A SpaceX Falcon 9 launched the PACE mission in February this year. After a brief commissioning period, the spacecraft has initiated operations. The data has started flowing in, allowing scientists to examine how the oceans and atmosphere interact with each other.
A rendering of NASA’s PACE satellite. (Image Credit: NASA).
New Delhi: A SpaceX Falcon 9 launched the Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem (PACE) satellite on February 8, 2024, after bad weather conditions delayed the launch twice. Over the next 57 days, the observatory was commissioned, where the instruments were calibrated and their performance evaluated. The science operations began from 11 April, and the satellite is transmitting back high quality data.
Early data from one of the two polarimeters on board, showing aerosols in a diagonal swath. The Ethiopia images were captured on 6 March, while the Japan images were captured in 16 March. (Image Credit: SRON).
The data from NASA’s newest Earth-observing satellite is being publicly disseminated, providing researchers with measurements of ocean health, air quality and the effects of climate change. On board is a hyperspectral camera known as the Ocean Color Instrument (OCI) that captures light in multiple wavelengths beyond the three or four typically captured by consumer cameras.
Different communities of phytoplankton tracked by PACE. (Image Credit: NASA).
This OCI instrument allows scientists to study particular communities of microorganisms. In the image above, Synechoccus is in pink while picoeukaryotes are in green. The right panel shows the concentration of chlorophyll-a, a photosynthetic pigment that indicates the presence of phytoplankton.
The OCI instrument can track aerosols in the atmosphere. (Image Credit: NASA/UMBC).
The instrument observes the ocean, land and atmosphere in ultraviolet, visible and near infrared light. PACE captures over 200 wavelengths. There are two multi-angle polarimeters on board that measure the polarized light reflected off clouds, as well as aerosols in the atmosphere. The pair of polarimeters complement each other.
An image from one of the polarimeters on board. (Image Credit: UMBC).
A better understanding of Climate Change
Apart from allowing researchers to study microscoping marine life, PACE also captures information on particles in the air, harmful algal blooms, air pollution and wildfire smoke. Humans know very little about the oceans, and in fact, the surface of the Moon is better understood. The data from PACE will accentuate the observations by SWOT, as well as the upcoming NISAR satellite, a collaboration between NASA and ISRO.
