European Space Agency Archives

Hurricane Ophelia on October 11, 2017. Image: European Space Agency.

Hurricane Ophelia is the Strongest Hurricane to Form East of the United States

October 15, 2017October 15, 2017 by Caitlin Dempsey

On Saturday, October 15, 2017, Hurricane Ophelia strengthened to Category 3 status making it the first recorded eastern hurricane to be this strong.

A Jet Stream in the Middle of the Earth

July 18, 2017 by Elizabeth Borneman

Researchers from the University of Leeds published an article in the journal Nature GeoScience with data gathered by the Swarm satellites that reveals the existence of a molten core jet stream using changes in the magnetic field.

Now You Can Track Santa with ESA’s Updated Sentinel App

December 23, 2016December 23, 2016 by Caitlin Dempsey

You can now use the European’s Space Agency’s updated Sentinel App to track Father Christmas as he travels around the world, delivering presents.

Scientists at Plymouth Marine Laboratory (PML) in the UK, funded via the UK National Centre for Earth Observation, working with colleagues from France, have combined ocean-colour satellite data made available through ESA’s Climate Change Initiative with in situ measurements from Argo and new Bio-Argo floats, partially-funded by the UK Natural Environment Research Council, to work out how much energy is transported from the ocean’s surface down to the mesopelagic layer. They estimate that seasonal mixed layer pump moves around 300 million tonnes of carbon each year, which is a vital energy source for organisms living in the deep dark part of the ocean. Source: Plymouth Marine Laboratory

Satellites Delve into the Depths of One of the Earth’s Largest Ecosystems

November 1, 2016November 1, 2016 by Liam Oakwood

Satellite imagery is helping marine scientists gain new understanding of ocean ecosystems. The mysterious ‘mesopelagic’ zone between 100m and 1000m is one of the Earth’s largest ecosystems, yet the source of much of its energy has only just been uncovered.