NASA’s latest project ‘PACE’ has just been launched from
Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. The mission is aimed at learning
about microscopic plant life and particles from space. PACE is an acronym for
the Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem satellite.
For the first time ever, a satellite will study plankton
from space, hundreds of miles above the earth, analyzing the impact of the
tiniest life particles on the planet’s atmosphere and climate changes.
The reason why NASA is giving such meticulous importance to phytoplankton and other microscopic living organisms is because they play a key role in regulating the climate. Like regular plants, phytoplankton take planet-heating carbon dioxide in and produce oxygen via the process of photosynthesis. They also make the foundation of food chains in oceans, hence greatly influencing the health of marine ecosystems and fisheries. There are found in tens of thousands of different species, each designed to have unique interactions with their environment.
Different species of phytoplankton make the surface of the
sea appear to be different colors. The PACE satellite’s hyperspectral ocean
color instrument will make it capable of collecting data across ultraviolet,
visible, and near-infrared light spectrums. This in turn will enable scientists
to differentiate among the different species and how they could be impacting
ecosystems and coastal communities that rely on them.
Additionally, the PACE satellite comprises two other
instruments dedicated to observing aerosols that can affect air quality, as
well as other particles. The instruments, called polarimeters, are capable of
detecting the types of aerosols present based on how they reflect light. This information
can help scientists develop enhanced climate models that can make more accurate
forecasts for the future.
