The subject of the cover is NOAA Science On a Sphere^TM with imagery from some of the many data sets that can be displayed on its 3D surface. If you wish, before reading the descriptions below, see if you can identify each of the data sets displayed on the spheres. The answers...

• Lower left – Relative humidity from a weather prediction model
• Lower right – Global infrared composite image from five satellites
• Center left – Monthly sea surface temperature anomalies
• Center – 3D surface of the Earth
• Center right – Monthly terrestrial air temperatures
• Upper left – Earth plate tectonics, before Africa and South America were separated
• Upper right – Prediction of global temperature increases due to escalated amounts of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere

Did you see two more spheres?

• Background image – Lights of the world in the night sky
• Middle/lower left – Moon peeking out behind the image of the night sky

On the hardcopy cover there are two additional spheres, a bright orange ball that is a high-resolution, though small, display of Mars topographical data, and... the NOAA logo!

NOAA Science On a Sphere^TM features many other images of Earth as well as NASA images of the Sun, Moon, and Mars. Many of the cover images originated from NOAA line offices, with specific help from NESDIS (National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service), OAR (Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research), and NWS (National Weather Service). The plate tectonics image came from ARC Science Simulations of Loveland, CO, and Ron Blakely at the Department of Geology, Northern Arizona University.

The cover image was created by Paula McCaslin with assistance from David Himes.

The cloud images in the top banner, viewed in all sections of FSL in Review 2002 – 2003, as well as in the individual banners for each section, were provided by Joe Golden, Will von Dauster, John Osborn, Scott Shevey, and the NOAA Photo Library.

The editor of FSL in Review 2002 – 2003, Nita Fullerton, wishes to thank all who assisted in creating graphics for this report, especially Paula McCaslin. Special appreciation also goes to Susan Carsten, who assisted with desktop publishing and proofreading; Will von Dauster, who provided most of the photos; and John Osborn, who prepared the document for the Internet.

Title Page

FSL in Review

Accomplishments for 2002
Projections for 2003

July 2003
Nita Fullerton, Editor
E-Mail: Nita.Fullerton@noaa.gov

U.S. Department of Commerce
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research

Notice Mention of a commercial company or product does not constitute an endorsement by the NOAA Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research. Use of information from this publication concerning proprietary products or the tests of such products for publicity or advertising purposes is not authorized.

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