Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich monitors the height of Earths oceans so that researchers can better understand the quantity and rate of sea level rise. And after additional validation, the researchers concurred that Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich must become the reference satellite for sea level measurements.
From that new position, the ground track– or the strip of Earth that Jason-3s instruments see as the satellite takes a trip around the planet– will run in between the ground tracks of succeeding orbits for Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich. Jason-3 will keep determining sea level height from the interleaved orbit, although it will no longer serve as the official referral sea level satellite. By continuing to collect sea level information, Jason-3 will basically double the number of measurements seen by each pass of Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich, helping to greatly increase the spatial resolution of sea level measurements offered by both satellites.
” These missions, of which Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich is the most current, are the gold standard when it comes to water level measurements, which are critical for comprehending and keeping an eye on environment modification,” stated Josh Willis, Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich job scientist at NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California.
Meltwater from Greenland glaciers like the one visualized can contribute significantly to water level increase. Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich monitors the height of Earths oceans so that scientists can much better comprehend the quantity and rate of water level increase. Credit: NASA Earth Observatory using Landsat information from USGS
Long-lasting records of water level height are crucial to keeping an eye on how much, and how fast, the oceans are rising in a warming environment. “We cant lose track of just how much water level has gone up since if we do, its tough to forecast whats going to happen in the decades to come,” Willis included.
” The unmatched precision of the sea level measurements supplied by this mission ensures not just the continuity of a 30-year information record, however enables enhancing our understanding of environment change and the effect of rising seas on coastal locations and communities,” stated Julia Figa Saldana, ocean altimetry program manager at the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT).
Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich. Credit: NASA
Science and engineering teams have spent the time since launch making sure Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich was collecting the designated information and that the info was accurate. And after additional recognition, the researchers agreed that Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich ought to become the recommendation satellite for sea level measurements.
Jason-3 will keep measuring sea level height from the interleaved orbit, although it will no longer serve as the official recommendation sea level satellite. By continuing to gather sea level information, Jason-3 will essentially double the number of measurements seen by each pass of Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich, assisting to significantly increase the spatial resolution of sea level measurements offered by both satellites.
More About the Mission
Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich, called after previous NASA Earth Science Division Director Michael Freilich, is one of 2 satellites that make up the Copernicus Sentinel-6/ Jason-CS (Continuity of Service) objective.
Sentinel-6/ Jason-CS was collectively developed by ESA (European Space Agency), EUMETSAT, NASA, and NOAA, with funding support from the European Commission and technical support on performance from CNES (Frances National Centre for Space Studies). Spacecraft monitoring and control, along with the processing of all the altimeter science data, is performed by EUMETSAT on behalf of the EUs Copernicus program, with the support of all partner firms.
JPL, a department of Caltech in Pasadena, contributed three science instruments for each Sentinel-6 satellite: the Advanced Microwave Radiometer, the Global Navigation Satellite System– Radio Occultation, and the Laser Retroreflector Array. NASA likewise contributed launch services, ground systems supporting operation of the NASA science instruments, the science data processors for 2 of these instruments, and support for the U.S. members of the worldwide Ocean Surface Topography Science Team.
This animation reveals the radar pulse from the Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich satellites altimeter bouncing off the sea surface area in order to determine the height of the ocean. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich, the most recent addition to a long line of ocean-monitoring satellites, becomes the recommendation satellite for water level measurements.
On March 22, the newest U.S.-European sea level satellite, named Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich, became the official reference satellite for international sea level measurements. This means that sea surface height information collected by other satellites will be compared to the information produced by Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich to ensure their precision.
Launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base in November 2020, the satellite is continuing a nearly 30-year tradition started by the TOPEX/Poseidon satellite, which started its objective to determine sea surface height in the early 1990s. A series of successor satellites have actually continued the effort considering that then, with Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich being the most current. Its twin, Sentinel-6B, is slated to release in 2025.
