FloXes in the Brazilian tropical forest

In September 2025, JB Hyperspectral Devices had the opportunity to be a part of an exciting multidisciplinary project. Two of our team members travelled to Santarém, Brazil to install two FloX devices as part of the Carbon Amazon Rainforest Airborne project (CarbonARA).  CarbonARA is a European Space Agency project led by the National Centre for Earth Observation (NCEO) and King’s College London with multiple other partners from Europe and Brazil. Consisting of both ground-based and airborne measurement systems, the main objectives of the project is to:

1. Assess the impacts of logging and forest fires on health and atmospheric composition
2. Quantify greenhouse gas fluxes across different landscapes in the Amazon region.
3. Evaluate satellite data against detailed field measurements
4. Improve carbon cycle models to better predict future changes

JB Hyperspectral was a part of the ground-based measurements team with installations being successfully completed in two distinct forest locations of primary and secondary forest.

The first installation was completed in the Floresta Nacional dos Tapajós (at KM67 experimental site) located approximately 100km south of the city of Santarém. This location consisted of protected primary forest with an extremely high level of plant biodiversity and dense foliage. The FloX was installed at the top of a pre-existing 45 meter high walk-up tower with a perfect view over the canopy. The downward facing fibre optics were positioned approximately 4 meters away from the tower to measure a species of tree with a large broadleaf canopy.

The second installation was completed at an experimental farm approximately 37 km from Santarém operated by the Federal University of Western Pará (UFOPA). This location consisted of partially degraded secondary forest with a newly installed 42 meter high climbable tower. The FloX was the first instrument to be installed on this new tower at a height of approximately 35 meter high and overlooked a mixed canopy of leafy trees and palms.

Both installations were completed before the airborne campaign began with measurements expected to continue until 2027 and beyond. This field campaign presented a great opportunity for JB Hyperspectral to continue expanding its broad network of FloX installations while helping to contribute to the understanding of greenhouse gas emissions in the Amazon and their responses to ongoing environmental change.