STEM与日常科技·英语30篇（1）

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实时追踪野火的卫星系统

Geostationary and polar-orbiting satellites like GOES and Sentinel-3 carry infrared sensors that detect heat signatures day and night.
These instruments spot fire hotspots even through smoke by measuring thermal radiation emitted at specific wavelengths.
Algorithms combine temperature data, land cover maps, and wind forecasts to predict fire spread direction and speed.
Fire managers receive automated alerts within minutes of satellite detection, allowing faster evacuation and resource deployment.
High-resolution imagery from Landsat and VIIRS helps map active fire perimeters and assess burn severity afterward.
Satellites cannot see flames directly through thick clouds, but multi-sensor fusion compensates using atmospheric modeling.
New constellations like FireSat plan dozens of small satellites to image any location every 10 minutes during peak fire season.
Data from space complements ground cameras and drone surveys, creating layered situational awareness for emergency teams.
Long-term satellite records also reveal how climate change increases fire frequency and intensity across vulnerable regions.
This orbital monitoring transforms wildfire response from reactive to increasingly predictive and proactive.