Sensing the Poles’ Hidden Heat

NASA's PREFIRE mission has completed two years of observations at Earth's poles, measuring the invisible infrared heat that radiates from our planet's coldest places. The mission's twin CubeSats capture how surface temperatures pulse dramatically with the seasons—from the Arctic's dark winters to warm summers that thaw vast stretches of sea ice and tundra, to Antarctica's relentless cold. What makes this data novel: far-infrared radiation accounts for nearly sixty percent of the energy Earth loses to space, yet this portion of the spectrum had never been measured globally before. Per NASA, these observations help scientists understand why the poles are changing so rapidly and refine the climate models that guide weather forecasts, shipping routes, and assessments of ice sheet stability.

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