Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Earth and planet observations

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Observing Photons in Space

Part of the book series: ISSI Scientific Report Series ((ISSI,volume 9))

  • 2385 Accesses

Abstract

Photon measurements are vital in astronomy but can also help to improve the understanding of our closer neighbourhood. The use of photon observations from space for Earth and planetary studies is outlined. In particular, some of the most important radar instruments for Earth observation and climate studies, as well as the corresponding satellite orbits, are described and the importance of monitoring our environment from space is emphasised.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 129.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Notes

  1. 1.

    e.g., http://www.esa.int/esaEO/index.html, http://www.eorc.jaxa.jp, http://earth.esa.int/, http://neo.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov, http://www.dlr.de, http://www.eumetsat.int/

  2. 2.

    http://www.nasa.gov/topics/earth/features/2012-seaicemin.html, http://www.nasa.gov/topics/earth/features/arctic-antarctic-ice.html

  3. 3.

    http://envisat.esa.int/, http://sealevel.jpl.nasa.gov/

  4. 4.

    The geoid varies in height by as much as 100 m over distances of several thousand kilometres due to uneven mass distribution within the planet’s crust, mantle and core.

  5. 5.

    http://www.csr.utexas.edu/grace/

  6. 6.

    http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/GOCE/index.html

  7. 7.

    The reference ellipsoid is a mathematical idealized smoothed representation of the physical Earth, used as a first approximation of the geoid. The geoid’s total variation (peak to peak) is less than 200 m compared to a perfect mathematical ellipsoid.

  8. 8.

    http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/grail/main/index.html

  9. 9.

    http://topex-www.jpl.nasa.gov/missions/jason1/

  10. 10.

    SST is the water temperature close to the surface. However, the exact meaning of “surface” varies according to the measurement method used. A satellite infrared radiometer indirectly measures the temperature of a very thin layer of about 10 μm thickness (referred to as the “skin”) of the ocean which leads to the expression skin temperature (because infrared radiation is emitted from this layer). A microwave instrument measures subskin temperature at about 1 mm depth. A thermometer attached to a moored or drifting buoy in the ocean would measure the temperature at a specific depth, e.g., at 1 m below the sea surface.

  11. 11.

    http://www.osdpd.noaa.gov/ml/index.html, http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov/about/

  12. 12.

    http://www.esa.int/esaEO/SEMGFC7CTWF_index_0.html

  13. 13.

    http://www.ozonelayer.noaa.gov/

  14. 14.

    http://www.esa.int/esaLP/SEM097EH1TF_LPgmes_0.html

References

  • Apel JR (1987) Principles of Ocean Physics. International Geophysics Series Vol 38, Academic Press, 634 pp

    Google Scholar 

  • Barlier F, Lefebvre M (2001) A new look at planet Earth: Satellite geodesy and geosciences. In The Century of Space Science (eds JAM Bleeker, J Geiss, MCE Huber) Vol 2, Kluwer Academic Publishers. The Netherlands, pp 1623–1652

    Google Scholar 

  • Beckwith SVW (2013) The visible and near-infrared domain. ISSI SR-009:121–137

    Google Scholar 

  • Daley R (1991) Atmospheric data analysis. Cambridge University Press, 457 pp

    Google Scholar 

  • Franceschetti G, Lanari R (1999) Synthetic Aperture Radar Processing. CRC Press, Boca Raton, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Fu LL, Cazenave A (eds) (2001) Satellite Altimetry and Earth Sciences. International Geophysics Series Vol 69, San Diego: Academic Press

    Google Scholar 

  • Harries JE (2001) Chemistry and physics of the atmosphere. In The Century of Space Science (eds JAM Bleeker, J Geiss, MCE Huber) Vol 2, Kluwer Academic Publishers. The Netherlands, pp 1653–1670

    Google Scholar 

  • Huber MCE, Pauluhn A, Timothy JG (2013) Observing photons in space. ISSI SR-009:1–19

    Google Scholar 

  • Johannessen JA, Sandven S, Durand D (2001) Earth science—oceanography. In The Century of Space Science (eds JAM Bleeker, J Geiss, MCE Huber) Vol 2, Kluwer Academic Publishers. The Netherlands, pp 1585–1622

    Google Scholar 

  • Lumb DH (2013) Laser-aligned structures in space. ISSI SR-009:657–666

    Google Scholar 

  • Quirrenbach A (2013) Interferometric imaging from space. ISSI SR-009:313–332

    Google Scholar 

  • Tapley B, Ries J, Bettadpur S (plus four authors) (2007) The GGM03 Mean Earth Gravity Model from GRACE. Eos Trans AGU 88(52), Abstract G42A-03

    Google Scholar 

  • Wunsch C, Stammer D (2003) Global ocean data assimilation and geoid measurements. ISSI Space Sci Ser 17:147–162

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. PSI—Paul Scherrer Institut, Villigen, Switzerland

    Anuschka Pauluhn

Authors
  1. Anuschka Pauluhn
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Paul Scherrer Institut, Villigen PSI, Switzerland

    Martin C. E. Huber , Anuschka Pauluhn  & Alex Zehnder ,  & 

  2. Mullard Space Science Lab, University College London, Dorking, Surrey, UK

    J. Len Culhane

  3. Nightsen, Inc., Tiverton, Rhode Island, USA

    J. Gethyn Timothy

  4. Max-Planck-Institut für Sonnensystemforschung, Katlenburg-Lindau, Germany

    Klaus Wilhelm

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2013 Springer Science+Business Media New York

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Pauluhn, A. (2013). Earth and planet observations. In: Huber, M.C.E., Pauluhn, A., Culhane, J.L., Timothy, J.G., Wilhelm, K., Zehnder, A. (eds) Observing Photons in Space. ISSI Scientific Report Series, vol 9. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-7804-1_39

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-7804-1_39

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4614-7803-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4614-7804-1

  • eBook Packages: Physics and AstronomyPhysics and Astronomy (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation