Remote Sensing Archives

Global maps of predicted pigment concentrations (left column) and pigment-to-chlorophyll-a ratios (right column) for May 2010 generated using the Random Forest model. Panels (a–f) show fucoxanthin, peridinin and zeaxanthin.-- [q-bio.OT]

Beyond Chlorophyll: Machine Learning Estimates Of Diagnostic Phytoplankton Pigments From Multispectral Ocean Colour Data

by Keith CowingAugust 26, 2026August 26, 2026

[q-bio.OT] Phytoplankton play a central role in marine ecosystems and the global carbon cycle, with different groups contributing differently to ocean biogeochemical processes.

Using cutting-edge technology, ESA’s FLEX mission is designed to reveal new insights into how plants function by measuring the faint fluorescence they emit when they capture light during photosynthesis. Although invisible to the human eye, this signal changes with environmental conditions and plant health – allowing scientists to assess vegetation health, and stress. Larger image ESA

Biosignatures & Paleobiology

Orbital Biosignature Assays: FLEX Photosynthesis Satellite Fueled

by Keith CowingAugust 24, 2026August 24, 2026

[ESA] Europe’s newest eye on the health of Earth’s vegetation has taken another crucial step towards orbit – the European Space Agency’s FLEX satellite has been fueled at Europe’s Spaceport […]

Graphic depiction of the Interworld Slingshot Resource Surveys concept. Pablo Sobron

Missions & Hardware

Planetary Recon: Interworld Slingshot Resource Surveys

by Keith CowingAugust 13, 2026August 13, 2026

[NASA] This proposal explores a new class of reconnaissance spacecraft that map minerals from orbit using Raman spectroscopy during high-speed flybys–without landing, sample return, or extended dwell. Editor’s note: for […]

Dense bands of blue-green algae, or cyanobacteria, swirled around the waters of Pyramid Lake in October 2024. This western Nevada lake experiences similar blooms on an almost-yearly basis. The proliferation of single-celled, photosynthetic organisms in autumn 2024 became one of the most active bloom events seen in years, according to the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe Water Quality Program. -- NASA Larger Image

Biosignatures & Paleobiology

Orbital Biosignature Assay: Pyramid Lake in Bloom

by Keith CowingAugust 13, 2026August 23, 2026

[NASA] The OLI-2 (Operational Land Imager-2) on the Landsat 9 satellite acquired this natural-color image of the bloom in October 2024. One day earlier, the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe noted […]

In a new study, researchers provide measures of elevation and climate around 47 sites in the U.S. National Ecological Observatory Network, from Florida’s Everglades to the Alaskan tundra hundreds of miles above the Arctic Circle. Credit Courtesy of Kelly Kapsar, Michigan State University

Biosignatures & Paleobiology

Orbital Biosphere Assays: Lowering Barriers To Big Data

by Keith CowingAugust 10, 2026August 10, 2026

Editor’s note: When we begin to conduct Away Team visits to other worlds that host life we will need to do an assay of how everything on these worlds works […]

The Black Sea sits at the boundary between Europe and Asia

Biosignatures & Paleobiology

Orbital Biosignature Assay: Phytoplankton Blooms In The Black Sea

by Keith CowingJuly 8, 2026July 8, 2026

[NASA] The turquoise color is likely caused by coccolithophores, a type of phytoplankton covered with calcium carbonate plates that can give surface waters a milky-blue appearance. These types of phytoplankton […]

Illustration of changes in canopy height. (A) Canopy height of dense forests in different years. (B and C) Comparison of canopy height between sparse and dense forests in different years. Satellite images from Bing Map (2020). -- Journal of Remote Sensing

Biosignatures & Paleobiology

Orbital Biosignature Assay: Watching Forests Grow From Space

by Keith CowingJuly 5, 2026July 5, 2026

[Chinese Academy of Sciences] Forests are central to climate mitigation, yet tracking how fast they grow over decades remains difficult.

Location: Baltic Sea Credit: European Union, Copernicus Sentinel-3 imagery Larger image -- European Union

Biosignatures & Paleobiology

Orbital Biosignature Assay: Summer Algal Bloom Spreads Across The Baltic Sea

by Keith CowingJuly 1, 2026July 1, 2026

[European Union] During the summer months, large algal blooms occur frequently in the Baltic Sea. Often driven by warmer temperatures, abundant sunlight, and nutrient-rich waters, these blooms can reduce water […]

An aerial view of a reddish surface shows the tops of ridges. A very faint green speck can be seen just left of center of the image. Rover tracks can be seen tracing the surface. The travel route of Mars Perseverance Rover - rover location highlighted in box left of center -- NASA Larger image

Uncategorized

Perseverance Astrobiology Droid Has Completed A Martian Marathon

by Keith CowingJune 26, 2026June 27, 2026

[NASA] On June 14, 2026, Mars Perseverance rover completed a Martian “marathon” by surpassing 26.2 miles (42.195 kilometers) of travel. The day before, NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter snapped this view […]

Locations of the four candidate sites across a 2D map projection of Bennu’s surface captured by the OSIRIS-REx Camera Suite (OCAMS) (Bennett et al., 2021).

Astrochemistry, Astrogeology, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Comets and Asteroids, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Missions & Hardware, Sample Return, Status Report

Quantifying Surface Heterogeneity Across Asteroid (101955) Bennu using Candidate Site Remote Sensing Data

by Keith CowingJune 13, 2026June 13, 2026

The OSIRIS-REx mission acquired spatially resolved (2-10 m spot sizes) visible-near infrared (VNIR) and thermal infrared (TIR) spectra across four candidate sampling sites on asteroid (101955) Bennu: Nightingale, Osprey, Sandpiper, […]