LASP research deals with a remarkable range of space and Earth science themes. Two of these can be considered existential issues for our modern society: space weather and Earth climate.
The second of these has come home to us in a very tangible way recently. On December 3, a fire raced through the tinder-dry grass behind LASP’s Space Sciences building. Due to the alertness of LASP staff and the fire department’s quick reaction, thankfully only smoke damage resulted.
A much more tragic fire erupted on December 30 in Boulder County. This winter wildfire destroyed nearly 1100 homes, including those belonging to several staff members and their families.
These fires are symptomatic of extreme drought conditions almost certainly driven by climate change. LASP is heavily involved in space missions to understand Earth’s atmosphere and to monitor our planet’s radiation budget. Our lab’s “eyes in the sky” are crucial for assessing global change, determining how to mitigate its effects, and for understanding the impacts of climate policy decisions—now and into the future.
|
|
