Satellite Launch Improves Global Water Cycle Monitoring On May
18, 2012 at 1:40am JST, the Japanese Aerospace Exploration
Agency (JAXA) launched its newest polar-orbiting satellite into
space. GCOM-W1, nicknamed "SHIZUKU" (or "water drop"), is
intended to provide global monitoring of Earth's water cycle. On
board is the AMSR-2 sensor that continues the legacy of the
AMSR-E sensor flown on NASA's Aqua satellite. AMSR detects
microwave energy emitted by the planet, which is very sensitive
to changes in water concentration, density, and heat. AMSR-2
will improve NOAA's current monitoring of atmospheric moisture,
precipitation, sea ice, temperature, and many other
variables.Shown here is a plot of soil moisture, acquired from
the NASA AMSR-E satellite sensor from September 28 - October 2,
2011. Satellite-based soil moisture products, such as those from
AMSR-E and the Suomi NPP ATMS sensor, are critical tools for
both monitoring and predicting drought patterns across the
globe. Courtesy of NOAA Environmental Visua