The missing data on global climate change

Journal Article · Mon Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1990 · Issues in Science and Technology; (USA)

OSTI ID:5931097

Hansen, J; Rossow, W; Fung, I ^[1]

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1. NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies, New York, NY (USA)

Much of the data we need to characterize changes in the Earth's climate are being acquired by operational satellites and ground stations. Additional parameters need to be measured. The necessary data-gathering instruments are to be included in the Earth Observing Systems, a set of large polar-orbiting platforms to be launched by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration by the end of this decade. Any analysis of climate must take into account climate forcings (anthropogenic or externally imposed changes), climate feedbacks which can be either positive or negative, and climate diagnostics. Existing and proposed sources for acquiring the data are listed in Table 1. A system utilizing three instruments on two satellites is proposed. These small satellites would complement the large polar platforms and speed up the acquisition of data. The three proposed instruments would include an upper atmosphere aerosol and gas monitor, atropospheric aerosol and cloud monitor, and an earth radiation budget monitor at the top of the atmosphere. Preliminary cost estimates and advantages of this system are given.

• OSTI ID: 5931097
• Journal Information: Issues in Science and Technology; (USA), Vol. 7:1; ISSN 0748-5492
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
29 ENERGY PLANNING
POLICY AND ECONOMY
DATA ACQUISITION SYSTEMS
COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
GLOBAL ANALYSIS
GREENHOUSE EFFECT
CLIMATE MODELS
AEROSOLS
CARBON DIOXIDE
CLOUDS
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
ECONOMIC ANALYSIS
FEEDBACK
FORCING FUNCTIONS
FORESTS
FREONS
ICE
METHANE
NITROUS OXIDE
OZONE LAYER
REFLECTIVITY
SATELLITES
SEAS
SNOW
SOLAR RADIATION
STRATOSPHERE
TROPOSPHERE
WATER VAPOR
ALKANES
ATMOSPHERIC PRECIPITATIONS
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON OXIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
COLLOIDS
DISPERSIONS
ECONOMICS
FLUIDS
GASES
HALOGENATED ALIPHATIC HYDROCARBONS
HYDROCARBONS
LAYERS
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
MATHEMATICS
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NITROGEN OXIDES
OPTICAL PROPERTIES
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
RADIATIONS
SOLS
STELLAR RADIATION
SURFACE PROPERTIES
SURFACE WATERS
VAPORS
540110*
540210 - Environment
Terrestrial- Basic Studies- (1990-)
540310 - Environment
Aquatic- Basic Studies- (1990-)
290000 - Energy Planning & Policy
293000 - Energy Planning & Policy- Policy
Legislation
& Regulation
290200 - Energy Planning & Policy- Economics & Sociology
290300 - Energy Planning & Policy- Environment
Health
& Safety