Scientists have made an incredible breakthrough in the use of satellites, figuring out how to best use them to detect pollution in Earth's oceans.
According to an announcement from Deltares, Dutch researchers have figured out how to use satellite technology to detect floating plastic debris in the world's oceans.
The scientists used a variety of different techniques in their quest to help find and monitor hotspots of pollution in various bodies of water. They used microwave sensors to help locate and detect the trash, as well as monitor the conditions of the water around it. They used optical sensors to figure out the color and infrared properties of the plastic being monitored, to figure out what kind it is. Between the two, they are able to continuously monitor hotspots and locate new ones.
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Sure thing 👍 Their research found that microwaves were particularly useful for detecting plastic, even in fairly small quantities. Microwaves along the X- and Ku- wavelengths could find plastic when there was just one item per square meter of space.
Plastic waste is one of the biggest and most swiftly growing issues facing our planet today. Microplastics, which are what normal plastic waste breaks into over time, have been found spreading via swiftly moving particles known as flocs in a variety of bodies of water. The plastic waste in oceans can also lead to significant upticks in the deaths of animals, such as sea lions, who get the plastic wrapped around their necks and die.
Fortunately, scientists are making strides in this fight; researchers recently found a chemical produced by mussels that can help break down plastic and reduce waste.
In this case, the researchers hope that their study can be tested more broadly in oceans and waterways around the world, allowing us to track plastic waste around the globe.
"This research is of outermost importance for the European Space Agency (ESA) to understand and develop space-based technologies for global monitoring of the ocean to study the evolution of the plastic litter problem and to trigger interventions in severely affected areas," said ESA antenna engineer Erio Gardini, per Deltares.
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