The NASA Mass Change Designated Observable Study: Progress and Future Plans

Abstract

<p>The 2017-2027 US National Academy of Sciences Decadal Survey for Earth Science and Applications from Space classified mass change as one of five designated observables having the highest priority in terms of Earth observations required to better understand the Earth system over the next decade.  In response to this designation, NASA initiated multi-center studies with an overarching goal of defining observing system architectures for each designated observable.  Here, we discuss the progress made and future plans for the Mass Change Designated Observable study. Progress includes the development of a Science and Applications Traceability Matrix, a tool that links science objectives to measurement techniques and accuracies,  for the 15 science and applications objectives listed in the Decadal Survey, as well as the definition of as many as three different architectural classes for which to achieve those objectives.  We will describe the Value Framework that is under way to assess and evaluate each observing system architectural option.  Preliminary results assessing the science value versus cost/risk of observing system architectures will be presented. In addition, future plans for the Mass Change Designated Observable Study will be discussed.</p>

A dictionary learning add-on for spherical downward continuation

“…In particular, the repercussions caused by the loss of water in the soil or the ice sheets are dangerous to human kind as they fuel droughts as well as the sea level rise. Thus, the geosciences are taking care to monitor the mass transport of the Earth, see e. g. Fischer and Michel [2013b], Flechtner et al [2020], IPCC [2014], Lin et al [2018], NASA [2020], Sneeuw and Saemian [May 2019], Wiese et al [2020] as well as the results of the DFG SPP 1257 coordinated by Ilk and Kusche, see e. g. Kusche et al [2012]. The mass transport is obtained by modelling the gravitational potential from time-dependent satellite data, e. g. from the GRACE and GRACE-FO satellite mission, see e. g. Devaraju and Sneeuw [2017], Flechtner et al [2014a,b], NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory [2020], Schmidt et al [2008], Tapley et al [2004], The University of Texas at Austin, Centre for Space Research [2020].…”