Sustainable Ocean Solutions

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Satellite Applications

Satellite Applications

Satellites are essential to monitor the enormous area of the world’s oceans.  Miniaturised sensors and miniaturised satellites (nanosats or cube sats) to carry them are created vast potential for new capabilities in ocean observing and in satellite communications, such as:

GNSS reflectometry uses the reflection of GPS signals from the sea surface to measure wave steepness and seastate. The doppler signal shown in the image is analysed to extract the wave steepness

Synthetic Aperture Radar to image ships even at night and in cloudy conditions

Measurement of sea surface temperature and colour (to determine levels of organic matter and sediment in the water)

Satellites can detect and process radio frequency emissions from ships to identify the ship and track it

These techniques are being used to monitor ocean health as well as to detect illegal activity (such as illegal, unlicensed and unreported fishing as well as smuggling).