July 17 , 201515 - 144 Battling Wildfires from Space : NASA Adds to Firefighters ’ ToolkitThe jump in detail provided by the new Suomi National Polar - orbiting Partnership ( NPP ) satellite 375 - meter fire detection product is helping transform how satellite remote sensing is supporting wildfire management . These images of the progression of the September 2014 King Fire in California demonstrate the improved resolution over previous fire detection products . Credits : University of Maryland / W . SchroederA 2014 international field campaign in South Africa ’ s Kruger National Park validated several satellite fire detection products including the new Suomi NPP 375 - meter product . Credits : Meraka Institute CSIR , South AfricaU . S . firefighters battling wildfires this year will get a clearer view of these threats with new NASA - funded satellite - based tools to better detect fires nationwide and predict their behavior . The new fire detection tool now in operation at the U . S . Department of Agriculture ( USDA ) Forest Service ( USFS ) uses data from the Suomi National Polar - orbiting Partnership ( NPP ) satellite to detect smaller fires in more detail than previous space - based products . The high - resolution data have been used with a cutting - edge computer model to predict how a fire will change direction based on weather and land conditions . This tool is another example of the high - value benefits from cooperative efforts between NASA and the USDA , the future of which was formalized Thursday when NASA Deputy Administrator Dava Newman and USDA Deputy Secretary Krysta Harden signed an agreement that establishes a framework for future enhanced cooperation in the areas of Earth science research , technology , agricultural management , and the application of science data , models and technology in agricultural decision - making . The new active fire detection product using data from Suomi NPP ’ s Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite ( VIIRS ) increases the resolution of fire observations to 1 , 230 feet ( 375 meters ) . Previous NASA satellite data products available since the early 2000 s observed fires at 3 , 280 foot ( 1 kilometer ) resolution . The jump in detail is helping transform how satellite remote sensing data are used in support of wildfire management . The data are one of the intelligence tools used by the USFS and Department of Interior agencies across the United States to guide resource allocation and strategic fire management decisions . “ The high - resolution data gleaned from VIIRS are available in a short time period and significantly enhances the Forest Service ’ s current strategic fire detection and monitoring capabilities , ” said Brad Quayle , program lead at the USFS Remote Sensing Applications Center in Salt Lake City . “ They are welcomed by the end users we serve in the interagency wildfire management community . ” Compared to its predecessors , the enhanced VIIRS fire product enables detection every 12 hours or less of much smaller fires and provides more detail and consistent tracking of fire lines during long duration wildfires – capabilities critical for early warning systems and support of routine mapping of fire progression . Active fire locations are available to users within minutes from the satellite overpass through data processing facilities at the USFS Remote Sensing Applications Center , which uses technologies developed by the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Direct Readout Laboratory in Greenbelt , Maryland . The new VIIRS 375 m fire detection product was developed with support from NASA ’ s Earth Science Applied Sciences Program , the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration ( NOAA ) Joint Polar Satellite System Proving Ground Program , and the U . S . Forest Service . The project team was led by Wilfrid Schroeder at the University of Maryland College Park with scientists at the National Center for Atmospheric Research ( NCAR ) , Boulder , Colorado . NCAR developed a new cutting - edge weather - fire model that has demonstrated potential to enhance firefighter and public safety by increasing awareness of rapidly changing fire behavior . The model uses data on weather conditions and the land surrounding an active fire to predict 12 - 18 hours in advance whether a blaze will shift direction . The VIIRS fire detection product has been applied to these models , successfully verifying the wildfire simulations . The state of Colorado recently decided to incorporate the weather - fire model in its firefighting efforts beginning with the 2016 fire season . “ We hope that by infusing these higher resolution detection data and fire behavior modeling outputs into tactical fire situations , we can lessen the pressure on those working in fire management , ” said Schroeder . In 2014 , an international field campaign was organized in South Africa ’ s Kruger National Park to validate fire detection products including the new VIIRS active fire data . In advance of that campaign , the Meraka Institute of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research in Pretoria , South Africa , an early adopter of the VIIRS 375 m fire product , put it to use during several large wildfires in Kruger . “ We had some serious wildfires in September 2014 , and the VIIRS 375 - meter data performed excellently , ” said Philip Frost of the Meraka Institute . The demand for timely , high - quality fire information has increased in recent years . Wildfires in the United States burn an average of 7 million acres of land each year . For the last 10 years , the USFS and Department of Interior have spent a combined average of about $ 1 . 5 billion annually on wildfire suppression . Large catastrophic wildfires have become commonplace , especially in association with extended drought and extreme weather . NASA ’ s expertise in space and scientific exploration contributes to essential services provided to the American people by other federal agencies , such as natural resource management and weather forecasting . Suomi NPP is a joint mission of NASA and NOAA launched in 2011 . The multispectral imaging capabilities of the Suomi NPP VIIRS instrument support atmospheric studies and a variety of operational products including imaging of hurricanes , sea surface temperature , sea ice , landscapes , and the detection of fires , smoke and atmospheric aerosols . NASA uses the vantage point of space to increase our understanding of our home planet , improve lives , and safeguard our future . NASA develops new ways to observe and study Earth ' s interconnected natural systems with long - term data records . The agency freely shares this unique knowledge and works with institutions around the world to gain new insights into how our planet is changing . Active fire maps of the United States are available online at : http : / / activefiremaps . fs . fed . usFor more information on how NASA Earth science aids people , visit : http : / / go . nasa . gov / earthbenefits - end - Steve ColeHeadquarters , Washington 202 - 358 - 0918 stephen . e . cole @ nasa . govJennifer JonesU . S . Forest Service National Interagency Fire Center , Boise , Idaho 208 - 387 - 5437 jejones @ fs . fed . usLast Updated : July 17 , 2015 Editor : Karen NorthonTags : Benefits to You , Earth , Suomi NPP ( National Polar - orbiting Partnership ) , Earth July 2 , 2015 NASA Maps Beach Tar from California Oil Pipeline SpillAVIRIS - NG red - green - blue ( visible ) aerial image of the Refugio Incident oil spill , showing oil on the water and on nearby Santa Barbara Channel beaches . Credits : NASA / JPL - CaltechMembers of the AVIRIS - NG team , including citizen scientists , take spectral measurements of tar on a beach affected by the oil spill . The measurements were used to validate the AVIRIS - NG aerial data . Credits : Mike Glick , citizen scientistWhen an on - land pipeline ruptured north of Santa Barbara , California , on May 19 -- spilling 101 , 000 gallons of crude oil around the pipeline and onto Refugio State Beach and about 21 , 000 gallons of oil into the Pacific Ocean in the north Santa Barbara Channel -- it created an environmental nightmare for local beaches and wildlife . In support of the response to the Refugio Incident , as it is known , NASA deployed a De Havilland Twin Otter aircraft carrying a unique airborne instrument developed by NASA ' s Jet Propulsion Laboratory , Pasadena , California , to study the spill and test the ability of imaging spectroscopy to map tar on area beaches . The work is advancing our nation ’ s ability to respond to future oil spills . The JPL - built Airborne Visible Infrared Imaging Spectrometer , Next Generation ( AVIRIS - NG ) instrument uses spectroscopic measurement of energy reflected from Earth ' s surface to determine surface properties . In this case , AVIRIS - NG focused on applying imaging spectroscopy to the problem of accurately mapping the presence of oil - derived tar balls on the beaches , using direct , on - the - ground observations to verify the remote sensing data . AVIRIS - NG can capture spectral imagery that is commonly used to map ecosystems , minerals , land use and trace gases . Prior to the flights , a team of scientists led by Principal Investigator Ira Leifer of Bubbleology Research International , Solvang , California , collected tar balls on an affected beach and analyzed them in a laboratory operated for the Department of Energy . The infrared spectral analysis confirmed the presence of unique petroleum hydrocarbon spectral features that would allow diagnostic mapping of beach tar from the air or space . To support the AVIRIS - NG overflights of the larger region , the team deployed to a beach affected by tar from the spill to map beach tar and collect surface spectra , assisted by citizen scientists . They mapped a 220 - foot ( 67 - meter ) span of the beach in detail , noting locations and coverage of tar on the beach . AVIRIS - NG then flew over the beach . Tar was detected successfully in the AVIRIS - NG spectral data , validating the effectiveness of this advanced remote measurement technique . The beach tar map was subsequently forwarded to the Incident Command for the Refugio Incident and was incorporated into the response ’ s daily shoreline cleanup and assessment technique , also known as SCAT . SCAT is a critical response component to an oil spill , but is highly subjective , qualitative and labor intensive . Applying remote sensing techniques to beach tar mapping in support of oil spill response is a breakthrough that promises to transform shoreline cleanup and assessment techniques by providing robust , rapid and repeatable maps at a resolution and fidelity not currently achievable . These maps can guide local , state , and federal stakeholders in assessing impacts to beaches and in restoring and recovering degraded , damaged or destroyed ecosystems and habitats in the environment . " Mapping tar on beaches using high - resolution imaging spectroscopy techniques that can identify tar of this type has never been done before , and is a natural extension of oil - on - water remote sensing , " said Leifer . " NASA deployed AVIRIS - NG to the scene during the first week of the incident , collect ing timely data during the initial spill phases and contributing to the response . "“ NASA is keenly interested in fostering development of new operational remote sensing technologies that improve disaster response for application by federal responders , " said David Green , NASA Disasters Program manager at NASA headquarters in Washington . " The AVIRIS - NG deployment is an example of the proactive disaster response efforts NASA supports , including oil spills within the FOSTERRS interagency working group . ” FOSTERRS stands for the NASA - led Federal Oil Spill Team for Emergency Response Remote Sensing . The group brings together remote sensing expertise from a range of governmental agencies to support oil spill responses . This effort built on a pioneering NASA campaign that assisted during the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010 under science principal investigator Leifer . Then , AVIRIS imagery was processed to provide the first - ever maps of oil - on - water thickness , developed by a large multi - agency team . The current effort sought to leverage the greatly improved performance of AVIRIS - NG to map oil as tar on beaches . Leifer coordinated the current Refugio Incident flights in support of NASA ' s Disasters Program . Also participating in the team was John DiBenedetto of Special Technology Laboratories , a U . S . Department of Energy contract lab , in collaboration with scientists from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration . For more information on AVIRIS NG , visit : http : / / airbornescience . jpl . nasa . gov / instruments / avirisngNASA uses the vantage point of space to increase our understanding of our home planet , improve lives and safeguard our future . NASA develops new ways to observe and study Earth ' s interconnected natural systems with long - term data records . The agency freely shares this unique knowledge and works with institutions around the world to gain new insights into how our planet is changing . For more information about NASA ' s Earth science activities , visit : http : / / www . nasa . gov / earthAlan BuisJet Propulsion Laboratory , Pasadena , California 818 - 354 - 0474 alan . buis @ jpl . nasa . gov 2015 - 224 Last Updated : July 17 , 2015 Editor : Tony GreiciusTags : Benefits to You , Earth , Hazards , Land , Water , Read Full Article Fire and Smoke June 24 , 2015 Fire and Smoke in San Bernardino National ForestShow only LeftShow only RightCredits : NASA Earth Observatory image by Jesse Allen , using EO - 1 ALI data provided courtesy of the NASA EO - 1 teamFueled by hot , dry winds , the Lake fire has been spreading through California ’ s San Bernardino National Forest . The blaze , located about 130 kilometers ( 80 miles ) east of Los Angeles , was first reported on June 17 , 2015 , and grew quickly on June 18 . By the afternoon of June 22 , the fire had burned 70 square kilometers ( 17 , 305 acres ) and was 21 percent contained . The Advanced Land Imager ( ALI ) on the Earth Observing - 1 ( EO - 1 ) satellite captured this pair of images on June 20 , 2015 . The top image shows a natural - color view of the fire ’ s thick smoke plume . The bottom image shows a false - color view of the same scene in short - wave infrared . Hot areas of active fires glow bright orange - red ; relatively cooler areas of recently burned land glow dark red . Turn on the image comparison tool to see the fires and scars below the smoke . When these images were acquired on June 20 , the fire had burned about 60 square kilometers ( 15 , 000 acres ) and was 10 percent contained . Westerly winds blew smoke away from Los Angeles , but caused smoke advisories to be issued in the Yucca and Morongo valleys to the east and the Lucerne Valley to the north . Download the larger natural - color image to see the wider extent of the plume . According to a June 22 news report , the fire was the largest to burn in a California national forest so far in 2015 , and fire fighting costs were around $ 5 million . InciWeb reported that the fire was threatening about 500 structures , and evacuations were in place for all areas east of Angelus Oaks . · Reference · Inciweb ( 2015 , June 22 ) Lake Fire . Accessed June 22 , 2015 . · The Los Angeles Times ( 2015 , June 22 ) Price tag for fighting Lake fire near Big Bear : $ 5 million , 17 , 305 acres so far . Accessed June 22 , 2015 . · Mojave Desert air quality management district ( 2015 , June 18 ) Smoke Advisory Issued for Yucca , Lucerne & Morongo Valleys . Accessed June 22 , 2015 . · NASA Earth Observatory ( 2015 , June 18 ) Lake Fire , California . Instrument ( s ) : EO - 1 - ALINASA Earth Observatory image by Jesse Allen , using EO - 1 ALI data provided courtesy of the NASA EO - 1 teamCaption by Kathryn HansenLast Updated : July 17 , 2015 Editor : Lynn JennerTags : Earth , Fire and Smoke , Goddard Space Flight Center , Hazards , Read Full Article Fire and Smoke June 23 , 2015 Lake Fire and San Gorgonio Fire in CaliforniaThe Lake Fire ( the larger of the two fires ) is burning in the northern portion of the San Gorgonio Wilderness . All hiking trails into the San Gorgonio Wilderness Area have been closed due to the proximity of the fire to these trails . The Pacific Crest Trail ( PCT ) is closed from Whitewater Preserve to onyx Summit . The cause of the fire is still under investigation . It is approximately 17 , 305 acres in size and burning in old - growth timber in the San Bernardino Mountains that fire officials said Friday hasn ’ t burned in decades . Since the area hasn ’ t burned , there is lot of fuel , and in a record drought year , that can make the firefighting efforts more difficult . It is currently 21 % contained . There are approximately 500 structures threatened , however no structures are believed to have been damaged or destroyed at this time . The Morongo Valley and Pioneertown Areas have been inundated with smoke which remains in the area . The Southern California Air Quality Management District has issued a smoke advisory for those areas , however , no evacuations have been ordered . Overall the growth of the fire has slowed . High Temperatures and westerly winds will continue to push smoke towards the east , impacting residents in the surrounding areas . The San Gorgonio Fire is about 10 acres in size and is located northeast of San Gorgonio Mountain in the Fish Creek Drainage . It was reported just before midnight on May 5 , 2015 . The cause is under investigation and there is no threat to any communities , campsites or trails at this time . Crews are constructing line around the fire with the support of aircraft dropping water and retardant as needed . Inciweb is no longer updating this fire . This natural - color satellite image was collected by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer ( MODIS ) aboard the Terra satellite on June 21 , 2015 . Actively burning areas , detected by MODIS ’ s thermal bands , are outlined in red . NASA image courtesy Jeff Schmaltz , MODIS Rapid Response Team . Caption : NASA / Goddard , Lynn JennerLast Updated : July 17 , 2015 Editor : Lynn JennerTags : Earth , Fire and Smoke , Goddard Space Flight Center , Hazards , Land , Terra Satellite , Read Full Article Landsat June 17 , 2015 Satellites Enable Coral Reef Science Leap from Darwin to onlineWith Earth - observing satellite data , scientists can now monitor the health of coral reefs , even in the most remote regions scattered around the globe where it is otherwise difficult to see changes . Satellites fill a void by providing a more complete view of remote reefs . The information is monitored globally through Coral Reef Watch , an online tool that provides near real - time and long - term monitoring , forecasting and reporting of tropical coral reef conditions . Coral Reef Watch is operated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration ( NOAA ) . This information is being used to monitor the quality and temperature of the waters around reefs worldwide . Water temperatures that exceed certain thresholds for a period of time can lead to a loss of corals . Satellite data processed through Coral Reef Watch provides early warning of natural and human - caused pressures that result in reef decline and loss . Until relatively recently , global maps of coral reefs hadn ’ t changed significantly from the maps produced by Charles Darwin in 1842 . Darwin based his historic maps on observations from his expeditions around the world . Later , French scientist Louis Joubin updated those maps in 1912 using information he received through letters from people living near coral reefs around the world . The structure and distribution of coral reefs by Charles Darwin was developed during his voyage of the Beagle 1832 to 1836 . When Darwin returned , his theory of the origin of coral reefs , communicated to the Geological Society of London on May , 31 1837 , made his scientific reputation . This map was first published in " The Structure and Distribution of Coral Reefs " ( London , 1842 ) . It wasn ’ t until about 15 years ago that coral reef mapping leapfrogged to modern times . A new global map of coral reefs was created with over a thousand Landsat 7 satellite images collected between 2000 and 2003 . “ Until we made the map of coral reefs with Landsat 7 , global maps of reefs had not improved a lot since the amazing maps that Darwin drafted , ” said Frank Muller - Karger , professor of oceanography at the University of South Florida in St . Petersburg , Florida . Previous Landsat missions were designed to look at land and were typically “ turned off ” over large oceans to conserve power . Landsat is a collaborative NASA and U . S . Geological Survey mission . The Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus sensor , the main instrument onboard Landsat 7 , led to the development of the Millennium Global Coral Reef Map , which is distributed openly and is used by researchers and coral reef managers around the world . The Landsat 8 satellite with the Operational Land Imager ( OLI ) sensor offers significantly improved capabilities . “ The Landsat 8 OLI is allowing us to outline the reefs around the world and measure area and estimate depth in ways never possible before , ” said Muller - Karger . Muller - Karger teamed with the NOAA Coral Reef Watch program under a 2013 NASA Applied Sciences grant to develop new products using U . S . and international satellites for a coral reef ecosystem stress alert program . Coral is a living organism that makes rocklike deposits of their skeletons . These marine animals leave these deposits to accumulate to form reefs over hundreds to thousands of years . These reefs provide a habitat for more than 1 million species of plants and animals while also protecting coastlines from storm damage and erosion and providing a tourism destination . Factors influencing the health of coral reefs include rising sea levels , powerful storms , pollution , coastal development , mining pressures for cement , overfishing and other human activities such as the construction of artificial islands and ports . A condition known as coral bleaching occurs when extremely warm waters force temperature - sensitive corals to evict the tiny algae that live inside the coral animal in symbiosis and help them thrive . These algae give the coral animals their color . Without these algae , the corals turn white and eventually die if the condition persists . In addition to Landsat , several other satellites provide data to measure the cumulative heat buildup around coral reefs of the world . If the heat builds up over several weeks , coral reef health is affected and bleaching or death occurs . Stress also occurs if corals experience extreme winter cold temperatures , and this can be observed by temperature - sensing satellites . Among these satellite sensors are the Moderate - resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer ( MODIS ) instruments aboard the NASA Terra and Aqua satellites . Similar readings are being collected by NASA / NOAA ’ s Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite ( VIIRS ) instrument on Suomi National Polar - orbiting Partnership satellite , as well as from NOAA ’ s Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite series and the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer ( AVHRR ) instruments , and some satellites operated by international partners . These instruments provide current information on sea surface temperatures , to identify areas vulnerable to bleaching . The extensive coral reefs on the northern shore of Vanua Levu , Fiji ’ s second largest island , can be seen on this natural color Landsat 8 image acquired on May 10 , 2015 . The sensors aboard Landsat 8 were designed to have higher sensitivity than the last - generation sensor aboard Landsat 7 . This higher sensor sensitivity has had a positive impact on coral reef delineations , area measurements , and depth estimations . Credits : NASA / LandsatScientists Look to the FutureNow science seeks more advanced solutions to the problem of measuring biodiversity over large areas and how this is changing . Hyperspectral satellite information promises to identify the types of habitats within the reef . These new satellite instruments could see variations of coral reef color and improve the understanding of at least some aspects of habitat and biological diversity from space . It may even be able to see when corals bleach . “ You need Earth - observing cameras with small pixel sizes that allow a closer look at the corals . The scale needed is much less than 100 meters . With VIIRS and MODIS , for example , the best achievable spatial resolution is 250 - 500 meters . We need instruments capable of resolving reefs at scales ranging from 1 to 40 meters , ” said Nima Pahlevan , chief research scientist , Terrestrial Information System Laboratory at Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt , Maryland . Towards that end of obtaining better quality images , NASA ’ s Hyperion onboard the proof - of - concept Earth - Observing - 1 ( EO - 1 ) mission offers 30 - meter spatial resolution as a test of an orbital space - borne hyperspectral camera sensing Earth ’ s surface . Another experimental instrument was the Hyperspectral Imager for the Coastal Ocean ( HICO ) , which flew on the International Space Station . HICO offered 90 meter spatial resolution , providing detailed images of coral reef regions . Hyperion and HICO are both experimental instruments , requiring images to be scheduled or offering the ability to capture only a few images per orbit . That is why scientists desire a hyperspectral instrument on a satellite to capture a regular stream of images , providing insight on changes to coral reefs . There are also other hyperspectral instruments in the pipeline . NASA is considering when to fly the Hyperspectral Infrared Imager ( HyspIRI ) . NASA already flies several hyperspectral sensors on aircraft , such as the Airborne Visible Infrared Imaging Spectrometer , or AVIRIS , instruments and the Portable Remote Imaging Spectrometer , or PRISM , instrument . Future hyperspectral data from space will allow high - quality observations that could be used to map the diversity of changing global coastal zones . This will allow scientists to better quantify how organisms change , and ultimately how humans can better use nature to sustain a healthy society . NASA uses the vantage point of space to increase our understanding of our home planet , improve lives , and safeguard our future . NASA develops new ways to observe and study Earth ' s interconnected natural systems with long - term data records . The agency freely shares this unique knowledge and works with institutions around the world to gain new insights into how our planet is changing . For more on how NASA Earth science yields benefits to society , visit : http : / / go . nasa . gov / earthbenefitsFor more information about Landsat , visit : www . nasa . gov / landsat or landsat . usgs . govPhoto of Coral reef with fish courtesy of Jeremy Cohen , Penn State University . Audrey HaarNASA ' s Goddard Space Flight Center , Greenbelt , MarylandLast Updated : July 17 , 2015 Editor : Holly ZellTags : Benefits to You , Earth , Goddard Space Flight Center , Landsat , Technology , Read Full Article Hazards May 9 , 2015 DHS Successfully Transitions Search and Rescue Tool That Pinpoints Buried VictimsPress Release Issued by the U . S . Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology DirectorateThe Finding Individuals for Disaster and Emergency Response ( FINDER ) prototype technology can locate individuals buried under rubble in disaster scenarios . David Lewis , president of R 4 , Inc . , took two FINDER prototypes to Nepal to assist in rescue efforts after the April 25 , 2015 , earthquake . This photo was taken on April 29 in Kathmandu . Credits : David Lewis , R 4 Inc . FINDER joined a contingent of international rescuers from China , the Netherlands , Belgium and members of the Nepali Army in northern Nepal . This photo was taken on April 29 in Kathmandu . Credits : David Lewis , R 4 Inc . Washington , D . C . -- The Department of Homeland Security ( DHS ) Science and Technology Directorate ( S & T ) , in partnership with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration ' s ( NASA ) Jet Propulsion Laboratory , announced today the transition of the final prototype of the Finding Individuals for Disaster and Emergency Response ( FINDER ) technology to the commercial market . FINDER is a radar technology designed to detect heartbeats of victims trapped in wreckage . Two commercial partners have been licensed to manufacture the device : R 4 Inc . of Eatontown , N . J . and SpecOps Group Inc . of Sarasota , Fla . Earlier today , S & T and NASA demonstrated its newest capabilities at the Virginia Task Force one ( VA - TF 1 ) Training Facility in Lorton , Va . , finding " survivors " in a simulated disaster . This is thanks to the new locator feature , which can help pinpoint the location of the victim to within about five feet – depending on the type of rubble . This key change saves rescuers time , increasing chances for locating survivors . The technology proved successful during its first real - world operational use when it was deployed to Nepal following the April 25 earthquake to support international search and rescue efforts in the country . David Lewis , president of one of S & T ' s commercial partners , R 4 Inc . , arrived in Nepal with two prototype FINDER devices on April 29 to assist in the rescue efforts . He joined a contingent of international rescuers from China , the Netherlands , Belgium and members of the Nepali Army in Northern Nepal . Using FINDER , they were able to detect two heartbeats beneath each of two different collapsed structures , allowing the rescue workers to find and save the men . The four men had been trapped beneath the rubble for days in the hard - hit village of Chautara . " I stopped at every decimated village and used FINDER there , " Lewis explained of his actions in Nepal , crediting the Nepali people with providing invaluable support . on two separate occasions , FINDER found two heartbeats . Family members were desperate to find trapped people . I am just happy we could be there with FINDER ; I am very privileged to be part of the team and effort . " FINDER ' s human - finding abilities were demonstrated through multiple test searches over the past two years with urban search and rescue ( US & R ) teams in Virginia , Oklahoma , Indiana , New Jersey , Georgia , California , and Illinois . " The latest operational assessments demonstrated FINDER was successful in locating a VATF - 1 member buried in 30 feet of mixed concrete , rebar , and gravel rubble from a distance of over 30 feet , " said John Price , S & T program manager for FINDER . " This capability will complement the current Urban Search and Rescue tools such as canines , listening devices , and video cameras to detect the presence of living victims in rubble . "" There is no one magic tool that can find everyone . We use FINDER as one of our tools : canines , Delsar listening devices , cameras , " explained VATF - 1 Captain Randy Bittinger . " FINDER is the only tool that can identify an unconscious , unresponsive individual just by their heartbeat . We don ' t have any other tool like it . I want any tool that will help us find any people anywhere in the world . " In disaster scenarios , such as earthquakes and tornadoes , the wreckage is made up of twisted and shattered materials . Radar signals bounce back so signals are complex . " Because the victim ' s hearts are beating , that signal changes a very small amount , " said Jim Lux , JPL ' s FINDER task manager . " So what FINDER can do , is look for those very small changes , determine if they ' re from a human heartbeat and it they are , a message will display for the user indicating there is somebody in there . " S & T and R 4 Inc . are also evaluating FINDER for additional search and rescue applications such as detecting people in burning buildings . DHS Science & Technology Press Office , John Verrico ( 202 ) 254 - 2385 NASA Headquarters Press Office : Joshua Buck , ( 202 ) 358 - 1130 NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory , Elizabeth Landau ( 818 ) 354 - 6425 Virginia Task Force onE , Randal Bittinger ( 703 ) 209 - 51892015 - 160 Last Updated : July 17 , 2015 Editor : Tony GreiciusTags : Earth , Hazards , Read Full Article Benefits to You April 23 , 2015 The View From Up There , Down HereThe completed flight assembly of the High Definition Earth Viewing unit before it was launched to the International Space Station in 2014 . Credits : NASAA view of Earth from one of the High Definition Earth Viewing cameras mounted on the hull of the International Space Station . Credits : NASAThe iconic " blue marble " view of Earth as seen by the Apollo 17 crew traveling toward the moon on December 7 , 1972 . Credits : NASAWhen many people saw the first stunning photos of the fragile blue marble of Earth from space , it changed their outlook of humanity . It was a singular moment in time when people around the world were watching and looking toward the future as NASA began to turn small steps into giant leaps . As we continue our recent Earth Day celebration , an investigation on the International Space Station that provides unprecedented panoramic views of our home will celebrate its first year in space . The High Definition Earth Viewing ( HDEV ) investigation sent four commercially available cameras housed in a single unit to the station last year on the third SpaceX resupply mission . one year ago , April 30 , 2014 , a robotic arm extracted the unit from the SpaceX trunk , attaching it to the exterior of the orbiting laboratory , and activated the cameras -- transmitting the mesmerizing views of Earth . The view switches between the four fixed cameras and streams live online along with a real - time map to track the location of the station for anyone to watch their home planet and enjoy the same view experienced by space station crew members . Since the cameras began broadcasting a live stream a year ago , the number of views is approaching 50 million -- attesting to the popularity of the project . The primary purpose of the project is not , however , just to share amazing images of Earth . " The investigation has become multi - purpose for us , " said Susan Runco , principal investigator for HDEV at NASA ' s Johnson Space Center in Houston . " We are testing the resiliency of long - term exposure of the cameras to space , but in making this live streaming video available for anyone to watch anytime , I think we remind people of just how beautiful our home is and that there are humans on this orbiting platform right now , living and working off the Earth , for the Earth . " There are moments during the stream when viewers are treated to complete darkness as the station passes in Earth ' s shadow or during a temporary loss of signal from the station . Solar rays and the continuous switching to different ground communications relay stations during the station ' s orbit can occasionally cause a brief interruption of the video signal . The rest of the time , the cameras transmit a clear image of the planet below . The cameras are enclosed in a special housing to protect them from the bitter cold of space , but they are still exposed to the harsh radiation of their environment . Scientists will analyze the effect of space on the video quality during the time HDEV is operational . " We believe this will help engineers decide which cameras are the best types to use on future missions into deep space , " Runco said . " Cameras sent up for other investigations on station have returned showing a degradation of the signal . We want to see how long these new cameras can last before the image is no longer useful . " Educational outreach has been an important component of the project through the entire life cycle , not only using the images in the classroom , but also in creating the project itself . " Through our High Schools United with NASA to Create Hardware ( HUNCH ) program , student teams in the Houston area helped design and build some of the camera structural and support components , " said Runco . " More students from the University of Bonn in Germany and the University of Houston in Clear Lake , Texas , help operate HDEV and participate in monitoring the effects space has on the cameras . " While the signals from the camera are not recorded on the space station , the video is periodically recorded on the ground to compare images to previous video and analyze how well the systems hold up in the space environment for possible future use . " Using off - the - shelf products is often more cost - effective than designing new ones for space applications , " Runco said . " Ground tests have shown these cameras could survive the simulated space environment , but actual exposure to low Earth orbit will prove how durable they can be for extended missions . We will know more when the cameras are returned to Earth for analysis in 2017 . " From the first photos of the fragile blue marble to a live video stream online , such striking views from space may make many people envious that they can ' t see the view from space with their own eyes , but also thankful to live on such a beautiful planet . Bill HubscherNASA ' s Marshall Space Flight CenterLast Updated : July 17 , 2015 Editor : Kristine RaineyTags : Benefits to You , Earth , International Space Station , Space Station Research and Technology , Read Full Article Climate March 19 , 20152015 Arctic Sea Ice Maximum Annual Extent Is Lowest on RecordThe sea ice cap of the Arctic appeared to reach its annual maximum winter extent on Feb . 25 , according to data from the NASA - supported National Snow and Ice Data Center ( NSIDC ) at the University of Colorado , Boulder . At 5 . 61 million square miles ( 14 . 54 million square kilometers ) , this year ’ s maximum extent was the smallest on the satellite record and also one of the earliest . Arctic sea ice likely reached its annual maximum winter extent on Feb . 25 , barring a late season surge . At 5 . 61 million square miles , this year ' s winter peak extent is the lowest and one of the earliest on the satellite record that began in 1979 . Credits : NASA ' s Goddard Space Flight CenterRelated multimediaArctic sea ice , frozen seawater floating on top of the Arctic Ocean and its neighboring seas , is in constant change : it grows in the fall and winter , reaching its annual maximum between late February and early April , and then it shrinks in the spring and summer until it hits its annual minimum extent in September . The past decades have seen a downward trend in Arctic sea ice extent during both the growing and melting season , though the decline is steeper in the latter . This year ’ s maximum was reached 15 days earlier than the 1981 to 2010 average date of March 12 , according to NSIDC . only in 1996 did it occur earlier , on Feb . 24 . However , the sun is just beginning to rise on the Arctic Ocean and a late spurt of ice growth is still possible , though unlikely . This short video shows the bulk of the Arctic sea ice freeze cycle from October through this year ' s apparent winter maximum on Feb . 25 . Credits : NASA ' s Goddard Space Flight CenterDownload this video in HD formats from NASA Goddard ' s Scientific Visualization StudioIf the maximum were to remain at 5 . 61 million square miles , it would be about 50 , 000 square miles below the previous lowest peak wintertime extent , reached in 2011 at 5 . 66 million square miles — in percentages , that ’ s less than a 1 percent difference between the two record low maximums . In comparison , the swings between record lows for the Arctic summertime minimum extent have been much wider : the lowest minimum extent on record , in 2012 , was 1 . 31 million square miles , about 300 , 000 square miles , or 18 . 6 percent smaller than the previous record low one , which happened in 2007 and clocked at 1 . 61 million square miles . A record low sea ice maximum extent does not necessarily lead to a record low summertime minimum extent . “ The winter maximum gives you a head start , but the minimum is so much more dependent on what happens in the summer that it seems to wash out anything that happens in the winter , ” said Walt Meier , a sea ice scientist at NASA ’ s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt , Maryland . “ If the summer is cool , the melt rate will slow down . And the opposite is true , too : even if you start from a fairly high point , warm summer conditions make ice melt fast . This was highlighted by 2012 , when we had one of the later maximums on record and extent was near - normal early in the melt season , but still the 2012 minimum was by far the lowest minimum we ’ ve seen . ” Here the 2015 maximum is compared to the 1979 - 2014 average maximum shown in yellow . A distance indicator shows the difference between the two in the Sea of Okhotsk north of Japan . Credits : NASA ' s Goddard Space Flight CenterDownload related multimedia in HD formats from NASA Goddard ' s Scientific Visualization StudioThe main player in the wintertime maximum extent is the seasonal ice at the edges of the ice pack . This type of ice is thin and at the mercy of which direction the wind blows : warm winds from the south compact the ice northward and also bring heat that makes the ice melt , while cold winds from the north allow more sea ice to form and spread the ice edge southward . “ Scientifically , the yearly maximum extent is not as interesting as the minimum . It is highly influenced by weather and we ’ re looking at the loss of thin , seasonal ice that is going to melt anyway in the summer and won ’ t become part of the permanent ice cover , ” Meier said . “ With the summertime minimum , when the extent decreases it ’ s because we ’ re losing the thick ice component , and that is a better indicator of warming temperatures . ” Maria - José Viñas ​ NASA ' s Earth Science News TeamLast Updated : July 17 , 2015 Editor : Rob GarnerTags : Climate , Earth , Ice , Read Full Article Air Feb . 23 , 2015 NASA Satellite Reveals How Much Saharan Dust Feeds Amazon ’ s PlantsWhat connects Earth ' s largest , hottest desert to its largest tropical rain forest ? The Sahara Desert is a near - uninterrupted brown band of sand and scrub across the northern third of Africa . The Amazon rain forest is a dense green mass of humid jungle that covers northeast South America . But after strong winds sweep across the Sahara , a tan cloud rises in the air , stretches between the continents , and ties together the desert and the jungle . It ’ s dust . And lots of it . For the first time , a NASA satellite has quantified in three dimensions how much dust makes this trans - Atlantic journey . Scientists have not only measured the volume of dust , they have also calculated how much phosphorus – remnant in Saharan sands from part of the desert ’ s past as a lake bed – gets carried across the ocean from one of the planet ’ s most desolate places to one of its most fertile . For the first time , a NASA satellite has quantified in three dimensions how much dust makes the trans - Atlantic journey from the Sahara Desert the Amazon rain forest . Among this dust is phosphorus , an essential nutrient that acts like a fertilizer , which the Amazon depends on in order to flourish . Credits : NASA ' s Goddard Space Flight CenterDownload this video in HD formats from NASA Goddard ' s Scientific Visualization StudioA new paper published Feb . 24 in Geophysical Research Letters , a journal of the American Geophysical Union , provides the first satellite - based estimate of this phosphorus transport over multiple years , said lead author Hongbin Yu , an atmospheric scientist at the University of Maryland who works at NASA ' s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt , Maryland . A paper published online by Yu and colleagues Jan . 8 in Remote Sensing of the Environment provided the first multi - year satellite estimate of overall dust transport from the Sahara to the Amazon . This trans - continental journey of dust is important because of what is in the dust , Yu said . Specifically the dust picked up from the Bodélé Depression in Chad , an ancient lake bed where rock minerals composed of dead microorganisms are loaded with phosphorus . Phosphorus is an essential nutrient for plant proteins and growth , which the Amazon rain forest depends on in order to flourish . Nutrients – the same ones found in commercial fertilizers – are in short supply in Amazonian soils . Instead they are locked up in the plants themselves . Fallen , decomposing leaves and organic matter provide the majority of nutrients , which are rapidly absorbed by plants and trees after entering the soil . But some nutrients , including phosphorus , are washed away by rainfall into streams and rivers , draining from the Amazon basin like a slowly leaking bathtub . The phosphorus that reaches Amazon soils from Saharan dust , an estimated 22 , 000 tons per year , is about the same amount as that lost from rain and flooding , Yu said . The finding is part of a bigger research effort to understand the role of dust and aerosols in the environment and on local and global climate . Dust in the Wind " We know that dust is very important in many ways . It is an essential component of the Earth system . Dust will affect climate and , at the same time , climate change will affect dust , " said Yu . To understand what those effects may be , " First we have to try to answer two basic questions . How much dust is transported ? And what is the relationship between the amount of dust transport and climate indicators ? " The new dust transport estimates were derived from data collected by a lidar instrument on NASA ' s Cloud - Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observation , or CALIPSO , satellite from 2007 though 2013 . The lidar instrument aboard the CALIPSO satellite sends out pulses of light that bounce off particles in the atmosphere and back to the satellite . It distinguishes dust from other particles based on optical properties . Credits : NASA Goddard ' s Scientific Visualization StudioThe data show that wind and weather pick up on average 182 million tons of dust each year and carry it past the western edge of the Sahara at longitude 15 W . This volume is the equivalent of 689 , 290 semi trucks filled with dust . The dust then travels 1 , 600 miles across the Atlantic Ocean , though some drops to the surface or is flushed from the sky by rain . Near the eastern coast of South America , at longitude 35 W , 132 million tons remain in the air , and 27 . 7 million tons – enough to fill 104 , 908 semi trucks – fall to the surface over the Amazon basin . About 43 million tons of dust travel farther to settle out over the Caribbean Sea , past longitude 75 W . Yu and colleagues focused on the Saharan dust transport across the Atlantic Ocean to South America and then beyond to the Caribbean Sea because it is the largest transport of dust on the planet . Dust collected from the Bodélé Depression and from ground stations on Barbados and in Miami give scientists an estimate of the proportion of phosphorus in Saharan dust . This estimate is used to calculate how much phosphorus gets deposited in the Amazon basin from this dust transport . The seven - year data record , while too short for looking at long - term trends , is nevertheless very important for understanding how dust and other aerosols behave as they move across the ocean , said Chip Trepte , project scientist for CALIPSO at NASA ' s Langley Research Center in Virginia , who was not involved in either study . " We need a record of measurements to understand whether or not there is a fairly robust , fairly consistent pattern to this aerosol transport , " he said . Looking at the data year by year shows that that pattern is actually highly variable . There was an 86 percent change between the highest amount of dust transported in 2007 and the lowest in 2011 , Yu said . Why so much variation ? Scientists believe it has to do with the conditions in the Sahel , the long strip of semi - arid land on the southern border of the Sahara . After comparing the changes in dust transport to a variety of climate factors , the one Yu and his colleagues found a correlation to was the previous year ' s Sahel rainfall . When Sahel rainfall increased , the next year ' s dust transport was lower . The mechanism behind the correlation is unknown , Yu said . one possibility is that increased rainfall means more vegetation and less soil exposed to wind erosion in the Sahel . A second , more likely explanation is that the amount of rainfall is related to the circulation of winds , which are what ultimately sweep dust from both the Sahel and Sahara into the upper atmosphere where it can survive the long journey across the ocean . CALIPSO collects " curtains " of data that show valuable information about the altitude of dust layers in the atmosphere . Knowing the height at which dust travels is important for understanding , and eventually using computers to model , where that dust will go and how the dust will interact with Earth ' s heat balance and clouds , now and in future climate scenarios . " Wind currents are different at different altitudes , " said Trepte . " This is a step forward in providing the understanding of what dust transport looks like in three dimensions , and then comparing with these models that are being used for climate studies . " Climate studies range in scope from global to regional changes , such as those that may occur in the Amazon in coming years . In addition to dust , the Amazon is home to many other types of aerosols like smoke from fires and biological particles , such as bacteria , fungi , pollen , and spores released by the plants themselves . In the future , Yu and his colleagues plan to explore the effects of those aerosols on local clouds – and how they are influenced by dust from Africa . " This is a small world , " Yu said , " and we ' re all connected together . " Ellen GrayNASA ' s Earth Science News TeamNASA ' s Goddard Space Flight Center , Greenbelt , MarylandLast Updated : July 17 , 2015 Editor : Rob GarnerTags : Air , Earth , Earth Research Findings , Land , Read Full Article Technology Feb . 10 , 2015 ORCA Prototype Ready for the Open OceanLeft to right : Gerhard Meister , Bryan Monosmith and Chuck McClain are shown here with the ORCA prototype , which is a strong contender for a NASA Earth science mission . Credits : NASA ' s Goddard Space Flight Center / Bill HrybykThe area in this Aqua - MODIS image is located immediately north of the Scandinavian Peninsula . The intersecting waters , plus stiff winds , promote mixing of waters and of nutrients from the deep . The phytoplankton blooms are seen as bluish - green in color . Credits : NASA / Norman KuringIts name refers to one of the biggest animals in the sea , but ORCA , the Ocean Radiometer for Carbon Assessment instrument , will be observing the smallest . If selected for a flight mission , ORCA will study microscopic phytoplankton , tiny green plants that float in the upper layer of the ocean and make up the base of the marine food chain . Conceived in 2001 as the next technological step forward in observing ocean color , the ORCA - development team used funding from Goddard ’ s Internal Research and Development program and NASA ’ s Instrument Incubator Program ( IIP ) to develop a prototype . Completed in 2014 , ORCA now is a contender as the primary instrument on an upcoming Earth science mission . Should it be chosen , ORCA will take ocean - color monitoring to the next level , helping scientists to more precisely measure marine photosynthesis , which is key to the carbon cycle and the ocean food chain . Like its predecessors that also measured ocean color , the instrument will observe phytoplankton , which blooms en masse , covering hundreds of square miles of the sea surface at once and leaving a trail that is clearly visible from space . In particular , researchers will observe global changes in ocean color to estimate concentrations of chlorophyll , the pigment plants use for photosynthesis — the process during which the tiny plants convert energy from the sun and carbon dioxide into organic compounds that support life . About a fourth of man - made carbon dioxide ends up in the ocean , said Chuck McClain , former ORCA principal investigator with Goddard ’ s Ocean Color Group . “ The ocean is a big sink for CO 2 and part of that sink involves ocean biology . ” ORCA builds on the work Goddard scientists and engineers pioneered in the development of ocean color sensors . Goddard ' s proof - of - concept — the Coastal Zone Color Scanner that flew on Nimbus - 7 from 1978 to 1986 — was the first sensor to demonstrate that ocean chlorophyll could be measured from space . NASA ’ s Sea - Viewing Wide Field - of - View Sensor mission , which collected data from 1997 to 2010 , was the first flagship mission to routinely observe ocean color for long - term climate research . Currently , researchers employ the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer on NASA ’ s Terra and Aqua spacecraft , and the Visible Infrared Imager Radiometer Suite aboard the Suomi National Polar - orbiting Partnership satellite . ORCA ’ s Distinguishing CharacteristicsWhat sets ORCA apart from its predecessors is its hyperspectral capability . Instead of observing a handful of discrete bands at specific wavelengths reflected off the ocean , ORCA measures a range of bands , from 350 nanometers to 900 nanometers at five - nanometer resolution . Instead of having to choose one shade to represent each color of the rainbow , ORCA will see the entire rainbow , including the color gradations of green that fade into blue . In addition to the hyperspectral bands , the instrument has three short - wave infrared bands that measure specific wavelengths between 1200 and 2200 nanometers for atmospheric applications . “ That ’ s over a hundred wavelengths we measure , ” McClain said . “ We start way down in the ultraviolet , really short wavelengths and we go clear out to the short wave infrared . ” To date , no satellite ocean color instrument offers this wavelength range . More and continuous wavelengths mean more data and more refined observations of the upper layers of the ocean , he said . “ When you have more information about the spectrum of the water , then you can do a better analysis of what is in the water . Most phytoplankton species are green , but they have different types of green , so they have slightly different spectra . You need a lot of different wavelengths to discern these differences , ” said Gerhard Meister , ORCA ' s principal investigator . In particular , researchers will obtain more accurate measurements of chlorophyll concentrations . The concentration reflects the size of the phytoplankton bloom and how much carbon it holds . Detecting chlorophyll in various wavelengths also will allow researchers to distinguish between types of phytoplankton . Researchers also could collect information on the other types of particles present , such as suspended sediments in coastal regions . The ORCA prototype has a scanning telescope designed to sweep across 2 , 000 kilometers ( 1 , 243 miles ) of ocean at a time . It collects light reflected from the sea surface that then passes through a series of mirrors , optical filters , gratings , and lenses . These components direct the light onto an array of detectors that cover the full range of wavelengths . The goal of the prototype ’ s development was to get ORCA as close as possible to flight readiness with minimal risk , McClain said . “ Part of the IIP project was not only to build it , but also go through a very thorough performance evaluation , ” he said . “ We tried to certify that we met all performance requirements , everything that we could do without having a flight instrument . We were successful in doing that . ” Meister concurs . “ When we got actual data from the instrument , we realized , wow , this is a good instrument , " he said . Now that the prototype is complete , the ORCA team is waiting for the green light to begin working on a version that will fly in space . Related Link · More technology news from NASA ' s Goddard Space Flight Center Ellen Gray and Lori Keesey ​ NASA ’ s Goddard Space Flight Center , Greenbelt , MarylandLast Updated : July 17 , 2015 Editor : Rob GarnerTags : Earth , Science Instruments , Technology , Water , Read Full Article Suomi NPP Dec . 17 , 2014 City Lights Shine Brighter During the HolidaysBack to Gallery City lights shine brighter during the holidays when compared with the rest of the year , as shown using a new analysis of daily data from the NASA - NOAA Suomi National Polar - orbiting Partnership ( Suomi NPP ) satellite . Dark green pixels are areas where lights are 50 percent brighter , or more , during December . This new analysis of holiday lights uses an advanced algorithm , developed at NASA ' s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt , Maryland , that filters out moonlight , clouds and airborne particles in order to isolate city lights on a daily basis . The data from this algorithm provide high - quality satellite information on light output across the globe , allowing scientists to track when – and how brightly – people illuminate the night . A daily global dynamic dataset of nighttime lights is a new way for researchers to understand the broad societal forces impacting energy decisions and to look at how people use cities , from an energy perspective . > Full Story : NOAA / NASA Satellite Sees Holiday Lights Brighten CitiesImage Credit : NASA ' s Earth Observatory / Jesse AllenLast Updated : July 17 , 2015 Editor : Sarah LoffTags : Earth , Suomi NPP ( National Polar - orbiting Partnership ) , Read Full Article NASA Armstrong Aug . 29 , 2014 NASA Radar System Surveys Napa Valley Quake AreaNASA scientists are conducting an airborne survey of earthquake fault displacements in the Napa Valley area of Northern California using a sophisticated radar system developed by NASA ' s Jet Propulsion Laboratory , Pasadena , California . A modified C - 20 A aircraft from NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center ' s Palmdale facility carrying JPL ' s Uninhabited Aerial Vehicle Synthetic Aperture Radar ( UAVSAR ) flew a five - hour data - collection mission on Friday , Aug . 29 , over the area that experienced a major quake during the pre - dawn hours on Sunday , Aug . 24 . The 6 . 0 - magnitude quake , centered near Napa , was the strongest to occur in the San Francisco Bay Area in a quarter - century . It caused extensive damage and numerous injuries in Napa and nearby areas , although no deaths were reported . Data from the flight will be compared with data acquired by the UAVSAR on previous missions over the same area to determine if significant displacements have occurred along fault lines . The radar can measure tiny movements of the ground of less than half an inch , or less than a centimeter , from an altitude of almost eight miles above ground . According to Randal Albertson , deputy director of NASA ' s Airborne Science Program at NASA Armstrong , the mission will enable JPL scientists to acquire new data " to build on the data sets we already have to help us better understand the mosaic of Northern California faults , possible impacts of the drought and lower ground water , as well as the impact the earthquake had on the critical levee system " in the California delta east of the San Francisco Bay Area . " What we are doing has real potential science benefit to Californians and the nation , " he added . A close - up view of the pod housing JPL ' s sophisticated synthetic aperture radar system carried by NASA ' s C - 20 A Earth science research aircraft . Credits : NASA ArmstrongJPL UAVSAR project manager Yunling Lou said obtaining new data shortly after the recent quake rather than waiting until later would have several benefits , among them : · Early acquisition would enable scientists to distinguish between co - seismic and post - seismic deformation events . This means improved information on fault mechanics , better predictions of where aftershocks might occur and a better estimate of earthquake hazard . · Results would be shared with agencies such as the California Earthquake Clearinghouse to support damage assessment efforts . The deformation is very subtle , so UAVSAR data can offer a critical contribution in terms of quantifying fault offsets . · Two data lines will cover the North Bay Aqueduct . The California Department of Water Resources is still assessing the damage there and needs to know how much movement occurred in soft soil areas near the delta . The UAVSAR radar survey missions are flown at an altitude of about 41 , 000 feet . The comparison of data recorded during previous flights with new data is aided greatly by a Precision Platform Autopilot developed by NASA Armstrong engineers that enables the C - 20 A to fly its data collection flight tracks within about 30 feet of those previously flown . NASA ' s Airborne Science Program is part of the Earth Science Division of NASA ' s Science Mission Directorate , which provides support for the UAVSAR project . For more information about NASA ' s Earth science activities in 2014 , visit : http : / / www . nasa . gov / earthrightnowLearn more about JPL ' s UAVSAR instrument at : http : / / uavsar . jpl . nasa . gov / education / what - is - uavsar . htmlFor more about NASA ' s C - 20 A and the UAVSAR , visit : http : / / www . nasa . gov / centers / armstrong / news / FactSheets / FS - 089 - DFRC . htmlLast Updated : July 17 , 2015 Editor : Yvonne GibbsTags : Armstrong Flight Research Center , Benefits to You , Earth , Read Full Article Aug . 31 , 2013 Smoke Plumes from California WildfiresBack to Gallery ISS 036 - E - 038114 ( 29 Aug . 2013 ) --- one of the Expedition 36 crew members aboard the Earth - orbiting International Space Station photographed massive smoke plumes from the California wildfires . When this image was exposed on Aug . 29 , the orbital outpost was approximately 220 miles above a point located at 38 . 6 degrees north latitude and 123 . 3 degrees west longitude . Last Updated : July 17 , 2015 Editor : Jerry WrightTags : Earth , Expedition 36 , Hazards , International Space Station , Aug . 28 , 2013 California ' s Rim Fire Seen From StationBack to Gallery ISS 036 - E - 037185 ( 26 Aug . 2013 ) --- one of the Expedition 36 crew members aboard the International Space Station used a 50 mm lens to record this view of the massive drought - aided Rim Fire in and around California ' s Yosemite National Park and the Stanislaus National Forest on Aug . 26 . The fire began on Aug . 17 and , at the time of this photo on Aug . 26 , it still continues to burn , as some 3 , 700 firefighters battle it . More than 224 square miles have been affected . Last Updated : July 17 , 2015 Editor : Jerry WrightTags : Earth , Expedition 36 , Hazards , International Space Station , Aug . 27 , 2013 Rim Fire In and Around California ' s Yosemite National ParkBack to Gallery ISS 036 - E - 035685 ( 24 Aug . 2013 ) --- one of the Expedition 36 crew members aboard the International Space Station used a 50 mm lens to record this high oblique view of the massive drought - aided Rim Fire in and around California ' s Yosemite National Park and the Stanislaus National Forest on Aug . 24 . A portion of a solar array panel on the orbital outpost can be seen in upper left corner of the image . Editor ' s Note : The fire began on Aug . 17 and , as of Aug . 26 , continues to burn . More than 224 square miles have been affected . Last Updated : July 17 , 2015 Editor : Jerry WrightTags : Earth , Expedition 36 , Hazards , International Space Station , Read Full Article Aug . 27 , 2013 Rim Fire In and around California ' s Yosemite National ParkBack to Gallery ISS 036 - E - 035677 ( 24 Aug . 2013 ) --- one of the Expedition 36 crew members aboard the International Space Station used a 50 mm lens to record this high oblique view of the massive drought - aided Rim Fire in and around California ' s Yosemite National Park and the Stanislaus National Forest on Aug . 24 . Editor ' s Note : The fire began on Aug . 17 and , as of Aug . 26 , continues to burn . More than 224 square miles have been affected . Last Updated : July 17 , 2015 Editor : Jerry WrightTags : Earth , Expedition 36 , Hazards , International Space Station , Fire and Smoke Aug . 27 , 2013 Rim Fire , CaliforniaBack to Gallery This natural - color satellite image of the drought - fueled Rim Fire was collected by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer ( MODIS ) aboard NASA ' s Terra satellite on Aug . 25 , 2013 . The fire began on Aug . 17 and , as of Aug . 26 , continues to burn on the Stanislaus National Forest , Yosemite National Park , and Bureau of Land Management and state responsibility land . Over 224 square miles have been affected . > Read more > Latest news and images : Fire and SmokeImage Credit : NASA / Jeff Schmaltz , MODIS Rapid Response Team , GSFCLast Updated : July 17 , 2015 Editor : Sarah LoffTags : Earth , Fire and Smoke , Terra Satellite , Read Full Article Earth July 16 , 2013 NASA ' s Student Airborne Research Program : Learning by DoingInterns participating in NASA ' s Student Airborne Research Program board NASA ' s DC - 8 for a science flight over California to investigate several topics including air pollution , forest health , and near shore and ocean studies . Credits : NASA / NSERC / Jane PetersonA group of American college students are spending eight weeks this summer participating in an internship that offered hands - on experience in the planning and execution of a NASA Airborne Science mission . The 32 participants in the 2013 Student Airborne Research Program ( SARP ) were involved in every aspect of a science mission from upload of sensors to collecting science data , in the air , on the ground or from a boat . After their field experience , the undergraduate interns began classroom and laboratory work at the University of California , Irvine where they are poring over the science data and developing presentations to summarize their research . Barry Lefer , ( right ) professor of atmospheric science at the University of Houston , studies Los Angeles air quality data collected by several science instruments on NASA ' s DC - 8 flight lab during a Student Airborne Research Program flight with student interns Tyra Brown and Sean Freeman . Credits : NASA / NSERC / Jane PetersonThe airborne research was conducted on NASA ' s DC - 8 flying laboratory based at the Dryden Aircraft Operations Facility in Palmdale , Calif . Each student had three flight opportunities and those who were involved in the forest or aquatic field research went with faculty advisors to those sites and collected data when the DC - 8 flew a mission overhead . It takes a number of individuals to support the students ' flying mission . one individual important to every flight is a meteorologist . Henry Fuelberg , professor of Meteorology at Florida State University in Tallahassee , has filled that role since the SARP ' s inception five years ago and has worked on a variety of NASA science missions since 1992 . One area of the interns ' research interest is air pollution . Fuelberg explained that most pollution is released at or near the Earth ' s surface . The way it disperses and its altitude is dependent upon weather . He offered the example of wildfire smoke ascending to 30 , 000 feet altitude within 30 minutes if there is a thunderstorm in the area . Fuelberg prepared a weather report and offered his findings at each flight crew briefing . He also flew aboard the aircraft and mingled with the students . He found the students bright and enthusiastic . As he said , " the pick of the crop . " Donald Blake , a professor of chemistry and Earth system science at the University of California , Irvine , was aboard the flights with a sensor that allowed the students to collect air samples in flight . Blake noted that this year ' s group of students were all undergraduates and most had not yet applied to graduate school . " The students have an opportunity that can be life changing , " said Blake . " There was a kid from Alaska ( a former SARP intern ) who was hard core into rocks ( geology ) . He is now in Boulder and is a " gas " guy - from rocks to gas . This program opens the eyes of many young people . "" There may be a person on this plane that could end up as the NASA administrator , " Blake added . In addition to faculty advisors Fuelberg and Blake , Raphael Kudela , ocean sciences professor of University of California , Santa Cruz , led the interns in an oceans research project . Susan Ustin , professor of environmental and resource sciences at the University of California , Davis , was the faculty advisor for the land remote sensing group . This graphic superimposed over a Google Earth image of Southern California shows the flights paths of NASA ' s DC - 8 flying laboratory during five Student Airborne Research Program flights . The flights June 17 – 20 covered a total of 4 , 685 miles . Credits : NASA ImageFive student mentors supported the program . Nicole Grossberg participated in the 2010 Student Airborne Research Program as a graduate student . This year , Grossberg returned as a mentor to support the students in creating a project , collecting the data , and helping them produce a research paper . Grossberg said she learns as much from the students as she gives them . Several students were studying carbon dioxide . Matt Davey of Lyndon State College in Lyndonville , Vt . , said that there is a huge difference between being given information in a classroom and collecting raw data in field studies . The DC - 8 flight was one of the first times flying for Tyra Brown of Millersville University , Pa . She appreciated the opportunity to both fly and work on the aircraft . Sam Pellock , an undergraduate student at Murray State University in Kentucky , had no idea how to do airborne research before the SARP internship . He was amazed to be able to collect data and see entire columns of carbon dioxide . Molly Smith of Cornell University , Ithaca , N . Y , was especially pleased to have been selected for SARP . Smith attended high school just 20 miles south of the DC - 8 ' s home base . She was interested in studying the familiar local weather as she plans to become a meteorologist . Faculty advisor Barry Lefer , atmospheric science and chemistry professor at the University of Houston , was the lead for Los Angeles air quality research that required a few unusual and low - level flight requests . DC - 8 flight planner Carl Magnusson said that having flown SARP missions previously , he had an idea of what the science team wanted . Several of the 2013 flights included collecting air samples over the Los Angeles area . " Air traffic congestion is a big planning factor , but we ( NASA ) have a great working relationship with Air Traffic Control , " said Magnusson . This proved advantageous during approaches flown to Los Angeles International Airport , Torrance Airport and March Reserve Base in Riverside , Calif . " The SARP program has made the opportunity for student participation available to a wide audience , most with no other prior connection to any NASA program , " said NASA DC - 8 pilot Bill Brockett . " SARP has ignited a passion for many of them , who have continued their studies or found jobs as a direct consequence of the experience . " SARP is managed by NASA ' s Ames Research Center through the National Suborbital Education and Research Center ( NSERC ) at the University of North Dakota with funding and support from the Earth Science Division of NASA ' s Science Mission Directorate . Emily Schaller , NSERC ' s SARP project manager , begins planning the internship in the fall with the announcement that the application period is open . The instrumentation and flight planning begins in January , followed by review of the proposals and selection of the students in late winter . By summer , Schaller puts in long days in an effort to ensure the activity runs smoothly . All involved in the Student Airborne Research Program appreciate its value . " I expect to see a Nobel Prize winner out of this program in about 12 years , " said Brockett . Beth Hagenauer , Public AffairsNASA Dryden Flight Research CenterLast Updated : July 17 , 2015 Editor : Jaimie BaccusTags : Armstrong Flight Research Center , Benefits to You , Earth , Read Full Article Suomi NPP Feb . 28 , 2013 Winter Storm Across Central United StatesIn late February 2013 , a major snowstorm made its way across the continental United States , dropping snow from Colorado to the Great Lakes region . The National Weather Service reported snow totals of five to eight inches in many parts of the Central Plains and Upper Mississippi River Valley . Some parts of the Central Plains experienced snowfall rates as high as four inches per hour , along with thundersnow . The Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite ( VIIRS ) on the Suomi NPP satellite captured this nighttime view at 1 : 55 a . m . CST on February 23 . This imagery is from the VIIRS " day - night band , " which detects light in a range of wavelengths from green to near - infrared . The day - night band takes advantage of moonlight , airglow , and starlight to brighten the landscape and uses filtering techniques to observe signals such as city lights and snow cover . on the night of this image , the Moon was nearly full . City lights glow like clusters of stars against a backdrop of grey and black in this image . The snow appears medium gray , and stretches from northern Texas to the Dakotas , and from the Rocky Mountain states eastward past Chicago . When VIIRS acquired this image , snow cover across multiple states had persisted since the previous night . Image Credit : NASA / Suomi NPPLast Updated : July 17 , 2015 Editor : NASA AdministratorTags : Earth , Hazards , Suomi NPP ( National Polar - orbiting Partnership ) , Read Full Article Suomi NPP Oct . 29 , 2011 NPP Launch ArcOn Friday , Oct . 28 , 2011 , an arc of light illuminates the pre - dawn sky at Vandenberg Air Force Base , Calif . , as a Delta II rocket launches with the NPOESS Preparatory Project ( NPP ) spacecraft payload . NPP carries five science instruments , including four new state - of - the - art sensors , which will provide critical data to help scientists understand the dynamics of long - term climate patterns and help meteorologists improve short - term weather forecasts . Photo Credit : NASA / Bill Ingalls Last Updated : July 17 , 2015 Editor : NASA AdministratorTags : Earth , Launches , Suomi NPP ( National Polar - orbiting Partnership ) , Read Full Article