Thread | Brutkey

Sentinel-6B, a joint US-European ocean monitoring satellite, was successfully launched last night.

Like its predecessors, S6B includes a improved synthetic-aperture radar altimetry instrument (C and Ku band) designed to measure sea surface topography.

Partners include the European Commission, ESA, NASA, Eumetsat, NOAA, and the French space agency CNES.

Since 1993, sea levels have risen by over 11 cm, at an average rate of 3.4 mm/year, mainly due to Climate Change.

https://www.esa.int/Applications/Observing_the_Earth/Copernicus/Sentinel-6/Sentinel-6B_launched_to_extend_record_of_sea-level_rise
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1. Graphic of the Sentinel-6B satellite over earth.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sentinel-6B

2. Graph of se-level rise since 1993.
https://www.esa.int/Applications/Observing_the_Earth/Copernicus/Sentinel-6/Sentinel-6B_launched_to_extend_record_of_sea-level_rise

AkaSci 🛰

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@AkaSci@fosstodon.org

Overview of the ocean monitoring satellite Sentinel-6B from NASA/JPL

"These observations will help build an accurate picture of local and global sea levels to support weather and storm forecasting, secure coastal property and infrastructure, and help optimize commercial activities such as shipping and undersea pipeline operations."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTmIUypawcs
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AkaSci 🛰

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@AkaSci@fosstodon.org

Here is a graphic from ESA showing the 2 main contributors to the rise in sea levels -
Meltwater from land ice and
Ocean thermal expansion
both caused by Climate Change.

https://esamultimedia.esa.int/docs/EarthObservation/Sentinel-6_Mission_kit_251113.pdf
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Graphic illustrating WHY IS SEA LEVEL RISING?

Meltwater from land ice and ocean thermal expansion are the largest drivers of global mean sea-level rise. Satellites map changes in the height of the sea surface and also provide data to further understand how each component contributes to this consequence of climate change.