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Current Affairs 2023

ISRO’s EOS-06 Satellite Provides Valuable Data on Earth's Health - UPSC Current Affairs

The Indian Space Research Organisation's (ISRO) EOS-06 satellite, part of the Oceansat series, captures images of the Earth that provide crucial data for oceanography, meteorology, and climatology. This article explores the capabilities of the EOS-06 satellite and its significance in monitoring the health of the planet.

Mar 30, 2023

4 min read

The ISRO's EOS-06 satellite, the latest in the Oceansat series, was launched on November 26, 2021, onboard the PSLV-C54 rocket. The satellite is equipped with four payloads, including the Ocean Colour Monitor, Sea Surface Temperature Monitor, Ku-Band Scatterometer, and ARGOS. These payloads provide valuable data on global vegetation cover, ocean biota, ocean color, sea surface temperature, and wind vector data. The EOS-06 is critical to oceanography, meteorology, and climatology applications and plays an essential role in monitoring the health of the planet.

 

The ISRO recently released images captured by the EOS-06 satellite, showcasing the Earth as seen during February 1 and 15. The mosaic generated by the ISRO's National Remote Sensing Centre has a 1 km spatial resolution and is generated by combining 2939 individual images, after processing 300 GB data. The EOS-06's capabilities extend to value-added products, such as potential fishing zones using chlorophyll, SST, and wind speed, and land-based geophysical parameters.

 

The data collected by the EOS-06 is critical to monitoring the planet's health and its impact on climate change. The satellite's data will help understand the ocean's role in the global water cycle, the carbon cycle, and the global energy balance. It also provides valuable information on the effects of human activities on the environment, aiding policymakers in making informed decisions.

 

The EOS-06 satellite's launch represents a significant achievement for the ISRO's space programme and reinforces the organisation's commitment to scientific research and applications. With its capabilities in providing valuable data on the planet's health, the EOS-06 is a testament to India's growing prominence in the global space race. Reference source: TH

 

UPSC Main Exam Question

 

Discuss the significance of ISRO's EOS-06 satellite in providing data for oceanography, climatic and meteorological applications.

 

Answer: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) recently released images of the Earth captured by its EOS-06 satellite, which is the third-generation satellite in the Oceansat series. This satellite is a significant advancement in the ISRO space programme and provides crucial data for oceanography, climatic, and meteorological applications. The EOS-06 carries four payloads, including the Ocean Colour Monitor (OCM), Sea Surface Temperature Monitor (SSTM), Ku-Band Scatterometer, and ARGOS.

 

The OCM senses the Earth in 13 distinct wavelengths and provides information about global vegetation cover on land and ocean biota for global oceans. This data is used to monitor the ocean's health and is essential to understanding the effects of human activities on the environment. The SSTM observes sea surface temperature, and the Ku-Band Scatterometer measures ocean winds and provides data on ocean circulation. The ARGOS payload provides location data for ocean buoys, which is useful for tracking ocean currents and circulation.

 

The EOS-06 is envisaged to observe ocean color data, sea surface temperature, and wind vector data to use in Oceanography, climatic, and meteorological applications. The satellite also supports value-added products such as potential fishing zone using chlorophyll, SST, and wind speed and land-based geophysical parameters. This data is used to study global climate change, ocean circulation, and the ocean's role in the global water cycle, the carbon cycle, and the global energy balance.

 

The EOS-06 provides high-resolution images of the Earth's surface and has a 1 km spatial resolution, generated by combining 2939 individual images after processing 300 GB of data. The images provide crucial data for understanding the Earth's environment, climate, and resources, making it a valuable tool for scientific research and applications.

 

In conclusion, the ISRO's EOS-06 satellite is a significant advancement in the space programme and plays a crucial role in providing data for oceanography, climatic, and meteorological applications. The data collected by the satellite will be immensely helpful in understanding the Earth's climate, environment, and resources, making it an essential tool for scientific research and applications.

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