Applied Sciences

Climate and Environmental Health

We approach climate and health challenges through the lens of One Health, recognizing that the health of people is connected to the health of animals, plants, and our environment. The ultimate goal of the group is to increase the use of NASA data, models, and expert knowledge to identify, protect, and improve public health.

HIGHLIGHT

Thomas et al. (2020) examines daytime and nighttime heat waves between 1980-2018. The figure shows low-level winds (top panels) and vertically integrated moisture flux (bottom) during daytime (left) and nighttime (right) heat wave days in the midwestern United States (green outline). Nighttime heat waves are associated with stronger low-level winds (b) and increased moisture transport (d) from the Gulf of Mexico. Daytime heat wave days occur when low-level winds (a) and moisture transport (c) are relatively weak. Read the full article here.

RESOURCES

CHIKRisk - mapping, monitoring, and forecasting Chikungunya risk

NASA Applied Remote Sensing Training (ARSET) Program - free online trainings

NASA Data Pathfinders - designed to help guide you through the process of selecting data products and learning how to use them
• COVID
• Air quality and wildfires
• Water quality
• Sea level rise
• Disasters (includes floods and extreme heat)

FEATURED PUBLICATIONS

Thomas et al., 2020, Mechanisms Associated with Daytime and Nighttime Heat Waves over the Contiguous United States, Journal of Applied Meteorology and Climatology, https://doi.org/10.1175/JAMC-D-20-0053.1

KC et al., 2020, Multi-hazard climate risk projections for the United States, Natural Hazards, https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-020-04385-y

Hurwitz et al., 2020, Earth Observations Inform Cities’ Operations and Planning, EOS, bit.ly/Eos-city-planning

WORKSHOPS

MERRA-2 Applications Workshop, June 19, 2017, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland, USA. Summary Report