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NASA’s Global Ecosystem Dynamics Investigation (GEDI) mission launched in December 2018. From its perch aboard the International Space Station, GEDI’s powerful lasers create detailed 3D maps of Earth’s forests and topography, providing innovative and unique spaceborne observations. In January 2019, GEDI’s lasers were turned on for the first time, and the instrument is now giving
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Northern peatlands store approximately one third of global soil carbon, approximately 500 gigatons. Because the peatland carbon cycling is largely controlled by partly anaerobic soil conditions, the carbon stored in these soils is extremely vulnerable to climate warming that is expected to reduce soil moisture and therefore increase soil aeration. Understanding the interactions between warming
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April 2nd, 2019
Large-Format Infrared Detectors Onboard PRISMA SatelliteAn Italian Space Agency Earth observation mission will capture data on the chemical make-up of objects through a powerful hyperspectral imager built by Leonardo, which includes two Sofradir detectors. The PRISMA (PRecursore IperSpettrale della Missione Applicativa) satellite was launched on the Vega rocket from the Kourou, French Guiana, Space Center on March 22, 2019. PRISMA
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March 26th, 2019
Mississippi and Missouri Rivers are Badly SwollenAt least 200 gauges along the waterways of the Central United States—especially the Missouri and Mississippi river basins—reported some level of flooding on March 23, 2019. Thirty-six stations reported major flooding, and another 79 reported moderate floods. Historically high water levels could be a factor in the region for weeks, according to government forecasts. The
