Organization:
Research Title: Ocean Color
Funding Level (millions of dollars):
| FY94 | 9.9 |
|---|---|
| FY95 | 4.5 |
| FY96 | 3.7 |
Committee on Environment and Natural Resources (CENR) Component:
(a) Subcommittee: Global Change Research Committee (100%)
(b) Environmental Issue: Climate Change (100%)
(c) Research Activity: Observation (100%)
Organizational Components:
Operations, Data and Information Systems Division
Office of Mission To Planet Earth
NASA Headquarters, Code YD
Washington, DC 20546
Point of Contact:
Stanley Schneider
Phone: 202-358-0255
Research Goals:
To obtain scientifically useful global ocean color data for a five-year period and
to make
that data available to researchers.
Research Description:
NASA will purchase, from the Orbital Sciences Corporation (OSC), ocean color data
to be
acquired by the SeaWiFS instrument which will fly on the SeaStar satellite to be
launched
in July, 1994. SeaWiFS will provide worldwide high-precision, moderate-resolution,
multispectral visible observations of ocean radiance, thus building on the
experience
gained
from the Coastal Zone Color Scanner (CZCS) on Nimbus-7. These data should
determine
the mean and variable bio-optical reflectance characteristics of the upper ocean,
leading to
an understanding of the primary productivity of the upper oceans and the affected
fluxes of
carbon dioxide and other trace gases across the air-sea interface. MO&DA will fund
the
acquisition, processing, and archiving of resulting long-term data sets.
Program Interfaces:
The SeaWiFS Project at GSFC is responsible for processing data into meaningful
biological values and for making that data available to researchers via the EOSDIS
DAACs.
OSC is responsible for SeaWiFS development. OSC is responsible for SeaStar
development, launch and operations and providing ocean color data to NASA.
Program Milestones:
SeaStar is currently scheduled for launch in spring, 1995.
Policy Payoffs:
A better understanding of the extent, causes, and regional consequences of global
change.