[PCA] EVENT: Earth's Water Cycle in a Changing Climate Presentation (Washington, DC)

[Olivia Kwong]

May 12, 2008

Press contact: Donna Urschel (202) 707-1639, durschel at loc.gov
Public contact: Science, Technology and Business Division (202) 707-5664
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (301) 614-6627

"EARTH'S WATER CYCLE IN A CHANGING CLIMATE"
TO BE DISCUSSED BY NASA SCIENTIST, JUNE 4

Water is always cycling, changing from liquid to water vapor to ice -- on, 
under and over the surface of the Earth. A leading NASA scientist will 
explain how this water cycle is being affected by a warming climate and 
what we might expect for the future.

Peter Hildebrand, Chief of the Hydrospheric and Biospheric Sciences 
Laboratory at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, will discuss "Earth's 
Water Cycle in a Changing Climate" at the Library of Congress at 11:30 
a.m. on Wednesday, June 4, in the Mary Pickford Theater on the third floor 
of the James Madison Building, 101 Independence Ave. S.E., Washington, 
D.C.

The presentation, the third in a series of five programs in 2008, is given 
through a partnership between the Library's Science, Technology and 
Business Division and NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. The event is free 
and open to the public; tickets are not required.

The Earth is warming, particularly over the continents and toward the 
poles. In the northern hemisphere, the amount of precipitation is 
increasing, while equatorial regions are experiencing less precipitation 
in general. Ecosystems are responding to a warming climate by moving 
poleward, and by moving upward in altitude when mountains are accessible.

Climate change is affecting worldwide food production as well as the 
accessibility of water for other basic human uses. Current change trends 
are expected to continue and to increase in intensity. Coupled with human 
population growth, climate change is likely to require the migration of 
large numbers of people. Dr. Hildebrand will discuss and illustrate 
space-based observations of these global phenomena and the consequences 
for human society. NASA's observations of the Earth from space will assist 
the United States and the world to understand and react to these changes, 
and can help our nation lead the world to a sustainable future.

Hildebrand is chief of the Hydrospheric and Biospheric Science Laboratory 
at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, which conducts research concerning 
all aspects of the Earth's hydrosphere and water cycle. While retaining 
his laboratory position, Hildebrand was recently promoted to deputy 
director of the Science and Exploration Directorate at Goddard.

Hildebrand earned his bachelor's, master's and doctorate's degrees in 
atmospheric sciences at the University of Chicago. He served as a weather 
officer in the U.S. Navy and also worked for the Illinois State Water 
Survey and the National Center for Atmospheric Research. He joined NASA in 
1999 as head of the Microwave Sensors Branch at Goddard. In 2002 he was 
appointed chief of the Hydrospheric and Biospheric Laboratory.

The Library of Congress maintains one of the largest and most diverse 
collections of scientific and technical information in the world. The 
Science, Technology and Business Division provides reference and 
bibliographic services and develops the general collections of the Library 
in all areas of science, technology, business and economics. For more 
information, visit www.loc.gov/rr/scitech/.


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PR08-99
05/12/08
ISSN: 0731-3527