Spring from outer space

Animated satellite maps show the progress of Spring 2010 across the UK

In 2002 the European Space Agency launched its Environmental Satellite, ENVISAT, to monitor the Earth using a battery of instruments. One of these instruments can detect light reflected back by vegetation. It measures plant chlorophyll content, which is one way of measuring how actively plants are growing.
 
See animated satellite maps

Credits

To provide continuous monitoring of vegetation, the geospatial data and service provider Infoterra Ltd. teamed up with the University of Southampton to create the PHenology And Vegetation Map Earth Observation Service – PHAVEOS.

The supply of data from Environmental Satellite ENVISAT and sponsorship for the development of PHAVEOS were generously provided by the European Space Agency (ESA).