The Plant Physiology and Functional Type Mission Concept Component of the HyspIRI NRC Earth Sceince Decadal Survey Mission
Robert
O.
Green, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, ,, rog@jpl.nasa.gov
(Presenting)
Greg
P.
Asner, Department of Global Ecology, Carnegie Institution of Washington, gpa@stanford.edu
Stephen
G.
Ungar, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, stephen.ungar@nasa.gov
Robert
G.
Knox, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, robert.g.knox@nasa.gov
A 2007 mission concept study was completed to support the imaging spectrometer component of the National Research Council Earth Science Mission called HyspIRI. This study focused on measurement of global plant physiology and functional types for terrestrial and coastal aquatic ecosystems using a wide swath Earth imaging spectrometer. This mission concept study included detailed: science objectives, measurement objectives, measurement requirements, instrument requirements, and mission requirements. Four overarching science questions have been established: What is the composition, function, and health of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems? How are these ecosystems being altered by human activities and natural causes? How do these changes affect fundamental ecosystem processes upon which life on Earth depends? A series of sub topic areas were defined as well: (1) Ecosystem Function and Diversity, (2) Biogeochemical Cycles, (3) Ecosystem Response to Disturbance, and (4) Ecosystems and Human Well-being. Some of the key measurement requirements are to address these HypsIRI science questions and objectives are: spectral range from 380 to 2500 nm at 10 nm sampling; radiometric range from 0 to max Lambertian with 14 bit sampling and high signal-to-noise ratio; spatial range 145 km swath with 60 m sampling; uniformity of > 95% spectral cross-track and spectral IFOV; and temporal coverage every 19 days of the global land and coastal environments of the Earth. From these requirements a baseline instrument concept has been selected with an optically fast and uniform imaging spectrometer at the core. In addition, appropriate spacecraft, orbit, and launch vehicle characteristics have specified to achieve the mission requirements. As expected, this mission concept results in very high data rates and volumes. However, these are addressed with currently available technology. Overall, this HyspIRI plant physiology and functional types mission concept has high heritage and low risk from the perspectives of science, instrumentation and overall mission. A description of the science, measurement requirements, instrument, downlink strategy, ground system, ground processing and implementation approach more this mission concept will be presented.
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