Ocean Literacy and JPL Ocean Surface Topography

EPO Support

Annie RichardsonMargaret Srinivasan

Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology

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Ocean Literacy and the Ocean Literacy Network

• Ocean literacy is an understanding of the ocean’s influence on you, and your influence on the ocean

• The ocean literacy network is a consortium of education, government and non-governmental organizations committed to establishing an ocean-literate public

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Ocean Literacy Essential Principles

The ocean literacy network determined seven essential principles that everyone should know about the ocean:

1. Earth has one big ocean with many features.

2. The ocean and life in the ocean shape the features of Earth.

3. The ocean is a major influence on weather and climate.

4. The ocean makes Earth habitable.

5. The ocean supports a great diversity of life and ecosystems.

6. The ocean and humans are inextricably linked.

7. The ocean is largely unexplored.

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Ocean Literacy Fundamental Concepts

• Fundamental concepts support the seven essential principles and can be used to fulfill content areas for U.S. national science education standards (NSES)

• Principles and concepts provide way to teach NSES using ocean-oriented approach

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An ocean-literate person:

• Understands the essential principles and fundamentalconcepts about the functioning of the ocean;

• Can communicate about the ocean in a meaningfulway; and

• Is able to make informed and responsible decisionsregarding the ocean and its resources.

Determining Ocean Literacy

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Jason Science Supports Essential Principle #1

Ocean Literacy Essential Principle #1: Earth Has One Big Ocean with Many Features

Ocean Literacy Fundamental Concept OST Science Objective or Research Area a. The ocean is the dominant physical feature on our planet Earth – covering approximately 70% of the planet’s surface. There is one ocean with many ocean basins.

Global descriptions of the seasonal and yearly changes of the circulation and heat storage in the ocean

b. An ocean basin’s size, shape and features (islands, trenches, mid-ocean ridges, rift valleys) vary due to the movement of Earth’s lithospheric plates. Earth’s highest peaks, deepest valleys and flattest vast plains are all in the ocean.

c. Throughout the ocean there is one interconnected circulation system powered by wind; tides; the force of Earth’s rotation (Coriolis effect); the Sun; and water density differences. The shape of ocean basins and adjacent land masses influence the path of circulation.

Global descriptions of the seasonal and yearly changes of the circulation and heat storage in the ocean; Measurement of the height of ocean waves and the speed of ocean surface wind

d. Sea level is the average height of the ocean relative to the land, taking into account the differences caused by tides. Sea level changes as plate tectonics cause the volume of ocean basins and the height of the land to change. It changes as ice caps on land melt or grow. It also changes as seawater expands and contracts when ocean water warms and cools.

Detection of the change in global sea level

e. Most of Earth’s water is in the ocean. Seawater has unique properties: it is saline, its freezing point is slightly lower than fresh water, its density is slightly higher, its electrical conductivity is much higher, and it is slightly basic. The salt in seawater comes from eroding land, volcanic emissions, reactions at the seafloor, and atmospheric deposition.

f. The ocean is an integral part of the water cycle and is connected to all of Earth’s water reservoirs via evaporation and precipitation processes.

Determination of the heat transport of the ocean; Detection of the change of the global mean sea level

g. The ocean is connected to major lakes, watersheds, and waterways because all major watersheds on Earth drain to the ocean. Rivers and streams transport nutrients, salts, sediments and pollutions from watersheds to estuaries and to the ocean.

h. Although the ocean is large, it is finite and resources are limited. Fisheries management

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Jason Science Supports Essential Principle #3Ocean Literacy Essential Principle #3: The Ocean is a Major Influence on Weather and Climate

Ocean Literacy Fundamental Concept OST Science Objective or Research Areaa. The ocean controls weather and climate by dominating theEarth’s energy, water and carbon systems.

Global descriptions of the seasonal and yearly changes of thecirculation and heat storage in the ocean

b. The ocean absorbs much of the solar radiation reaching Earth.The ocean loses heat by evaporation. This heat loss drivesatmospheric circulation when, after it is released into theatmosphere as water vapor, it condenses and forms rain.Condensation of water evaporated from warm seas provides theenergy for hurricanes and cyclones.

Determination of the heat transport of the ocean; Provide estimatesof significant wave height and wind speeds over the ocean;Hurricane monitoring and forecasting

c. The El Niño Southern Oscillation causes important changes inglobal weather patterns because it changes the way heat is releasedto the atmosphere in the Pacific.

Global descriptions of the seasonal and yearly changes of thecirculation and heat storage in the ocean, including the impacts ofshort-term climatic anomalies like El Niño, La Nina, and theAntarctic Circumpolar Wave

d. Most rain that falls on land originally evaporated from thetropical ocean.

e. The ocean dominates the Earth’s carbon cycle. Half the primaryproductivity on Earth takes place in the sunlit layers of the oceanand the ocean absorbs roughly half of all carbon dioxide added tothe atmosphere.

f. The ocean has had, and will continue to have, a significantinfluence on climate change by absorbing, storing, and movingheat, carbon and water.

Determination of the heat transport of the ocean; Detection of thechange of the global mean sea level

g. Changes in the ocean’s circulation have produced large, abruptchanges in climate during the last 50,000 years.

Determination of the heat transport of the ocean; Detection of thechange of the global mean sea level

The Jason-1 5th Anniversary

Bookmark

Jason EPO Proposed Ocean Literacy Products

• Multi-project, multi-partner poster and/or board game • NASA

• Jason, OSTM/Jason-2• QuikSCAT• GRACE

• Non-NASA• CNES• COSEE-West• National Marine Educators Association• Sea Grant Educators Network• TAMU• UC California Lawrence Hall of Science

• Web-based activities to complement poster/board game• Educator workshops in collaboration with COSEE-West• Educator workshop in collaboration with JPL Education office• Student workshops

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Conclusion and Discussion

• Everyone should have a fundamental understanding of the ocean’s importance to the Earth system

• U.S. national science education standards lack ocean-related content

• Using ocean literacy principles and concepts allow an ocean-oriented approach to science education

• Jason science objectives can be directly related to ocean literacy principles and concepts

• Jason science can provide content for ocean literacy educational products

• A multi-project, multi-partner approach to product development decreases cost and increases reach and impact

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Acknowledgements

My thanks to the following individuals and organizations:

• Margaret Srinivasan

• Rosemary Sullivant

• Jason and OSTM/Jason-2 Projects • The Ocean Literacy Network

• You!