Earth & Space Research

What it reported doing in 2024

Nasa: [1] produce icesat2 iceberg draft estimates around antarctica to improve water depth estimates, improving navigation in the southern ocean; understanding & modelling eddy-sea ice interplay using icesat2; swoticesat-2 comparisons to improve satellite retrievals. [2] calibration and validation of nasa smap datasets: development of novel methods and platforms to compare with in situ measurements; production of continuous data record from all salinity satellites.[3] esr produces the oscar ocean surface current analysis, informing both freshwater transport and supporting maritime industries.[4] linking north atlantic salinity and eddies to arctic freshwater transport, a key driver of density which controls sea ice formation.[5] evaluate salinity & sea ice formation in the arctic. [continued][1] as part of esr's effort to observe and quantify interactions between sea ice, ice shelves, icebergs and the ocean around antarctica using icesat-2 altimetry, novel techniques were developed to process icesat-2 data to estimate iceberg drafts in coastal antarctic regions to improve water depth estimates. These estimates can inform maritime traffic in the southern ocean and provide ocean depth estimates in an area of very sparse depth soundings. In a new study, esr is leveraging both the nasa icesat-2 and swot satellites to study the ice-ocean co-evolution along the antarctic amundsen sea coast from swot using open cloud infrastructure.[2] esr's work as part of the nasa infrastructure team is to ensure the continuity of nasa-supported salinity validation and the consistency and reliability of the sea surface salinity data products. We maintain and continually enhance the in-situ validation data system for smap data validation and collaborate with the european space agency on a joint validation platform. Esr is continuing the production of a homogenous and continuous record from three satellites (smos, aquarius, smap) to provide a near 15-year best-estimate of sea surface salinity (sss). Sss can be used to track and predict severe weather events, predict sea ice, and to monitor riverine flows into the ocean.[3] the ocean surface current analysis realtime (oscar) is a global surface database. Esr scientists calculate global ocean surface mixed layer velocities from satellite-sensed sea surface height gradients, winds, and sea surface temperature fields using ocean dynamical equations. Our research provides these datasets to the global community, and we are continually improving models of how wind energy is transferred from the atmosphere to the ocean through the planetary boundary layer. As part of this effort, we are investigating variability in ocean circulation patterns observed over more than three decades of oscar data.[4] this work combines nasa sea surface salinity, altimetry, and ocean vector wind products to quantify the flux of freshwater and salt from the north atlantic into the arctic. The freshwater and salt fluxes into the arctic determine the circulation pattern, deep water formation, and the timing of autumnal sea ice formation. [5] the salinity and stratification at the sea ice edge field campaign has produced both novel measurements and results. These include a fiduciary reference measurement of sea surface salinity at a depth of 1-2cm performed by esr scientists, and the analysis of the link between sea surface salinity (sss) and the timing of the autumnal sea ice advance in the arctic ocean. We have found that sss is an excellent predictor of sea ice formation, a crucial variable for arctic maritime industries and defense applications. [6] esr scientists contributed to an investigation sea surface salinity variability and its underlying processes in the south indian ocean (sio). The work improves our understanding of the processes controlling long-term changes in the salinity distribution in the upper-layer sio and its halosteric contribution to sea level.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 77.9%; rating input score 78
• Program expense ratio: 79.7%; rating input score 80
• Fundraising efficiency: Limited

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: 1 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 17
  • Compensation committee: Missing
  • Independent consultant: Missing
  • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
  • Written employment contract: Missing
  • Compensation survey or study: Missing
  • Board or committee approval: Pass
• Foreign activity oversight: Limited
• Grant itemization coverage: Limited
• Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
• Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 50%; rating input score 50; 11th percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 7 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 78
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Pass
  • Document-retention policy: Pass
  • CEO compensation review process: Fail
  • Other executive compensation review process: Fail
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Pass
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

• Operating margin: 2.3%; rating input score 43; 43rd percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.51; rating input score 24; 24th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.5; rating input score 16; 16th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 61.8%; rating input score 1; 1st percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: -3% per year; rating input score 0; 10th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: -1.8% per year; rating input score 0; 10th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 3.5% per year; rating input score 100; 32nd percentile among comparable filings