Climate Change Studies Using Space Based Observation

Abstract

Climate change is associated with earth radiation budget that depends upon incoming solar radiation, surface albedo and radiative forcing by greenhouse gases. Human activities are contributing to climate change by causing changes in Earth's atmosphere (greenhouse gases, aerosols) and biosphere (deforestation, urbanization, irrigation). Long term and precise measurements from calibrated global observation constellation is a vital component in climate system modelling. Space based records of biosphere, cryosphere, hydrosphere and atmosphere over more than three decades are providing important information on climate change. Space observations are an important source of climate variables due to multi scale simultaneous observation (local, regional, global) capability with temporal revisit in tune with requirements of land, ocean and atmospheric processes. Essential climatic variables that can be measured from space include atmosphere (upper air temperature, water vapour, precipitation, clouds, aerosols & GHGs etc.), ocean (sea ice, sea level, SST, salinity, ocean colour etc.) and land (snow, glacier, albedo, biomass, LAI/fAPAR, soil moisture etc.). India's Earth Observation Programme addresses various aspects of land, ocean and atmospheric applications. The present and planned missions such as Resourcesat-1, Oceansat-2, RISAT, Megha-Tropiques, INSAT-3D, SARAL, Resourcesat-2, Geo-HR Imager and series of Environmental satellites (I-STAG) would help in understanding the issues related to climate changes. The paper reviews observational needs, space observation systems and studies that have been carried out at ISRO towards mapping/detecting the indicators of climate change, monitoring the agents of climate change and understanding the impact of climate change, in national perspectives. Studies to assess glacier retreat, changes in polar ice cover, timberline change and coral bleaching are being carried out towards monitoring of climate change indicators. Spatial methane inventories from paddy rice, livestock and wetlands have been prepared and seasonal pattern of CO 2 , and CO have been analysed. Future challenges in space observations include design and placement of adequate and accurate multi-platform observational system to monitor all parameters related to various interaction processes and generation of long term calibrated climate data records pertaining to land ocean and atmosphere.

Research and Education in India on Climate Change

“…With this input into the simulation models, prediction of the impact of climate change can be made, which in turn can help in planning adaptation measures † . 11 gives several examples of the use of space-based facilities and observations on climate change studies in the Indian context.…”

Detection of iceberg calving events in Prydz Bay, East Antarctica during 2013 – 2015 using LISS-IV/IRS-P6 satellite data

“…Another significant study carried out by Srisudha et al (2013) showed that C-band FRS-1 image mode data from RISAT-1 mission can be effectively employed for the identification and monitoring of ice floes in the polar regions. According to Navalgund et Singh (2011), Resourcesat-1 can be used for effective mapping/detecting the indicators of climate change, study glacier retreat, and changes in polar ice cover.…”

Capabilities of Satellite-Derived Datasets to Detect Consecutive Indian Monsoon Droughts of 2014 and 2015

“…Groundbased observations of these variables are not homogenous across the country and consequently they are not sufficient enough to monitor various aspects of drought. A constellation of the Earth-observation satellites provides reasonable precipitation, soil moisture, temperature, and vegetation estimates at regular spatio-temporal intervals 11,12 . However, these datasets are available for a rather short period of time, e.g.…”