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By NASA
Learn Home GLOBE Eclipse and Civil Air… Earth Science Overview Learning Resources Science Activation Teams SME Map Opportunities More Science Activation Stories Citizen Science 3 min read
GLOBE Eclipse and Civil Air Patrol: An Astronomical Collaboration
The Civil Air Patrol (CAP) is a volunteer organization that serves as the official civilian auxiliary of the United States Air Force. The organization has an award-winning aerospace education program that promotes Science, Technology Engineering, & Mathematics (STEM)-related careers and activities. The total solar eclipse on 8 April 2024 was a unique opportunity to design a mission for cadets, senior members, and educators to collect atmospheric data in contribution the Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) Program’s GLOBE Eclipse protocol, for which a temporary tool in the GLOBE Observer app made it possible for volunteer observers to document and submit air temperature and cloud data during the eclipse.
For the first time ever, the CAP had cadets and senior members participating in a mission from every wing (US state), in addition to two US territories and 2 Canadian provinces. Over 400 teams with over 3,000 cadets and over 1,000 senior members collected air temperature, clouds, wind, and precipitation for a total of 4 hours before, during, and after the eclipse. This work was led by Capt. Shannon Babb who organized the mission with the aerospace education team led from the Rocky Mountain Region.
The collaboration between GLOBE Eclipse and CAP gave cadets the opportunity to do real, hands-on Earth science and be part of a mission alongside senior members. It also brought in over 40,000 students and more than 600 educators through the Civil Air Patrol’s education sites involving K-12 formal and informal educators at schools, youth organizations, museums and libraries. This unique collaboration was so successful, the CAP wants to continue doing missions alongside citizen science programs at NASA and the GLOBE Program. A 2025 mission is being formulated, focused on contrail formation using the strengths of the CAP in aeronautics and unique cloud observations made using the GLOBE Observer app. Results and announcements of 2025 mission plans were presented at the Civil Air Patrol National Conference on 16-17 August 2024 in San Antonio, Texas, USA.
GLOBE Observer is part of the NASA Earth Science Education Collaborative (NESEC), which is led by the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES) and supported by NASA under cooperative agreement award number NNX16AE28A. NESEC is part of NASA’s Science Activation Portfolio. Learn more about how Science Activation connects NASA science experts, real content, and experiences with community leaders to do science in ways that activate minds and promote deeper understanding of our world and beyond: https://science.nasa.gov/learn
https://www.gocivilairpatrol.com/programs/aerospace-education/curriculum/2024-solar-eclipse
Civil Air Patrol Cadet observing the 8 April 2024 total solar eclipse. Civil Air Patrol Civil Air Patrol Cadets making atmospheric measurements during the 8 April 2024 total solar eclipse. Civil Air Patrol Civil Air Patrol Cadets making atmospheric measurements during the 8 April 2024 total solar eclipse. Civil Air Patrol Civil Air Patrol Cadet observing the 8 April 2024 total solar eclipse. Civil Air Patrol Civil Air Patrol Cadet observing the 8 April 2024 total solar eclipse. Civil Air Patrol Share
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Last Updated Oct 07, 2024 Editor NASA Science Editorial Team Related Terms
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3 min read
Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater)
Students celebrate after a successful performance in the 2024 Student Launch competition at Bragg Farms in Toney, Alabama.NASA NASA has selected 71 teams from across the U.S. to participate in its 25th annual Student Launch Challenge, one of the agency’s Artemis Student Challenges. The competition is aimed at inspiring Artemis Generation students to explore science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) for the benefit of humanity.
As part of the challenge, teams will design, build, and fly a high-powered amateur rocket and scientific payload. They also must meet documentation milestones and undergo detailed reviews throughout the school year.
The nine-month-long challenge will culminate with on-site events starting on April 30, 2025. Final launches are scheduled for May 3, at Bragg Farms in Toney, Alabama, just minutes north of NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. Teams are not required to travel for their final launch, having the option to launch from a qualified site. Details are outlined in the Student Launch Handbook.
Each year, NASA updates the university payload challenge to reflect current scientific and exploration missions. For the 2025 season, the payload challenge will again take inspiration from the Artemis missions, which seek to land the first woman and first person of color on the Moon, and pave the way for future human exploration of Mars.
As Student Launch celebrates its 25th anniversary, the payload challenge will include reports from STEMnauts, non-living objects representing astronauts. The STEMnaut crew must relay real-time data to the student team’s mission control via radio frequency, simulating the communication that will be required when the Artemis crew achieves its lunar landing.
University and college teams are required to meet the 2025 payload requirements set by NASA, but middle and high school teams have the option to tackle the same challenge or design their own payload experiment.
Student teams will undergo detailed reviews by NASA personnel to ensure the safety and feasibility of their rocket and payload designs. The team closest to their target will win the Altitude Award, one of multiple awards presented to teams at the end of the competition. Other awards include overall winner, vehicle design, experiment design, and social media presence.
In addition to the engineering and science objectives of the challenge, students must also participate in outreach efforts such as engaging with local schools and maintaining active social media accounts. Student Launch is an all-encompassing challenge and aims to prepare the next generation for the professional world of space exploration.
The Student Launch Challenge is managed by Marshall’s Office of STEM Engagement (OSTEM). Additional funding and support are provided by NASA’s OSTEM via the Next Gen STEM project, NASA’s Space Operations Mission Directorate, Northrup Grumman, National Space Club Huntsville, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, National Association of Rocketry, Relativity Space, and Bastion Technologies.
For more information about Student Launch, visit:
Student Launch Website Taylor Goodwin
Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Ala.
256.544.0034
taylor.goodwin@nasa.gov
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Last Updated Oct 04, 2024 EditorBeth RidgewayLocationMarshall Space Flight Center Related Terms
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By European Space Agency
ESA has released its new Earth Observation Science Strategy, Earth Science in Action for Tomorrow’s World. Responding to the escalating threats from climate change, biodiversity loss, pollution and extreme weather and the need to take action to address these threats, this forward-looking strategy outlines a bold vision for Earth science through to 2040.
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By NASA
10 min read
Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater)
The Whole Air Sampling (WAS) group, from the 2024 Student Airborne Research Program (SARP) West Coast cohort, poses in front of the natural sciences building at UC Irvine, during their final presentations on August 13, 2024. NASA Ames/Milan Loiacono Faculty Advisor: Dr. Donald Blake, University of California, Irvine
Graduate Mentor: Katherine Paredero, Georgia Institute of Technology
Katherine Paredero, Graduate Mentor
Katherine Paredero, graduate student mentor for the 2024 SARP West Whole Air Sampling (WAS) group, provides an introduction for each of the group members and shares behind-the scenes moments from the internship.
Mikaela Vaughn
Urban Planning Initiative: Investigation of Isoprene Emissions by Tree Species in the LA Basin
Mikaela Vaughn, Virginia Commonwealth University
Elevated ozone concentrations have been a concern in Southern California for decades. The interaction between volatile organic compounds (VOC) and nitrous oxides (𝑁𝑂!) in the presence of sunlight leads to enhanced formation of tropospheric ozone (𝑂”) and secondary organic aerosols (SOA). This can lead to increased health hazards, exposing humans to aerosols that can enter and be absorbed by the lungs, as well as a warming effect caused by ozone’s role as a greenhouse gas in the lower levels of the atmosphere. This study will focus on a VOC that is of particular interest, isoprene, which has an atmospheric lifetime of one hour, making it highly reactive in the presence of the hydroxyl radical (OH) and resulting in rapid ozone formation. Isoprene is a biogenic volatile organic compound (BVOC) emitted by vegetation as a byproduct of photosynthesis. This BVOC has been overlooked but should be investigated further because of its potential to form large sums of ozone. In this study the reactivity of isoprene with OH dominated ozone formation as compared to other VOCs. Ambient isoprene concentrations were measured aboard NASA’s airborne science laboratory (King Air B200) along with whole air sampling canisters. Additionally, isoprene emissions of varying tree species, with one to three samples per type, were compared to propose certain trees to plant in urban areas. Results indicated that Northern Red Oaks and the Palms family emitted the most isoprene out of the nineteen species documented. The species with the lowest observed isoprene emissions was the Palo Verde and the Joshua trees. The difference in isoprene emissions between the Northern Red Oak and Joshua trees is approximately by a factor of 45. These observations show the significance of considering isoprene emissions when selecting tree species to plant in the LA Basin to combat tropospheric ozone formation.
Joshua Lozano
VOC Composition and Ozone Formation Potential Observed Over Long Beach, California
Joshua Lozano, Sonoma State University
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs), when released into the atmosphere, undergo chemical reactions in the presence of sunlight that can generate tropospheric ozone, which can have various health effects. We can gauge this ozone formation by multiplying the observed mixing ratios of VOCs by their respective rate constants (with respect to OH radicals). The OH radical reacts very quickly in the atmosphere and accounts for a large sum of ozone formation from VOCs as a result, giving us an idea of the ozone formation potential (OFP) for each VOC. In this study, we investigate observed mixing ratios of VOCs in order to estimate their contribution to OFP over Long Beach, California. The observed species of VOCs with the highest mixing ratios differs from the observed species with the highest OFP, which highlights that higher mixing ratios of certain VOCs in the atmosphere do not necessarily equate to a higher contribution to ozone formation. This underscores the importance of understanding mixing ratios of VOC species and their reaction rates with OH to gauge impacts on ozone formation. In the summer there were significantly lower VOC concentrations compared to the winter, which was expected because of differences in boundary layer height within the seasons. Additionally, a decrease in average mixing ratios was observed between the summer of 2014 and the summer of 2022. A similar trend was observed in OFP, but by a much smaller factor. This may indicate that even though overall VOC emissions are decreasing in Long Beach, the species that dominate in recent years have a higher OFP. This research provides a more comprehensive view of how VOCs contribute to air quality issues across different seasons and over time, stressing the need for targeted strategies to mitigate ozone pollution based on current and accurate VOC composition and reactivity.
Sean Breslin
Investigating Enhanced Methane and Ethane Emissions over the Long Beach Airport
Sean Breslin, University of Delaware
As climate change continues to worsen, the investigation and tracking of greenhouse gas emissions has become increasingly important. Methane, the second most impactful greenhouse gas, has accounted for over 20% of planetary warming since preindustrial times. Methane emissions primarily originate from biogenic and thermogenic sources, such as dairy farms and natural gas extraction. Ethane, an abundant hydrocarbon emitted from biomass burning and natural gas, contributes to the formation of tropospheric ozone. The data for this project was collected in December 2021 and June 2022 aboard the DC-8 aircraft, where whole air samples were taken during low approaches to find potential sources of methane and ethane emissions. Analysis of these samples using gas chromatography revealed a noticeable increase in methane and ethane concentrations over Long Beach Airport, an area surrounded by numerous plugged oil and gas wells extracting crude oil and natural gas. In this study, we observe that methane and ethane concentrations were lower in the summer and higher in the winter, which can be primarily attributed to seasonal variations in the Atmospheric Boundary Layer height. Our results show that in both summer and winter campaigns, the ratio of these two gases over the airport was approximately 0.03, indicating that for every 100 methane molecules, there are 3 ethane molecules. This work identifies methane and ethane hotspots and provides a critical analysis on potential fugitive emission sources in the Long Beach area. These results emphasize a need to perform in depth analyses on potential point sources of greenhouse gas emissions in the Long Beach area.
Katherine Skeen
Investigating Elevated Levels of Toluene during Winter in the Imperial Valley
Katherine Skeen, University of North Carolina at Charlotte
The Imperial County in Southern California experiences pollutants that do not meet the National Ambient Air Quality Standards, and as a result, residents are suffering from adverse health effects. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are compounds with a high vapor pressure at room temperature. They are readily emitted into the atmosphere and form ground level ozone. Toluene is a VOC and exposure poses significant health risks, including neurological and respiratory effects. This study aims to use airborne data to investigate areas with high toluene concentrations and investigate potential source. Flights over the Imperial Valley were conducted in the B200 King Air. Whole air canisters were used to collect ambient air samples from outside the plane. These Whole Air Canisters were put through the UCI Rowland Blake Lab’s gas chromatograph mass spectrometer, which identifies different gasses and quantifies their concentrations. Elevated values of toluene were found in the winter as compared to the summer in the Imperial Valley, with the town of Brawley having the most elevated amounts in the air. Excel and QGIS were utilized to analyze data trends. Additionally, a backward trajectory calculated using the NOAA HYSPLIT model revealed the general air flow on days exhibiting high toluene concentrations. Here we suggest Long Beach may be a source of enhanced toluene levels in Brawley. Both areas exhibited enhanced levels of toluene with slightly lower concentrations observed in Brawley. We additionally observed other VOCs commonly emitted in urban areas, and saw a similar decrease in gasses from Long Beach to Brawley. This trend may indicate transport of toluene from Long Beach to Brawley. Further research could be done to investigate the potential for other regions that may contribute to high toluene concentrations in Brawley. My study contributes valuable insights to the poor air quality in the Imperial Valley, providing a foundation for future studies on how residents are specifically being affected.
Ella Erskine
Characterizing Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) Emissions from Surface Expressions of the Salton Sea Geothermal System (SSGS)
Ella Erskine, Tufts University
At the southeastern end of the Salton Sea, surface expressions of an active geothermal system are emitting an assemblage of potentially toxic and tropospheric ozone-forming gasses. Gas measurements were taken from ~1 to 8 ft tall mud cones, called gryphons, in the Davis-Schrimpf seep field (~50,000 ft2). The gaseous compounds emitted from the gryphons were collected using whole air sampling canisters. The canisters were then sent to the Rowland-Blake laboratory for analysis using gas chromatography techniques. Samples from June of 2022, 2023, and 2024 were utilized for a time-series analysis of VOC distribution. Originally, an emission makeup similar to petroleum was expected, as it has previously been found in some of the seeps. It is thought that hydrothermal fluid can rapidly mature organic matter into hydrothermal petroleum, so it is logical that the emission makeup could be similar. However, unexpectedly high levels of the VOC benzene were recorded, unlike concentrations generally observed in crude oil emissions. This may indicate a difference between the two sources in regard to their formation process or parent material composition. A possible cause of the elevated benzene could be its relatively high aqueous solubility compared to other hydrocarbons, which could allow it to be more readily incorporated into the hydrothermal fluid. Since the gryphons attract almost daily visitors, it is important to quantify their human health effects. Benzene harms the bone marrow, which can result in anemia. It is also a carcinogen. Additionally, benzene can react with the OH radical to form ozone, an additional health hazard. Future studies should revisit the Davis-Schrimpf field to continue the time series analysis and collect samples of the water seeps. Additionally, drone and ground studies should be conducted in the geothermal power plant adjacent to the gryphons to determine if benzene is being emitted from drilling activities.
Amelia Brown
Airborne and Ground-Based Analysis of Los Angeles County Landfill Gas Emissions
Amelia Brown, Hamilton College
California has the highest number of landfills of any individual US state. These landfills are concentrated in densely populated areas of California, especially within the Los Angeles metropolitan area. Landfills produce three main byproducts: heat, leachate, and landfill gas (LFG). LFG is primarily composed of methane (CH₄) and carbon dioxide (CO₂), with small concentrations of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and other trace gases. The CH4 and CO2 components of LFG are well documented, but the VOCs and trace gases in LFG remain underexplored. This study investigates the emission of trace gases from four landfills in Los Angeles County, with a particular focus on substances known to have high Ozone Depletion Potentials (ODPs) and Global Warming Potentials (GWPs). The four landfills sampled were Chiquita Canyon Landfill, Lopez Canyon Landfill, Sunshine Canyon Landfill, and Toyon Canyon Landfill. Airborne samples were taken above the four landfills and ground samples were taken at Lopez Canyon as this was the only site accessible by our research team. The substances of interest were chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), and halons. Airborne CH4 and CO2 measurements over the four landfills were obtained using the Picarro instrument onboard NASA’s B-200 aircraft. Ground samples were collected using whole air sampling canisters and were analyzed to determine the concentrations of these gases. The analytical approach for the ground samples combined Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GCMS) with Flame Ionization Detection (FID) and Mass Selective Detection (MSD), providing a comprehensive profile of the emitted compounds. Findings reveal elevated levels of substances with high ODP and GWP, which were banned under the Montreal Protocol of 1987 and its subsequent amendments due to their contributions to stratospheric ozone depletion and climate change. These results underscore the importance of monitoring and mitigating landfill gas emissions, particularly for those containing potent greenhouse gases and ozone-depleting substances.
Click here watch the Atmospheric Aerosols Group presentations.
Click here watch the Terrestrial Ecology Group presentations.
Click here watch the Ocean Group presentations.
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Last Updated Sep 25, 2024 Related Terms
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By NASA
Office of STEM Engagement Deputy Associate Administrator Kris Brown, right, and U.S. Department of Education Deputy Secretary Cindy Marten, left, watch as a student operates a robot during a STEM event to kickoff the 21st Century Community Learning Centers NASA and U.S. Department of Education partnership, Monday, Sept. 23, 2024, at Wheatley Education Campus in Washington. Students engaged in NASA hands-on activities and an engineering design challenge. Photo Credit: (NASA/Aubrey Gemignani) NASA and the U.S. Department of Education are teaming up to engage students in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education during after-school hours. The interagency program aims to reach approximately 1,000 students in more than 60 sites across 10 states to join the program, 21st Century Community Learning Centers.
“Together with the Education Department, NASA aims to create a brighter future for the next generation of explorers,” said NASA Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy. “We are committed to supporting after-school programs across the country with the tools they need to engage students in the excitement of NASA. Through STEM education investments like this, we aspire to ignite curiosity, nurture potential, and inspire our nation’s future researchers and explorers, and innovators.”
On Monday, NASA and the Education Department kicked off the program at the Wheatley Education Campus in Washington. Students had an opportunity to hear about the interagency collaboration from Kris Brown, deputy associate administrator, NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement, and Cindy Marten, deputy secretary, Education Department, as well as participate in an engineering design challenge.
“The 21st Century Community Learning Centers will provide a unique opportunity to inspire students through hands-on learning and real-world problem solving,” said Brown. “By engaging with in learning opportunities with NASA scientists and engineers, students will not only develop the critical thinking and creativity needed to tackle the challenges of tomorrow, but also discover the joy of learning.”
“Through this collaboration between the U.S. Department of Education and NASA, we are unlocking limitless opportunities for students to explore, innovate, and thrive in STEM fields,” said Marten. “The 21st Century Community Learning Centers play a pivotal role in making this vision a reality by providing essential after-school programs that ignite curiosity and empower the next generation of thinkers, problem-solvers, and explorers. Together, we are shaping the future of education and space exploration, inspiring students to reach for the stars.”
NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland will provide NASA-related content and academic projects for students, in-person staff training, continuous program support, and opportunities for students to engage with NASA scientists and engineers. Through engineering design challenges, students will use their creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills to help solve real-world challenges that NASA engineers and scientists may face.
In May 2023, NASA and the Education Department signed a Memorandum of Understanding, strengthening collaboration between the two agencies, and expanding efforts to increase access to high-quality STEM and space education to students and schools across the nation. NASA Glenn signed a follow-on Space Act Agreement in 2024 to support the 21st Century Community Learning Centers. The program, managed by the Education Department and funded by Congress, is the only federal funding source dedicated exclusively to afterschool programs.
Learn more about how NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement is inspiring the next generation of explorers at:
https://www.nasa.gov/stem
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Abbey Donaldson
Headquarters, Washington
202-269-1600
abbey.a.donaldson@nasa.gov
Jacqueline Minerd
Glenn Research Center, Cleveland
216-433-6036
jacqueline.minerd@nasa.gov
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Last Updated Sep 23, 2024 LocationNASA Headquarters Related Terms
STEM Engagement at NASA Get Involved Glenn Research Center Learning Resources Opportunities For Educators to Get Involved Opportunities For Students to Get Involved View the full article
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