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Satellite Shows High Productivity from U.S. Corn Belt

Data from satellite sensors show that during the Northern Hemisphere’s growing season, the Midwest region of the United States boasts more photosynthetic activity than any other spot on Earth, according to NASA and university scientists.

Healthy plants convert light to energy via photosynthesis, but chlorophyll also emits a fraction of absorbed light as a fluorescent glow that is invisible to the naked eye. The magnitude of the glow is an excellent indicator of the amount of photosynthesis, or gross productivity, of plants in a given region. (more…)

NASA Set for a Big Year in Earth Science

By Guest PostJanuary 23, 2014Scienceactive passive, air force station, Antarctica, arctic circle, atmosphere, big year, cape canaveral, cats, charles bolden, climate change, climate forecast, cloud aerosol, earth science, global precipitation measurement, global warming, gpm, gulf of mexico, international space station, iss, iss rapidscat, jaxa, julie robinson, mekong river delta, NASA, natural hazard, oco, orbiting carbon observatory, satellite data, smap, soil moisture, south america, spacex iss, transport system, water cycle, water scarcity

For the first time in more than a decade, five NASA Earth science missions will be launched into space in the same year, opening new and improved remote eyes to monitor our changing planet.

The five launches, including two to the International Space Station (ISS), are part of an active year for NASA Earth science researchers, who also will conduct airborne campaigns to the poles and hurricanes, develop advanced sensor technologies, and use satellite data and analytical tools to improve natural hazard and climate change preparedness. (more…)

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Satellite Shows High Productivity from U.S. Corn Belt

NASA Set for a Big Year in Earth Science