Huemmrich highlights PACE OCI capabilities in Earth Observatory item and new RSE publication

Fred Huemmrich (618/UMBC) contributed to NASA's Earth Observatory’s Item of the Day for October 26, 2026, “Hunting Red Leaves with Satellites.” There’s something magical about the fall leaves changing colors, the “anthocyanins (reds), carotenoids (yellows and oranges), and chlorophylls (greens).” NASA's PACE (Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem) satellite is “the first satellite capable of measuring all three key leaf pigments … across the entire planet every day or two.” Additionally, “As temperatures decrease and days shorten in autumn, levels of chlorophyll drop, causing greens to fade and presenting an opportunity for carotenoids and anthocyanins to show their colors.” Because of the hyperspectral Ocean Color Instrument (OCI) onboard PACE, scientists can closely track the changing colors. "The time-series data allow us to determine peak redness and yellowness anywhere on Earth," Dr. Huemmrich said.

Additionally, Dr. Huemmrich is a co-author of the new Remote Sensing of the Environment paper, “PACE hyperspectral observations enable a new paradigm for global mapping of terrestrial gross primary production (GPP)". The scientists discover further opportunities presented by the PACE OCI. “Our results demonstrate that hyperspectral observations provide a direct, observation-driven framework for estimating plant productivity at the global scale, opening new opportunities for monitoring vegetation responses to environmental change.”