ARIZONA DUST: Students Advancing Climate Science With CubeSat Technology

ARIZONA DUST (Arid Region Infrared Zone Observation of Notable Arizona Desert Urban Storms and Temperatures) is a student-led mission team of 25 out of Arizona State University with the goal to understand how Earth’s climate is evolving and why. The 6U CubeSat ‘Dusty’ will orbit at a 400 km altitude in a non-sun synchronous orbit with a 40° inclination designed to pass over Arizona (as well as Australia). The mission is designed to study monsoon and dust storms to enhance understanding of their effects on temperature as they relate to global climate change. With the orbital path also crossing Australia, it gives the mission a unique opportunity to compare environmental factors in two arid regions and identify key differences. The science of this mission is rooted in high priority science questions as defined by the NASA Earth Science Decadal. The first focuses on understanding exactly when and where convective storms, heavy precipitation, and clouds occur. The second focuses on the importance of climate feedback and sensitivity, specifically the need to improve prediction of climate responses to natural and anthropogenic forcings in terms of temperature change. In response to these high-priority questions, ARIZONA DUST will carry an instrument suite and associated systems specifically designed to address these concerns.This comprehensive approach will enable scientists to apply the fine-scale observations collected of Arizona to broader climate models, further enhancing the understanding of how local climates respond to both natural and anthropogenic forcings.