The public is invited to a free lecture titled “Space Lasers and Satellite Measurements: Ushering in a New Era of Spaceborne Laser Altimetry Dependent on Satellite Geodesy,” with Scott B. Luthcke, a geophysicist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md. The talk will occur in the Pickford Theater, third floor of the Library of Congress Madison Building, 101 Independence Avenue SE, Washington, on Dec. 5 from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. EST.
NASA recently launched two new instruments ushering in a new era of spaceborne laser altimetry that will deliver surface elevation to advance our knowledge of land and sea ice coverage, surface water hydrology, and more. Luthcke will discuss the Advanced Topographic Laser Altimeter (ATLAS) aboard NASA’s ICESat-2 satellite and the Global Ecosystem Dynamics Investigation (GEDI) instrument on the International Space Station.
ATLAS, launched on Sept. 15, 2018, measures height by precisely timing how long it takes individual photons of light from a laser to leave the satellite, bounce off Earth, and return to ICESat-2.
Launched December 5, 2018, the scientific goal of GEDI is to characterize the effects of changing climate and land use on ecosystem structure and dynamics to enable improved quantification and understanding of the Earth’s carbon cycle and biodiversity.
Luthcke is a speaker in the 2019 NASA Goddard Lectures Series at the Library of Congress. Earlier talks in the series covered space weather, improved global water security and sustainability, how Mars has changed over time, NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope and the upcoming James Webb Space Telescope.
The Library of Congress maintains one of the largest and most diverse collections of scientific and technical information in the world. The Library of Congress is the nation’s oldest federal cultural institution and the largest library in the world and holds nearly 151.8 million items in various languages, disciplines and formats. The Library serves both Congress and the nation online and on-site in its reading rooms on Capitol Hill.
For inquiries about this or upcoming talks at the Library of Congress, contact the library’s Science, Technology and Business Division at 202-707-5664. ADA accommodations should be requested five business days in advance at 202-707-6382 (voice/tty) or ada@loc.gov.
The lecture will be later broadcast on the library’s webcast page and YouTube channel “Topics in Science” playlist.
For directions, visit: http://www.loc.gov/visit/maps-and-floor-plans/ or www.loc.gov
Rob Gutro
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.
301-286-4044
Robert.j.gutro@nasa.gov
Stephanie Marcus
Library of Congress, Washington
202-707-1192
smar@loc.gov