PACE -- Skies, Oceans, Life

Released Thursday, May 31, 2018

ID: 12696

- Produced by:
- Michael Starobin
- Videography:
- Michael Starobin
- Written by:
- Michael Starobin
- Edited by:
- Michael Starobin
- Art:
- Jennifer Brill

Red tides can come from harmful algal blooms near shore for a variety of reasons. PACE will help scientists monitor red tides.

PACE stands for "Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem".

PACE's advanced technologies will provide unprecedented insight into Earth's ocean and atmosphere, which impact our everyday lives by regulating climate and making our planet habitable. Our oceans teem with life, supporting many of Earth's economies. New discoveries in Earth's living ocean will be revealed with PACE's global observations, such as the diversity of organisms fueling marine food webs and how ecosystems respond to environmental change. PACE will observe our atmosphere to study clouds along with the tiny airborne particles known as aerosols. Looking at the ocean, clouds, and aerosols together will improve our knowledge of the roles each plays in our changing planet.

PACE's data will reveal interactions between the ocean and atmosphere, including how they exchange carbon dioxide and how atmospheric aerosols might fuel phytoplankton growth in the surface ocean. Novel uses of PACE data – from identifying the extent and duration of harmful algal blooms to improving our understanding of air quality – will result in direct economic and societal benefits. By extending and expanding NASA's long record of satellite observations of our living planet, we will take Earth's pulse in new ways for decades to come.

The videos presented here show four specific themes that the mission will study. There are two versions of each video, one with the PACE logo and mission name in the narration, one that's simply branded with the NASA "meatball" logo and a larger "earth science" message in the narration.

Red tides can come from harmful algal blooms near shore for a variety of reasons. PACE will help scientists monitor red tides.

Aerosols are particles or droplets in the atmosphere. Their chemical and physical properties can have significant influences on climate and Earth's energy budget. PACE will help monitor aerosols in the atmosphere.

Biodiversity is vital to a healthy ocean ecosystem. PACE will be able to help scientists make determinations about phytoplankton populations, ensuring better measurements about overall ocean biodiversity.

Ocean health matters in terms of maintaining global fisheries. Fisheries are enormous sources of food for populations all over the world. PACE will be able to make measurements in a number of areas that will contribute to fisheries management, which is vital for food security.