Satellite data can now help us better understand when coral reefs are at risk. To assess whether Belize’s famous coral reef, which is on the UNESCO World Heritage List, is facing climate damage, scientists used the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS)(Opens in a new tab)), was initially developed by NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland for the space agency’s Aqua(Opens in a new tab) Satellites.
In a study published in remote sensing limits(Opens in a new tab)A team of 11 researchers from the United States and Belize analyzed data collected between 2002 and 2022, to determine whether climate change is warming Belize’s shallow waters to a point that could cause mass coral bleaching and biodiversity loss. The 185-mile Belize Barrier Reef is home to a variety of marine species, some of which you may be able to hear for science’s sake.
NASA’s toolkit is freely available to use, so scientists can monitor coral reefs around the world.