The theme aims to highlight the relevance and value of Earth Observations (EO) — from satellites, to buoys and land networks — for health and safety. EO examples include: Visible, IR, and Water Vapor satellites, Dual-pol Radars, and Ground-Station Networks for the atmosphere; and Gliders, Pier Stations, and Water Sampling for the oceans.
Specific topics of interest for this theme include:
- EO instruments that have demonstrated utility in health predictions and safety preparedness
- Tools and methods that are new and/or beneficial in connecting EO to health and safety
- Communication techniques for explaining EO outcomes for health prediction to multi-disciplinary audiences
- Translation of research-to-operation examples, successes, trials, and errors
- Communication of EO for health to multi-disciplinary audiences with Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
- Education and training efforts for students and practitioners
- Case studies in using EO for warning of particular water- or vector-borne diseases and disasters
- Lessons learned and errors identified in applying EO for health and safety
- Unexpected health-related findings that emerged from EO research
- Value of EO for health (a cost/benefit study and/or analysis)
The connection between environment and health is seldom an intuitive one, yet the reality is that they are inextricably linked. EO provides seamless planetary information that enables the unification of the physical, biological, and chemical worlds. As such, it is the essential underpinning for health decision-support that can lead to warnings for impending danger or wellness information during favorable conditions. The vast spatial and temporal coverage that EO provides expands science and service capacities and helps to generate lead-time awareness on the order of months to days, and thus contributes to more informed health and medical decisions, which in turn promotes healthier communities.
We invite you to submit an article and become part of a growing, professionally diverse community and global readership network working to build the Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS). We welcome articles about programs, projects, organizations, examples of interdisciplinary and/or cross-regional research, latest discoveries, and unusual findings. We also publish opinion essays, book reviews, and art reviews. Submissions must be in English. Submit inquiries and articles to Guest Editors via jkart@earthzine.org.
Important dates: Queries to the editor may be sent at any time. Submissions of original articles, letters, opinions, book and art for review will be accepted until Dec. 1, 2013.
Publication: All accepted contributions will undergo review by subject-matter experts, be published online at Earthzine.org, and be freely accessible to the public. Earthzine does not charge authors for publishing.
Please consult our Writer Guidelines for further information: earthzine.org/writers-guidelines/
More information:
- Themes page www.earthzine.org/themes-page/
- About page www.earthzine.org/about/
- Reviewer Guidelines www.earthzine.org/about/reviewer-guidelines/
- GEO page www.earthobservations.org/index.shtml
Guest Editors for Health:
- Wendy Marie Thomas: wendy.marie.thomas@noaa.gov. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, NOAA. American Meteorological Society, Board on Environment and Health, Member
- John Haynes: jhaynes@nasa.gov. National Aeronautical and Space Administration, NASA. American Meteorological Society, Board on Environment and Health, Member
- Suzette Morman: smorman@usgs.gov. United States Geological Survey, USGS
Earthzine:
- Editor-in-Chief: Paul E. Racette: editor@earthzine.org
- Managing Editor: Jeff Kart: jkart@earthzine.org
- Deputy Editor: Daniel McInerney: dmcinerney@earthzine.org