NASA’s PACE Satellite Unleashes Advanced Instruments to Track and Analyze North American Wildfires

As the North American wildfire season intensifies, bringing a record-breaking number of acres burned across the continent, NASA’s newest Earth-observing satellite is turning its advanced sensors toward the smoke and flames. Launched in February 2024, the Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, and ocean Ecosystem (PACE) mission is leveraging its cutting-edge suite of three instruments to monitor both the atmospheric aftermath of these blazes and the dry vegetation that fuels them. By tracking active smoke plumes, regional atmospheric movement, and pre-fire environmental conditions, PACE is providing scientists with an unprecedented look at the lifecycle of extreme wildfire events.

At the heart of PACE's observational power are its three primary instruments: the Ocean Color Instrument (OCI) and two multi-angle polarimeters, SPEXone and HARP2. While initially designed to study marine ecosystems, the OCI’s broad spectral range—spanning from ultraviolet to shortwave infrared—allows it to peer through atmospheric haze and distinguish between different types of smoke, clouds, and land cover. Simultaneously, the polarimeters measure how sunlight is scattered and polarized by airborne particles (aerosols). This enables researchers to pinpoint the size, composition, and concentration of smoke particles as they loft into the stratosphere, offering a highly detailed map of how wildfire emissions interact with the atmosphere.

This dual capability of observing both land-based precursors and atmospheric consequences represents a significant leap forward for wildfire research.

> "PACE provides us with a holistic view of how fires interact with the broader Earth system," said Dr. Jeremy Werdell, PACE project scientist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center. "By observing the moisture levels and health of vegetation before a fire even starts, and then tracking the transport of smoke aerosols across continents, we are gaining critical insights that will improve both air quality forecasts and long-term climate models."

The implications of PACE's observations extend far beyond academic research. As climate change continues to drive longer and more severe fire seasons, the data gathered by the satellite will aid meteorologists and public health officials in predicting downwind air quality hazards. Fine particulate matter from wildfire smoke can travel thousands of miles, posing severe respiratory risks to distant metropolitan populations. Through the PACE mission, NASA is not only advancing our fundamental understanding of atmospheric chemistry but also delivering crucial, real-time tools to help society adapt to a warming planet.