To celebrate the June 2011 launch of the Aquarius/SAC-D satellite, COSEE-OS conducted a workshop for K-12 educators at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). Day 1 of the workshop featured eminent NASA scientists who worked collaboratively with educators to examine connections between the water cycle, ocean circulation, climate and sea surface salinity. Using an online Concept Map Builder the scientist/educator teams developed concept maps to enable effective communication of these connections.

On Day 2, educators toured the JPL facility, attached scientist-vetted content (e.g., animations and images, news items) to their online concept maps, and conducted "hands on" activities that support workshop themes.

Aquarius will employ advanced technologies to make NASA's first space-based measurements of ocean salinity across the globe - an important observation for ocean and climate studies. From 650 kilometers (400 miles) above Earth's surface, Aquarius will detect changes in sea surface salinity (SSS) as small as a "pinch" of salt in a gallon of water. The mission is a collaboration between NASA and the Space Agency of Argentina (Comisión Nacional de Actividades Espaciales).

Mission Overview Video
transcript | download movie (right click)

Watch a webinar featuring Principal Investigator Gary Lagerloef and Project Scientist Yi Chao as they prepare for the launch of NASA's first space-based measurements of ocean salinity across the globe - an important observation for ocean and climate studies.

VIEW the Concepts Maps Created at this Workshop

Workshop contact: Annette deCharon