he European Space Agency (ESA) is Europe's gateway to space. Its mission is to shape the development of Europe's space capability and ensure that investment in space continues to deliver benefits to the citizens of Europe and the world.
##Earth observation (EO) encompasses a series of techniques that use remote sensing to monitor changes to our climate, and natural and built environment.Get an introduction to optical Earth observationThis free online course will provide an introduction to optical Earth observation - monitoring our planet from satellites, using photography, imaging in various wavelengths, lidar and other optical sensing technologies.You’ll find out how satellite data is acquired and used, the range of data types available, and the terminology and techniques involved. The course will also provide detailed case studies of how this data is used in diverse fields, from climate science to humanitarian relief, monitoring of urban change to agriculture, and many other areas.Learn with ESA - Europe’s Earth observation leaderThe course has been developed by the European Space Agency (ESA) - the leading enabler of satellite Earth observation science and technology in Europe.It will use case studies, real-world applications, and data from ESA and other Earth observation programmes, to help you discover:how we observe and measure the Earth with optical sensorshow satellite data is used alongside other forms of measurementthe main types of data acquired through Copernicus and other satelliteshow to conduct simple analysis using a range of different types of optical Earth observation datahow optical EO data is used in a range of scientific, policy and decision-making areas, in conjunction with modelsAlongside articles and videos, interactive visualisation tools, additional resources and discussions with other learners will provide you with the opportunity to understand Earth observation in depth.(Animations, data visualisations and imagery from ESA and NASA are provided courtesy of ESA and NASA. This course is produced for ESA by Imperative Space).This course is designed both for people with some existing knowledge of Earth observation, as well as newcomers to the field. It will demystify the data, and make it easier for non-technical users to interpret and use it in their professional or day-to-day life, and in discourse and debate.In case you are interested, new enrolments for the ESA Monitoring the Greenland Ice Sheet from Space course will remain open until 11th November 2017, so if you or your friends and colleagues would like to continue your exploration of satellite observation you can sign up here.
Discover how climate change is impacting the Greenland Ice SheetMade up of layers of compressed snow from over the last 100,000 years, the vast Greenland ice sheet acts as both a valuable record of our past climate and a bellwether for future climate change.This online course highlights how the Greenland ice sheet is monitored from space and the ground. You’ll look at the measurements made possible by Earth Observation (EO) satellites like Cryosat, the technologies and techniques involved, the data generated, and its uses and challenges.You’ll also explore the role of ice in the climate system, and the impact of climate change on the Greenland ice sheet.This course is designed for people who want to learn more about Earth observation, climate change and monitoring climate from space.The course can also help decision makers, policy makers, educators and communicators, to gain a better insight into how satellite data can help them assess the state of our climate and its changes, in order to support climate science, and adaptation and mitigation decisions.Although the ‘live’ run of the course has now ended, new enrolments for this run will remain open until 11th November 2017, so if you have friends or colleagues who may be interested in accessing this course, do let them know.Those of you who would like to learn more about satellite Earth Observation may also be interested in the upcoming re-runs of the ESA Earth Observation from Space: the Optical View course (4th September), and the EUMETSAT Monitoring The Oceans from Space course (16th October). Both courses are now open for enrolment on FutureLearn.
Satellite Earth Observation technology provides a powerful and compelling insight into climate change which can help to underpin climate policy, scientific research and public engagement. But how does this technology work, and how can it achieve the essential detail and comprehensive worldwide view that we need?Join Lead Educator Professor Martin Wooster and leading climate experts such as Professor Konrad Steffen, Professor Anny Cazenave, Dr Stephen Briggs and Dr Emily Shuckburgh as they reveal the perspective provided by satellite Earth observation. The course is free and fully flexible - you can progress in step with other learners week by week, or take the course entirely at your own pace, with all materials available indefinitely once you have registered.The ‘live run’ of the course, allowing you to interact with experts and other learners, will continue until 28th August 2016, and you can register any time up to that date. You can also view and share some ‘highlights’ from the course without registering, using the links at the bottom of this page. This film, the course trailer above and a small selection of other videos are also available with Spanish and Chinese subtitles. Just click on the small pink square in the video controls to select your preferred language.Introducing Earth observationSeeing the Earth from space allows us to gain this global perspective. By using Earth observation techniques, we can now monitor global environmental change on a scale that has never before been possible.Earth observation has not only revolutionised the way we perceive our home, but changed the way we understand our profound impact on the environment. This technology has brought on a transformation in the way we observe, monitor and study our planet.Learn withexperts from ESA and leading European research centresIn this free online course, you will join leading experts and scientists from ESA and key European research centres, to explore the science that underpins Earth observation.We will look at recent and current satellite missions that are providing an archive of essential data; and find out how this data is used in local and international policy and planning.The course consists of five themed weeks:Week 1 - Observing Climate Change from SpaceWhat is Earth observation? How do we observe the Earth with satellites? And what role does Earth observation play in climate policy and planning?Weeks 2 & 3 - Earth Observation Techniques and TechnologyHow do we use different types of mission, instrumentation and data to study changes to our atmosphere, land, oceans and ice?Week 4 - Earth Observation in ActionHow does Earth observation help us set policy; plan for climate risk, resilience and adaptation; and manage resources and biodiversity?Week 5 - Managing Earth Observation DataHow do we make sense of the large amount of data produced by Earth observation? Can crowdsourcing and citizen science play a role in developing climate change models?The lead presenters on this course are: Professor Martin Wooster, King’s College London; Dr Mathias Disney, University College London; Dr Emily Shuckburgh, British Antarctic Survey; Professor Andy Shepherd, University of Leeds. Further expert insight is provided by Professor Alan O’Neill, University of Reading.Other contributors for the course include: Professor Konrad Steffen, WSL; Professor Anny Cazenave, LEGOS & ISSI; Dr Pierre-Philippe Mathieu, ESA; Dr Stephen Briggs, ESA; Dr Angela Benedetti, ECMWF; Dr Nathalie Pettorelli, ZSL; Professor Chris Merchant, University of Reading; Dr Melanie Ades, University of Reading; Dr Helen Snaith, BODC (NOC); Dr Stephanie Henson, NOC; Dr Simon Boxall, University of Southampton; Dr Paolo Cipollini, NOC; Professor Chris Lintott, University of Oxford; Dr Kirsten Barrett, University of Leicester.This course is designed for people who want to learn more about Earth observation, climate change and monitoring climate from space. The course can also help decision makers, policy makers, educators and communicators, to gain a better insight into how satellite data can help them assess the state of our climate and its changes, in order to support climate science, and adaptation and mitigation decisions.