What is Ecostress NASA?
What is Ecostress NASA?
ECOSTRESS (Ecosystem Spaceborne Thermal Radiometer Experiment on Space Station) is an ongoing scientific experiment in which a radiometer mounted on the International Space Station measures the temperature of plants growing in specific locations on Earth over the course of a solar year.
How does ECOSTRESS work?
ECOSTRESS is in a precessing orbit which means it acquires data at different times of day allowing it to determine how plants respond to water stress throughout the day.
When was ECOSTRESS launched?
June 29, 2018
Table 3. ECOSTRESS Mission Characteristics
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Launch Vehicle | SpaceX 15 |
| Launch Date | June 29, 2018 @ 5:42am, 42sec EDT (9:42:42 UTC) |
| Mission Extension | One year 2019-2020, with proposal to extend mission additional years pending senior review. |
What are the three comprehensive science questions Ecostress attempting to address with this experiment?
ECOSTRESS will address 3 science questions:
- How is the terrestrial biosphere responding to changes in water availability?
- How do changes in diurnal vegetation water stress impact the global carbon cycle?
What is Evaporative Stress Index?
The Evaporative Stress Index (ESI) describes temporal anomalies in evapotranspiration (ET), highlighting areas with anomalously high or low rates of water use across the land surface. Here, ET is retrieved via energy balance using remotely sensed land-surface temperature (LST) time-change signals.
What is the primary objective of NASA’s Ecostress mission?
ECOSTRESS’ primary mission is to detect plant health by monitoring Earth’s surface temperature from the vantage point of the International Space Station. However, it can also detect other heat-related phenomenon — like heat waves, volcanoes and fires.
How is evaporative stress measured?
The ESI is based on satellite observations of land surface temperature, which are used to estimate water loss due to evapotranspiration (ET), the loss of water via evaporation from soil and plant surfaces and via transpiration through plant leaves.