The European Space Agency has commissioned a new satellite mission in
a bid to find a crucial missing piece of the climate jigsaw.
It will allow scientists to measure and understand the influence of the Earth's far-infrared emissions on its climate system.
The mission, called FORUM (Far-infrared Outgoing Radiation Understanding and Monitoring), was chosen over another project that aimed to use a satellite to measure ocean current and waves, following consultation with the scientific community.
Wolfram Mauser, who chaired ESA’s advisory committee for earth observation, said, “Both mission concepts are outstanding in the value they would bring to science and are technologically ready to be built, so it was difficult to recommend which one should be implemented.
“Nevertheless, FORUM promises to improve climate models and, therefore, climate prediction. So with the issue of climate change a major global concern, we finally decided to recommend this concept – and we are very happy that ESA has taken our recommendation.”
Mark Drinkwater, head of the European agency's earth exploration missions, explained to Euronews that FORUM has been chosen "for its unique contribution to Earth system science, with a focus on the processes that regulate the Earth's radiation budget and are therefore of critical importance to the climate".
Read more at: European space mission aims to fill missing piece of climate jigsaw | Euronews
It will allow scientists to measure and understand the influence of the Earth's far-infrared emissions on its climate system.
The mission, called FORUM (Far-infrared Outgoing Radiation Understanding and Monitoring), was chosen over another project that aimed to use a satellite to measure ocean current and waves, following consultation with the scientific community.
Wolfram Mauser, who chaired ESA’s advisory committee for earth observation, said, “Both mission concepts are outstanding in the value they would bring to science and are technologically ready to be built, so it was difficult to recommend which one should be implemented.
“Nevertheless, FORUM promises to improve climate models and, therefore, climate prediction. So with the issue of climate change a major global concern, we finally decided to recommend this concept – and we are very happy that ESA has taken our recommendation.”
Mark Drinkwater, head of the European agency's earth exploration missions, explained to Euronews that FORUM has been chosen "for its unique contribution to Earth system science, with a focus on the processes that regulate the Earth's radiation budget and are therefore of critical importance to the climate".
Read more at: European space mission aims to fill missing piece of climate jigsaw | Euronews
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