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From NASA
Orbiting Carbon Observatory-3 (OCO-3), the agency's newest carbon dioxide measuring instrument
mission to launch into space, was born. From his roost at
The international space station, OCO-3 captured its first rays of sunshine
reflected by the surface of the Earth on June 25, 2019. A few weeks later, the OCO-3 team
was able to make its first determinations of carbon dioxide and induced by the sun
fluorescence – the "glow" that plants emit from photosynthesis, a
process that includes capturing carbon from the atmosphere.
The first
the picture shows carbon dioxide or CO2 on the United States during
The first days of scientific data collection by OCO-3. These initial measures are
compatible with the measures taken by the older brother of OCO-3, OCO-2, on the
same area – which means that even if the calibration of the OCO-3 instrument is not yet
finished, he is on track to continue his (still operational)
data record of the predecessor.
OCO-3 was
also able to make his first measurements of sun-induced fluorescence. the
The second image shows sun-induced fluorescence in West Asia. Zones with less
the glow of the plants – indicating a lower photosynthesis activity – is indicated in the light
green; areas with higher photosynthetic activity are indicated in dark green. As
plant activity in low-income areas
vegetation near the Caspian Sea in forests and farms north and east of the
Mingachevir reservoir (near the center of the image).
"The
The team is excited to see how well OCO-3 is doing, "said Project
Scientist Annmarie Eldering, based at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory
in Pasadena, California. "These preliminary emissions of carbon dioxide and solar origin
Fluorescence recoveries are fantastic and will only improve as you calibrate
improved. "
OCO-3
launched at the space station on May 4th. One of its main objectives is to
to continue the five-year data logging started with OCO-2, it has two
capabilities. First of all, OCO-3 is equipped with a new set of pointing mirrors that
will allow scientists to map local variations of carbon dioxide from space more
completely than can be achieved by OCO-2.
Second, the
The orbit of the space station will allow OCO-3 to see the same place on Earth at
different times of the day, which will allow scientists to study how carbon dioxide
fluctuates throughout the day. OCO-2, not mounted on the space station, is in a
near polar orbit that only allows him to see the same place at the same time
of the day.
Data from OCO-3
will complete the data of two other Earth observation missions aboard the space
station – ECOSTRESS, which measures heat stress and water use by plants,
and GEDI, which assesses the amount of organic plant material present on the surface
especially in forests. The combined data of all these instruments will be
give scientists both an unprecedented level of detail on how plants around
the world is responding to climate change and a more complete
understanding of the carbon cycle.
The mission team is waiting
to complete the verification phase into orbit of OCO-3 – the period during which they
the instruments and components work and are properly calibrated – next month.
They must officially release carbon dioxide and solar energy
fluorescence data to science
community a year later; however, given the quality of the measurements
OCO-3 is already underway, the data will probably be available sooner.
The OCO-3 project
is managed by JPL. Caltech manages the JPL for NASA.
Media contact
Smith's Spirit
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California
818-354-4269
[email protected]
2019-141
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