State of the Program: NASA Ocean Biology & Biogeochemistry

Paula Bontempi and Fred LipschultzNASA Headquarters

Ocean Color Research Team Meeting4 May 2009

NASA Current and Approved Oceans and Ice MissionsNASA Current and Approved Oceans and Ice MissionsNASA Current and Approved Oceans and Ice MissionsNASA Current and Approved Oceans and Ice Missions

99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15NPOESS OPS

TOPEX/P.JASONOSTM

AQUARIUS

Directed

Competed

QuikSCAT

GRACE

Beyond Aquarius (2010), there are no approved NASA oceanographic satellite missions

TodayPrimary MissionApproved Extended MissionConditionally Approved Extended Mission

ICESAT

SeaWiFSCommercial

AQUA/MODISTERRA/MODIS

NPP

NASA Current and Approved Oceans and Ice MissionsNASA Current and Approved Oceans and Ice MissionsNASA Current and Approved Oceans and Ice MissionsNASA Current and Approved Oceans and Ice Missions

99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15NPOESS OPS

Directed

Competed

Beyond Aquarius (2010), there are no approved NASA oceanographic satellite missions

TodayPrimary MissionApproved Extended MissionConditionally Approved Extended Mission

SeaWiFSCommercial

AQUA/MODIS

NPP

Safehold during 2008

VIIRS ?

TERRA/MODISMission Extension Review 5.2009

Advance Plan:Earth’s Living Ocean: The Unseen World

NASA Ocean Biology and Biogeochemistry ProgramTeam from April 2005: Michael Behrenfeld, Heidi Dierssen, Paul DiGiacomo, Steve Lohrenz, Chuck McClain, Frank Muller-Karger, Dave Siegel, (Paula Coble)May 2006-October 2006: Posted for Public Comment

Reviewers: Tony Freeman, Norm Nelson, Jim YoderMarch 2007: Briefed to NRC OSBApril 2007: Negotiations with NRC for review (OSB and SSB)September 2007: Comments incorporatedApril 2008: Briefed to NRC SSBApril 2008: Letter drafted for NASA SMAC reviewDecember 2008: plan to have joint SSB/OSB (NASA-NOAA) sponsored review April 2009: Statement of Task for OSB, SSB finalized (NASA, NOAA, NSF, ONR)

International Partnerships:Unrestricted data availability/use;

Sharing of in situ Cal/Val data; Ship time; Models

Carbon Cycle, Ecosystems Research

C

NASA’s Ocean Biology and Biogeochemistry NASA’s Ocean Biology and Biogeochemistry ResearchResearch

Time Series, Vicarious Cal,

Data Product Val, Field Campaigns

(HOT, BATS, BOUSSOLE, VT)

TerraTerra

AquaAqua

SeaWiFSSeaWiFS

New Measurements/ New Measurements/ DS Missions/Venture DS Missions/Venture

Class/SuborbitalClass/Suborbital

NACP/OCCC/NACP/OCCC/IMBER/SOLASIMBER/SOLAS

OCBOCB

Ocean/Coastal Processes

from Space & MAP

CZCS

NASA CVO: IOPs, NASA CVO: IOPs, AOPs, Protocols, AOPs, Protocols,

Instrumentation, RRsInstrumentation, RRs

U.S. Carbon Cycle Science Program: Activities/ChallengesU.S. Carbon Cycle Science Program: Activities/ChallengesU.S. Carbon Cycle Science Program: Activities/ChallengesU.S. Carbon Cycle Science Program: Activities/Challenges

• Climate Change Science Program (NACP and OCB) – carbon cycle science evolution and progress “report” (Building Blocks activity)

– Carbon Cycle Science Working Group efforts in evolving U.S. Carbon Cycle Science Plan

• Synthesis activities progress – mid-continent, coastal, site, non-CO2 greenhouse gas, plus future synthesis activity (synthesis of synthesis)

• High latitude priority (FY09-11)

Carbon Cycle Science Program – EvolutionCarbon Cycle Science Program – EvolutionCarbon Cycle Science Program – EvolutionCarbon Cycle Science Program – Evolution

Building Blocks:

1. Goals- continuing, emerging scientific and societal opportunities, challenges, questions (10-year) + limited set of specific and/or nearer term goals (3-year)

2. Enabling Contributions and Collaborations - Research, science, technology needs + key activities within the community that support achieving goals + requirements for coordination/collaboration w/other communities within/outside CCSP

3. Pathways and Options- evolution of existing program objectives, structure (suggested alternative program objectives, frameworks, configurations) + role(s) of Principals, IWGs, agencies, coordination office + resource considerations (new or reprogrammed resources)

Carbon Cycle Science Working GroupCarbon Cycle Science Working GroupCarbon Cycle Science Working GroupCarbon Cycle Science Working Group

• July 2008 - CCSP Principals produce Building Block Tasking (revised Dec 2008)

• IWG responds by drafting charter for CCSWG/planning revisit of US CCS Plan

• Mission - to develop the next U.S. carbon cycle science plan– Identify challenges and priorities for the next decade (~2010-2020)– Involve broader research community in formulation and implementation

• Recommendations go to agency managers who set carbon cycle science priorities for the next decade, and sponsor most of the carbon research in the U.S.

• Summer 2008 – Charter approved by CCIWG, co-leads identified and enlisted: Anna Michelak (University of Michigan), Chris Sabine (NOAA-PMEL), Rob Jackson (Duke University), Greg Marland (Oak Ridge National Laboratory)

• Fall 2008 - 23 total members invited/finalized

• 18-24 months or until the activity is completed – additional meetings planned

• Comments/Updates: http://www.carboncyclescience.gov/carbonplanning.php

Carbon Cycle Science Working GroupCarbon Cycle Science Working GroupCarbon Cycle Science Working GroupCarbon Cycle Science Working Group

Fundamental Science Questions1999 U.S. Carbon Cycle Science Plan:

What has happened to the carbon dioxide that has already been emitted by human activities (past anthropogenic CO2)?

• What will be the future atmospheric CO2 concentration trajectory resulting from both past and future emissions?

Preliminary version for new Plan:• What processes and feedbacks control the dynamics of atmospheric CO2

and CH4?• What are the impacts of the changing carbon cycle (and associated

changes in climate) on ecosystems?• How will carbon stocks and fluxes respond to policy and carbon

management strategies?

Comments / Updates: http://www.carboncyclescience.gov/carbonplanning.php

Send comment to:jeffrey.reid@nrlmry.navy.mil/ 1 (831) 656-4725

http://www.nrlmry.navy.mil/aerosol/http://www.nrlmry.navy.mil/flambe/

The 7 South East Asian Studies (7-SEAS)

2010/1011

Malaysian Meteorology Service

Rationale for Research in Southeast Asia: The aerosol-cloud observability problem

SE Asia has strong gradients in air pollution. But, persistent cirrus, low level clouds coupled with

shallow water make SE Asia one of the most difficult places on the planet to

model or utilize satellite data

What is the nature of air pollution and smoke on broad environmental, meteorological, and climate impacts? Very co-linear with ACE and GeoCAPE aerosol objectives

Global Air Pollution Satellite Studies: Little SE ASIA involvement

• SE Asia has never had a large cal/val efforts of satellite measurements of atmospheric composition.

• SE Asia is an excellent location for developing aerosol and ocean retrieval methods such as are necessary for ACE and GEOCAPE

Major Composition Satellite Development

or Cal/Val Mission

?

Seven South East Asian Studies (7 SEAS)

Original Goal: Isolate the impacts of aerosol particles on weather

and the environment

In order to do this, we need input from seven research areas:•Tropical and subtropical meteorology including air-sea and land interaction

•Clouds and precipitation

•Radiative transfer

•Biomass burning and pollution

•Natural aerosol chemistry

•Satellite and model calibration/validation

•Seasonal forecasting and climate

Taiwan

VietnamThailand

Malaysia

Singapore

Indonesia

Philippines

7 SEAS: Do we need a bigger tent?

• Interacting with regional scientists revealed a need for an overarching aerosol mission.

• Many feedbacks between ocean, land and atmospheric processes.

• In some cases capacity building may need to come before science.

New South East Asian Studies.• Atmospheric chemistry (aerosol particles and gas)• Radiation• Clouds and precipitation• Land processes and fire• Oceanography (physical and biological)• Observability and satellite/model cal&val• Short term to climate prediction

Ocean Collaboration

• Some Key Research Issues:– Product validation– Joint Ocean-Atmosphere retrievals– Air Sea Fluxes– Acid deposition/coastal acidification

• Activities– Regional network of AERONET sites.– Potential for Taiwanese R/V deployment in 2010/2011.– Ride along on UNOLS vessels of opportunity starting

in late 2009.– Small boat availability in coastal Philippines.

Current AERONET and potential deployment sites

Current AERONETSupersite under development

Global Atmos. Watch (GAW)Possible sites

Lulin Station

GAWGAW

Kuching?

Sitiawon?

Singapore

Dongsha

PalawanIsland

?

GAW

Send comment to:jeffrey.reid@nrlmry.navy.mil/ 1 (831) 656-4725

http://www.nrlmry.navy.mil/aerosol/http://www.nrlmry.navy.mil/flambe/

The 7 South East Asian Studies (7-SEAS)

2010/1011

Malaysian Meteorology Service

NASA OB&B Research

• NOPP 2009 (up to $2.5M/yr with NSF and ONR) on Sensors for Marine Ecosystems topic out December 2008, 51 proposals received, decisions July/Aug 2009

• ROSES 2009 - http://nspires.nasaprs.com/ - Release Date 13 February 2009, Amended 3 April 2009

• Ocean Biology and Biogeochemistry and Cryospheric Sciences (~$3.0 M/yr) up to 4 yrs

• Beaufort and Chukchi Seas: • Field work; Data Synthesis, Assimilation, and Modeling; Productivity

• Interdisciplinary Science (five topics) up to 3 yrs• Landscapes to Coasts

• ROSES 2010?• Ocean Biology and Biogeochemistry: Synthesis Studies; Field campaign concepts; IPCC; Decadal Survey • EOS Recompete• NPP Science Team• Carbon Cycle Science – ocean acidification (NRC study)• Accelerating Operational Use of Research Data (with Tsdengdar Lee, HEC)

Challenges for NASA

Global understanding of climate

Role of ocean biology and chemistry (color) in climate and Earth system science

Continuity of EOS observations / missions• International data access/science team membership

Timing of new observations given future desires for cap and trade

Tie in with NSF, NOAA Climate Service

Tie in with IGBP, US GEO, IPCC (via OCB?)