How NASA’s ICESat-2 will track ice changes in Antarctica, Greenland – Casson Living – World News, Breaking News, International News

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<p>This Saturday at 8:46 a.m. ET, the Ice, Cloud, and Land Elevation Satellite-2, also known as ICESat-2, will launch from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California aboard a United Launch Alliance Delta II rocket. Once in orbit, this satellite will focus on examining ice layers at the Earth's poles, utilizing its sole instrument, the Advanced Topographic Laser Altimeter System (ATLAS).</p><br />
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<p>ATLAS will emit a laser that is divided into six green beams, pulsing at a remarkable rate of 10,000 times per second. Each pulse comprises trillions of photons; although only a small fraction will return to the satellite, those that do will provide crucial data by measuring the time taken for the light to bounce back after hitting ice, terrain, trees, and more.</p><br />
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<p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image">Measurements will occur every 28 inches (71 cm), resulting in an astonishing volume of data as the satellite surveys the planet. For instance, it will monitor annual ice variations in the Antarctic and Greenland ice sheets with an accuracy of 4 mm (0.16 inches).</p><br />
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<p><em>Image courtesy of NASA/Goddard video</em></p><br />
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<p>The primary objective of this mission is to observe the fluctuations in ice levels, particularly in the Earth’s coldest environments. This data will be invaluable for climate change researchers, offering unprecedented insights into its global effects. The original ICESat-I operated with a single laser, the Geoscience Laser Altimeter System, which pulsed at just 40 times per second—250 times slower than the new ICESat-2. Data collected from ICESat-I and a subsequent aerial study known as IceBridge will serve as benchmarks for the new findings.</p><br />
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<p>Ultimately, the precision of ICESat-2's measurements is what makes this mission so groundbreaking.</p><br />
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