UC San Diego’s Scientists Selected for Concept Studies to Study Climate Change

UC San Diego’s scientists are making a significant contribution to the study of climate change, with NASA selecting four proposals for concept studies aimed at providing detailed information about the planet’s oceans, atmosphere, land, and ice. Two of these proposals are led by scientists from Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UCSD.

As part of NASA’s Earth System Explorers Program, the investigations focus on observing greenhouse gases and prioritizing key targets to improve understanding of climate change. UCSD Chancellor Pradeep Khosla highlighted the university’s leadership in earth observation and satellite remote sensing, emphasizing the importance of advancing new discoveries and solutions for climate change.

The UCSD-led teams, headed by Scripps glaciologist Helen Amanda Fricker and Scripps physical oceanographer Sarah Gille, will each receive $5 million to conduct a one-year mission concept study as finalists. NASA will then select two proposals for satellites to launch in 2030 and 2032, with a budget of $310 million for each chosen investigation.

Overall, these efforts demonstrate UC San Diego’s commitment to understanding and protecting the planet, as well as its ability to contribute to addressing climate change on a global scale.