ABOUT PACE

SO HOW DID WE COLLECT ALL THESE INFORMATION FOR OUR GAME? IT’S ALL THROUGH NASA PACE SPACECRAFT.

The PACE (Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem) spacecraft is like Earth's superhero, studying our planet’s oceans and atmosphere. It uses super-advanced tools to measure tiny marine organisms called phytoplankton and tracks changes in ocean color. PACE also keeps an eye on aerosols (tiny particles in the air), helping scientists understand climate change and the health of our environment. Think of it as Earth's guardian, collecting data to keep our planet in balance!

Instruments:

OCI (Ocean Color Instrument):

  • Measures light at many wavelengths (ultraviolet to near-infrared), analyzing how light reflects off the ocean’s surface and the atmosphere
  • Provides high-resolution data on ocean color changes, which can indicate the presence of phytoplankton, harmful algal blooms, and other oceanic changes.

The exceptionally broad range of wavelengths sensed by the OCI – from ultraviolet to near-infrared along with several shortwave infrared bands – will support investigation of the ocean, atmosphere, and key climate-related factors. A few examples of science topics that will be investigated using data acquired at various PACE wavelengths.

The color of the ocean is determined by the interaction of sunlight with substances or particles present in seawater such as chlorophyll, a green pigment found in most phytoplankton species. By monitoring global phytoplankton distribution and abundance with unprecedented detail, the OCI will help us to better understand the complex systems that drive ocean ecology.

Multi-Angle Polarimeters:

  • Two polarimeters onboard, including the Spectro-Polarimeter for Planetary Exploration (SPEXone) and the Hyper-Angular Rainbow Polarimeter-2 (HARP2).
  • These instruments measure light at different angles to detect the size, shape, and type of aerosols, as well as cloud properties.

Polarization data is key in understanding how particles influence climate change by absorbing or reflecting sunlight.

PACE’s comprehensive data collection allows scientists to study how oceans and the atmosphere interact, providing key insights into the global carbon cycle, climate shifts, and environmental health.

🔗 Sources:

  1. https://pace.oceansciences.org/oci.htm
  2. https://pace.oceansciences.org/learn/ocispectrum.htm#particlesize
  3. https://pace.oceansciences.org/spexone.htm#:~:text=PACE's%20SPEXone%20instrument%20is%20a,%2C%20land%20surface%2C%20and%20ocean.
  4. https://pace.oceansciences.org/harp2.htm
  5. https://science.nasa.gov/mission/pace/