The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has recently released stunning images of Earth taken by the Earth Observation Satellite (EOS-06), also known as Oceansat-3. The images, which were taken between February 1-15, 2023, were captured by the Ocean Colour Monitor (OCM), one of the satellite's key instruments. The OCM senses the Earth in 13 distinct wavelengths to provide information about global vegetation cover on land and ocean biota for global oceans.
According to ISRO, the images are a mosaic generated by the National Remote Sensing Center (NRSC) from data beamed back by the spacecraft. The mosaic combines 2,939 images after processing 300 GB of data. The high-resolution pictures feature every continent and present Earth in different colours due to variations in wavelengths. India is clearly visible in some of the images, shining brightly.
The Ocean Colour Monitor provides valuable information about global vegetation cover on land and ocean biota. It also supports value-added products like identifying potential fishing zones using chlorophyll and SST and wind speed and land-based applications.
The satellite is part of a series of satellites from ISRO dedicated to oceanography and atmospheric studies. OceanSat-3 was launched with three major instruments: Ocean Color Monitor (OCM-3), Sea Surface Temperature Monitor (SSTM), Ku-Band Scatterometer (SCAT-3), and ARGOS, which enables it to observe the planet across different wavelengths.
The release of these images highlights the importance of space technology in understanding and monitoring our planet. Satellites like Oceansat-3 provide valuable data for climate change research, weather forecasting, disaster management, and much more. The images captured by OCM remind us of the beauty and fragility of our planet and the need to protect it for future generations.