Satellite image of Arctic lights from NASA Earth Observatory
Light has come: Arctic mystery explained by Goddard. Increase in artificial lights is due to growing industrial activity. The rapid melting of ice is giving up resources previously seen as inaccessible.
Historically dark and isolated, the Arctic region has increasingly shown NASA more light. The Goddard Space Flight Center explains everything to us.
The luminous phenomenon, identified using advanced satellite technology, is proof of a growth in industrial activity in one of the most remote locations on the planet.
According to data from Goddard, this month, the Artificial lighting in the Arctic increased by 5% per year between 1992 and 2013. Translating, there was light in more than 600 thousand square kilometers of the territory, mainly due to activities related to the extraction of oil and gas.
Only 15% These areas have human settlements, highlighting the direct impact of industrial activities.
Satellite technology, such as the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite instrument, has been instrumental in accurately analyzing these lights, allowing us to distinguish between artificial light sources and natural phenomena such as the aurora borealis or moonlit snow.
The greatest growth in enlightenment is concentrated in the Russian Arctic, with regions such as Khanty-Mansi and Yamal-Nenets leading the way. It is in these areas that large deposits are located, such as Samotlor, one of the most important in the world.
In some cases, the illuminated areas are almost five times larger than Portugal.
As climate change play a crucial role in this phenomenon. The rapid melting of Arctic ice, which is warming four times faster than the global average, is facilitating access to resources previously considered inaccessible. This transformation is also driving development in the European Arctic and, to a lesser extent, the North American Arctic, the University of Zurich.
Scientists emphasize the importance of responsible management of Arctic resources to reduce environmental impacts.
“By providing high-resolution, real-time information, we will be able to better identify changes in industrial activity,” said Miguel Román, deputy director of atmospheres at Goddard Space Flight Center, in a statement released by .
