1. NASA Polar Program
Kim Partington
27 April 2019
Polar Program

2. Key science questions
Can we expect climate changes of consequence during the next decades and century, and what will be the causes for such change?
Will polar ice sheets change in ways that would seriously affect global sea level?
Is climate currently varying in ways we can understand and predict?
How can the integrated effect of fast atmospheric, land and ocean surface processes be included in large-scale climate models?
27 April 2019
Polar Program

3. Polar Budget: Non-polar Ice sheets Polar oceans IDS $1.8M Data
Analysis
R&A
$3M
$6.4M
Non-polar
Antarctica
Ice
sheets
Arctic
Greenland
Polar
oceans
Southern
Ocean
Snow
and
glaciers
27 April 2019
Polar Program

4. NRC DAAC Review
NRC undertook review of the DAACs starting late 1997 and their recommendations have recently been reviewed at NASA HQ
NSIDC praised
Recommendations TBD:
working more closely with ASF
encouraging scientist working visits
Dr. Asrar will provide formal response to NRC recommendations
27 April 2019
Polar Program

5. NRC Polar Products Review
National Research Council Polar Research Board managing review (Sept Sept. 2000)
Review the direction and strategy for providing the polar research community with NASA data-sets (gaps, inefficiencies, technical issues, opportunities, etc.)
pathfinder products, RGPS, polar altimetry data, POLES products, etc.
input needed from PODAG and at least one site visit to NSIDC
an opportunity to review where we are and to set a strategy
27 April 2019
Polar Program

6. NASA NRA - pathfinders and Interdisciplinary science
NRA closed (9/27/99)
Pathfinders focus more on science and not just data analysis (encourage return on investment with each pathfinder)
Interdisciplinary science also covers some polar-related activities
27 April 2019
Polar Program

7. NRA - SAR and allied data analysis
NRA getting signatures, NRA draft complete
Issue to do with RADARSAT MoU and access to SAR data beyond November 2000
NRA designed to encourage use of derived SAR products (AMM-1, RGPS, Boreal forest data, etc.) as well as basic SAR products
NRA also encourages synergistic use of additional data-sets (e.g. from NSIDC)
27 April 2019
Polar Program