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Documents: Climate

Aquarius/SAC-D Science Writers' Guide
[17-May-11] Science Writers' Guide released by NASA prior to the launch of Aquarius.

Aquarius/SAC-D Mission: Sea Surface Salinity from Space
[30-Mar-11] This one-page lithograph summarizes the Aquarius/SAC-D mission and why the concentration of salt in the ocean is a key variable for understanding global ocean circulation.

Aquarius/SAC-D: Sea Surface Salinity from Space
[30-Mar-11] The official mission brochure for the Aquarius/SAC-D Mission.

Ocean Bights Interview with Yi Chao
[01-Jan-11] Yi Chao, Aquarius Project Scientist, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory describes the new Aquarius mission to Chris Howell in Ocean Bights.

Salinity and the Global Water Cycle
[19-Dec-10] Written three years before the launch of Aquarius in June 2011, this overview by Dr. Raymond Schmitt summarizes the impacts of climate change on the water cycle and ocean salinity.

Aquarius: A Brief (Recent) History of an International Effort
[01-July-10] Aquarius/SAC-D Mission feature article from NASA's The Earth Observer newsletter.

INSPIRE Chat With Yi Chao
[20-May-10] INSPIRE education specialist Jim Gerard from Kennedy Space Center chats with Yi Chao, Aquarius Project Specialist about the Aquarius satellite mission.

Update on the Aquarius/SAC-D Mission
[01-July-08] Aquarius/SAC-D Mission feature article from NASA's The Earth Observer newsletter.

Mission Overview Fold-Out
[11-Jan-06] The mission overview fold-out covering NASA's priorities through the scientific return.

Movie Transcripts
KCTS Interview with Gary Lagerloef, Part 1
[26-Jun-13] During a break from a public television fundraising campaign and NOVA "Earth From Space" program, Aquarius PI Gary Lagerloef introduces the Aquarius/SAC-D Mission and NASA remote sensing efforts. Dr. Lagerloef also discusses the thirty-five year history of satellite observations and the important information that these types of measurements provide to the scientific community.

KCTS Interview with Gary Lagerloef, Part 2
[26-Jun-13] Dr. Gary Lagerloef provides an overview of the Aquarius mission, including the development of its salinity sensor leading up to its picture-perfect launch in June of 2011, and the deployment of the satellite's antenna allowing data to be collected. Dr. Lagerloef also explains how he first became interested in being a scientist, and why Aquarius' orbit can make it very difficult to see from the ground.

KCTS Interview with Gary Lagerloef, Part 3
[26-Jun-13] The focus of this portion of the interview with Dr. Gary Lagerloef is on the collection of satellites currently observing Earth systems, and how Aquarius will allow us to better understand the water cycle and climate. Dr. Lagerloef shares both Aquarius' mission goals and highlights from the "first light" data image.

KCTS Interview with Gary Lagerloef, Part 4
[26-Jun-13] Dr. Gary Lagerloef discusses other ocean measurements taken from space, including sea surface height measurements taken by JASON 1 & 2 and TOPEX/Poseidon missions that illustrate 20 years of sustained sea level rise. Dr. Lagerloef discusses the importance of international collaborations, including the mutually-beneficial partnership between the Argentinian space agency CONAE and NASA that made the Aquarius mission possible.

KCTS Interview with Gary Lagerloef, Part 5
[26-Jun-13] Dr. Gary Lagerloef discusses the need for new NASA missions in the next 10 years and highlights some up and coming projects, such as: the Orbiting Carbon Observatory (OCO) mission, aiming to collect data on carbon dioxide; a Soil Moisture mission (SMAP) which will measure the amount of freshwater in soils and on land; and a follow-up to the gravity-sensing GRACE mission. Dr. Lagerloef also gives advice for students interested in pursuing careers in satellite remote sensing.

Aquarius Sea Surface Salinity Tour 2012 (Spanish Language)
[20-Feb-13] The Aquarius spacecraft is designed to measure global sea surface salinity. It is important to understand salinity, the amount of dissolved salts in water, because it will lead us to better understanding of the water cycle and can lead to improved climate models.

Aquarius Sea Surface Salinity Tour 2012 (English Language)
[20-Feb-13] The Aquarius spacecraft is designed to measure global sea surface salinity. It is important to understand salinity, the amount of dissolved salts in water, because it will lead us to better understanding of the water cycle and can lead to improved climate models.

Aquarius: Studying the Salt of the Sea
[17-May-11] In this movie transcript, Aquarius PI Gary Lagerloef, Project Manager Amit Sen, and Project Scientist Yi Chao talk about the role the Aquarius satellite mission will play in the study of global ocean salinity.

Climate
[10-May-11] With its accurate and consistent salinity measurements, Aquarius will help climate modelers to better understand the ocean-atmosphere processes that are changing Earth's climate.