Earth and Space Science Education: Implications and Opportunities

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Earth and Space Science Education Implications
and Opportunities

• R. M. Johnson

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Earth and Space Science What are the
Implications and Opportunities for Education?

• Programmatic decisions
• Definition of new scientific and education
  structures and relationships within NASA is
  underway
• Science Mission Directorate (SMD)
• Relationship to Education Office
• How will education be represented in SMD?
• How will education program be structured?
• Well need to wait awhile
• For now, lets focus on opportunities for
  education through Earth and space science

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NSES Content Standards, Grades 9-12
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Fundamental Earth System Science Questions
How is the Earth changing and what are the
consequences of life on Earth?

• How is the global Earth system changing?
• What are the primary forcings of the Earth
  system?
• How does the Earth system respond to natural and
  human-induced changes?
• What are the consequences of changes in the Earth
  system for human civilization?
• How well can we predict future changes in the
  Earth system?

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Space Science EnterpriseScience Themes

• Structure and Evolution of the Universe
• What is dark matter that binds together the
  universe?
• What powered the big bang?
• What is the dark energy that drives apart the
  universe?
• Are there hidden space-time dimensions?
• What is the nature of black holes and gravity
  beyond Einstein?

• Astronomical Search for Origins
• Where Did We Come From?
• Are We Alone?

• Sun Earth Connection
• What causes solar variability?
• How does solar variability affect the Earth and
  other planets?
• How does solar variability affect life and
  society?
• How does the Sun interact with the interstellar
  medium?

• Solar System Exploration
• How do planets form?
• Why are planets different fromone another?
• Where did the makings of life come from?
• Did life arise elsewhere in the solar system?
• What is the future habitabilityof earth and
  other planets?

• Mars Exploration
• Did life ever arise on Mars?
• How did Mars atmosphere, surface, and interior
  evolve?
• What knowledge and technology is needed for
  future human exploration?

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Space Science EnterpriseScience Themes

• Structure and Evolution of the Universe
• What is dark matter that binds together the
  universe?
• What powered the big bang?
• What is the dark energy that drives apart the
  universe?
• Are there hidden space-time dimensions?
• What is the nature of black holes and gravity
  beyond Einstein?

• Astronomical Search for Origins
• Where Did We Come From?
• Are We Alone?

• Sun Earth Connection
• What causes solar variability?
• How does solar variability affect the Earth and
  other planets?
• How does solar variability affect life and
  society?
• How does the Sun interact with the interstellar
  medium?

• Solar System Exploration
• How do planets form?
• Why are planets different fromone another?
• Where did the makings of life come from?
• Did life arise elsewhere in the solar system?
• What is the future habitabilityof earth and
  other planets?

• Mars Exploration
• Did life ever arise on Mars?
• How did Mars atmosphere, surface, and interior
  evolve?
• What knowledge and technology is needed for
  future human exploration?

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How does the Sun impact Earth System Science?

• The Sun is one of the key driving forces of the
  Earth system
• Solar variability impacts Earth systems in
  numerous ways
• Climate forcing terms
• Changes in radiation
• Drives large scale dynamics of the atmosphere
• Short-term variability impacts interaction of
  magnetosphere with the solar wind/magnetic field,
  and the coupled magnetosphere-ionosphere-thermosph
  ere system.

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Sun-Earth Relationships and Space Weather

• Solar Radiation
• Solar influences on Climate
• Space Weather

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• Energetic particle precipitation in the
  atmosphere
• Changes in solar radiation at different levels of
  the atmosphere
• Changes in atmospheric chemistry
• Possible impacts on weather?

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Relevance of Models to the NSES

• Models and concepts associated with them are
  central to the Unifying Concepts and Processes
  content standard
• Systems, order, and organization
• Evidence, models, and explanation
• Constancy, change, and measurement
• Evolution and equilibrium
• Models also provide a tool for exploring the
  concepts included in the other content standards
• Science as Inquiry
• Physical Science
• Life Science
• Earth and Space Science
• Science and Technology
• Science in Personal and Social Perspectives
• History and Nature of Science
• Earth and Space Science provides an even broader
  context for using models in science education

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Earth System Modeling
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The Benefit of an Earth and Space Science
perspective an example

• Volcanic forcing produces cooling, solar cycle
  forcing produces warming
• Need natural anthropogenic forcing to reproduce
  observed warming

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Snapshot of density in noon-midnight meridian
from MHD code simulation of July 15, 2000
CME-magnetic cloud interaction with Earth's
magnetosphere. Simulation driven by upstream
solar wind parameters measured by the ACE
spacecraft at L1.
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Summary

• Fundamental Earth system science questions are
  related to space science questions
• Lessons we learn from study of the Earth informs
  our research on other planets, and visa versa
• Earth and space science is considered as a unit
  in the NSES, and is taught as a continuum in many
  settings
• Expanding our educational scope to include Earth
  and space science topics together broadens our
  ability to bring NASA research to learners,
  through both observations and models