NASA is preparing to launch the Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem (PACE) mission in early 2024, aiming to advance our understanding of Earth’s atmosphere. The mission will employ advanced polarimeters to investigate the interaction of light, aerosols, and clouds, providing valuable insights into their impact on air quality and climate.
Aerosols, which include small particles like smoke, dust, and pollutants, may seem inconsequential but play a crucial role in influencing climate. They can absorb and scatter sunlight, affecting the amount of solar energy that reaches the Earth’s surface.
The primary scientific instrument planned for the PACE mission is the Ocean Color Instrument (OCI), capable of measuring the color of the ocean from ultraviolet to shortwave infrared. Additionally, the mission will incorporate two polarimeters, namely the Spectro-polarimeter for Planetary Exploration (SPEXone) and the Hyper Angular Research Polarimeter (HARP2).
Polarimeters measure how sunlight’s oscillation within a geometric plane, known as polarization, is altered as it passes through clouds, aerosols, and the ocean. The combined capabilities of OCI, SPEXone, and HARP2 will provide complementary spectral and angular sampling, polarimetric accuracy, and spatial coverage. This comprehensive approach will lead to improved atmospheric correction by OCI and a wide range of data products related to aerosols and clouds.
NASA emphasizes the synergistic payload’s potential to make significant breakthroughs in aerosol-cloud-ocean research. By analyzing the color of the ocean and studying the polarization of sunlight, the PACE mission aims to enhance our understanding of complex interactions within Earth’s atmosphere and contribute to climate science.
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