Scientists Map South Africa's Maize Triangle Using 10 NISAR Passes
Updated
Updated · Science@NASA · May 29
Scientists Map South Africa's Maize Triangle Using 10 NISAR Passes
2 articles · Updated · Science@NASA · May 29
10 NISAR satellite passes from November 2025 to March 2026 were combined to map crop activity and seasonal change in South Africa's Maize Triangle, about 110 kilometers north of Bloemfontein.
L-band radar data let scientists track vegetation structure rather than surface color, producing a per-pixel composite that distinguishes stable vegetation, bare ground and fields that changed through the growing season.
The false-color map shows green for vegetated areas, red for unvegetated surfaces and blue for the pace of seasonal change; crops such as maize, wheat and likely sunflowers generate different signatures.
Researchers said the repeatable method could monitor crop development, irrigation effects and land-use change across large regions, and eventually compare seasons as NISAR gathers more data.
As NISAR maps global farms, how will its data empower small farmers, not just big agribusiness?
NISAR can see the ground sink from water loss. Can this new data help resolve the Colorado River water crisis?
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