Organization:
Research Title: Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS)
Funding Level (millions of dollars):
| FY94 | 27.1 |
|---|---|
| FY95 | 30.5 |
| FY96 | 16.0 |
Committee on Environment and Natural Resources (CENR) Component:
(a) Subcommittee: Global Change Research Committee (100%)
(b) Environmental Issue: Climate Change (100%)
(c) Research Activity: System Structure and Function: Observation (100%)
Organizational Components:
Operations, Data and Information Systems Division
Office of Mission To Planet Earth
Mission Operations and Data Analysis Branch
NASA Headquarters, Code YD
Washington, DC 20546
Point of Contact:
Stanley Schneider
Phone: 202-358-0255
Research Goals:
The UARS mission studies energy input and loss in the upper atmosphere, global
photochemistry of the upper atmosphere, dynamics of the upper atmosphere, the
coupling
among these processes, and the coupling between the upper and lower atmosphere.
UARS helps to fulfill NASA's legislative mandate to research and understand the
upper
atmosphere and its susceptibility to change, caused by natural events or
anthropogenic
activities. By providing simultaneous, coordinated measurements of atmospheric
internal
structure and measurements of the external influences acting on the atmosphere,
UARS
is
advancing the understanding and prediction of stratospheric ozone depletion and of
climate
change.
Research Description:
The UARS program consists of a single, dedicated, fully-instrumented satellite and
associated ground system designed to obtain the first global-scale data base on the
chemistry, dynamics, and energy input to the Earth's upper atmosphere. Launched
in
September, 1991, the UARS payload includes 10 instruments using proven
technologies
to
measure upper atmosphere winds, stratospheric temperatures, solar energy input,
and
radiative loss. It also monitors the concentrations of a large number of stratospheric
and
mesospheric chemical species whose atmospheric presence is derived in large part
from
human activities.
Program Interfaces:
Extensive linkages have been put in place with the international and inter-agency
scientific
community for instrument development and testing, ground data system
procurement
and
installation, data analysis and utilization, and the development of ground-truth
and
correlative measurement campaigns. The broader scientific community will use
UARS
data
in an ongoing program of international ozone assessments undertaken through the
auspices
of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) and the World
Meteorological
Organization (WMO).
Program Milestones:
UARS continues key observations made by current and planned satellite
instruments
and
will be followed by the EOS mission, which will continue these measurements on a
long-term basis.
Policy Payoffs:
A better understanding of the extent, causes, and regional consequences of global
change.