NASA ROSES08 Air Quality Solicitation

1.1 Overview, Objectives

The Applied Sciences Program seeks proposals that develop and demonstrate innovative and practicable applications of NASA Earth science observations and research in eight application areas: The Applied Sciences Program focuses on extending Earth science research results to decision-making activities in eight applications areas: Agriculture, Air Quality, Disaster Management, Ecological Forecasting, Public Health, Water Resources, Weather, Climate

Proposals that focus on improving decision making1activities for these eight areas are encouraged, and those that focus on climate change and water resources are particularly encouraged. Applicants are also referred to Appendix A.19, Earth Science Application Feasibility, and Appendices A.2 through A.17, Earth Science Research and Analysis.

The overarching purpose of the Applied Sciences Program is to discover and demonstrate innovative applications of NASA Earth science research and technology and to maximize the benefits to society of the nation’s investments in the NASA Earth science research program.2 To this end, the program develops and demonstrates practical applications of

1 The phrase “decision making” is used here in a broad sense and encompasses resource management (e.g. land, water, ecosystems management), assessments, forecasting (e.g. natural disasters, agricultural yields, climate impacts), response and management of events and disasters (e.g. wildfires, infectious disease outbreaks), and policy making (e.g. impacts of climate mitigation approaches).

2 The NASA Earth Science Division serves NASA’s goal to “Study Earth from space to advance scientific understanding and meet societal needs” (NASA Strategic Subgoal 3A). To that goal, the NASA Applied Sciences Program serves the NASA objective “to expand and accelerate the realization of societal benefits from Earth system science” (NASA Strategic Outcome 3A.7). Section I(a) and Table 1 of the Summary of Solicitation of this NRA have references to the 2006 NASA Strategic Plan and the NASA Science Plan. NASA Earth science observations and research through demonstration projects carried out in partnership with end user organizations.3 The Applied Sciences Program thus serves as a bridge between the knowledge generated by R&A (and research satellite measurements) and the information required by mission agencies and organizations. The Applied Sciences Program supports projects that address topics that are of national or regional importance. Projects may be international, national, regional, or subregional in scope but all have potential importance at regional or national scales. The Applied Sciences Program employs an “end-to-end” approach to extend Earth science research results as inputs to decision-making activities. The Program works together with organizations that develop, own, and employ operational decision support tools, systems, assessments, etc. to serve their mandated responsibilities, including Federal, state, and local agencies and organizations. It also works with international, national, and regional associations, such as the World Health Organization and the Red Cross, the American Water Resources Association, the Western Governors Association, and the Gulf of Mexico Alliance. The Program also allows and encourages private sector companies to submit proposals and/or be involved in project teams.

AirQuality

The Air Quality program facilitates the application of Earth Science satellite products and models to air quality management and policy issues, particularly issues associated with the implementation of air quality standards, policy, and regulation for environmental, economic, and human welfare. The program is organized around five themes: Air Quality Planning, Compliance, Forecasting, Emissions Inventories, and Climate. For this solicitation, the Air Quality program requests proposals in the following areas:

a. Climate Change and Air Quality

The Program solicits proposals that address how Earth science products can be used to inform policymakers on domestic air quality impacts as a consequence of climate change policies and related adaptation and mitigation approaches. These projects should support policy designers, managers, and end-users in characterizing methods in which Earth science products might support the assessment of alternative climate policies and approaches as well as the assessment of associated benefits and impacts. Proposers might address direct impacts, such as how changes in temperature, humidity, and precipitation affect pollution concentrations. Proposers might also investigate indirect implications, such as how changing climates influence emissions. Proposers might consider the scaling A.18-3 of global climate model simulations to regional and national levels and the use of Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) scenarios as baselines for prediction of domestic air quality impacts.

b. North American Emissions Inventories

The program solicits proposals on how Earth science products can improve the emission inventories of natural and anthropogenic aerosol particles (e.g., sulfate, organic species, black carbon, nitrates), and gas species (e.g., NO2, CO, CO2, SO2, HCHO, VOCs) in North America (United States, Canada and Mexico). The program particularly encourages proposals that address how Earth science products can be applied to enhance the National Emissions Inventory or CMAQ Emissions Modeling Framework; proposals might address methods to use Earth science products to improve their production, accuracy, timeliness, cost, etc. and/or the decision making activities associated with use of them. Support to these inventories might include the current state of emissions in the North America. In addition, support might also address future emissions scenarios in relation to climate change, such as emissions inventories relative to mitigation and adaptation strategies as well as how changing climates might impact air-quality relevant anthropogenic a nd biogenic emissions.

c. Air Quality Trend Analysis and Forecasting.

The Program solicits proposals to use Earth science products to improve air quality decision support systems. The program encourages proposals that contribute to air quality state and forecasting advisories for the public interest. The program also encourages proposals involving systems that retrospectively determine air quality compliance and trends to assess policy accountability (and the decision making activities based on these analyses). Examples of possible products might include (but not limited to) OMI NO2, aerosol products (MODIS, MISR, CALIPSO, OMI), CO (MOPITT, TES, AIRS), and products from GOES, foreign satellites (e.g., Metop-1, Envisat), upcoming planned NASA satellites, and model analyses.

In addition, proposal teams can address issues associated with long-range transport in each of these areas. The program encourages proposals involving multiple Regional Planning Organizations, major regional or national associations, private companies, and/or federal agencies. The program encourages proposals to use international satellite products (e.g., Metop, Envisat) in conduction with NASA and US Earth science products. Proposals should address how the proposed project will benefit the Air Quality community and public beyond the immediate life of A-train sensors.