Science
for Society: Extending Earth Science Research
Results into Decision Support Tools
Ronald
J. Birk, Director of the Applications Division and
Tsengdar Lee, Information Systems Specialist
Scientific Data Office
of Earth Science
NASA Headquarters
Washington, DC
NASA’s
mission is driven by the pursuit of science,
exploration and discovery
- To
understand and protect our home planet;
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To explore the Universe and search for life;
-
To inspire the next generation of explorers
…as
only NASA can.
Guided
by this mission, NASA has established a set
of goals that are outlined in the recently released
NASA
2003 Strategic Plan. |
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In
the NASA Strategic Plan, the Earth Science Enterprise
(ESE) plays a leading role in the goal to “understand
Earth’s system and apply Earth System Science
to improve the prediction of climate, weather, and
natural hazards.” An objective of conducting
research in Earth system science is to ensure that
the resulting knowledge is used to enhance decision
support for society. Federal agencies and international
organizations use decision support systems to deliver
Earth science knowledge and information that result
in economic and environmental security for applications
of national priority.
For
example, NASA Earth system science research results
can benefit the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
as it contributes to aviation management through the
National Airspace System (NAS); the Federal Emergency
Management Agency (FEMA) as it contributes to disaster
risk management through the Hazards US (HAZUS) system;
and the Environmental Protection Agency as it contributes
to air quality management through the Community Multi-scale
Air Quality (CMAQ) system.
Earth
Science Applications Program Overview
The
Earth Science Applications program of the NASA
Earth Science Enterprise (ESE) benchmarks practical
uses of NASA-sponsored observations from remote sensing
systems and predictions from Earth system science
research and modeling. NASA implements projects through
partnerships with public, private, and academic organizations.
These partnerships focus on innovative approaches
for using Earth science information to provide decision
support that can be adapted in applications worldwide.
The program focuses on applications of national priority
to expand and accelerate the use of knowledge, science,
and technologies resulting from the ESE mission of
improving predictions in weather, climate, and natural
hazards. The approach is to enable the assimilation
of Earth Science model and remote sensing mission
outputs to serve as inputs to decision support systems
(see Figure 1). The outcomes are manifest in enhanced
decision support and the impacts are projected to
result in significant socio-economic benefits for
each of the national applications.
NASA
ESE has identified twelve (12) national applications
(with partner federal agencies) that can be served
by NASA aerospace research and development of science
and technologies:
1. Enhanced weather predication for Energy Forecasting
(DOE, EPA)
2. Weather/climate prediction for Agriculture Efficiency
(USDA, DOE)
3. Carbon sequestration assessment for Carbon Management
(USDA, DOE, EPA)
4. Digital atmosphere and terrain for Aviation Safety
for transportation (DOT/FAA)
5. Early warning systems for air and water quality
for Homeland Security (DHS, NIMA, USGS)
6. Environmental indicators for Community Growth Management
(EPA, USGS, NSGIC)
7. Integrated hurricane and flooding prediction for
Disaster Management (FEMA, NOAA)
8. Early warning systems for vector-borne infectious
diseases for Public Health (NIH, CDC)
9. Environmental indicators for Coastal Management
(NOAA)
10. Environmental models for Invasive Species (USGS,
USDA)
11. Water cycle science for Water Management and Conservation
(EPA, USDA)
12. Regional to national to international atmospheric
measurements and predictions for Air Quality Management
(EPA, NOAA)
NASA’s
Vision
NASA’s vision starts with “to improve
life here”. The Earth Science Applications program
contributes to the NASA mission through the ESE mission
to improve predictions in weather, climate and natural
hazards by enabling and facilitating the assimilation
of Earth observations and predictions outputs into
decision support tools. The purpose is to enhance
the performance of the decision support resources
to serve citizens.
The initiative directly addresses NASA’s mission
statements.
1. To understand and protect our home planet: Space-based
measurements acquired by NASA Earth observing systems
contribute greatly to our understanding and ability
to forecast weather, climate patterns and natural
hazards. The NASA research results are applicable
to improving aviation safety, homeland security, natural
resource management, community management, and energy
efficiency. NASA research is to used improve economic
security, homeland security and national security.
Through focused collaborations with other federal
agencies, the Earth Science Applications program works
with partners to benchmark the use of Earth science
research results in decision support systems. These
partnerships enable NASA results to provide essential
contributions to increase the quality of life in our
world.
2. To explore the Universe and search for life: Techniques
used to harness Earth system science data and information
for decision support systems can potentially demonstrate
applications of observations and information technologies
for the study of other planets in our solar system.
Comparative studies between our planet and others
in our solar system are useful for developing new
ways of understanding the evolution of our planet’s
systems as well as assisting in the development of
the next generation of observational systems for deriving
new and useful information for exploration.
3. To inspire the next generation of explorers: Understanding
how the Earth works and environmental awareness are
topics that challenge and excite the youth of today.
NASA’s ability to bring real scientific breakthroughs
to youth through a variety of different venues opens
doors for future scientists and engineers by creating
excitement about studying the earth. People are inspired
by innovative means of solving important issues that
affect our world and the realization that research
and development of aerospace science and technologies
can provide meaningful solutions to critical needs
on Earth has proven to be very inspirational to people
of all ages. The Earth Science Applications program
works closely with the Earth Science Education program
to see that the results and successes of these various
projects are communicated to the public.
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