NASA CubeSat Mission Maps Two Full Polar Seasons in Infrared Heat

NASA’s Polar Radiant Energy in the Far-InfraRed Experiment (PREFIRE) uses two CubeSats that started collecting science data in July 2024 and have now documented two complete seasonal cycles at the Arctic and Antarctic. The animation derived from the data illustrates the stark contrast between the poles: the Arctic experiences a transition from dark, frigid winters to relatively warm summers that melt tundra and sea ice, whereas Antarctica’s summer temperatures stay near freezing before plunging back into bitter winter.

These surface temperature fluctuations are a key indicator of the planet’s energy budget, showing how absorbed sunlight is re-emitted as infrared heat that eventually escapes to space. Researchers highlight that far-infrared radiation accounts for almost 60 % of Earth’s heat loss, a portion now measured globally for the first time.