NASA ’ s Applied Remote Sensing Training (ARSET) Program

1. NASA’s Applied Remote Sensing Training (ARSET) Program Pawan Gupta, Ana. I. Prados, Brock Blevins & ARSET Team NASA Goddard Space Flight Center GESTAR/USRA/JCET/UMBC

2. NASA Applied Sciences: Capacity Building National and international activities to engage and train users applying NASA Earth Science satellites and modeling data in their decision making activities.

3. Applied Remote Sensing Training Program Increase awareness and use of NASA resources by training applied science professionals through online webinars and in-person workshops. ARSET Training Thematic Areas

4. Gradual Learning Approach Basic Training Webinars Hands-on in-person Intermediate/Advanced Training Webinars Hands-on in-person Hands-on Training (20-35 participants) Online Training (up to 500 participants)

5. ARSET Air Quality Trainings(2009-2015) (12) • Plans for FY16 – 4 Trainings

6. Geographical Impact: 2009-2015 Number of participating organizations per country or US State for: Air Quality, Water, Flood, and Land/Wildfires management trainings • 4400+ End-users • 1400+ Organizations • 130+ Countries • 66 Trainings

7. Participants by Top 10 Countries: Air Quality Number of organization

8. Participation by Sector: Air Quality Actual # 550

9. Outreach Strategy How did you hear about this training ? • Outreach Database with 2700+ entries sortable by country, region, thematic interest and sector • Listserve (1300+ subscriptions) • Use of existing websites, portals, and groups from boundary organizations to help promote upcoming trainings (FedCenter, eoPortal, GWP, US Water Partnership, etc).

10. Current Tools for End-User Needs Assessment • ARSET Training Course Application Forms • Interviews with Key Informants • Informal feedback during webinar Q/A period • Survey 1: completion of each training • Surveys 2: 6 months post training - measures impact and changes in NASA data use • Ad Hoc interviews to collect “success stories” • Air Quality Working Group – to increase communication between ARSET, data developers, and science PIs.

11. Satellite Data & Applications in ARSET Trainings Satellites Images Algorithms Remote Sensing Transport Data & Tools Column ->Surface Dust & Smoke Satellite - Model Vertical Profiles Air Quality Trends • MODIS • OMI • CALIPSO • MISR • VIIRS

12. Air Quality Training for Stakeholders in Southeastern U.S.September 1-3, 2015, Atlanta, GA The workshop taught attendees how to apply NASA resources to air quality (i.e. smoke/fire, and PM2.5) monitoring. It built basic skills on image, level 2, and level 3 data access, reading, analysis, and interpretation. Survey Results (70% response rate) 95% of respondents indicated the workshop either met (68%) or exceeded expectations (26%) One of the most useful skills learned was the use of Python scripts for reading and plotting NASA data 30 participants from agencies including: Georgia Environmental Protection Division Bureau of Ocean Energy Management Georgia Dept. of Natural Resources Florida Dept. of Environmental Protection Chattanooga-Hamilton County Air Pollution Control Bureau EPA Region 4 Office SC Dept. of Health and Environmental Control National Park Services & U.S. Forest Services “The training is important for understanding and documenting exceptional pollution events - especially dust and fire events. It is very important for the monitoring community to understand the satellite pictures and models for use in our everyday work, too.”

13. Air Quality Training for Stakeholders in Southeastern U.S.September 1-3, 2015, Atlanta, GA The workshop taught attendees how to apply NASA resources to air quality (i.e. smoke/fire, and PM2.5) monitoring. It built basic skills on image, level 2, and level 3 data access, reading, analysis, and interpretation. Survey Results (70% response rate) 95% of respondents indicated the workshop either met (68%) or exceeded expectations (26%) One of the most useful skills learned was the use of Python scripts for reading and plotting NASA data 30 participants from agencies including: Georgia Environmental Protection Division Bureau of Ocean Energy Management Georgia Dept. of Natural Resources Florida Dept. of Environmental Protection Chattanooga-Hamilton County Air Pollution Control Bureau EPA Region 4 Office SC Dept. of Health and Environmental Control National Park Services & U.S. Forest Services • Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) • BOEM assesses the potential onshore air quality impacts from petroleum resources at the outer continental shelf in the GOM. BOEM alone does not have the technology or have the network monitoring records to address interconnected environmental concerns and scientific questions. • NASA DEVELOP National Program – Student Research Project • This project aims to map airborne pollutants across the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) to complete an historical analysis of the region, correlating these pollutants to primary emission sources and seeing how they compare with in-situ data. Using NASA Earth observing satellites, this project would create a methodology for the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) to monitor plumes in the GOM to address future environmental concerns. • Students at Goddard will work with Scientists (Gupta, Levy) during this spring and summer terms. “The training is important for understanding and documenting exceptional pollution events - especially dust and fire events. It is very important for the monitoring community to understand the satellite pictures and models for use in our everyday work, too.”

14. ARSET Completes First Advanced Webinar October 1-22, 2015 Survey Response Highlights Satellite Remote Sensing of Particulate Matter Air Quality: Data, Tools, Methods and Applications (aka AOD-PM) The first ARSET webinar that required previous remote sensing experience. The training provided an in-depth look at data sets, available tools, and statistical methods used to address particulate matter air quality. New for This Webinar Teams came together (attendees largely self organized) in several continents to conduct projects that are presented remotely on Nov. 20th. Python scripts were provided to facilitate data analysis. 262 Participants from 53 countries and 189 organizations Ability to access necessary remote sensing data products 35% Improved Somewhat 63% Improved a Great Deal “I cannot analyze the PM 2.5 concentrations in the remote area where [there] is no road connectivity and electricity. Further, we have very few ground monitoring stations in our country. The training program was very helpful in providing the tools and data for such areas. This training not only showed the tools for Aerosol, but other important parameters [that] are available through different portals I was not aware of before.”

15. Air Quality Training Program : Moving Forward

16. Hands-on Air Quality Training Planned for 2016

17. How to Get Involved Learn about up coming trainings: visit the ARSET webpage http://arset.gsfc.nasa.gov or by sign up to the ARSET listserv at https://lists.nasa.gov/mailman/listinfo/arset Participate in a training: Register through the ARSET website. If you miss a training, recorded webinars (for the online trainings) can be accessed through the website. To apply for an in-person course: go to http://arset.gsfc.nasa.gov/training or contact Ana.I.Prados@nasa.gov or pawan.gupta@nasa.gov ARSET is always looking for the new data products and tools ready for end users.