gravity Recovery And Climate Experiment (GRACE) mission, ocean color observations from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MODIS) instrument on board the Aqua satellite, and altimetric currents from the Jason satellite series.

Read the full story here, http://podaac.jpl.nasa.gov/OceanEvents/2016_12_06_SMAPHorseshoe_OceanStory

Announcing New Earthdata Developer Portal for Application Developers

The newly released Earthdata Developer Portal, at https://developer.earthdata.nasa.gov, is for application developers who wish to build applications that search, access, and browse NASA’s Earth science data by leveraging the Earth Observing System Data and Information System (EOSDIS) enterprise tools and services. The Earthdata Developer Portal provides centralized and uniform access to public Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) and other documentation.

To learn more about what is available, https://earthdata.nasa.gov/earthdata-developer-portal#