Earth and Space Science Education: Implications and Opportunities

1. Earth and Space Science Education: Implications and Opportunities R. M. Johnson

4. Earth and Space Science: What are the Implications and Opportunities for Education? • Programmatic decisions • Definition of new scientific and education structures and relationships within NASA is underway • Science Mission Directorate (SMD) • Relationship to Education Office • How will education be represented in SMD? • How will education program be structured? • We’ll need to wait awhile… • For now, let’s focus on opportunities for education through Earth and space science

5. NSES Content Standards, Grades 9-12

6. Fundamental Earth System Science Questions How is the Earth changing and what are the consequences of life on Earth? • How is the global Earth system changing? • What are the primary forcings of the Earth system? • How does the Earth system respond to natural and human-induced changes? • What are the consequences of changes in the Earth system for human civilization? • How well can we predict future changes in the Earth system?

7. Space Science EnterpriseScience Themes Structure and Evolution of the Universe • What is dark matter that binds together the universe? • What powered the big bang? • What is the dark energy that drives apart the universe? • Are there hidden space-time dimensions? • What is the nature of black holes and gravity beyond Einstein? Astronomical Search for Origins • Where Did We Come From? • Are We Alone? Sun Earth Connection • What causes solar variability? • How does solar variability affect the Earth and other planets? • How does solar variability affect life and society? • How does the Sun interact with the interstellar medium? Solar System Exploration • How do planets form? • Why are planets different fromone another? • Where did the makings of life come from? • Did life arise elsewhere in the solar system? • What is the future habitabilityof earth and other planets? Mars Exploration • Did life ever arise on Mars? • How did Mars’ atmosphere, surface, and interior evolve? • What knowledge and technology is needed for future human exploration?

8. Space Science EnterpriseScience Themes Structure and Evolution of the Universe • What is dark matter that binds together the universe? • What powered the big bang? • What is the dark energy that drives apart the universe? • Are there hidden space-time dimensions? • What is the nature of black holes and gravity beyond Einstein? Astronomical Search for Origins • Where Did We Come From? • Are We Alone?` Sun Earth Connection • What causes solar variability? • How does solar variability affect the Earth and other planets? • How does solar variability affect life and society? • How does the Sun interact with the interstellar medium? Solar System Exploration • How do planets form? • Why are planets different fromone another? • Where did the makings of life come from? • Did life arise elsewhere in the solar system? • What is the future habitabilityof earth and other planets? Mars Exploration • Did life ever arise on Mars? • How did Mars’ atmosphere, surface, and interior evolve? • What knowledge and technology is needed for future human exploration?

9. How does the Sun impact Earth System Science? • The Sun is one of the key driving forces of the Earth system • Solar variability impacts Earth systems in numerous ways • Climate forcing terms • Changes in radiation • Drives large scale dynamics of the atmosphere • Short-term variability impacts interaction of magnetosphere with the solar wind/magnetic field, and the coupled magnetosphere-ionosphere-thermosphere system.

11. Sun-Earth Relationships and Space Weather • Solar Radiation • Solar influences on Climate • Space Weather

14. Energetic particle precipitation in the atmosphere • Changes in solar radiation at different levels of the atmosphere • Changes in atmospheric chemistry • Possible impacts on weather?

15. Relevance of Models to the NSES • Models and concepts associated with them are central to the Unifying Concepts and Processes content standard: • Systems, order, and organization • Evidence, models, and explanation • Constancy, change, and measurement • Evolution and equilibrium • Models also provide a tool for exploring the concepts included in the other content standards: • Science as Inquiry • Physical Science • Life Science • Earth and Space Science • Science and Technology • Science in Personal and Social Perspectives • History and Nature of Science • Earth and Space Science provides an even broader context for using models in science education

16. Earth System Modeling

17. The Benefit of an Earth and Space Science perspective: an example • Volcanic forcing produces cooling, solar cycle forcing produces warming • Need natural + anthropogenic forcing to reproduce observed warming

18. Snapshot of density in noon-midnight meridian from MHD code simulation of July 15, 2000 CME-magnetic cloud interaction with Earth's magnetosphere. Simulation driven by upstream solar wind parameters measured by the ACE spacecraft at L1.

19. Summary • Fundamental Earth system science questions are related to space science questions • Lessons we learn from study of the Earth informs our research on other planets, and visa versa • Earth and space science is considered as a unit in the NSES, and is taught as a continuum in many settings • Expanding our educational scope to include Earth and space science topics together broadens our ability to bring NASA research to learners, through both observations and models