Research shows that the Earth is undergoing some dramatic changes. NASA reported that 2005 was the hottest year since record-keeping began in the 1890s; and the five hottest years were all in the last decade. As scientists work to explain such episodes and the damage that may result, they increasingly rely on the data gathered from space to better understand our small, fragile planet.
In the 2006 Exploring Space Lecture series "This Island Earth," the National Air and Space Museum will present four distinguished speakers who are either collecting this richer, more detailed information or studying its use. Each presentation, at the Lockheed Martin IMAX Theater in the museum's National Mall building in Washington, will attempt to make clear what is happening to the Earth in the early 21st century and how we understand it.
Leading off the series on Tuesday, March 14, will be Dr. John Townshend of the department of geography and Institute for Advanced Computing Studies at the University of Maryland. In his talk, "Where Have All the Forests Gone? Monitoring the Earth's Vegetation with Remote Sensing," Townshend will discuss how satellites have given us a better picture of the most threatened areas of the planet and what scientists still need to learn about forest dynamics.
On Tuesday, April 11, Dr. Judith Lean of the Naval Research Laboratory’s Space Science Division will discuss "Our Home in Space: The Sun-Earth System." Lean will describe how recent surface warming on this planet could in part stem from changes in the sun's output of energy. She will also examine how solar activity can interrupt navigation and communications on Earth, compromising our security and commerce.
Speaking on Tuesday, May 9, Dr. Waleed Abdalati of NASA's Cryospheric Sciences Program will discuss his work, "Unraveling the Mysteries of the Earth's Changing Ice Cover." Abdalati has led or participated in several field expeditions to the Greenland ice sheet and the ice caps of the Canadian Arctic. He will explain how recently developed satellite observation has recorded rapid disintegration of sea ice and ancient ice shelves—and what these changes may mean for life on Earth.
The series concludes on Tuesday, June 6, when Dr. James Fleming of Colby College, the 2006 Lindbergh Fellow at the National Air and Space Museum, examines the growth and application of the newest technologies for weather forecasting and climate studies in his lecture, "Exploring Weather and Climate: A History of 'Cutting Edges' and 'Killer Apps.'" He'll also suggest what kinds of tools scientists of the future might use to detect potentially damaging changes to the Earth's environment.
The Exploring Space Lectures are made possible by the generous support of NASA and Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp.
The lectures will begin at 8 p.m. Before each lecture, ticket holders are invited to enjoy a free IMAX film or Albert Einstein Planetarium show beginning at 6:30 p.m. Museum educators also will offer hands-on learning at their Discovery Stations the night of each lecture. At 7:30 p.m., ticket holders are invited into the theater for an informal "Meet the Speaker" session in which the evening's lecturer will answer questions about his or her career.
The Exploring Space Lectures are free, but tickets are required. Tickets may be obtained in advance at Smithsonian box offices, or reserved on the museum's Web site at www.nasm.si.edu/tickets. Any remaining tickets will be distributed at the museum Mall building on the evening of each lecture at 6:30 p.m. More information is available by calling (202) 633-2398.
The museum's Mall building is located at Sixth Street and Independence Avenue S.W. It is regularly open from 10 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. (Closed Dec. 25.) Admission is free.