Sciences and Exploration Directorate (600) Highlights

Science Highlights

May

Atmospheric Science Highlights

[Download file]
  • – Exploring Local Land Surface Feedbacks to Regional Circulation
  • – A Novel Technique to Retrieve Cloud Ice Water from Microwave Humidity Sou
  • – DISCOVER-AQ San Joaquin Valley California Winter 2013 Campaign
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Press Releases & Feature Stories

Severe Thunderstorms, Tornado Strike Oklahoma

05.21.2013
On May 20, 2013, a supercell thunderstorm in central Oklahoma spawned a destructive tornado that passed just south of Oklahoma City.

NASA's Asteroid Sample Return Mission Moves into Development

05.16.2013
OSIRIS-REx, NASA’s first mission to sample an asteroid, is moving ahead into development and testing in preparation for its launch in 2016.

Team WIns Cubesat Berth to Gather Earth Energy Imbalance Measurements

05.16.2013
A team of scientists has won a berth on a tiny satellite to explore one of NASA's last frontiers in climate studies: the imbalance in Earth's energy budget.
See Directorate Press Releases & Feature Stories Archive »

Presentations

Satellite Observations - the Touchstone of Atmospheric Modeling [03/27/2013]

04.01.2013
NASA climate scientist Dr. Anne Douglass presented a Maniac Talk entitled "Satellite Observations - the Touchstone of Atmospheric Modeling." Anne shared some of her scientific career that is filled with unexpected twists and turns and even a few blind alleys, but most important her passion in satellite measurements of ozone and other trace gases, which have been her touchstone.

Falling Snow Detective [01/23/2013]

01.29.2013
NASA climate scientist Dr. Gail Skofronick Jackson presented a Maniac Talk entitled "Falling Snow Detective." Gail talked about her experiences growing up with hurricanes in Florida and how that shaped her excitement in the science of detecting falling snow from space. Using paper snowflakes and audience help, she explained why snow is important on Earth and why scientists love and hate snow.

Angel Hair, Ice Cream Castles, Dripping Faucets & Euler Fractals [10/24/2012]

10.24.2012
Dr. Robert Cahalan gave an interesting and stimulating talk entitled ‘Angel Hair, Ice Cream Castles, Dripping Faucets & Euler Fractals’. He combined anecdotes from his life and career with insights into the world around us from symmetry, fractals, and chaotic systems.

Presented by: Dr. Robert Cahalan
See Directorate Presentations Archive »

Reports

Still from Paint by Particle simulation of the atmosphere that captured how winds move aerosols around the world

GMAO Annual Report & Research Highlights 2011-2012

08.01.2012
Over the last year, the Global Modeling and Assimilation Office (GMAO) has continued to advance our GEOS-5-based systems, updating products for both weather and climate applications.
Download GMAO_2011-2012Highlights.pdf
Thumbnail of MODIS cloud top pressure

GMAO Annual Report & Research Highlights 2010-2011

08.01.2011
During 2010-2011, the Global Modeling and Assimilation Office (GMAO) achieved significant advances in GEOS-5 based systems, preparing for updated products for both weather and climate applications.
Download GMAO_2010-2011Highlights.pdf
Image of portion of report cover

Earth Sciences Division Strategic Plan & Annual Report (Jan. 2011)

03.15.2011
A description of the Division's mission and goals, organizational structure, research projects, missions, education/public outreach activities, and awards.
Download 2011ESDAnnualReport_508.pdf
See Directorate Reports Archive »

Local News

NASA Science Pioneer: Bertram Donn (1919 - 2012)

01/14/2013
Dr. Bertram "Bert" Donn, the first head of NASA Goddard's astrochemistry group, passed away on Friday December 28, 2012 at age 93. Bert helped put Goddard science on the map in the early days, both within and beyond NASA. He also was influential in starting two lab efforts at Goddard and in hiring some of our better-known scientists.
See Directorate News Archive »

Images

Swirls in the Waters off France

05/17/2013
Springtime has brought a substantial and long-lasting bloom of phytoplankton in the Bay of Biscay, off the western coast of France.

Laguna Verde

05/17/2013
This photograph taken by an astronaut on the International Space Station shows water of different colors within sub-basins of the Laguna (lake) Verde in the high Andes of northwest Argentina.

GROVER Debuts on Greenland's Ice Sheet

05/10/2013
NASA's new Earth-bound rover began testing on the Greenland ice sheet this week.
See Directorate Image Archive »
                                                                                                                                                                                        
NASA Logo, National Aeronautics and Space Administration