A-Train Event 2010

 

GLOBE schools are encouraged to participate in a unique, worldwide A-train event that will
take place from 18 October - 05 November 2010.

  

                                                                             

What is the A train?  The Afternoon Train, or "A-Train", for short, is a group of satellites that travel in line, one behind the other, along the same track, as they orbit Earth. Four satellites currently fly in the "A-Train" - Aqua, CloudSat, CALIPSO, and Aura - with a fifth, Glory, and sixth, GCOM-W1, scheduled to join in 2010 and 2011, respectively. These satellites provide a rich array of instruments to better understand Earth’s changing climate and environment. The "A-Train" satellites cross the equator within a few minutes of each other in the afternoon each day. By combining different sets of nearly simultaneous observations from these satellites, scientists are able to study important parameters related to Earth system science and climate change. Also, combining the information from several sources gives a more complete answer to many questions than would be possible from any single satellite taken by itself.

 

 

                                                    

 

 

In conjunction with the second International Symposium on the A-Train Satellite Constellation, which will take place in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA, from 25-28 October, schools are encouraged to become aware of the overpass of the A-Train (http://atrain.nasa.gov/) satellites (currently Aqua, CloudSat, CALIPSO and Aura) in their area, and make and report ground-based observations at the time of the fly-over. Scientists will post A-Train imagery and data about interesting Earth system events. Teachers can connect this event to science, math and writing lessons, and everyone can discuss observations and imagery through a virtual meeting site:  http://a-train-neworleans2010.larc.nasa.gov/education.php   (Click on Observation Campaign Details button in left column.)

 

How to obtain A-Train satellite overpass times? Go to: http://scool.larc.nasa.gov/en_rover_overpass.html

 

Choose the Aqua, CALIPSO or CloudSat satellite. (Be aware that Aqua times are representative of Aura as well and that CALIPSO and CloudSat may not have overpasses every day since their instruments view a much smaller part of Earth.)

 

Choose days to make GLOBE observations at A-Train times

 

Choose protocols to observe: GLOBE schools are invited to submit any or all of the following:

Choose protocols to observe: GLOBE schools are invited to submit any or all of the following:

Students can report observations through the standard GLOBE data entry process.

 

You can visit the virtual meeting site  http://mynasadata.larc.nasa.gov/elgg to contribute to the conversation between scientists, teachers and students; post photos of interesting observations; and comment on the view from space versus the ground.

 

Comment on the experience through the post-event survey.