The European Space Agency (ESA) has successfully launched a satellite designed to measure the amount of carbon stored in the world’s rainforests, including the Amazon and Congo. The satellite uses a special radar system to reveal what lies beneath the canopy.
The satellite is equipped with a giant 12m diameter antenna that sends out signals. It will use P-band radar, which has a long wavelength, allowing it to penetrate deeper into forests and analyze branches and trunks obscured by the canopy.
The goal of the mission is to provide scientists with high accuracy data on how much carbon is stored in these forests. This information is crucial for understanding the importance of rainforests in reducing climate change impacts.
Currently, scientists are measuring individual trees and trying to extrapolate, but this presents a significant challenge. Satellites are the only way to measure large areas consistently.
The satellite will provide annual maps of carbon storage and deforestation over the next five years. This data will help researchers better understand the impact of deforestation on climate change.
The ESA has collaborated with international partners, including the University of Sheffield, to develop this mission. The team hopes to produce the first maps within six months and gather data for several years to come.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/crldwjj6d6no