Climate Change Predictions and Adaption Strategies for Coastal NASA Langley Research Center

Climate change could significantly impact the personal and operations of federal coastal laboratories. The Goddard Institute for Space Studies has made downscaled climate projections for Hampton Roads, Virginia a coastal region which includes NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC). These projections are being used to formulate adaptation and mitigation strategies to reduce climate change impacts at the center. Sea level rise and hurricanes will have significant impacts on LaRC and strategies such as surge modeling and tide gauge measurements and now underway. A proposed windbreak will reduce the impact of hurricane winds on center infrastructure. Disease vectors such as mosquitoes and ticks are being monitored and studied for their response to climate change. LaRC has significant forest and ecosystems which will be impacted by climate change and these impacts are being quantified. Mitigation strategies are being proposed such as the design of a 3 MW solar photovoltaic array to protect the center from brownouts and loss of power to critical missions. These and other programs will be discussed to reduce climate change impacts and allow LaRC to accomplish its mission into the next century.