Game-changing Terra Motion 'heat map' shows the peatlands with the greatest potential for carbon benefits
Terra Motion survey shows signs of imminent 'second Chernobyl' in Ukraine
MINING & INFRASTRUCTURE
APSIS™ Interferometric Analysis (Advanced Pixel System using Intermittent SBAS) is a unique approach to interferometric analysis that can be used to detect measurements of motion to millimetric precision across large areas of remote, inaccessible and varied terrain in settings and under environmental conditions where conventional interferometry fails.
The technology is based upon the identification of land motion anomalies using satellite SAR data. Satellite SAR has been proven to be able to identify millimetric changes in the land surface under the right conditions where stable scatterers, such as buildings or bare rocks, are consistently present.
APSIS™ leverages multiple types of satellite radar imagery, including an extensive list of commercial and open-source data including Sentinel-1, RADARSAT, and RCM. In doing so it significantly expands the extent of area that can be monitored and increases the frequency at which measurements can be taken. It is specifically designed to work in low coherence areas where established methods fail, therefore almost 100% coverage of land areas is guaranteed, suitable for wide-area monitoring. Any detected motion can then be used to trigger high-resolution assets to add further confidence to the interpretation of the anomaly and to cue additional high-resolution data acquisitions to continue monitoring the site.
CARBON MONITORING
Terra Motion unique capabilities are helping to enable and accelerate global investment in peatland restoration. A key element in attracting private funding is the Voluntary Carbon Market, which allows emitters to offset their emissions by purchasing carbon credits emitted by projects targeted at removing or reducing greenhouse gas from the atmosphere. This is a key mechanism to help governments reach their reduction targets under the nationally determined contributions system under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement.
"In order to reach the Paris goals, we need to scale up private investment through carbon markets as soon as possible"
- Dirk Forrester, IETA
Peatland restoration can contribute substantially to reducing greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere. Indeed they could reduce emissions by up to 800 million tonnes per year, equal to Germany’s entire emissions. Peatland restoration is also a cost effective means of addressing climate change, compared with other carbon abatement methods such as afforestation and renewable energy. Restoring peatlands can be considered a natural form of carbon capture and storage, preventing release of carbon from damaged bogs and preserving it for potentially millions of years. We believe two main factors that would accelerate private investment in peatland restoration are:
CARBON POTENTIAL MAP
The Carbon Potential Maps highlight areas with the rapid rates of collapse generally associated with actively eroding peatlands, which have the highest emissions but also the greatest potential for carbon offsetting in support of national commitments to reduce emissions and to achieve net zero.