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After nearly four years of its journey in space, Diwata-1 retires as it re-enters the Earth’s atmosphere. Learn more

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While it has outlived its initially projected lifespan of 18 months, a gradual decrease in altitude was observed. Learn more

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Using Diwata-1’s images, researchers were able to estimate the height of a cloud top, which is relevant in monitoring rainfall and thunderstorms.

This is according to a study published in the international journal Scientific Reports on May 5, 2020. The study, with a title “Determination of Cloud-top Height through Three-dimensional Cloud Reconstruction using DIWATA-1 Data”, highlighted the use of data from Diwata-1 in determining cloud-top height.

The height of a cloud-top, which is the distance between the top-most visible portion of a cloud and the Earth’s surface, is important in estimating the vertical growth of clouds. A faster rate of vertical growth of clouds often indicates rainfall and thunderstorms.

The study is a collaborative research among scientists from University of the Philippines Diliman (UP Diliman), Department of Science and Technology (DOST), Hokkaido University in Japan and Understanding Lightning And Thunderstorms For Extreme Weather Monitoring And Information Sharing (ULAT) Project. The ULAT Project is done through a Collaborative Research Agreement (CRA) with Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Japan Science and Technology (JST) and Hokkaido University enjoining all parties for a project titled “Development of Extreme Weather Monitoring and Information Sharing System in the Philippines”. The project is an Official Development Assisted (ODA) project under the initiative of Japan’s Science and Technology Research Partnership for Sustainable Development (SATREPS) Program.

“This study is a demonstration that a single microsatellite, such as DIWATA-1, with its target-locking mode, can be used to obtain cloud-top height estimates at a higher temporal and vertical spatial resolution than conventional satellites. Since microsatellites are much cheaper to build and can be developed faster, the realization of its operational use for weather forecasting can be achieved with a constellation of microsatellites and denser ground receiving stations,” said STAMINA4Space Program Leader Dr. Gay Jane Perez.

Using the satellite’s target-locking capability that could capture cloud images at 200-ms interval and its high resolution payloads, researchers constructed three-dimensional cloud models. These images have finer vertical resolution than other satellite data, allowing more precise measurements.

Diwata-1’s mode of capturing

Normally, earth-observation satellites such as Diwata-1 and Diwata-2 capture images by facing their cameras or sensors towards the Earth’s surface. This is shown in Figure 1 where the satellite continues to take pictures with the same orientation as it moves along its orbit. This is called nadir-pointing and produces a bird’s-eye view of the surface.

In this study, Diwata-1 employs a different imaging technique called target-locking mode which can be seen in Figure 2. The target-locking mode is where a satellite reorients itself as it captures images of a specific target, in this case, clouds. This allows Diwata-1 to capture images of the same cloud at different angles. With these sets of images at hand, a technique called stereo-imaging can be used to produce a reconstructed 3D model of the cloud.

What is a cloud-top height for?

For this study, Diwata-1’s high resolution cameras like the Spaceborne-Multispectral Imager (SMI) and the High-Precision Telescope (HPT) were used, allowing for higher image resolution. The precision of the 3D model and its measurements, shown in Figure 4, relies on the resolution of the images. Due to the relatively finer resolution of DIWATA-1’s cameras, a more precise measurement of cloud-top heights can be achieved.

In particular, using images captured by Diwata-1’s HPT and SMI cameras, cloud-top height measurements at 2-m or 40-m resolution can be obtained, which are 250 and 12.5 times, respectively, finer than currently available data on cloud-top heights derived from other satellites and techniques.

“The vertical resolution provided by Diwata-1 is indeed higher than conventional satellites, only measurements provided by emitting lasers could produce a higher vertical resolution. However, these instruments are limited and only provide measurements below their track. Furthermore, they are technologically expensive and complex. By using a microsatellite, greater aerial coverage can be achieved.” said Ellison Castro, researcher and one of the authors of the paper.

But where can these measurements be used?

These measurements are used in estimating the vertical growth of clouds. A faster rate of vertical cloud growth can indicate heavy rainfalls. This is especially helpful in tropical countries such as the Philippines. During the dry months of April to June, intense heat experienced during the day contributes to an increase in the convective activity of the atmosphere, enabling the development of thunderstorm clouds that may bring isolated heavy rains.

Monitoring the cloud-top height may be used as an input to an early warning system and forecast methodologies, further equipping us for weather disturbances.

In April 6, 2020, Diwata-1 reentered the Earth’s atmosphere, ending its four-year service to the country. With this, Diwata-1’s estimation of cloud-top height continues with Diwata-2, having been equipped with similar HPT and SMI cameras.

See the full paper here: www.nature.com/articles/s41598-020-64274-z

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After four years of its journey in space, Diwata-1 retires as it re-enters the Earth’s atmosphere.

Diwata-1 is the Philippines’ first microsatellite for scientific earth observation built by Filipino engineers and scientists from the University of the Philippines Diliman (UPD) in collaboration with Japanese universities, Tohoku University and Hokkaido University, and with support from the Department of Science and Technology (DOST). The microsatellite was launched into space on March 23, 2016 via Atlas-V rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida and was deployed into orbit from the International Space Station (ISS) on April 27, 2020. Weighing 53 kgs and measuring 50cm x 35 cm x 55 cm, Diwata-1 carried three (3) optical instruments to undertake a scientific earth observation mission, which includes studying the extent of damages from natural disasters, assessing changes in vegetation and ocean productivity, and capturing large scale cloud patterns.

The status of Diwata-1 was being closely monitored by the STAMINA4Space program over the past few months as its altitude continued to decrease. The altitude of a satellite in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) is expected to decay over time and, in the case of Diwata-1, there is no propulsion mechanism to keep it in orbit. As spacecraft and satellites reach the critical altitude of 250 kms from the Earth’s surface during reentry, there is an increase in atmospheric drag that causes the altitude to decay more rapidly. When the altitude reaches the Karman line, which is the accepted boundary between the Earth’s atmosphere and space, Diwata-1 is expected to de-orbit and burn up due to increasing friction with the atmosphere, ultimately ending its service to the country. Initially forecast to spend 18 months in orbit, Diwata-1’s orbital lifetime lasted almost four (4) years.

The microsatellite was last contacted by the CRESST Ground Station in Tohoku University on April 6, 2020 at 4:49 A.M. Philippine Standard Time when it passed over Sendai, Japan. Based on the last received telemetry status, Diwata-1 was 114 kilometers from the Earth’s surface, moving at a speed of 7.54 kms.

Diwata-1’s milestones

During its scientific earth observation mission, Diwata-1 contributed to advancements in the Philippines’ space technology landscape. As a platform for technology demonstration and experimentation, Diwata-1 enabled Filipino researchers to conduct hands-on and in-depth mission planning, design, integration, testing and operation of an earth observation satellite.

Diwata-1 covered 114,087 km. sq. of the Philippines’ land, or roughly 38.0%. Diwata-1 also orbited approximately 22,643 times around the Earth and passed by the Philippines roughly 4,800 times.

Figure 1. Visualization of Diwata-1’s coverage of the Philippines

The development of Diwata-1 also helped build skilled manpower and new knowledge for the country in space science, technology and applications. To date, more than 100 individuals have been trained on various technical aspects of small satellites and related technologies. Through efforts on the localization of relevant small satellite components and systems, the STAMINA4Space program is also extending its reach to local companies and the private sector towards building a viable domestic space industry sector.

Furthermore, a graduate track on nanosatellite engineering is offered by the University of the Philippines Electrical and Electronics Engineering Institute (UP EEEI) and the Space Science and Technology Proliferation Through University Partnerships (STeP-UP), a component of the STAMINA4Space Program.

The program also gave way to the construction of research facilities such as the University Laboratory for Small Satellites and Space Engineering Systems (ULyS³ES), which opened in 2019. The establishment of ULyS³ES aims to provide a home for the local research and development of emerging space technology in the country. Currently, it houses the engineering models of two other Philippine satellites — the nanosatellite Maya-1 and microsatellite Diwata-2, the successor of Diwata-1 — which are used for space science education and demonstration.

Diwata-1’s last mission

Diwata-1’s final image of the Philippines was captured in Samar on December 28, 2019. It went on to capture some more images to study satellite image degradation, with its last captures recorded in February 2020.

Image 1. Diwata-1’s last mission was to gather satellite images of Samar. This image was captured on December 28, 2019.

Diwata-1’s legacy

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Diwata-1 captured the eye of Typhoon Ompong (Mangkhut) on Saturday, September 15, 2018, ravaging the northern part of the Philippines. The strongest typhoon of the year to date, Typhoon Ompong has left a trail of destruction in its path, particularly in the areas of Cagayan, Isabela, Benguet and Abra before moving out of the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) by morning of Sunday, September 16.

Diwata-1 has been in orbit since April 27, 2016, and has currently captured over 30,000 images of different areas around the world. Diwata-2, which will carry the same payloads with the addition of an Enhanced Resolution Camera (ERC) an Amateur Radio Unit (ARU) and a sun-synchronous orbit, is expected to be launched before the end of 2018.

Read more about Diwata-1 or browse, download, or request for Diwata-1 images.

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According to the latest report by the Census of Population and Housing (CPH), Metro Manila has a population of 12,877,253 as of August 2015 (POPCEN 2015). The population densely occupies a total land area of 63,600 hectares, more than half of which are classified as residential/commercial).¹ The current population is significantly higher by 1.02 million than the 11.86 million population in 2010, and by 2.94 million compared with the 9.93 million population in 2000.² In effect, a huge portion of land is converted to human spaces. The remaining vegetation in the urban area is now enclosed by a modified environment, visible in the center of the image as small, green patches.

Agricultural lands are more noticeable in the lower portion, which covers Laguna. Since these areas are also represented as green patches, we rely on its location to provide clues on what type of vegetation the area most likely has. Land is usually limited inside cities so agriculture settles along its fringes. Farming would settle near markets to supply demand. In the north, Bulacan (not visible in the Diwata image) remains a valuable asset for agriculture due to its high potential for irrigation, but less so in the south, especially Cavite, where lands are lesser in value and are thus converted to built-up.³ At present, agriculture is pushed to the south, and as seen in the Diwata image, situated along the southern coast of Laguna Lake. These factors help us interpret that these areas are used for growing crops.

In the figure above, effluent deposits in Manila Bay are clearly seen in the mouth of Pasig River. The effluents dumped in the bay in this area are the culmination of waste disposal to the river by the multiple cities it crosses, which use the water body as a waste outlet. Studies report the presence of materials of anthropogenic origin such as plastics,⁴ flame retardant compounds,⁵ and industrial chemicals⁶ in the tissues of marine organisms within the bay.

References

¹ Retrieved from http://ncr.denr.gov.ph/index.php/about-us/regional-profile

² Retrieved from https://psa.gov.ph/content/population-national-capital-region-based-2015-census-population-0

³ Malaque III, I. R., & Yokohari, M. (2007). Urbanization process and the changing agricultural landscape pattern in the urban fringe of Metro Manila, Philippines. Environment and Urbanization, 19(1), 191–206.

⁴ Kim, J. W., Isobe, T., Ramaswamy, B. R., Chang, K. H., Amano, A., Miller, T. M., … & Tanabe, S. (2011). Contamination and bioaccumulation of benzotriazole ultraviolet stabilizers in fish from Manila Bay, the Philippines using an ultra-fast liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry. Chemosphere, 85(5), 751–758.

⁵ Kim, J. W., Isobe, T., Chang, K. H., Amano, A., Maneja, R. H., Zamora, P. B., … & Tanabe, S. (2011). Levels and distribution of organophosphorus flame retardants and plasticizers in fishes from Manila Bay, the Philippines. Environmental pollution, 159(12), 3653–3659.

⁶ Carvalho, F. P., Villeneuve, J. P., Cattini, C., Tolosa, I., Bajet, C. M., & Navarro-Calingacion, M. (2009). Organic contaminants in the marine environment of Manila Bay, Philippines. Archives of environmental contamination and toxicology, 57(2), 348–358.

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The image above includes portions of Albay, with the volcanic plumes coming from Mayon Volcano vividly depicted as a bright white streak near the center of the image. Wind simulations show that the wind direction in the area during the acquisition time was coming from the northeast.² This coincides with the observed dispersion of plumes relative to the volcano. Other portions of the image appear whitish due to high cloud cover during the acquisition time.

According to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) a “lava-collapse fed Pyroclastic Density Current (PDC) event occurred on Miisi Gully, producing a 1250-meter high ash cloud that drifted southwest” at 11:51 AM on January 30. It was followed by two more PDC events on the Basud Gully, which continued until 12:09 PM and produced ash clouds that drifted southwest, with “low whitish to light-gray plumes” emitted continuously from the crater throughout the day. Diwata-1’s image above captured the aftermath at 12:47 PM.³ Today, the area remains on Alert Level 4.

Volcanic eruptions are known to release both mineral particles (ash or tephra) and sulfate precursor gases (predominantly sulfur dioxide). Sulfate aerosols are effective scatterers of sunlight and have long lifetimes, hence they can alter the climate. Substantial amounts of SO2 gas injected into the stratosphere can have a significant cooling effect that can last for a few months or years.⁴ A similar event happened in 1991 when Mt. Pinatubo erupted and the large aerosol cloud caused a dramatic decrease in net solar radiation reaching the Earth’s surface. This caused a decrease in temperature as large as -0.4 degrees Celsius over large parts of the globe in 1992–93.⁵ If Mayon continues to emit volcanic aerosols, it would be interesting to see if the area will also experience a notable decrease in temperature.

An active stratovolcano and famous landmark in Albay known for its perfect conical shape, Mayon Volcano is the Philippines’ most active volcano and one of the most active in the world, having erupted over 50 times in the past four centuries.⁶ Its most destructive eruption was on the 1st of February in 1814, taking 1,200 casualties in Albay.

Despite the destruction it is capable of, the picturesque volcano and its rich, surrounding landscape holds a unique kind of beauty that has earned the title of being the country’s first national park on July 20, 1938 (later reclassified as Mayon Volcano National Park in 2000).⁷

References

¹ Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology. “Mayon Volcano Bulletin 13 January 2018 8:00 AM.” [http://www.phivolcs.dost.gov.ph/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=8329:mayon-volcano-bulletin-13-january-2018-800-am-&catid=70:latest-volcano-bulletin&Itemid=500008]. 13 January 2018.

² Jay Samuel Combinido. Sub-dataset of the NOAH-WISE WRF Model 12-km 8-day Forecast, GIS-compatible Product dataset.[https://asti.dost.gov.ph/coare/data/datasets/wrf-001-gis/wrf-001-gis-201801/resource/3469f032-47ff-4c0b-8e63-0d45171bf3cc]. 31 December 2017.

³ Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology. “Mayon Volcano Bulletin 31 January 2018 8:00 AM.” [http://www.phivolcs.dost.gov.ph/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=8407:mayon-volcano-bulletin-31-january-2018-0800-am&catid=70:latest-volcano-bulletin&Itemid=500008]. 31 January 2018.

⁴ Myhre, G., D. Shindell, F.-M. Bréon, W. Collins, J. Fuglestvedt, J. Huang, D. Koch, J.-F. Lamarque, D. Lee, B. Mendoza, T. Nakajima, A. Robock, G. Stephens, T. Takemura and H. Zhang, 2013: Anthropogenic and Natural Radiative Forcing. In: Climate Change 2013: The Physical Science Basis. Contribution of Working Group I to the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change [Stocker, T.F., D. Qin, G.-K. Plattner, M. Tignor, S.K. Allen, J. Boschung, A. Nauels, Y. Xia, V. Bex and P.M. Midgley (eds.)]. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, United Kingdom and New York, NY, USA.

⁵ Self, S., Zhao, J., Holasek, R., Torres, R., King, A.“The Atmospheric Impact of the 1991 Mount Pinatubo Eruption, United States Geological Survey.” [https://pubs.usgs.gov/pinatubo/self/]. 1999.

⁶ Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology. “Mayon Volcano Historical Eruptions.” [http://www.phivolcs.dost.gov.ph/html/update_VMEPD/vmepd/vmepd/MV_HistEruptions.pdf].

⁷ Philippine National Commission for UNESCO. “Mayon Volcano Natural Park (MMVNP).”[http://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/6007/]. 20 March 2015.

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The image includes portions of Albay, with the volcanic plumes coming from Mayon Volcano vividly depicted as a bright white streak near the center of the image. Wind simulations show that the wind direction in the area during the acquisition time was coming from the northeast.² This coincides with the observed dispersion of plumes relative to the volcano. Other portions of the image appear whitish due to high cloud cover during the acquisition time.

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