 Space Science News home |
|
|
"It's just like fishing!" exclaimed Greg Cox, GHCC
scientist and NASA education specialist, as he struggled to reel
in a weather balloon. |
|
Photo credit: Leslie Mullen, University of Florida for NASA |
One chart, complete with detachable paper satellites, showed the positions of GPS satellites orbiting the Earth. Another student showed off her temperature detector, made from a string, cup and thermometer. |
 se they measure
rays rather than shoot them. Pulling the trigger of a Heat Spy
gives an instant temperature reading.
"This is a lot like the temperature devices we use onboard
a jet to read ground temperature levels," explained Quattrochi.
"Of course, those remote devices don't look quite like this." "Let me try your head," Quattrochi said to one boy. "Wow, you must be a hothead! It says 86 degrees!" The kids all laughed and a girl asked him to read the temperature off her fingernail polish. He complied, explaining it would also show the temperature from her fingers. |
 Monitoring
temperature is an important part of evaluating the health of
the environment. Ground-level ozone, a dangerous pollutant, is
created through a combination of heat, sunlight, combustion by-products
and other organic compounds."The good ozone is way up high at the edge of the Earth's atmosphere, whereas the bad ozone is close to the ground," Luvall said. "The ground-level ozone is dangerous because it can scar lungs, and the damage is irreversible." Luvall explained that planting trees and reducing heat levels in a city can help combat ozone pollution. While the scientists want to reduce ground-level ozone, they also want to ensure that the stratospheric ozone - the "good" ozone that protects us from harmful UV radiation - remains intact. Atmospheric chemist Bryan Johnson from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration launched a large latex balloon with a payload designed to test levels of stratospheric ozone. Johnson explained that when the balloon reaches a certain height, the change in atmospheric pressure causes it to burst. After the balloon bursts, the ozone-testing payload parachutes down to Earth. The payload includes a reward notice, promising $30 to anyone who finds and returns it to the scientists. |
|
"Maybe you could be a scientist someday," GHCC scientist Mike Newchurch suggested to one of the fifth graders as they went inside. Pausing a moment to think it over, the boy replied, "I want to be an astronomer." "Hey!" exclaimed one of the fifth grade girls who overheard the conversation, "I want to be an astronomer!" Even though they weren't battling to become climatologists, Newchurch replied with a smile, "Well, there'll always be jobs for astronomers, because there'll always be stars." If the scientists at the Global Hydrology and Climate Center have their way, however, there won't always be problems with the environment. By monitoring the health of the planet and educating younger generations about their efforts, the GHCC scientists are striving to bring that day a little bit closer. |
|
Every
day is Earth Day for climate scientists (April
22, 1999): GHCC researchers will use Landsat 7 images for a closer
look at terra firma |
 Join
our growing list of subscribers - sign
up for our express news delivery and you will receive
a mail message every time we post a new story!!!More  Headlinesreturn to Space Science News Home
|