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This [space] serves as an ongoing dedication to the late Carl Sagan. I will frequently update this page with all things Sagan, science & cosmos-related, in support of scientific literacy & understanding amongst the ever-increasing hominid population on our organic spaceship, Earth. Keep looking up & remember: we are all star stuff, contemplating the stars, as our origins exist within the cosmos. May this page bring you closer to your own individual enlightenment, further your knowledge of the universe & allow you to achieve wisdom & connectivity toward all living things for which we all share the same biological, chemical & atomic makeup. |
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Notes
GRACE Maps the Gravity of Earth
Credit: GeoForschungsZentrum Potsdam, CSR U. Texas, JPL, NASA
Explanation: Why do some places on Earth have higher gravity than others? Sometimes the reason is unknown. To help better understand the Earth’s surface, slight distance changes between a pair of identically orbiting satellites named GRACE have been used to create the best ever map of Earth’s gravitational field. High points on this map, also colored red, indicate areas where gravity is slightly stronger than usual, while in blue areas gravity is slightly weaker. Many bumps and valleys on the map can be attributed to surface features, such as the North Mid-Atlantic Ridge and the Himalayan Mountains, but others cannot, and so might relate to unusually high or low sub-surface densities. Maps like this also help calibrate changes in the Earth’s surface including variable ocean currents and the melting of glaciers.
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NotesScience Bulletins: Water Underground
Texas endured its driest year ever in 2011, and southern Alabama and Georgia have continued to suffer serious drought in 2012. Climate change is predicted to make drought more frequent in the southern United States, putting a strain on groundwater resources. This visualization reveals the freshwater stores that NASA’s GRACE (Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment) satellite detects from space and shows how that data can be used to evaluate groundwater gains and losses, critical information in the effort to conserve the water that people depend upon. For background information, educational resources, and more, visit Water Underground on the Science Bulletins Web site: http://www.amnh.org/sciencebulletins/
Science Bulletins is a production of the National Center for Science Literacy, Education, and Technology (NCSLET), part of the Department of Education at the American Museum of Natural History.
Special thanks to Matthew Rodell, Hiroko Kato Beaudoing, and Bailing Li of NASA Goddard Space Flight Center.
This visualization was produced by the American Museum of Natural History under award NA10SEC0080014 from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), U.S. Department of Commerce. The statements, findings, conclusions, and recommendations are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of NOAA or the U.S. Department of Commerce.
Related Links
AMNH Science Bulletins: GRACE—Tracking Water from Space
http://sciencebulletins.amnh.org/?sid=e.f.GRACE.20090717International Association of Hydrogeologists: About Groundwater
http://www.iah.org/groundwater_about.aspNational Drought Mitigation Center
http://www.drought.unl.edu/NASA Earth Observatory: Texas Groundwater Severely Depleted (December 1, 2011)
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/IOTD/view.php?id=76575Water 50/50 blog: A Drought of Texas-Size Proportions
http://blog.ucchm.org/2011/12/11/a-drought-of-texas-sized-proportions-when-praying-for-rain-just-wont-do-the-trick/(Source: youtube.com, via climateadaptation)
