Colorado State University Hosts Teachers from Across the U.S. for 10 Days of Nasa Satellite Training

Colorado State University is hosting more than 40 middle and high-school teachers and administrators from throughout the nation for 10 days of intensive NASA-sponsored training aimed at assisting the national space program while bringing real life science experiences to classrooms.

Lead educators from across the country will attend the workshop, NASA Satellites Study Earth’s Atmosphere: CALIPSO, CloudSat and Aura working with the GLOBE Program, July 12-22 at Colorado State’s Department of Atmospheric Science. The workshop is for instructors and administrators who will work with NASA’s CALIPSO, CloudSat and Aura satellite missions to involve students in reporting atmospheric data such as cloud observations, aerosol concentrations and ozone concentrations through the GLOBE website at www.globe.gov.

GLOBE is a worldwide hands-on, environmental education and science program designed to inspire students to become scientists by studying nature. Students collect environmental data to address climate change, watersheds, agriculture and urban environments among many other possibilities. Scientists can then use the data in their research. Scientists and researchers at Colorado State are involved by developing training materials, providing system support and studying the atmosphere information provided by schools involved in the GLOBE Program. Last year, GLOBE headquarters moved to Colorado and Colorado State University is part of the new administration.

Workshop participants include teachers from Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, Virginia and West Virginia. Following the training, additional support will be provided to the participants to develop regional workshops in their local school systems. The CloudSat mission has created a CloudSat education network of schools around the world to support CloudSat scientists for the duration of the mission.

CALIPSO, CloudSat and Aura are three satellite-based research missions studying Earth’s atmosphere that will provide students globally with a link to NASA research through education and outreach programs. Each of these satellites is scheduled to be included in a formation of six satellites forming the Afternoon Satellite Constellation, also known as the "A-Train." The satellites composing the A-Train will fly in close proximity to each other and collectively provide detailed observations about the condition of Earth and will assist scientists with making predictions related to climate change.

CALIPSO and CloudSat will use remote sensing instruments that are unique to their mission for data collection. CloudSat, being led by Colorado State Professor of Atmospheric Science Graeme Stephens, will use radar to provide a global survey of cloud properties. This information will aid in improving cloud models and the accuracy of weather forecasts. CALIPSO will use lidar (laser) to detect size and distribution of aerosols to improve our understanding of the role aerosols and clouds play in Earth’s climate system. Both missions will help improve prediction of climate change.

The Aura mission, which focuses on atmospheric chemistry, is designed to address such science questions as:

– Is the ozone layer recovering as expected?

– What are the sources and processes that control tropospheric pollutants?

– What is the quantitative impact of aerosols, upper tropospheric water vapor and ozone on climate change?

Over a period of eight years, GLOBE schools around the world have reported more than 10 million atmospheric, climate, hydrology, soil and land cover measurements. This contribution makes the GLOBE database an important resource of worldwide environmental information for scientists and inquiring students.

More information about the educator workshop, including an agenda, information about instructors and participants, is available on the Web at http://calipsooutreach.hamptonu.edu/co2004.html. Additional information about the CloudSat mission is available at http://cloudsat.atmos.colostate.edu. Additional information about the CALIPSO mission is available at http://www-calipso.larc.nasa.gov. Additional information about the Aura mission is available on the Web at http://eos-aura.gsfc.nasa.gov. Go to http://www.globe.gov for more information on the GLOBE Program.

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