NASA & GLOBE Connect People, Land, and Space Through Citizen Science
The collaboration between NASA and the GLOBE Program brings together people, land, and space in a unique way. The GLOBE Land Cover satellite comparison table is created weekly for every GLOBE Land Cover observation submitted by volunteers. These volunteers receive an email containing a link to the table, which allows them to see how their observations align with satellite data. More information about this table can be found on the GLOBE Observer website.
In La Grange, Kentucky, a group of elementary students gathers outside the Oldham County Public Library to observe clouds. Cheri Grinnell, the Children’s Programming Librarian, encourages the children by telling them, “If anyone asks what you are doing, tell them, ‘I am a citizen scientist and I am helping NASA.’” Grinnell leads an afterschool program called Leopard Spot, where K-5 students collect environmental data through the GLOBE (Global Learning & Observations to Benefit the Environment) Program. One young boy was so excited by this role that he told his mother he was working for NASA as they left the library.
How NASA & GLOBE Connect Volunteers with Real Science
The excitement among GLOBE volunteers grows when they receive emails from NASA containing satellite data that correspond with their cloud observations. Cheri Grinnell shared that she forwarded one such NASA satellite response to the after-school coordinator, who then read it to the students. This confirmation from NASA made the experience feel authentic and meaningful to the children. Tina Rogerson, a programmer at NASA Langley Research Center who manages these satellite comparison emails, explains that this feedback is a major motivator for volunteers. “It ties NASA science into what they saw when they did the observation,” she says.
Building on this success, GLOBE has expanded the program to include satellite comparison emails for land cover observations as well. Now, volunteers receive emails that compare their land cover data with satellite imagery. This new system uses the same approach as the cloud comparison emails and is managed by NASA Langley Research Center. Each email contains links to a satellite comparison table for every observation submitted. The table displays the volunteer’s observation at the top, followed by a satellite-based assessment of the land cover at that location. The bottom row shows the latest Landsat and Sentinel-2 satellite images of the site.
Enhancing Awareness of Earth Observation Through NASA & GLOBE Connect
These new land cover satellite comparisons are expected to increase awareness of how NASA and its interagency partners monitor Earth from space to address societal needs. Volunteers can see how their local observations fit into a broader, space-based perspective. This connection helps them understand their role in the scientific process and encourages continued participation in NASA’s citizen science efforts.
Tina Rogerson expresses her enthusiasm for this development: “I’m excited that land cover is finally becoming part of the operational satellite comparison system.” With this addition, GLOBE volunteers will routinely receive satellite data comparisons for both land cover and clouds. “We are bringing real science right into your world,” she adds.
The GLOBE Observer Team is part of NASA’s Science Activation program, specifically the NASA Earth Science Education Collaborative (NESEC), which is led by the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES). NESEC is supported by NASA under cooperative agreement award number NNX16AE28A. Science Activation connects NASA science experts, authentic content, and community leaders to engage people in science activities that deepen their understanding of Earth and space. More information about Science Activation can be found at https://science.nasa.gov/learn/about-science-activation/.
Through these efforts, NASA & GLOBE connect volunteers of all ages with the science of Earth observation, making it possible for everyday people to contribute valuable data and experience the excitement of real scientific discovery. This partnership fosters a deeper connection between people, the land they observe, and the vast space from which NASA gathers its data.
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Source: original article.