TY - BOOK AU - National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine TI - Assessment of Commercial Space Platforms for Earth Science Instruments: Report Series—Committee on Earth Science and Applications from Space SN - DO - 10.17226/27019 PY - 2023 UR - https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/27019/assessment-of-commercial-space-platforms-for-earth-science-instruments-report PB - The National Academies Press CY - Washington, DC LA - English KW - Space and Aeronautics AB - Space-based Earth observations enable global observations of the land surface, biosphere, solid Earth, atmosphere, cryosphere, and oceans. Earth observations from space, combined with data acquired from in situ and ground-based instruments, help scientists understand the components of the Earth system and their interactions and enable wide-ranging applications, including forecasts of weather and air quality, projections of future climate, management of natural resources, ecological forecasting, disaster management, drought and wildfire prediction, and the mapping and prediction of vector borne/animal diseases. At the request of NASA Earth Science Division, this report assesses the potential use of a proposed multi-user, robot-tended, uncrewed commercial space platform as a potential host for a large number of Earth remote sensing instruments. Assessment of Commercial Space Platforms for Earth Science Instruments evaluates the utility and practicality of a platform in a Sun-synchronous orbit, capable of hosting 20 or more instruments. ER - TY - BOOK AU - National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine TI - Next Generation Earth Systems Science at the National Science Foundation SN - DO - 10.17226/26042 PY - 2022 UR - https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/26042/next-generation-earth-systems-science-at-the-national-science-foundation PB - The National Academies Press CY - Washington, DC LA - English KW - Earth Sciences AB - The National Science Foundation (NSF) has played a key role over the past several decades in advancing understanding of Earth's systems by funding research on atmospheric, ocean, hydrologic, geologic, polar, ecosystem, social, and engineering-related processes. Today, however, those systems are being driven like never before by human technologies and activities. Our understanding has struggled to keep pace with the rapidity and magnitude of human-driven changes, their impacts on human and ecosystem sustainability and resilience, and the effectiveness of different pathways to address those challenges. Given the urgency of understanding human-driven changes, NSF will need to sustain and expand its efforts to achieve greater impact. The time is ripe to create a next-generation Earth systems science initiative that emphasizes research on complex interconnections and feedbacks between natural and social processes. This will require NSF to place an increased emphasis on research inspired by real-world problems while maintaining their strong legacy of curiosity driven research across many disciplines – as well as enhance the participation of social, engineering, and data scientists, and strengthen efforts to include diverse perspectives in research. ER - TY - BOOK AU - National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine A2 - Margo Corum A2 - Brent Heard A2 - Anne Johnson A2 - Nancy D. Lamontagne TI - Climate Intervention in an Earth Systems Science Framework: Proceedings of a Workshop–in Brief DO - 10.17226/27476 PY - 2024 UR - https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/27476/climate-intervention-in-an-earth-systems-science-framework-proceedings-of PB - The National Academies Press CY - Washington, DC LA - English KW - Environment and Environmental Studies KW - Earth Sciences AB - To consider how an Earth system science approach can inform research on climate intervention, The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine held a virtual workshop on June 20-22, 2023 titled Climate Intervention in an Earth Systems Science Framework. Individuals with a wide range of physical, ecological, and social sciences expertise explored climate interventions within the context of convergent research and the capacities of the National Science Foundation (NSF). The workshop drew on the National Academies report Next Generation Earth Systems Science at the National Science Foundation, which called upon NSF to pursue an Earth systems science initiative that emphasizes research on interconnections and feedback between natural and social processes; focuses on real-world problems; enhances the participation of social, engineering, and data scientists; and strengthens efforts to include diverse perspectives in research. ER - TY - BOOK AU - National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine TI - Airborne Platforms to Advance NASA Earth System Science Priorities: Assessing the Future Need for a Large Aircraft SN - DO - 10.17226/26079 PY - 2021 UR - https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/26079/airborne-platforms-to-advance-nasa-earth-system-science-priorities-assessing PB - The National Academies Press CY - Washington, DC LA - English KW - Space and Aeronautics KW - Earth Sciences AB - The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and other U.S. science research agencies operate a fleet of research aircraft and other airborne platforms that offer diverse capabilities. To inform NASA's future investments in airborne platforms, this study examines whether a large aircraft that would replace the current NASA DC-8 is needed to address Earth system science questions, and the role of other airborne platforms for achieving future Earth system science research goals. ER - TY - BOOK AU - National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine A2 - Rachel Silvern TI - Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence to Advance Earth System Science: Opportunities and Challenges: Proceedings of a Workshop SN - DO - 10.17226/26566 PY - 2022 UR - https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/26566/machine-learning-and-artificial-intelligence-to-advance-earth-system-science PB - The National Academies Press CY - Washington, DC LA - English KW - Computers and Information Technology KW - Earth Sciences AB - The Earth system - the atmospheric, hydrologic, geologic, and biologic cycles that circulate energy, water, nutrients, and other trace substances - is a large, complex, multiscale system in space and time that involves human and natural system interactions. Machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) offer opportunities to understand and predict this system. Researchers are actively exploring ways to use ML/AI approaches to advance scientific discovery, speed computation, and link scientific communities. To address the challenges and opportunities around using ML/AI to advance Earth system science, the National Academies convened a workshop in February 2022 that brought together Earth system experts, ML/AI researchers, social and behavioral scientists, ethicists, and decision makers to discuss approaches to improving understanding, analysis, modeling, and prediction. Participants also explored educational pathways, responsible and ethical use of these technologies, and opportunities to foster partnerships and knowledge exchange. This publication summarizes the workshop discussions and themes that emerged throughout the meeting. ER - TY - BOOK AU - National Research Council TI - Basic Research Opportunities in Earth Science SN - DO - 10.17226/9981 PY - 2001 UR - https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/9981/basic-research-opportunities-in-earth-science PB - The National Academies Press CY - Washington, DC LA - English KW - Earth Sciences KW - Space and Aeronautics AB - Basic Research Opportunities in Earth Science identifies areas of high-priority research within the purview of the Earth Science Division of the National Science Foundation, assesses cross-disciplinary connections, and discusses the linkages between basic research and societal needs. Opportunities in Earth science have been opened up by major improvements in techniques for reading the geological record of terrestrial change, capabilities for observing active processes in the present-day Earth, and computational technologies for realistic simulations of dynamic geosystems. This book examines six specific areas in which the opportunities for basic research are especially compelling, including integrative studies of the near-surface environment (the “Critical Zone”); geobiology; Earth and planetary materials; investigations of the continents; studies of Earth’s deep interior; and planetary science. It concludes with a discussion of mechanisms for exploiting these research opportunities, including EarthScope, natural laboratories, and partnerships. ER - TY - BOOK AU - National Research Council TI - Assessment of Impediments to Interagency Collaboration on Space and Earth Science Missions SN - DO - 10.17226/13042 PY - 2011 UR - https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/13042/assessment-of-impediments-to-interagency-collaboration-on-space-and-earth-science-missions PB - The National Academies Press CY - Washington, DC LA - English KW - Earth Sciences KW - Space and Aeronautics AB - Through an examination of case studies, agency briefings, and existing reports, and drawing on personal knowledge and direct experience, the Committee on Assessment of Impediments to Interagency Cooperation on Space and Earth Science Missions found that candidate projects for multiagency collaboration in the development and implementation of Earth-observing or space science missions are often intrinsically complex and, therefore costly, and that a multiagency approach to developing these missions typically results in additional complexity and cost. Advocates of collaboration have sometimes underestimated the difficulties and associated costs and risks of dividing responsibility and accountability between two or more partners; they also discount the possibility that collaboration will increase the risk in meeting performance objectives. This committee's principal recommendation is that agencies should conduct Earth and space science projects independently unless: It is judged that cooperation will result in significant added scientific value to the project over what could be achieved by a single agency alone; or Unique capabilities reside within one agency that are necessary for the mission success of a project managed by another agency; or The project is intended to transfer from research to operations necessitating a change in responsibility from one agency to another during the project; or There are other compelling reasons to pursue collaboration, for example, a desire to build capacity at one of the cooperating agencies. Even when the total project cost may increase, parties may still find collaboration attractive if their share of a mission is more affordable than funding it alone. In these cases, alternatives to interdependent reliance on another government agency should be considered. For example, agencies may find that buying services from another agency or pursuing interagency coordination of spaceflight data collection is preferable to fully interdependent cooperation. ER - TY - BOOK AU - National Research Council TI - Earth Science and Applications from Space: A Midterm Assessment of NASA's Implementation of the Decadal Survey SN - DO - 10.17226/13405 PY - 2012 UR - https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/13405/earth-science-and-applications-from-space-a-midterm-assessment-of PB - The National Academies Press CY - Washington, DC LA - English KW - Space and Aeronautics KW - Earth Sciences AB - Understanding the effects of natural and human-induced changes on the global environment and their implications requires a foundation of integrated observations of land, sea, air and space, on which to build credible information products, forecast models, and other tools for making informed decisions. The 2007 National Research Council report on decadal survey called for a renewal of the national commitment to a program of Earth observations in which attention to securing practical benefits for humankind plays an equal role with the quest to acquire new knowledge about the Earth system. NASA responded favorably and aggressively to this survey, embracing its overall recommendations for Earth observations, missions, technology investments, and priorities for the underlying science. As a result, the science and applications communities have made significant progress over the past 5 years. However, the Committee on Assessment of NASA's Earth Science Program found that the survey vision is being realized at a far slower pace than was recommended, principally because the required budget was not achieved. Exacerbating the budget shortfalls, NASA Earth science programs experienced launch failures and delays and the cost of implementing missions increased substantially as a result of changes in mission scope, increases in launch vehicle costs and/or the lack of availability of a medium-class launch vehicle, under-estimation of costs by the decadal survey, and unfunded programmatic changes that were required by Congress and the Office of Management and Budget. In addition, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has made significant reductions in scope to its future Earth environmental observing satellites as it contends with budget shortfalls. Earth Science and Applications from Space: A Midterm Assessment of NASA's Implementation of the Decadal Survey recommends a number of steps to better manage existing programs and to implement future programs that will be recommended by the next decadal survey. The report also highlights the urgent need for the Executive Branch to develop and implement an overarching multiagency national strategy for Earth observations from space, a key recommendation of the 2007 decadal survey that remains unfulfilled. ER - TY - BOOK AU - National Research Council TI - Earth Science and Applications from Space: National Imperatives for the Next Decade and Beyond SN - DO - 10.17226/11820 PY - 2007 UR - https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/11820/earth-science-and-applications-from-space-national-imperatives-for-the PB - The National Academies Press CY - Washington, DC LA - English KW - Earth Sciences KW - Space and Aeronautics AB - Natural and human-induced changes in Earth's interior, land surface, biosphere, atmosphere, and oceans affect all aspects of life. Understanding these changes requires a range of observations acquired from land-, sea-, air-, and space-based platforms. To assist NASA, NOAA, and USGS in developing these tools, the NRC was asked to carry out a "decadal strategy" survey of Earth science and applications from space that would develop the key scientific questions on which to focus Earth and environmental observations in the period 2005-2015 and beyond, and present a prioritized list of space programs, missions, and supporting activities to address these questions. This report presents a vision for the Earth science program; an analysis of the existing Earth Observing System and recommendations to help restore its capabilities; an assessment of and recommendations for new observations and missions for the next decade; an examination of and recommendations for effective application of those observations; and an analysis of how best to sustain that observation and applications system. ER - TY - BOOK AU - National Research Council TI - Review of NASA's Solid-Earth Science Strategy SN - DO - 10.17226/11084 PY - 2004 UR - https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/11084/review-of-nasas-solid-earth-science-strategy PB - The National Academies Press CY - Washington, DC LA - English KW - Earth Sciences KW - Space and Aeronautics AB - The report reviews NASA's solid-earth science strategy, placing particular emphasis on observational strategies for measuring surface deformation, high-resolution topography, surface properties, and the variability of the earth’s magnetic and gravity fields. The report found that NASA is uniquely positioned to implement these observational strategies and that a number of agency programs would benefit from the resulting data. In particular, the report strongly endorses the near-term launch of a satellite dedicated to L-band InSAR measurements of the land surface, which is a key component of the U.S. Geological Survey’s hazards mitigation program and the multi-agency EarthScope program. ER - TY - BOOK TI - Assessment of NASA's Draft 2003 Earth Science Enterprise Strategy: Letter Report DO - 10.17226/10786 PY - 2003 UR - https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/10786/assessment-of-nasas-draft-2003-earth-science-enterprise-strategy-letter PB - The National Academies Press CY - Washington, DC LA - English KW - Space and Aeronautics KW - Earth Sciences ER - TY - BOOK AU - National Research Council TI - Steps to Facilitate Principal-Investigator-Led Earth Science Missions SN - DO - 10.17226/10949 PY - 2004 UR - https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/10949/steps-to-facilitate-principal-investigator-led-earth-science-missions PB - The National Academies Press CY - Washington, DC LA - English KW - Earth Sciences KW - Space and Aeronautics AB - Principal-investigator (PI) Earth science missions are small, focused science projects involving relatively small spacecraft. The selected PI is responsible for the scientific and programmatic success of the entire project. A particular objective of PI-led missions has been to help develop university-based research capacity. Such missions, however, pose significant challenges that are beyond the capabilities of most universities to manage. To help NASA’s Office of Earth Science determine how best to address these, the NRC carried out an assessment of key issues relevant to the success of university-based PI-led Earth observation missions. This report presents the result of that study. In particular, the report provides an analysis of opportunities to enhance such missions and recommendations about whether and, if so, how they should be used to build university-based research capabilities. ER - TY - BOOK AU - National Research Council TI - Earth Science and Applications from Space: Urgent Needs and Opportunities to Serve the Nation SN - DO - 10.17226/11281 PY - 2005 UR - https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/11281/earth-science-and-applications-from-space-urgent-needs-and-opportunities PB - The National Academies Press CY - Washington, DC LA - English KW - Space and Aeronautics AB - The Earth is a dynamic planet whose changes and variations affect our communications, energy, health, food, housing, and transportation infrastructure. Understanding these changes requires a range of observations acquired from a variety of land-, sea-, air-, and space-based platforms. To assist NASA, NOAA, and the USGS develop these tools, the NRC was asked by these agencies to carry out a decadal strategy survey of Earth science and applications from space. In particular, the study is to develop the key scientific questions on which to focus Earth and environmental observations in the period 2005-2015, and a prioritized list of space programs, missions, and supporting activities to address these questions. This interim report outlines a key element of the study—the rationale for tying Earth observations to societal need—and identifies urgent near-term actions needed to achieve this goal. A final report, due in late 2006, will provide the list of recommended space missions, programs, and supporting. ER - TY - BOOK TI - Review of NASA's Earth Science Enterprise Applications Program Plan DO - 10.17226/10517 PY - 2002 UR - https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/10517/review-of-nasas-earth-science-enterprise-applications-program-plan PB - The National Academies Press CY - Washington, DC LA - English KW - Space and Aeronautics KW - Earth Sciences ER - TY - BOOK TI - Review of NASA's Earth Science Enterprise Research Strategy for 2000-2010 DO - 10.17226/9960 PY - 2000 UR - https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/9960/review-of-nasas-earth-science-enterprise-research-strategy-for-2000-2010 PB - The National Academies Press CY - Washington, DC LA - English KW - Space and Aeronautics KW - Earth Sciences ER - TY - BOOK AU - National Research Council TI - Toward New Partnerships In Remote Sensing: Government, the Private Sector, and Earth Science Research SN - DO - 10.17226/10500 PY - 2002 UR - https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/10500/toward-new-partnerships-in-remote-sensing-government-the-private-sector PB - The National Academies Press CY - Washington, DC LA - English KW - Engineering and Technology KW - Space and Aeronautics AB - The technical, scientific, policy, and institutional environment for conducting Earth science research has been changing rapidly over the past few decades. Changes in the technical environment are due both to the advent of new types and sources of remote sensing data, which have higher spatial and spectral resolution, and to the development of vastly expanded capabilities in data access, visualization, spatial data integration, and data management. The scientific environment is changing because of the strong emphasis on global change research, both nationally and internationally, and the evolving data requirements for that research. And the policy and institutional environment for the production of Earth observation data is changing with the diversification of both remote sensing data and the institutions that produce the data. In this report, the Space Studies Board's Steering Committee on Space Applications and Commercialization explores the implications of this changing environment, examining the opportunities and challenges it presents. ER - TY - BOOK AU - Institute of Medicine AU - National Research Council TI - Earth Materials and Health: Research Priorities for Earth Science and Public Health SN - DO - 10.17226/11809 PY - 2007 UR - https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/11809/earth-materials-and-health-research-priorities-for-earth-science-and PB - The National Academies Press CY - Washington, DC LA - English KW - Earth Sciences KW - Environment and Environmental Studies AB - A range of natural earth materials, like arsenic or fluoride, have long been linked to significant human health effects. Improved understanding of the pervasive and complex interactions between earth materials and human health will require creative collaborations between earth scientists and public health professionals. At the request of the National Science Foundation, U.S. Geological Survey, and National Aeronautics and Space Administration, this National Research Council book assesses the current state of knowledge at the interface between the earth sciences and public health disciplines. The book identifies high-priority areas for collaborative research, including understanding the transport and bioavailability of potentially hazardous earth materials, using risk-based scenarios to mitigate the public health effects of natural hazards under current and future climate regimes, and understanding the health risks that result from disturbance of earth systems. Geospatial information - geological maps for earth scientists and epidemiological data for public health professionals - is identified as one of the essential integrative tools that is fundamental to the activities of both communities. The book also calls for increased data sharing between agencies to promote interdisciplinary research without compromising privacy. ER - TY - BOOK AU - National Research Council A2 - Lennard A. Fisk TI - Workshop Series on Issues in Space Science and Technology: Summary of Space and Earth Science Issues from the Workshop on U.S. Civil Space Policy DO - 10.17226/12156 PY - 2008 UR - https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/12156/workshop-series-on-issues-in-space-science-and-technology-summary PB - The National Academies Press CY - Washington, DC LA - English KW - Space and Aeronautics KW - Policy for Science and Technology AB - NASA has asked the Space Studies Board (SSB) of the NRC to examine issues related to space science and technology through a series of three workshops. The first of these was held in November 2007 in conjunction with another workshop being held jointly by the SSB and ASEB to assess U.S. civil space policy broadly. Some of the workshop sessions focused more than others on issues of interest to NASA's Science Mission Directorate (SMD). This book concentrates on those sessions and presents a summary of the views of the participants on the issues that are relevant to SMD. A separate book will be prepared on the full range of issues about U.S. civil space policy discussed at the workshop. ER - TY - BOOK AU - National Research Council TI - An Enabling Foundation for NASA's Earth and Space Science Missions SN - DO - 10.17226/12822 PY - 2010 UR - https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/12822/an-enabling-foundation-for-nasas-earth-and-space-science-missions PB - The National Academies Press CY - Washington, DC LA - English KW - Space and Aeronautics AB - NASA's space and Earth science program is composed of two principal components: spaceflight projects and mission-enabling activities. Most of the budget of NASA's Science Mission Directorate (SMD) is applied to spaceflight missions, but NASA identifies nearly one quarter of the SMD budget as "mission enabling." The principal mission-enabling activities, which traditionally encompass much of NASA's research and analysis (R&A) programs, include support for basic research, theory, modeling, and data analysis; suborbital payloads and flights and complementary ground-based programs; advanced technology development; and advanced mission and instrumentation concept studies. While the R&A program is essential to the development and support of NASA's diverse set of space and Earth science missions, defining and articulating an appropriate scale for mission-enabling activities have posed a challenge throughout NASA's history. This volume identifies the appropriate roles for mission-enabling activities and metrics for assessing their effectiveness. Furthermore, the book evaluates how, from a strategic perspective, decisions should be made about balance between mission-related and mission-enabling elements of the overall program as well as balance between various elements within the mission-enabling component. Collectively, these efforts will help SMD to make a good program even better. ER - TY - BOOK AU - National Research Council TI - Living on an Active Earth: Perspectives on Earthquake Science SN - DO - 10.17226/10493 PY - 2003 UR - https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/10493/living-on-an-active-earth-perspectives-on-earthquake-science PB - The National Academies Press CY - Washington, DC LA - English KW - Earth Sciences AB - The destructive force of earthquakes has stimulated human inquiry since ancient times, yet the scientific study of earthquakes is a surprisingly recent endeavor. Instrumental recordings of earthquakes were not made until the second half of the 19th century, and the primary mechanism for generating seismic waves was not identified until the beginning of the 20th century. From this recent start, a range of laboratory, field, and theoretical investigations have developed into a vigorous new discipline: the science of earthquakes. As a basic science, it provides a comprehensive understanding of earthquake behavior and related phenomena in the Earth and other terrestrial planets. As an applied science, it provides a knowledge base of great practical value for a global society whose infrastructure is built on the Earth's active crust. This book describes the growth and origins of earthquake science and identifies research and data collection efforts that will strengthen the scientific and social contributions of this exciting new discipline. ER -