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Science Spacecraft Jason 2 completes first surface maps of Earth’s oceans
Science Spacecraft Jason 2 completes first surface maps of Earth’s oceans | Spacecraft Jason 2 completes first surface maps of Earth’s oceans |
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| by William Atkins | |
| Friday, 01 August 2008 | |
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Page 1 of 2 The mission is being conducted principally by the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the French Centre National d’Etudes Spatiales (CNES), and the European Union European Meteorological Satellite Organisation (EUMETSAT). In fact, less than one month after being launched, Jason 2 has already produced its first complete maps of global ocean surface topography, surface wave height, and wind speed. The maps are helping scientists here on Earth to analyze changes in global sea level; the distribution of heat in the oceans; and the circulation, speed, and direction of ocean currents; along with helping to more accurately predict weather, climate, and ocean forecasts. The OSTM/Jason 2 mission is a continuation of the mission first started by NASA and CNES in 1992. At that time, the TOPEX/Poseiden mission was launched, which started its investigation of Earth’s oceans. The mission was continued within interruption in 2001 when Jason 1 was launched. One very important statistic that has been collected during this sixteen-year mission is that the mean sea level of Earth has been increasing at a rate of about 12 inches (30.5 centimeters) per year since 1993. Jason 2 is positioned about 830 miles (1,336 kilometers) above the surface of Earth. In fact, both Jason 2 and Jason 1 are orbiting the Earth it about the same altitude/inclination above Earth, and only about fifty-five seconds apart. This close-quarters position allows Jason 2 to be calibrated based on the data onboard Jason 1. OSTM/Jason 2 project scientist Lee-Jueng Gu (NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory) states, “These initial observations from OSTM/Jason 2 compare very closely to those of Jason 1. To be able to collect such high-quality science data within a month of launch breaks previous records. It is also a direct reflection of how mature the field of satellite altimetry has become and of the seamless cooperation of our international team." NASA news release “Ocean Surface Topography Mission/Jason 2 Begins Mapping Oceans” also shows some of the maps generated by Jason 2 (as they compare to images made by Jason 1). More information about the Jason 2 mission follows on page two. |
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