March 4, 2009

NERC briefing to launch National Centre for Earth Observation

Speakers:
Lord Drayson, Science Minister, UK
Professor Alan O’Neill, Director, NCEO
Professor Johnny Johannessen, Chair, ESA Earth Science Advisory Committee
Professor Ghassem Asrar, Director, World Climate Research Programme
Rowan Douglas, Managing Director, Willis Research Network

At the briefing experts from the NCEO provided further details on planned new missions including:

GOCE – to advance research in ocean circulation, the Earth’s interior and sea-level rise;

SMOS – to map soil moisture and ocean salinity to help monitor changes;

CryoSat-2 – to determine variations in the thickness of the continental ice-sheets and marine ice-cover.