Monitoring & Research Techniques to identify & record changes to the global water & carbon cycles

Question 1

What are a range of research and monitoring techniques?

Answer 1

• NOAA Global Monitoring Laboratory
• NASA OCO-2 (Orbiting Carbon Conservatory)
• Muana LOa Observatory
• Gravity Recovery & Climate Experiment (GRACE)
• Landsat 7, Landsat 8
• NOAA: sea surface temperatures (SSTs)
• NOAA POES ( Polar Operational Environmental satellite)

Question 2

What does NOAA stand for?

Answer 2

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Question 3

What does NOAA Global Monitoring Laboratory measure?

Answer 3

• CO2 and CO concentrations above Brazilian Amazonia
• Deforestation impacts

Question 4

What equipment does NOAA Global Monitoring Laboratory use?

Answer 4

• 600 aircraft
• 2.8 miles above sea level

Question 5

Over what period is the data measured by the NOAA Global Monitoring Laboratory?

Answer 5

10 years

Question 6

Why is it important for data to be gathered by the NOAA Global Monitoring Laboratory?

Answer 6

• Most deforested & climate stressed SE Amazon net emitter of CO2
• More intact western and central Amazon nether sink nor source

Question 7

What does Gravity Recovery & Climate Experiment (GRACE) measure?

Answer 7

• Small changes in mass & gravity near Earths surface
• Water movement including groundwater globally

Question 8

What equipment does Gravity Recovery & Climate Experiment (GRACE) use?

Answer 8

• A pair of satellites flying in close formation

Question 9

Over what period is Gravity Recovery & Climate Experiment (GRACE) data measured?

Answer 9

Annual change over 10 years

Question 10

Why is it important for data to be gathered by the Gravity Recovery & Climate Experiment?

Answer 10

• Groundwater is currently the primary source for freshwater for two billion people
• Costly to experiment as larger aquifer systems is often prohibitive
• Avoid population water insecurity

Question 11

What is Landsat 7, Landsat 8 measuring?

Answer 11

• Mapping land use change -> size of carbon store in rainforest trees
• Highlight key differences in vegetation moisture levels

Question 12

What equipment does Landsat 7, Landsat 8 use?

Answer 12

• Satellites from space
• If cloud cover to dense pictures taken from another year

Question 13

Over what period is Landsat 7, Landsat 8 data measured?

Answer 13

• Accumulation of images over decades

Question 14

Why is it important for data to be gathered by Landsat 7, Landsat 8?

Answer 14

• Assessing level of deforestation
• Important carbon sink - protecting global carbon cycle

Question 15

Limitations to Landsat 7, Landsat 8?

Answer 15

• Challenging place to study - remote and difficult to access
• Vast area - 1/3 of South America
• Need infrared data to distinguish

Question 16

What is NOAA: sea surface temperatures (SSTs) measuring?

Answer 16

• Wave band of radiation emitted from the ocean surface -> sea surface temperatures

Question 17

What equipment does NOAA: sea surface temperatures (SSTs) use?

Answer 17

• Satellites
• Buoys
• Ships

Question 18

Over what period does NOAA: sea surface temperatures (SSTs) measure the data?

Answer 18

Daily maps created for weather predictions - short term

Question 19

Why is it important for data to be gathered by NOAA: sea surface temperatures (SSTs)?

Answer 19

• Understanding how the ocean interacts with atmosphere
• Evaluate causes of coral bleaching, upwelling and downweling

Question 20

What does NOAA POES ( Polar Operational Environmental satellite) measure?

Answer 20

Cloud liquid water precipitation

Question 21

What equipment does NOAA POES ( Polar Operational Environmental satellite) use?

Answer 21

• Weather satellites
• Orbit 14 times/day
• 2 complete views of a location/day

Question 22

Over what period of time does NOAA POES ( Polar Operational Environmental satellite) measure data?

Answer 22

• Daily & long term trends