Two European Space Agency satellites were launched from Kourou in French Guiana on Monday evening to help climate scientists study natural phenomena and improve forecasting.
The first satellite, Flex, will gather data on the impact of heatwaves on plants and ecosystems around the world. Its full name is Fluorescence Explorer. It will measure the light emitted by plants during photosynthesis, giving researchers a better picture of how vegetation responds to stress.
The second satellite, Sentinel-3C, will monitor water temperature and wave height. It will also collect data on land use, which scientists say can support efforts to tackle food crises.
Both satellites were launched aboard a Vega-C rocket.
Researchers from Ghent University, the University of Liège and the Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO) are among the members of the international scientific teams that will turn the satellite data into new insights on ecosystem stress, agricultural productivity, carbon absorption and the effects of climate change.
