ESA’s Biomass Mission to Track Global Forests

Why in the News ?

The European Space Agency is launching its Biomass mission to map global forests and measure forest biomass. This will enhance understanding of forests’ role in the carbon cycle, aiding in climate change monitoring and forest conservation efforts.

Highlights of the Mission :

  • The European Space Agency (ESA) is set to launch its Biomass mission on April 29 aboard the Vega C rocket from the Kourou Spaceport in French Guiana.
  • The satellite will map global forests to provide the first comprehensive measurements of forest biomass, helping scientists track how forests are changing and their role in the carbon cycle.
  • Positioned in a sun-synchronous orbit at an altitude of around 666 km, the satellite will monitor the forests continuously.

Importance of the Biomass Mission

  • Forests play a critical role in the global carbon cycle, absorbing roughly 16 billion metric tons of CO2 annually.
  • Forest biomass, which refers to the organic matter in forests, is essential for understanding carbon storage, but accurate global measurements have been lacking.
  • The Biomass mission aims to fill this gap by creating 3D images of forests, from the canopy to the tree roots, and estimating the carbon stored in trees.
  • Loss of forests, especially tropical forests, is contributing significantly to global CO2 emissions, and understanding carbon storage is vital for climate studies.
How the Mission Works ?

● The Biomass satellite will utilize Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR), with a 12-meter antenna to penetrate dense forest canopies and measure carbon levels in trees and on the forest floor.

●  The satellite will focus on tracking the carbon content in forests and assessing changes over time.

●  It will also observe ice-sheet movement in Antarctica and generate digital terrain models for areas with dense vegetation, contributing to a comprehensive understanding of Earth’s environment.