The Chinese mainland has officially launched its latest atmospheric and terrestrial ecosystem carbon monitoring satellites, marking a significant advancement in environmental surveillance. The China National Space Administration (CNSA) announced the operational status of these satellites on Thursday.
During their in-orbit testing phase, the satellites demonstrated impressive capabilities across various sectors, including ecology, forestry, grassland management, geographic surveying, meteorology, agriculture, and emergency disaster response. These advancements are set to play a crucial role in addressing global climate change and supporting the Chinese mainland's goals of achieving carbon peak and carbon neutrality.
One of the standout features of the atmospheric monitoring satellite is its use of active laser detection technology, a world-first. By integrating active laser, hyperspectral, multispectral, and high-precision polarization techniques, the satellite offers comprehensive observation capabilities. It can conduct extensive, continuous, and real-time monitoring of atmospheric fine particulate matter, pollutants, greenhouse gases, clouds, aerosols, and environmental elements such as land surfaces and water bodies.
Additionally, the satellite has achieved global round-the-clock high-precision detection of carbon dioxide column concentrations at an impressive accuracy of 1 part per million. This breakthrough provides invaluable data for scientists and policymakers in their efforts to mitigate climate change and promote sustainable development.
Reference(s):
China's advanced satellites for climate, carbon monitoring operational
cgtn.com
