Earth science applications of sensor data

Abstract

Advances in earth observation technologies have led to the acquisition of vast volumes of accurate, timely and reliable environmental data which encompass a multitude of information about the land, ocean and atmosphere of the planet. Earth science sensor datasets capture multiple facets of information about natural processes and human activities that shape the physical landscape and environmental quality of our planet, and thus, offer an opportunity to monitor and understand the diverse phenomena affecting earth's complex system. The monitoring, analysis and understanding of these rich sensor datasets is thus of prime importance for the efficient planning and management of critical resources, since the societal costs of mitigation or adaptation decisions for natural or human-induced adverse events are significant. Hence, a thorough understanding of earth science sensor datasets has a direct impact on a range of societally relevant issues. Moreover, earth science sensor datasets possess unique domain-specific properties that distinguish them from sensor datasets used in other domains, and thus demand the need for novel tools and techniques to be developed for their analysis, adhering to their characteristic issues and challenges.