Space Technology & Global Climate Change

Some of the variables essential for understanding and monitoring the climate system can be efficiently observed from space since this technology enables their systematic, global and homogeneous measurement. With global warming and climate change as major challenges to present and future generations, space technology has become crucial for collecting critical land, ocean and atmospheric data.

Earth Observation from space provides data (satellite data) that are necessary for the scientific foundation of UNFCC and the Kyoto Protocol. Climate Change is a global issue, which must be addressed with global models and global data are needed as input to these models. Earth Observation from space has unique capacity to provide such global data sets in a continuous way. However, Earth Observation from space also provides data on local (National) scales, which can help in the implementation of the convention and protocol, and support the parties in their reporting duties.

The most relevant variables that can be measured from satellite are daily global albedo (fraction of sunlight reflected back from the Earth), vegetation indices, fires and burnt areas, snow cover of both hemispheres, digital elevation maps of the ice sheet surfaces, glaciers evolution and land cover. Some of these variables are required inputs to models designed to better understand the carbon cycle, others give an immediate view of climate change impact.

The large volume of data acquired from satellite observations of sea-surface temperature has given scientists a uniquely detailed view of the changing physical characteristics of the surface of the oceans, sampled at a rate impossible to achieve with only ship-based observations. The data measured independently by several different satellite systems combines into a set of data products that represent the best measure of sea surface temperature, presented in a form that can be assimilated into ocean forecasting models.

Using SAR back-scatter images, the vegetation growth and analysis can be easily achieved with much more efficiency across a broad area. By predicting agriculture outputs well in advance in regions where people still went hungry, space technologies contributes to yet another important development goal - food security.

Thus, satellites provide globally consistent observations and the means to make simultaneous observations of diverse measurements that are essential for climate studies. They supply high-accuracy global observations of the atmosphere, ocean, and land surface that cannot be acquired by any other method. Satellite instruments supply accurate measurements on a near-daily basis for long periods and across broad geographic regions. They can reveal global patterns that ground or air sensors would be unable to detect.

- Rushi GHADAWALA

Climate Change & Global Warming

Climate change and global warming are well up on the current political agenda. There are urgent questions everyone is asking: are human activities altering the climate? Is global warming a reality? How big are the changes likely to be? Will there be more serious disasters; will they be more frequent? Can we adapt to climate change or can we change the way we do things so that we can slow down the change or even prevent it occurring?

Because the Earth's climate system is highly complex, and because human behavior and reaction to change is even more complex, providing answers to these questions is an enormous challenge to the world's scientists.

The natural climate creates one of the most important general conditions for our existence. It has repeatedly been observed that climate not only is the foundation of human civilization, but also causes its particular forms, successes and failures.

Humans are therefore either at a disadvantage or favored, depending upon their climate region. However, humankind is not merely if at all, and at all times, a creature determined by climate, and climate is not just an object of human contemplation. Climate is also partly the result of human activity, a condition recently increasingly confirmed by the scientific community.

Human-induced climate change is now recognized phenomenon. Our ability to predict how climate will change and how those changes will impact ecosystems and humans improved markedly during the last decade. Debate continues about the exact degree of future change, and there are many uncertainties. Some argue that immediate and drastic measures must be taken to control greenhouse gas emissions before it is too late. The precautionary principle (better safe than sorry !!!) is invoked. Others argue that action will be costly and should be delayed until more research is completed.

The incidence of various impacts of global warming is complex and far from uniform over the world.

There are many ways in which our current environment is being degraded due to human activities; global warming will tend to exacerbate these degradations. Sea-level rise will make the situation worse for low-lying land which is subsiding because of the withdrawal of ground water and because the amount of sediment required to maintain the level of the land has been reduced. The loss of soil due to overuse of land or deforestations will be accelerated, with increasing droughts or floods in some areas. In other places, extensive deforestation will lead to drier climate and less sustainable agriculture.

The most important impact is on water supplies, which are in any case becoming increasingly critical in many places. Some parts of the world are expected to become warmer and drier, especially in summer, with a greater likelihood of droughts; in other parts a greater incidence of floods is expected.

Because of the likely rate of climate change, there will also be a serious impact on natural ecosystems, especially at mid to high latitudes. Forests especially will be affected by increased climate stress causing substantial die-back and loss of production, associated with which is likely to be the positive feedback of additional carbon dioxide emissions.

In warmer world longer periods of heat stress will have an effect on human health; warmer temperatures will also encourage the spread of certain tropical diseases, such as malaria, to new areas.

Economists have attempted to estimate the average annual cost in money terms of the impacts which would arise under the climate change likely for the IPCC business-as-usual scenario or greenhouse gas emissions. Averaged over the world for a time around in the middle of this century, these estimates are typically around 1-1.5% of GDP for developed countries and around 5% for developing countries.

It is important to bear in mind that these estimates have concentrated on the doubled carbon dioxide scenario (in other words, next 50-60 years). If the strong action is not taken to curb carbon dioxide emissions, after the end of the century, a further doubling of the equivalent carbon dioxide concentration will have occurred and it will be continuing to rise.

However, many will ask why we should be concerned about the state of the Earth so far ahead in future. Can we not leave it to be looked after by future generations???

- Rushi GHADAWALA

Space Environment needs proper management

The rapid and wondrous pace with which mankind has changed the way of life on earth in the past six decades is a testimony to his creative brilliance and ability to convert his dreams and ideas into reality. Nations and states branded as inert economies till recently, are the new challengers and are poised to take over the mantle of global leadership. But the developments that have changed our lives unalterably, have invariably come at a price which threaten to prove these great strides to be a curse instead of the blessing that they were meant to be.

Since the 1950s, many satellites have been launched to serve as communications relay devices and image sensors Unknown to millions of inhabitants on earth, their life is being favourably influenced by space activities. Space probes, more particularly satellites in space, provide data on varied subjects which helps immensely even in our everyday life. Regrettably, in his pursuit of pushing new frontiers, he has, however, paid scant respect to the environment in space. With the impressive and spectacular advancement in space came the beginnings of space pollution. Today, space is littered with toothbrush, garbage bags, non-functional satellites and upper stages of rockets/launch vehicles. It is a matter of great concern since collisions at orbital velocities can be highly damaging to functioning satellites and can also produce even more space debris in the process. The space wreckage continues to orbit the Earth on paths that cannot be controlled from the ground. Collisions are common and pose a danger to active satellites. Proposals have been made for ways to ”sweep” space debris back into Earth’s atmosphere to absorb impacting junk and eventually fall out of orbit with them trapped inside. Innovation is needed to solve this problem and retain the use of the invaluable LEO altitudes, and a combination of manual deorbiting and graveyard orbit salvage will probably be the most doable. It is possible that, in a generation or so, the business of orbital cleanup will even be profitable, if operators are given rights to salvaged material.

What emerges as an inescapable conclusion is that life on Earth will not remain unaffected and impervious to the increasing changes in space wrought by us - and we are both the perpetrators as well as the victims. We can continue to ignore the situation only at our own peril and the incalculable harm that we are bringing on ourselves cannot be wished away by remaining in denial.

Man, by nature, is conceited and is used to working alone. But in the present scenario, we need to join our hands and fight together against the potential disasters that we might create because of our limited understanding and narrow vision. We, in India, believe in the adage ‘vasudhaiva kutumbakam’ - the world is but one family. It is time mankind got together to make a concerted attempt and to strive and work towards to a solution so we may continue our endeavours for the betterment of life on Earth.

- Rushi GHADAWALA

Value our own assets

Recently, I took part in debate/discussion via online at CNN-IBN about Sunita William's 2nd Spaceflight, scheduled in 2012. The background was created that only Sunia William's is the female astronaut and she brought glory to India as She is Indian...

I was disappointed with the news which is shown with little bit "different" manner. Mrs. Sunita Williams has indeed done remarkable job during her last spaceflight along with her team. As a space engineer and space mission analyst, I would like to say that its not so easy to spend even 30 days in zero gravity.There are lots of work to be carried out at ISS and for that one has to do many "spacewalks". Mrs. Williams has spent around 6 months at ISS during her last spaceflight. Over there you are away from your social life and there are many physical and psychological effects on human bodies in zero gravity. Whatever she has done, it is outstanding contribution.

The issue is why it is so much highlighted, is it only because she has Indian connection? If it is, then let me tell you the recent incidence of GSAT-4 failure of ISRO. At that time media was busy in blaming the scientists for the failure. A space mission is not only of one person. There are hundreds and thousands of scientist and engineers are involved in the mission devoting a huge amount of their precious time for the mission. If the mission gets success, we appreciate, but if it gets fail, why we blame on our scientists?

I am at present carrying out research studies at Cranfield Space Research Center, Cranfield University (UK) and I involved myself in an important project to remove space debris from low earth orbits (Project DR LEO). At present, developing model to measure soil moisturement for climate change which can predict rain/flood/drought and vegetation growth, using GeoSAR images.

I am not writing about me to showcase my work or myself, BUT I am only one example !! There are lots of highly knowledgeable and senior scientist and engineers in our country, in front of them I am not even 1%. The reason behind the above view is WE HAVE ENOUGH POTENTIAL AND INTELLECTUALS then why we are keeping ourselves in BUTTERING somebody? I have been in industry from quality amount of time, I do not think that our Indian media itself, has given proper value to Wg. Cdr. (Retd.) Rakesh Sharma, Dr. Madhvan Nair, Dr. Kasturirangan, Prof. Yash Pal, Dr. Satish Dhawan, Dr. Radhakrishnan, Dr. B N Suresh, Dr. Annadurai, Dr. Kalam, Dr. Selvamurthy...etc. We have such real "KOHINOORS" but still we'll prefer to praise AMERICAN DIAMOND. I am not against the appreciation for Mrs. Williams, as an astronaut, she has indeed done good work BUT she is not the only one. Why we forget Late Kalpana Chawla !!

Appreciation, of good things and good personalities like Mrs. Williams, is really matter of honor and respect, BUT too much is not good. I respect and value the appreciation and acknowledgement of remarkable work by Mrs. Williams and other astronauts, BUT on other hand also, I respect our own "Kohinoors". Apologize if I am hurting somebody's feelings, the only intention was to make us all aware that we have enough to make our country shine!

Thank you all.

Regards,

Rushi GHADAWALA