Overview
PREFIRE is making the first full spectral measurements of Earth’s Far InfraRed (FIR) radiation, revealing the full spectrum of Arctic and Antarctic radiant energy. It fills a major gap in our knowledge of the Arctic and Antarctic energy budget and the role of FIR radiation in polar land, ice, and ocean changes.
The Arctic is Earth’s thermostat. The tropics receive more energy from the sun than the polar regions, atmospheric motions transport that extra amount poleward, and excess energy is vented into space by the polar regions.
Nearly 60% of Arctic emission occurs at wavelengths longer than 15 µm (FIR) that have never been systematically measured.
PREFIRE quantifies spatial and temporal variability in spectral FIR emission and the amount of outgoing infrared energy that remains within the atmosphere.