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Understanding the Role of Biology in the Global Environment: NASA'S Mission to Planet EarthNASA has long used the unique perspective of space as a means of expanding our understanding of how the Earth's environment functions. In particular, the linkages between land, air, water, and life-the elements of the Earth system-are a focus for NASA's Mission to Planet Earth. This approach, called Earth system science, blends together fields like meteorology, biology, oceanography, and atmospheric science. Mission to Planet Earth uses observations from satellites, aircraft, balloons, and ground researchers as the basis for analysis of the elements of the Earth system, the interactions between those elements, and possible changes over the coming years and decades. This information is helping scientists improve our understanding of how natural processes affect us and how we might be affecting them. Such studies will yield improved weather forecasts, tools for managing agriculture and forests, information for fishermen and local planners, and, eventually, an enhanced ability to predict how the climate will change in the future. NASA has designed Mission to Planet Earth to focus on five primary themes: Land Cover and Land Use Change; Seasonal to Interannual Climate Prediction; Natural Hazards; Long-Term Climate Variability; and Atmosphere Ozone.
Document ID
19970025375
Acquisition Source
Headquarters
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Townsend, William F.
(NASA Headquarters Washington, DC United States)
Date Acquired
August 17, 2013
Publication Date
December 1, 1996
Publication Information
Publication: Astrobiology Workshop: Leadership in Astrobiology
Subject Category
Earth Resources And Remote Sensing
Accession Number
97N24929
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.
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