The climate change advances in giant steps due to the intervention of the human hand. This is due, in large part, to the very high amounts of CO2 that are released into the atmosphere. Fortunately, thanks to forests we have natural measures to reduce the amount of this gas in the air. But every year they get lost 10 million hectares of forest because of the deforestation. Also by the hand of man. We are earning it by heart, but at least we try to find solutions. And one of them involves monitoring the forests from space, thanks to laser beams mounted on board the International Space Station.
Its about GEDI project from NASA. Its name comes from the acronym in English of “Global System of Investigation of Dynamics of Ecosystems”. However, it is pronounced the same as “Jedi” and its motto is “may the forests be with you.” Come on, the project is up to the same light side of the Force. But, jokes of starwars Besides, it is true that it fulfills a very necessary function.
Thanks to him not only can follow deforestation from space Real time. You can also see how it affects CO2 levels in the atmosphere. Furthermore, the GEDI lasers are not alone. They are complemented by satellite data obtained with other projects of the Ecosystem Monitoring System (FERM), FAO.
What do trees and CO2 have to do with each other?
Why is it so necessary to monitor forests from space and what do these have to do with the climate change. Therefore, it is worth remembering what the greenhouse effect is.
This is a necessary phenomenon for the Earth. Our planet has a temperature that allows habitability thanks to the fact that part of the Earth’s solar radiation that is reflected from its surface is retained by a series of gases They act like the walls of a greenhouse. If it weren’t for them, the Earth’s average temperature it would be -18°C.
The problem is that, as with everything in life, we need these gases to be in the atmosphere. right on. If there are too many, that much-needed warming begins to become excessive, giving rise to the famous global warming that is so closely related to climate change.
Greenhouse gases are various, but carbon dioxide (CO2) It’s one of the most important. In the past it was found in the atmosphere in an adequate quantity. However, traffic, industry and many other human activities have pushed their levels far above what is desired. So much so that the trees can no longer cope.
And it is that, although it may not seem like it, the forests have an essential role in this balance that we maintained until everything got out of control. This is because plants need CO2 to carry out the photosynthesis. Trees, with their large size, use very high amounts of this gas, so they absorb it from the atmosphere very efficiently. Or they absorbed it, since due to deforestation there are fewer and fewer of these carbon dioxide collectors. If we add to that emissions continue to risewe will see that the situation is very worrying.
Jedis guarding the woods with their lightsabers
To act against a problem, first of all, you have to know that problem in depth. But it is difficult to monitor an entire planet from within. For this reason, it has been decided to do it in space. Thanks to the satellite images it is possible to have a very approximate idea of the situation of deforestation.
But, in addition, with GEDI lasers are introduced into the equation. As he explained in the BBC one of the members of the project, Laura Duncansonby firing the laser at the trees reflecting energy can be analyzed and, with this data, map the forests. Thus, much more precise information is obtained on the changes that are taking place in the forests, both at the tree height as well as canopy density and carbon content.
Because we cannot forget that forests are carbon stores. They internalize the carbon of that CO2 they stole from the atmosphere, keeping it safe. The problem is that if these trees are cut down, part of this carbon is returned to the atmosphere. In fact, it is estimated that the 20% of CO2 emissions to the atmosphere come precisely from deforestation.
For this reason, GEDI lasers, together with hundreds of satellites that are part of FERM, can give us very useful information to know how to react. They only give us the information, we have to provide the solutions. However, if we want the forests to accompany us, the more data we have on their deterioration, the better.