ECOsystem Spaceborne Thermal Radiometer Experiment on Space Station (ECOSTRESS) - 08.01.18

Overview | Description | Applications | Operations | Results | Publications | Imagery

ISS Science for Everyone

Science Objectives for Everyone
The ECOsystem Spaceborne Thermal Radiometer Experiment on Space Station (ECOSTRESS) investigation provides the first-ever high spatiotemporal (space-time) resolution thermal infrared measurements of the surface of the Earth from the International Space Station (ISS). Taken at varying times throughout the daylight cycle, these high spatiotemporal thermal infrared measurements enable ECOSTRESS to answer several key science questions related to water stress in plants and how selected regions may respond to future changes in climate.
Science Results for Everyone
Information Pending

The following content was provided by Simon Hook, Ph.D., and is maintained in a database by the ISS Program Science Office.
Experiment Details

OpNom: ECOSTRESS

Principal Investigator(s)
Simon Hook, Ph.D., NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA, United States

Co-Investigator(s)/Collaborator(s)
Information Pending

Developer(s)
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA, United States

Sponsoring Space Agency
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Sponsoring Organization
NASA Research-SMD

Research Benefits
Information Pending

ISS Expedition Duration
February 2018 - August 2018

Expeditions Assigned
55/56

Previous Missions
Information Pending

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Experiment Description

Research Overview

  • Global models disagree on water use efficiency (WUE) based biome changes with climate change. Uncertainty in the knowledge of carbon response is directly dependent on water response uncertainty, and how plants use water under drying conditions.
  • ECOsystem Spaceborne Thermal Radiometer Experiment on Space Station (ECOSTRESS) reduces this uncertainty with measurements for WUE by:
    • acquiring numerous samples throughout the day over 1 year.
    • measuring the shape of the daily ET cycle through diurnal sampling.
  • The ECOSTRESS mission also helps to answer three key science questions:
    • How is the terrestrial biosphere responding to changes in water availability?
    • How do changes in diurnal vegetation water stress impact the global carbon cycle?
    • Can agricultural vulnerability be reduced through advanced monitoring of agricultural water consumptive use and improved drought estimation?

Description

The ECOsystem Spaceborne Thermal Radiometer Experiment on Space Station (ECOSTRESS) addresses critical questions on plant–water dynamics, and future ecosystem changes with climate, through an optimal combination of thermal infrared (TIR) measurements with high spatiotemporal resolution (<100 m; every few days at varying times of day), and spectral resolution (>=3 spectral bands) from the International Space Station (ISS). ECOSTRESS fills a key gap in scientific observing capability, advance core NASA and societal objectives, and allow scientists to address the following science objectives:
  1. Identify critical thresholds of water use and water stress in key climate sensitive biomes;
  2. Detect the timing, location, and predictive factors leading to plant water uptake decline and/or cessation over the diurnal cycle; and,
  3. Measure agricultural water consumptive use over the contiguous United States (CONUS) at spatiotemporal scales applicable to improve drought estimation accuracy. CONUS comprises 48 states in number, and the District of Columbia, excluding Alaska and Hawaii.
The core ECOSTRESS radiometer helps measure Evapotranspiration (ET) and water use efficiency (WUE) over the diurnal cycle for a wide range of biomes. The ECOSTRESS mission acquires data for 1 year, measuring thermal infrared (TIR), evapotranspiration (ET), water use efficiency (WUE), and the Evaporative Stress Index (ESI) drought indicator for selected regions of the globe and the entire CONUS.

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Applications

Space Applications
ECOSTRESS utilizes the unique vantage point of the ISS to provide the first-ever high spatiotemporal resolution thermal infrared measurements of the surface of the Earth, showcasing the space station as a testbed for scientific discovery.

Earth Applications
The ECOSTRESS investigation enables scientists to answer questions related to changes in water availability, how changes in daytime vegetation water stress may impact the global carbon cycle, and how agricultural vulnerability may be reduced through advanced monitoring of water use and improved drought estimation.

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Operations

Operational Requirements and Protocols

ECOSTRESS is installed on the Japanese Experiment Module-Exposed Facility (JEM-EF) at EFU Site 10 to provide thermal infrared data in at least 3 spectral bands. Data collection occurs whenever the ISS passes over a target. Start and stop collection times are contained in a weekly table upload. Time Delay Integration (TDI) and data compression occurs in real time, and the resulting data stored in memory. Data is downlinked at a minimum daily average rate of 4.6 Mbits/sec. The instantaneous rate varies as bandwidth is available. A weekly table upload controls the scheduling of ECOSTRESS targets. When not over targets, ECOSTRESS remains in an active operating mode with the scan mirror rotating, but it will not store the focal-plane data in memory.
 
ECOSTRESS Targets:
  • CONUS + Canada
    • Day-time data only
  • Climate hotspot and agricultural regions
    • Twelve predefined 1000km × 1000km regions
    • Day-time data only
  • FLUXNET sites
    • 400km × 400km images at 23 sites
    • Day-time data only (~120 visits/year)
  • Calibration/Validation sites
    • 400km × 400km images at 4 sites
    • Day-time and night-time data (~180 visits/year).
The ECOSTRESS payload uses the 1553 communication protocol, the NASA External Wireless Communication (EWC) system, and provides housekeeping data of the fluid coolant loop, which interfaces with the JEM-EF through an available JAXA interface. Mission planning and coordination for ECOSTRESS is accomplished via the NASA Telescience Resource Kit (TReK) system, and the Marshall Spaceflight Center (MSFC) Payload Operations Integration Center (POIC).

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Decadal Survey Recommendations

Information Pending

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Results/More Information

Information Pending

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Related Websites
ECOSTRESS Website from JPL

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Imagery

image NASA Image: ISS056E078527 - External view of the The ECOsystem Spaceborne Thermal Radiometer Experiment on Space Station (ECOSTRESS) investigation. This experiment provides the first-ever high spatiotemporal (space-time) resolution thermal infrared measurements of the surface of the Earth from the International Space Station (ISS).
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