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Biospheric Sciences
Operational

ECOsystem Spaceborne Thermal Radiometer Experiment on Space Station (ECOSTRESS)

The ECOSTRESS mission is accurately measuring the temperature of plants on Earth. Plants regulate their temperature by releasing water through tiny pores on their leaves called stomata. If they have sufficient water they can maintain their temperature, but if there is insufficient water, their temperatures rise and this temperature rise can be measured with ECOSTRESS. The images acquired by ECOSTRESS are the most detailed temperature images of the surface ever acquired from space and can be used to measure the temperature of an individual farmers field.

Launch Date
June 29, 2018
Class
Instrument
Websites

The ECOSTRESS mission is accurately measuring the temperature of plants on Earth. Plants regulate their temperature by releasing water through tiny pores on their leaves called stomata. If they have sufficient water they can maintain their temperature, but if there is insufficient water, their temperatures rise and this temperature rise can be measured with ECOSTRESS. The images acquired by ECOSTRESS are the most detailed temperature images of the surface ever acquired from space and can be used to measure the temperature of an individual farmers field.

Related Publications

2026. "Soil Carbon Assimilation Effectively Constrains Carbon‐Cycle Model Forecasting.", Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences, 131 (7): e2026JG009935 [10.1029/2026jg009935] [Journal Article/Letter]

2026. "Regulation of Transpiration and Whole‐Tree Crown Conductance in Tropical Forests.", Plant, Cell & Environment, pce.70719 [10.1111/pce.70719] [Journal Article/Letter]

2025. "The PEcAn+SIPNET Terrestrial Carbon Cycle Reanalysis: Development and Validation.", ARPHA Conference Abstracts, 8 [10.3897/aca.8.e152356] [Journal Article/Letter]