Content Contact:
In many parts of the United States, 2015 was a year of extremes, especially in December: unseasonably warm weather along the East Coast, devastating floods in the Midwest and massive El Nino strengthening in the Pacific Ocean. It ranked as the second warmest ever for the United States, but where did 2015 rank globally?
NASA and NOAA scientists are available on Wed. January 20th between 11:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. to tell your viewers where 2015 ranks globally, what’s driving these warmer temperatures and what scientists are doing to better understand the long-term trends of a warming planet.
Nine of the ten warmest years on record have all occurred this century. NASA’s fleet of Earth-observing satellites, airborne missions and field campaigns are helping scientists better understand how Earth is changing as greenhouse gasses like carbon dioxide, the main driver of global warming, build in the atmosphere. Just last month, world leaders came together to set limits on carbon dioxide emissions to keep global temperatures from rising higher. Even a small increase in temperature has major implications for our planet, from melting ice at the poles to increased chances for extreme droughts and floods like those seen across the U.S. last year.
**** To Book a Window *** Contact: Michelle Handleman at michelle.z.handleman@nasa.gov / (301) 633-5135 cell
Suggested questions:
1. NASA and NOAA just released data about 2015. Tell us where 2015 ranks among the warmest years on record?
2. How does what we saw in the U.S. in 2015 relate to the broader global picture?
3. How do we see these changes from space and the ground?
4. What are we doing to understand the long-term trend?
5. Where can we learn more?
Live shot details:
Location: Goddard Space Flight Center/ Greenbelt, MD
Scientists:
Dr. Jim Tucker / NASA Scientist —or—
Dr. Steven Pawson / NASA Scientist —or—
Deke Arndt / NOAA Scientist —or—
Dr. Carlos Del Castillo / NASA Scientist [en Español]
HD Satellite Coordinates for AMC16-K24: AMC-16 Ku-band Xp 24 Slot A18 | 85.0 ° W Longitude | DL 12171 MHz | Horizontal Polarity | QPSK/DVB-S | FEC 3/4 | SR 13.235 Mbps | DR 18.2954 MHz | HD 720p | Format MPEG2 | Chroma Level 4:2:0 | Audio Embedded
Video: NASA will roll all insert videos during live interviews. If needed, stations can roll on a clean feed of all video at 11:15 am EST on Wednesday, Jan. 20th at the above listed satellite coordinates
The GISTEMP analysis website is located at: http://data.giss.nasa.gov/gistemp/