Washington: Scientists from the University of Michigan have developed an innovative way to use the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) satellite data to track the movement of tiny pieces of plastic in the ocean.
Microplastics from when plastic trash in the ocean breaks down from the sun’s rays and the motion of ocean waves.
These small flecks of plastic are harmful to marine organisms and ecosystems. Microplastics can be carried hundreds or thousands of miles away from the source by ocean currents, making it difficult to track and remove them. Currently, the main source of information about the location of microplastics comes from fisher boat trawlers that use nets to catch plankton- and, unintentionally, microplastics.
The new technique relies on data from NASA’s Cyclone Global Navigation Satellite System (CYGNSS), a constellation of eight small satellites that measure wind speeds above Earth’s oceans and provides information about the strength of…