The Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) spacecraft has arrived at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, Fla., where it will undergo final testing before its anticipated November launch. The mission aims to study the sun in unprecedented detail and its effects on Earth, collecting 1.5 terabytes of data daily.
A recent study found that climate change models may underestimate the impact of changing atmospheric chemistry on water runoff. The researchers discovered that increased concentrations of carbon dioxide and ozone in the atmosphere and nitrogen in the soil can lead to a 17% increase in forest runoff in eastern US forests.
Astronomers analyzed gamma-rays from two dozen pulsars, including 16 discovered by Fermi, revealing unprecedented power for discovering and studying gamma-ray pulsars. The studies shed light on the nature of unidentified gamma-ray sources in our galaxy.
LRO's LROC cameras have returned the first lunar images since reaching the moon on June 23, capturing cratered regions in the highlands south of Mare Nubium. The images, taken along the terminator line, show a rugged surface with subtle topography exaggeration.
The NASA and NOAA GOES-O satellite has successfully launched into space, enhancing weather forecasting and monitoring environmental events globally. The satellite will be renamed GOES-14 after a 24-day orbit adjustment and will provide vital data to the United States.
The online video showcases the entire 2008 hurricane season, including all 17 tropical cyclones, with detailed cloud imagery and storm tracks. The animation is based on six months of GOES imagery at 30-minute intervals and features television production-quality visuals.
The Maritime Aerosol Network (MAN) initiative uses portable photometers to measure aerosol concentrations over the oceans, contradicting satellite measurements at high latitudes. Researchers hope to improve confidence in aerosol measurements to better predict climate responses to global temperature increases.
The Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) is the world's largest network of ground-based sensors for aerosols, crucial to understanding Earth's climate. AERONET was born from a need to study vegetation using satellites, but Holben shifted focus to aerosols, leading to a better understanding of their role in climate change.
NASA has selected five contractors to receive Aircraft Catalog Blanket Purchase Agreements, allowing access to a variety of airborne platforms for science research and range support. The agreements have a maximum ordering value of $10 million and are valid through February 7, 2013.
The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter has entered lunar orbit, marking a crucial milestone for the mission, which aims to compile high-resolution maps of the lunar surface and survey it at various spectral wavelengths.
A team of astronomers led by Nanda Rea used European Space Agency satellites to study the eruptions of a rare magnetar, SGR 0501+4516. The object underwent hundreds of small bursts over four months, emitting high-energy X-rays during its outburst phase.
The GOES-O satellite will contribute to accurate NOAA forecasts for severe weather, including hurricanes that threaten at least 35 million Americans. The new satellite joins a system of weather satellites providing timely environmental information to meteorologists and the public.
Most dark gamma-ray bursts are found in normal galaxies that can be detected by large ground-based optical telescopes, contradicting previous theories. The study suggests that dark bursts may represent stars that never drifted far from the dusty clouds that formed them.
Scientists have discovered magnetic tornadoes on Mercury that could be replenishing its extremely thin atmosphere. These 'tornadoes' form when magnetic fields carried by the solar wind connect to Mercury's magnetic field, twisting into vortex-like structures.
The Suzaku mission has detected X-ray-emitting gas at a galaxy cluster's outskirts for the first time, providing insights into how massive structures evolve. The study reveals the temperature and density of the gas out to the cluster's virial radius, where order turns to chaos.
Magnetic blast waves can pinpoint and predict the location where space storms dissipate energy, which is equivalent to 50 gigawatts of power or 10 large power stations. The eye of the storm is located in space beyond low-Earth orbits, providing advance warning of arrival.
Researchers have analyzed ocean plant health using a NASA satellite, detecting red light emitted by phytoplankton and assessing their productivity. The findings provide insights into the impact of climate change on ocean ecosystems and can help track long-term trends.
By leveraging the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer for EOS sensor on NASA's Aqua satellite, researchers can estimate soil moisture levels with improved accuracy, leading to more precise crop forecasts. This innovation addresses the pressing issue of global food scarcity and its impact on millions of poor people.
A NASA/University team developed a method to indicate the presence of oceans on extrasolar Earth-like worlds by analyzing how Earth's light changes as it rotates. The technique relies on observing blue color changes caused by oceans, which appear bluer than continents.
The James Webb Space Telescope, a massive infrared space telescope, will unfold in space once it achieves orbit. The telescope, roughly 65 feet from end to end, has a sunshield the size of a tennis court and an 18-segment mirror that looks like a honeycomb.
The Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission satellite captured rainfall totals of over 900 mm in southern Luzon due to Tropical Storm Kujira and around 150 mm in northern Luzon from Typhoon Chan-hom. The TRMM-based Multi-satellite Precipitation Analysis system provides near-real-time data for monitoring global Tropics.
NASA's Hubble telescope will be upgraded with a new, high-performance Application-Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) technology developed for the James Webb Space Telescope. The ASIC will enable improved repair and upgrade capabilities for Hubble's Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS) instrument.
Scientists using NASA's THEMIS spacecraft have discovered the connection between 'singing' chorus waves and the generation of hiss, which helps clear killer electrons from Earth's radiation belts. The new research confirms that chorus waves can be refracted into the inner portion of the radiation belts by dense plasma near Earth.
The Fermi telescope has detected a class of pulsars, probed gamma-ray bursts and watched flaring jets in galaxies billions of light-years away. The data may imply the presence of a nearby object beaming cosmic rays our way.
The NASA Goddard Space Flight Center has achieved significant milestones, including the launch of the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter and the Solar Dynamic Observatory. The center is also working on future missions to study global precipitation, Mars' lost atmosphere, and dark energy.
A NASA study estimates that climate change fuels Asian wildfires, increasing carbon dioxide emissions by a factor of 10 during dry El Niño years. The research used satellite data and computer models to analyze the impact of drought on fire spread and intensity in regions like Malaysia, Indonesia, and Papua New Guinea.
Astronomers have discovered a gamma-ray burst from a star that died 630 million years ago, marking the most distant cosmic explosion ever seen. The burst, dubbed GRB 090423, is approximately 13 billion light-years away.
Comets are analyzed using Swift's Ultraviolet/Optical Telescope, which separates wavelengths of ultraviolet light to study gases surrounding the icy bodies. Cometary X-ray emission is also detected, providing insights into the process of charge exchange between solar ions and comet gases.
The Fermi telescope captured a hypnotic froth of gamma rays, revealing active galaxies called blazars flare up and fade out. The movie shows the entire sky as northern and southern halves, with bright colors indicating greater numbers of detected gamma rays.
Astronomers have used the world's biggest radio telescope to study the brightest galaxies that NASA's Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope can see. The team found a correlation between active galaxies with the brightest gamma-ray emission and those with the fastest jets.
The NASA TRMM satellite shows Cyclone Bijli's intense rainfall, peaking at 129 millimeters (5.07 inches) in Bangladesh, causing heavy flooding and tropical storm-force winds. The animation tracks the storm's development from birth to landfall on April 17, 2009.
Scientists can now study coronal mass ejections in 3D, predicting their impact on Earth. This capability will improve forecasts for space weather disturbances and aurora displays.
A NASA experiment has successfully 'hindcasted' the path of Cyclone Nargis, which killed over 135,000 people in 2008. The new data integration and mathematical modeling approach uses satellite imagery and atmospheric profiles to provide multi-day advance warnings for cyclones in the Indian Ocean.
New research suggests climate change will impact ozone recovery rates due to changes in atmospheric circulation. Greenhouse gases alter the Brewer-Dobson circulation pattern, influencing ozone distribution and leading to uneven ozone layer recovery.
Stereo will use a wide-field-of-view telescope to search for asteroids orbiting the region, which could be leftovers from a Mars-sized planet that formed billions of years ago. The mission aims to provide three-dimensional views of space weather and study its effects on Earth.
The James Webb Space Telescope's first flight mirror segment has successfully completed its series of cryogenic temperature tests, a crucial step towards the telescope's launch in 2013. The mirrors will undergo further polishing and verification to achieve the required 20 nanometer accuracy.
Researchers at NASA found that aerosols are responsible for a significant portion of Arctic warming since 1976, with sulfates and black carbon playing critical roles. The study suggests aerosols may account for up to 45% of the observed warming, which is comparable to the impact of greenhouse gases.
In 2008, NASA satellites tracked five tropical cyclones that hit Hispaniola, causing widespread destruction and loss of life. The storms, including Fay, Gustav, Hanna, Ike, and Kyle, brought torrential rainfall and flooding to the island, resulting in over 800 reported deaths or missing persons.
Scientists are conducting airborne field campaigns in the Arctic to study Greenland and Iceland ice sheets and their sea ice and glaciers. NASA's ICESat spacecraft is also completing a seasonal survey of the world's ice sheets to gauge changes in ice thickness and mass.
Researchers led by William Krabill are flying over Greenland to measure ice sheet and glacier thickness, using a combination of laser and radar instruments. The mission aims to update measurements from the Ice, Cloud and land Elevation Satellite (ICESat) and provide critical data on the future behavior of the Greenland ice sheet.
A new simulation reveals a future where nearly two-thirds of the Earth's ozone is depleted, leading to extreme UV radiation and severe skin cancer rates. The study used a comprehensive model to simulate the consequences of banning ozone-depleting substances, confirming the effectiveness of the Montreal Protocol.
An international team of astrophysicists used simultaneous observations from optical, X-ray, and gamma-ray telescopes to uncover complex changes in PKS 2155-304's radiation. The findings challenge current theories on how radiation is generated in blazars.
Scientists have discovered more support for the idea that amino acids created in space contributed to the origin of left-handed based protein life on Earth. The research found a pattern of excess left-handed isovaline in meteorites, which suggests that water played a role in its creation.
The James Webb Space Telescope's mirrors are made of beryllium, a light metal that withstands extreme temperatures and is highly reflective. The 18 hexagonal mirror segments will allow the telescope to see galaxies from 13 billion light-years away.
A new detection technique using polarized light helps accurately measure aerosol composition, size, and global distribution. The Aerosol Polarimetry Sensor instrument measures aerosols over land, providing greater accuracy compared to previous methods.
Researchers found that intermittent rain in days before the tornado moistened some areas enough to create favorable conditions for severe storms. Urban landscape gave storms extra energy needed to spin up a tornado. Heat island effect amplified storm intensity.
The new map combines nearly three months of data from NASA's Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope, offering an unparalleled look at the high-energy cosmos. The image reveals flares from supermassive black holes in distant galaxies and pulsars, as well as a globular cluster in our own Milky Way galaxy.
The GOES-O satellite has arrived at the Kennedy Space Center for final pre-launch testing, targeting a launch on April 28. The satellite will provide enhanced weather monitoring and forecast operations with improved image resolution and navigation accuracy.
Lee Feinberg, Optical Telescope Element Manager for the James Webb Space Telescope, has been elected as a fellow of SPIE for his significant contributions to large space optics and optical technology. He will receive his award at the SPIE Optics and Photonics meeting in San Diego this August.
The new short film 'Return to the Moon' showcases NASA's legacy of lunar exploration using data from the Apollo and LRO missions. The film features a six-foot sphere displaying stunning imagery, allowing viewers to witness the moon's surface and understand the rationale for returning to it.