El satélite para el estudio de la Humedad del Suelo y la Salinidad de los Océanos (SMOS, en su acrónimo inglés), lleva a bordo un innovador radiómetro de microondas que registra la ‘temperatura de brillo’ de la Tierra. Esta variable es una medida de la energía radiada por la superficie terrestre, dato que permite calcular la cantidad de agua almacenada como humedad en el suelo y la cantidad de sal disuelta en las aguas superficiales de los océanos.
Esta información ayudará a comprender mejor el ciclo del agua en nuestro planeta y los procesos de intercambio que tienen lugar entre la superficie de la Tierra y la atmósfera.
El sensor de SMOS trabaja en la banda L, en torno a la frecuencia de 1.4 GHz, lo que también le permite calcular la velocidad del viento sobre la superficie del mar, incluso en condiciones de lluvia o alta nubosidad.
http://www.madrimasd.org/informacionidi/noticias/noticia.asp?id=51548&origen=notiweb
SMOS maps Europe’s dry autumn soils
Horn of Africa drought seen from space
Drought in Somalia, Kenya, Ethiopia and Djibouti is pushing tens of thousands of people from their homes as millions face food insecurity in a crisis visible from space. ESA’s SMOS satellite shows that the region’s soil is too dry to grow crops.
Somalia has an arid climate in the northeast and central regions, while the northwest and south receive at least reasonable amounts of rain in a normal year.
But this year, the rains were insufficient for cultivating crops.
Esta información ayudará a comprender mejor el ciclo del agua en nuestro planeta y los procesos de intercambio que tienen lugar entre la superficie de la Tierra y la atmósfera.
El sensor de SMOS trabaja en la banda L, en torno a la frecuencia de 1.4 GHz, lo que también le permite calcular la velocidad del viento sobre la superficie del mar, incluso en condiciones de lluvia o alta nubosidad.
http://www.madrimasd.org/informacionidi/noticias/noticia.asp?id=51548&origen=notiweb
SMOS maps Europe’s dry autumn soils
Dry soil resulting from Europe’s exceptionally warm and dry autumn is being monitored by ESA’s SMOS water mission.
The lack of rain across Europe is reflected in the readings from ESA’s Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (SMOS) mission. Orbiting above, SMOS records the amount of moisture held in the surface layer of soil.
While these maps offer an interesting snapshot, the information is important for a better understanding of the water cycle and, in particular, the exchange processes between Earth’s surface and the atmosphere.
Soil moisture is a variable in the weather and climate system and these data are used by hydrologists, soil scientists, meteorologists and ecologists.
In addition, since the amount of water in soil dictates plant growth and crop yield, the information is useful for agricultural applications and managing water resources.
While these maps offer an interesting snapshot, the information is important for a better understanding of the water cycle and, in particular, the exchange processes between Earth’s surface and the atmosphere.
Soil moisture is a variable in the weather and climate system and these data are used by hydrologists, soil scientists, meteorologists and ecologists.
In addition, since the amount of water in soil dictates plant growth and crop yield, the information is useful for agricultural applications and managing water resources.
Horn of Africa drought seen from space
Drought in Somalia, Kenya, Ethiopia and Djibouti is pushing tens of thousands of people from their homes as millions face food insecurity in a crisis visible from space. ESA’s SMOS satellite shows that the region’s soil is too dry to grow crops.
Somalia has an arid climate in the northeast and central regions, while the northwest and south receive at least reasonable amounts of rain in a normal year.
But this year, the rains were insufficient for cultivating crops.
