Ozone Hole? Global Warming? El Nino? Separate the Issues and Use the Data!

1. Remote Sensing of Oceans & Atmospheres Ozone Hole? Global Warming? El Nino? Separate the Issues and Use the Data! presentation by: Corinne Egner W. Windsor-Plainsboro H.S. Plainsboro, NJ 08536 conskayakr@aol.com

2. funded by see at NASA/Goddard

3. presented in cooperation with: http://see.gsfc.nasa.gov/edu/SEES/ a valuable source of information, images and data available on the web

4. Introduction • What is Remote Sensing? • Problems and Promise of remote sensing in the classroom • The Electromagnetic Spectrum • Atmospheric Processes(Ozone) • Ocean Processes

5. What is Remote Sensing? • Remote Sensing Is: • Inferring something about the nature and properties of an object, surface, area, or phenomenon • through the analysis of data/information • collected by a sensor • that is not in physical contact with the object, surface, area, or phenomenon under investigation.

6. Why?? -- The Reasons to Teach RS • To assure the next generation has the tools to use current technology to study Earth’s environment. • Scientific literacy of the general public.

7. The PROMISE of Using Satellite Data in the Classroom • Spans Scientific Disciplines • Biology, Chemistry, Geology, Physics • Well-Suited for Inquiry-Based Learning • Global or Regional Perspectives • Long Historical Record (since late 1970’s) • Recent and Real-Time Data

8. The REALITY of Using Satellite Data in the Classroom • Technical Complexity of Data • Large Data Volumes • Computer Hardware/Software Required • Theoretical Background Needed • Lack of Curriculum

9. The Final Analysis? • Definitely do it! . . . . . but • Go slowly! • Try not to undertake too much at once! • Collaborate and ask for help! • Realize it’s a longterm learning process!

10. The Electromagnetic Spectrum thanks to Microworld’s web site: www.lbl.gov/MicroWorlds/ALSTool/EMSpec/EMSpec2.html

11. C A B General Sources of Radiation A- reflected radiation from surface B- incident radiation (skylight) C- radiance from the atmosphere

12. Atmospheric Windows

13. Development of the Ozone Hole

14. What is a Dobson unit?

15. Ozone Production

16. Ozone Production & Destruction

17. Ozone Hole in the 70’s and 90’s

18. Mathematical Analysis

19. Depletion of ozone in NH & SH

20. Different instruments to measure ozone

21. Ozone destruction is worse in SH

22. Topics in Atmospheric/Oceanic Module • Ocean Circulation • Sea Surface Temperature • Sea Surface Topography and Sea Height Variability • Ocean Productivity • Phytoplankton Pigment Concentration • Sea Ice Processes • Sea Ice Concentration

23. Sea Surface Temperature • Measurements of Terrestrial Thermal Radiation U.S. East Coast May 21, 1999

24. The need for compositing images

25. Sea Surface Temperature • Measurements of Terrestrial Thermal Radiation U.S. East Coast May 19-21, 1999

26. Sea Surface Temperature • Measurements of Terrestrial Thermal Radiation U.S. East Coast

27. Coriolis effect and Ekman transport

28. Generalized ocean currents

29. Ekman spiral

30. Sea Surface Temperature • Measurements of Terrestrial Thermal Radiation U.S. West Coast

31. Upwelling due to offshore transport

32. Polar Sea Ice Concentration • Measurements of Terrestrial Microwave Radiation March 1996 September 1996

33. Polar Sea Ice Concentration • Measurements of Terrestrial Microwave Radiation September 1996 March 1996

36. Sources of Radiation Arriving at Satellite from the Ocean Surface • Visible - Sunlight Reflected at the Surface • Visible - Sunlight Scattered Upward by Subsurface Plants & Particles • Infrared - Emitted (Terrestrial) Thermal Energy • Microwave • “Passive” Sensors Measure Emitted (Terrestrial) Microwave Energy • “Active” Sensors Illuminate Terrain with Their Own Signal, then Measure Returned Energy

37. Phytoplankton Concentration • Measurements of Sunlight Scattered by Subsurface Plants Global Biosphere Spring (March-May) 1998

38. Phytoplankton Concentration • Measurements of Sunlight Scattered by Subsurface Plants Global Biosphere Summer (June-August) 1998

39. Surface Roughness • Measurements of Transmitted/Reflected Microwave Radiation “Sea Empress” Oil Spill, Wales, United Kingdom, February 22, 1996

40. Surface Roughness • Measurements of Transmitted/Reflected Microwave Radiation Typhoon Violet, September 20, 1996

41. Surface Roughness • Measurements of Transmitted/Reflected Microwave Radiation Wind Speed &Wave Height

42. El Nino Sea Surface Temperature Anomaly December 8, 1997

43. El Nino TOPEX/Poseidon Sea Surface Height Anomaly December 10, 1997

44. La Nina Sea Surface Temperature Anomaly February 27, 1999

45. La Nina TOPEX/Poseidon Sea Surface Height Anomaly February 27, 1999

46. see Image began with:

47. see Image then added: • Ability to import some satellite data formats • Macros: • Multipaste/replace of geographic overlays • To calculate & find geog coordinates • To view/analyze data in projections • (Goode, Polar, Hammer) • Facilitates annotation and key • Perform temporal Z-plot analysis etc. • Compute statistics ignoring “no-data” pixels

48. Ability to import satellite data AVHRR and NDVI TOMS Stratospheric Ozone ISLSCP and UV data also, but no materials exist

49. Geographic overlays NDVI measurement of “greenness” from the NOAA series satellite from October of 1988. Monthly averaged TOMS Ozone data from October, 1992

50. MultiPaste/Replace • Use a macro to apply an overlay to a stack. • No paste control window is needed. • Often relevant in geographic data with time series.