science

Satellite images confirm global warming is heating the planet


Satellite images confirm global warming is heating the planet by creating ‘skin’ maps from NASA’s data

  • Heat map of Earth’s surface ‘skin’ by satellite confirms rising temperatures
  • These recordings from 2003-2017 confirm land based measurement data 
  • Together they show that the hottest year on Earth in recorded history was 2016 

Satellite measurements of the Earth’s surface temperature have confirmed that global warming is heating up the planet.  

The infrared system that measures heat radiating from the Earth was used to record its surface layer – or ‘skin’ – temperatures from 2003 to 2017. 

It showed a warming pattern consistent with measurements taken on land.

A combination of both data sets and all the existing research creates an even stronger proof of global warming, researchers claim.

Scroll down for video 

The skin map derived solely from satellite data (left) showed a warming pattern (denoted by the colour red) that was consistent with other maps generated from measurements taken by land-based stations (right)

The skin map derived solely from satellite data (left) showed a warming pattern (denoted by the colour red) that was consistent with other maps generated from measurements taken by land-based stations (right)

Infrared satellite readings taken from space, measure the Earth’s temperature at the surface of the ocean, land and snow and ice covered regions. 

The readings, recorded Atmospheric Infra-Red Sounder (AIR) data, were taken over the span of 15 years and compared to measurements taken on Earth at special ‘base-stations’ by NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Centre. 

The two  set of data showed the same trend of increasing global temperatures between 2003 and 2017. 

The authors of the paper in which the results are shown wrote: ‘The satellite-based surface temperatures can serve as an important validation of surface-based estimates and help to improve surface-based data sets.’ 

Dr Joel Susskind, from the American space agency Nasa’s Goddard Space Flight Centre, and author of the paper, said: ‘Both data sets demonstrate the Earth’s surface has been warming globally over this period, and that 2016, 2017, and 2015 have been the warmest years in the instrumental record, in that order.’

The Earth's rising temperature has been visualised via satellite 'skin' surface maps that confirm global warming is heating up the planet. The system which measures the heat energy radiating from the earth via infrared, was used to record temperatures from 2003 to 2017 (file photo)

The Earth’s rising temperature has been visualised via satellite ‘skin’ surface maps that confirm global warming is heating up the planet. The system which measures the heat energy radiating from the earth via infrared, was used to record temperatures from 2003 to 2017 (file photo)

The satellite system, called Airs (Atmospheric Infra-Red Sounder), records temperature at the surface of the ocean, land and snow-covered regions.

Its findings were compared with station-based data from the Goddard Institute for Space Studies Surface Temperature Analysis (Gistemp). 

Co-author Dr Gavin Schmidt, also from the Goddard Institute, said: ‘Interestingly, our findings revealed that the surface-based data sets may be underestimating the temperature changes in the Arctic.

‘This means the warming taking place at the poles may be happening more quickly than previously thought.’

The full report of the study is published in the the journal Environmental Research Letters.

HOW WAS THE ANALYSIS PERFORMED? 

The current analysis compared data measurements of the Earth’s temperature from satellite data (AIRS) to data collected on land (GISTEMP).

This was done for the period 2003-2017. 

AIRS surface temperatures have better spatial coverage of the Earth than those of GISTEMP which are taken at individual base stations.

Infra red waves transmit as heat and are used for surface temperature recordings by Infrared satellites.

Land recordings were taken at base stations across the Earth. 

The satellite-based surface temperatures are an important validation of surface-based data and help to improve accuracy for global warming analysis. 

 



READ SOURCE

Leave a Reply

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this site, you accept our use of cookies.