Jumbo Content

How Do We Sense Life in the Ocean?


Observing ocean life from shore, to ship, to satellite.
Click image to view movie (MP4, 11.3 MB). Credit: PACE Mission
[01-Dec-16] Observing life in our vast ocean is challenging. Early surveys by Darwin aboard the H.M.S. Beagle took five years to complete. More advanced and timely technology was needed to keep up with changes in our ocean. Beginning in 1978, NASA launched several Earth-observing ocean color sensors including the Coastal Zone Color Scanner, SeaWiFS, MODIS sensor on the Terra and Aqua satellites; and VIIRS. Building on lessons learned from these missions, PACE will extend and expand NASA'S decades-long record of ocean color observations.