NASA is watching autumn from orbit. A report out today shows how its PACE satellite tracks changes in leaf pigments around the world. Leaf-peeping, with...
Transcript
Winston NASA is watching autumn from orbit. A report out today shows how its PACE satellite tracks changes in leaf pigments around the world. Asher Leaf-peeping, with considerably less arguing about where to park. Winston It can pick out pigments behind greens, yellows and reds. Repeated observations show where those colors are changing. Asher But a red patch isn't automatically a forest at its autumn best. Aging crops can show up red too, and plant stress can change pigments. Winston So how do you tell what the satellite is actually seeing? Asher Check it against the ground. The team is asking people to submit foliage photos through the GLOBE program, even where there aren't big forests. Winston I like that. You can admire the view and help check the science. Asher Just don't read today's story as today's leaf forecast. The maps it shows cover late September and early October. Winston Fair. I'll bring a camera. You can handle the parking negotiations. Winston and Asher look for the light in one story at a time. The newsroom remains tiny.