NASA to Launch Carbon Observatory   
       
   June 24, 2014:  In the lexicon of climate change, one word appears more often   
   than any other: "carbon." Carbon credits, carbon emissions, carbon   
   sequestration.. These terms are on everyone's lips.   
       
   The reason is carbon dioxide (CO2).   
       
   According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, CO2 is the most   
   important driver of global warming. At approximately 400 parts per million,   
   atmospheric carbon dioxide is now at its highest level in at least the past   
   800,000 years. The burning of fossil fuels and other human activities are   
   currently adding nearly 40 billion tons of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere   
   each year, producing an unprecedented buildup.   
       
   NASA is about to launch a spacecraft to keep track of this greenhouse gas. The   
   Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2 is in final preparations for a July 1st launch   
   from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.   
       
   http://youtu.be/BZtXdBBzJyA   
       
   A new ScienceCast video explores the goals and underlying technology of the   
   Orbiting Carbon Observatory.  Play it   
       
   Also known as "OCO-2", the polar orbiting satellite will provide a global   
   picture of human and natural sources of carbon dioxide.  Data from OCO-2 will   
   also be used to quantify carbon dioxide "sinks"-that is, places in the ocean   
   and land which naturally pull carbon dioxide out of Earth's atmosphere for   
   storage.   
       
   "Knowing what parts of Earth are helping remove carbon from our atmosphere   
   will help us understand whether they can keep doing so in the future," says   
   Michael Gunson, OCO-2 project scientist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.   
       
   Although the mission is named OCO two, it is actually NASA's first spacecraft   
   dedicated to measuring atmospheric carbon dioxide levels. The original OCO   
   spacecraft, launched from Vandenberg more than five years ago, never reached   
   orbit because of a separation anomaly in the launch vehicle. OCO-2 is NASA's   
   second attempt.   
       
   It's coming just in time. Greenhouse gases like CO2 trap the sun's heat within   
   Earth's atmosphere. By maintaining habitable temperatures, the greenhouse   
   effect is essential to life on Earth. However, increasing CO2 levels may have   
   given our planet too much of a good thing.   
       
   Most scientists agree that increased carbon dioxide from human activities,   
   particularly fossil fuel burning and deforestation, has thrown Earth's natural   
   carbon cycle off balance.  Global surface temperatures are increasing and   
   changing our planet's climate.   
       
   http://climate.nasa.gov/causes   
       
   A blanket around Earth: Learn more about the greenhouse effect   
       
   Currently, less than half the carbon dioxide emitted into Earth's atmosphere   
   by human activities stays there. Some of the extra CO2 is absorbed by Earth's   
   oceans. Natural land sinks take up the rest, but the amounts of CO2 taken up   
   at various locations on the Earth's surface are not well understood. OCO-2   
   scientists hope to coax these sinks out of hiding.   
       
   "Quantifying these sinks now will help us predict how fast CO2 will build up   
   in the future," adds Gunson. "Data from this mission will improve the accuracy   
   of global climate change predictions."   
       
   OCO-2 detects carbon dioxide using three onboard spectrometers.  These devices   
   work by spreading sunlight into its constituent colors.  CO2 reveals itself by   
   absorbing certain colors as sunlight crosses through the atmosphere.  In this   
   way the new spacecraft will dramatically increase the number of observations   
   of carbon dioxide, collecting hundreds of thousands of measurements each day   
   when the satellite flies over Earth's sunlit hemisphere.   
       
   OCO-2 measurements will be combined with data from ground stations, aircraft   
   and other satellites to help answer key questions about carbon dioxide and   
   climate change.   
       
   The director of NASA's Earth Science Division, Michael Freilich, sums it up:   
   "With the OCO-2 mission, NASA will be making an important new contribution to   
   the scientific challenge of better understanding our Earth and its future."   
       
   Credits:   
   Author: Dr. Tony Phillips | Production editor: Dr. Tony Phillips | Credit:   
   Science@NASA   
       
   Web Links:  Global Climate Change -- climate.nasa.gov   
       
   OCO-2 -- mission home page   
       
       
   Regards,   
       
   Roger   
      
   --- D'Bridge 3.99   
    * Origin: NCS BBS - Houma, LoUiSiAna (1:3828/7)