Podcast Summary
NASA's Role in Studying Earth's Climate Change and Sea Level Rise: NASA studies climate change and sea level rise, caused by warmer oceans and groundwater extraction, to help society prepare and adapt, protecting coastlines and ecosystems.
NASA, known for its space exploration, also plays a crucial role in studying and predicting changes on Earth, particularly in relation to climate change and its impact on our planet. Gavin Schmidt, the director of Goddard's Institute For Space Studies and senior adviser on climate to the NASA administrator, explained that sea level rise is a significant concern due to climate change and increasing greenhouse gases. This rise is caused by both the warming of the oceans and the extraction of groundwater at unsustainable rates. The warmer water expands, taking up more space, and when groundwater is extracted without replacement, it ends up in the ocean. These changes can have significant impacts on coastlines and ecosystems, making it essential for NASA scientists to monitor and predict these shifts to help society prepare and adapt.
Sea level rise caused by melting ice and gravitational effects: Sea level rise is influenced by melting ice and gravitational effects, causing localized changes in sea level
Sea level rise is a complex issue driven by various factors including melting ice from glaciers, icebergs, ice sheets in Antarctica and Greenland, as well as groundwater extraction. The loss of ice contributes to rising sea levels, but the redistribution of mass also causes localized changes in gravity and sea level. For instance, the melting ice in Antarctica and Greenland causes a decrease in gravity and a slight drop in sea level near those regions, but a rise in sea level elsewhere. Conversely, areas like Sweden and Greenland are experiencing lowering sea levels due to the same gravitational effects. The melting of ice is a major contributor to the current sea level rise, which is estimated to be around 3 millimeters per year, but this rate is not uniform and is influenced by various factors. NASA is studying the changing ice conditions from multiple perspectives, including ground-based measurements and satellite observations, to better understand the complexities of sea level rise and its potential impacts on coastal communities.
Measuring Earth's ice heights with ICESat 2: ICESat 2, part of ISED 2, measures Earth's ice heights with a laser altimeter from space, providing crucial data for understanding ice melt, sea level rise, and climate change. Studying ice in Antarctica is essential due to its vast size and impact on global ocean heights and weather events.
The International Space Exploration Initiative 2 (ISED 2) and its satellite ICESat 2 play a crucial role in measuring the changing height of Earth's ice sheets with extreme precision, down to the millimeter level. ICESat 2 orbits Earth from 300 miles above the surface and uses a laser altimeter to measure the elevation of Earth's surface, even splitting the beam into 6 for better spatial coverage. Scientists like Brooke also study ice from the ground, experiencing unique and challenging conditions, such as Antarctica. Antarctica, the coldest continent, is a vast, nearly twice the size of Australia, and holds over 90% of Earth's ice. Studying ice in Antarctica is essential for understanding ice melt, sea level rise, and climate change, as the ice's effects can reach far beyond the continent, impacting ocean heights, storm surges, and flooding events.
Sea level rise caused by global ice mass loss leads to more frequent storms and flooding: Sea level rise from melting ice sheets can lead to increased flooding and storms, with Norfolk, Virginia as an example, and understanding Antarctic Shelf Sea complexities crucial for accurate predictions.
Sea level rise is primarily caused by global ice mass loss, and this seemingly small increase in water level can lead to more catastrophic storms and flooding in coastal communities. For instance, areas like Norfolk, Virginia are already experiencing more frequent flooding, and the melting of ice sheets in Antarctica is happening at an accelerated rate. NASA scientists like Craig Rye are working on creating computer models to predict the reactions of Earth's ecosystems to climate change, and understanding the complexities of the Antarctic Shelf Sea is crucial for accurate predictions. However, there are still many unknowns about the future impacts of climate change, making the scientific exploration of these issues both important and exciting. Despite the challenges and potential concerns, the pursuit of answers to these questions involves sophisticated physics, interactions of various physical systems on multiple scales, and the use of advanced tools like supercomputers and polar expeditions.
Exploring the wonders of our universe with physics and polar science: NASA uses advanced technology like Sentinel 6 Michael Freilich satellite to study Earth's sea level changes, encouraging listeners to stay curious and engaged with the world around them.
Physics and polar science offer exciting opportunities for young people to explore the unknown wonders of our universe, including our own planet Earth. NASA continues to study our home with advanced technology, such as the Sentinel 6 Michael Freilich satellite, which collects accurate data on sea level changes. Earth is a dynamic and fascinating place, and there is still much to learn about it. Whether you're studying from space or on the ground, the capacity for wonder and discovery never ends. NASA's Curious Universe encourages listeners to stay curious and engaged with the world around them. If you're interested in learning more, check out NASA's website or send in your questions.
