As the world continues to grapple with the impact of climate change, environmental scientists are increasingly turning to innovative technologies to better understand and address the challenges at hand.
One of the most exciting and promising of these new technologies are cubesats – small, shoebox-sized devices launched into low Earth orbit to capture high-resolution images of our planet.
One of the key areas where cubesats are making a real difference is in the study of trees. Scientists are using the images captured by these tiny satellites to get a better sense of not just the whole forest, but individual trees as well.
By analyzing these images, researchers can gain a greater understanding of how trees are responding to a warming climate, and track changes in forests over long periods of time.
In many ways, the use of cubesats to study trees is a perfect example of how technology can be used to advance our understanding of the natural world. By using high-resolution images to capture data on everything from tree height and diameter, to leaf canopy and biomass, scientists can develop more accurate models and projections about the effects of climate change on our planet.
Of course, there’s still much work to be done in this area. While cubesats have already proven to be a valuable tool for environmental scientists, there are still challenges to be overcome in terms of data analysis and interpretation.
But with each passing day, researchers are pushing the boundaries of what’s possible with this technology, and making increasingly precise measurements and calculations about the state of our world’s forests.
In the end, the work being done by environmental scientists with cubesats is an important reminder that, even in the face of daunting environmental challenges, human ingenuity and innovation can be powerful forces for good.
Edited by Zeng Han-Jun
Written by Juliana Rodriguez
Terra Link Research 