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Earth Surface Mineral Dust Source Investigation (EVI-4) (EMIT on ISS)
Status:
Extended Mission
Mission Category:
Earth System Science Pathfinder Program, Earth Venture Class, Earth Venture-Instrument
Launch Date: July 14, 2022
The Earth Surface Mineral Dust Source Investigation (EMIT) is an Earth Ventures-Instrument (EVI-4) Mission to map the mineral composition of arid dust source regions via imaging spectroscopy in the visible and short-wave infrared range. Using a sensor mounted to the exterior of the International Space Station (ISS), EMIT determines the mineral composition of natural sources that produce dust aerosols around the world. By measuring in detail which minerals make up the dust, EMIT will help to answer the essential question of whether this type of aerosol warms or cools the atmosphere. Robert Green of JPL is the principal investigator. EMIT's hyperspectral instrument measures the different wavelengths of light emitted by minerals on the surface of deserts and other dust sources to determine their composition. The EMIT sensor is based in part on NASA's Moon Mineralogy Mapper instrument aboard the Indian Space Research Organization's Chandrayaan-1 spacecraft.
The EMIT team brings together broad expertise that covers mineral measurements, soil science, remote sensing of surface properties and Earth system modeling. The project's modeling component uses the data collected to advance our understanding of the role of atmospheric dust in Earth's climate and better predict how it can be expected to change in the future. EMIT was developed at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and launched on July 14, 2022. EMIT data will be delivered to the NASA Land Processes Distributed Active Archive Center (DAAC) for use by other researchers and the public.
Key Earth Surface Mineral Dust Source Investigation (EVI-4) Facts
| Altitude:Distance from sea level. | 400km |
|---|---|
| Inclination: | 51.6° |
| Origination: | NASA |
| Instruments: |
hyperspectral instrument |
| Principal Investigator(s): |
Robert Green, NASA JPL |