EarthCARE’s broadband radiometer first results

Offering a foretaste of what’s to come once it is fully commissioned, ESA’s EarthCARE satellite has returned the first images from its broadband radiometer instrument. These initial images offer a tantalising glimpse into the intricacies of our planet’s energy balance – a delicate balance that governs our climate.

This image shows the measured brightness in the forward view along EarthCARE’s orbital path across the western Mediterranean, around a 1300 km stretch from northern Spain to Algeria. This brightness indicates how much solar energy is reflected back to space. While the data show a distinct transition between the coast of Spain and the Mediterranean Sea, there is little difference over the open sea. The switch from darker to brighter colours closer to the Algerian coast is down to the presence of aerosols and thin cloud.

Read full story: EarthCARE offers a sneak peek into Earth’s energy balance