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The Earth Observer: Jul - Aug, 2012

Volume 24, Issue 4

In This Issue

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  • Editor’s Corner Front Cover
  • Feature Articles
  • Aquarius: One Year After Launch 4
  • SMAP Applications: Improving Communication for the Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station 10
  • Weird Science: NASA Inspires a Creative Expedition 12
  • NASA Scientists Lead Earth and Climate Change Forum 14
  • Meeting/Workshop Summaries
  • SORCE SSI Workshop Summary 17
  • HDF and HDF-EOS Workshop 21
  • MODIS Science Team Meeting 23
  • Suomi NPP Science Team Meeting 25
  • CERES Science Team Meeting Summary 28
  • In The News
  • NASA Discovers Unprecedented Blooms of Ocean Plant Life 32
  • NASA Mission Sending Unmanned Aircraft Over Hurricanes This Year 34
  • SORCE/TIM Views the 2012 Transit of Venus 36
  • Regular Features
  • NASA Earth Science in the News 38
  • NASA Science Mission Directorate – Science Education and Public Outreach Update 40
  • Science Calendars 41

Editor's Corner
Steve Platnick, EOS Senior Project Scientist

The joint NASA–U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Landsat program celebrated a major milestone on July 23 with the 40th anniversary of the launch of the Landsat-1 mission—then known as the Earth Resources and Technology Satellite (ERTS). Landsat-1 was the first in a series of seven Landsat satellites launched to date. At least one Landsat satellite has been in operation at all times over the past four decades providing an uninterrupted record of images of Earth’s land surface. This has allowed researchers to observe patterns of land use from space and also document how the land surface is changing with time. Numerous operational applications of Landsat data have also been developed, leading to improved management of resources and informed land use policy decisions. To commemorate the anniversary, NASA and the USGS....  

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