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MERIS monitoring tracks planetary photosynthesis levels

23 September 2005

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The fraction of incoming solar radiation useful for photosynthesis that is actually absorbed by vegetation – a value known as the Fraction of Absorbed Photosynthetically Active Radiation (FAPAR) – measured for the month March 2005, against a base period of measurements from 1998 to 2002.

Credits: EC-JRC

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Vegetation ultimately depends on photosynthesis, and all animals and humans ultimately depend on vegetation. Measuring the fraction (FAPAR) of incoming solar radiation useful for photosynthesis that is actually absorbed by plants to sustain their growth and development is a means of estimating their health and productivity. This can be done via satellite sensors.

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ESRIN is home to the Grid-On-Demand service, which pools distributed computer resources to supply a large amount of processing power to perform complex tasks.

Credits: ESA-S. Corvaja

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ESA's ten-instrument Envisat environmental satellite has been observing the Earth for more than three years. Picture by EADS Astrium.

Credits: EADS Astrium