The burning of fossil fuels (oil, gas, coal) leads to both CO2 and NOx emissions. Therefore, satellite NO2 observations can provide a fingerprint of fossil fuel use. Researchers from the DECSO-NRT project, funded under ESA’s Sentinel Users Preparation (SUP) initiative, have demonstrated how observations from the Copernicus Sentinel-5P mission can be used to monitor anthropogenic …
A dramatic reminder of how quickly polar landscapes can change: on 4 August, a 76 km² section of the floating ice tongue of Greenland’s Petermann Glacier broke away, forming a tabular iceberg roughly the size of Manhattan. Copernicus Sentinel-1 captured the glacier’s deterioration and fracture development in the days and months leading up to the …
The African Research Fellowship (ARF) is a joint initiative of the European Space Agency (ESA) with the African Space Agency (AfSA), an organ of the African Union, and carried out in coordination with the African Union Commission (AUC). It aims at strengthening Earth Observation (EO) research capacity in Africa and empowering the next generation of …
An Internal Research Fellow (PostDoc) opportunity is currently open for applicants who have recently completed, or are close to completing, a PhD in physics, engineering, Earth system or climate science, with research experience and peer-reviewed publications in relevant fields. During this two-year fellowship, you will contribute to cutting-edge Earth observation research within ESA’s Earth System …
When a moderate geomagnetic storm struck Earth on 3 February 2022, its impact was immediate and costly. Shortly after launch, 38 of 49 newly deployed Starlink satellites were lost as increased atmospheric drag caused by the storm prevented them from reaching their operational orbit. The event highlighted a growing challenge: even relatively modest space weather …
Methane is one of the most potent greenhouse gases driving climate change, responsible for nearly 30% of global warming since pre-industrial times. Rapid identification and mitigation of methane emissions is therefore a critical component of global climate strategies. However, detecting methane emission sources at global scale remains challenging due to the large volume of satellite …
By aligning two separately funded initiatives on a single field campaign, the European Commission and ESA have demonstrated how coordinated investments can increase the scientific and operational value of marine observations across Europe’s coasts. Between April 2023 and June 2024, the iconic 36-metre schooner Tara, operated by the Tara Ocean Foundation as a floating laboratory, …
As Arctic sea ice continues to decline at an alarming rate, improving how we observe and understand the polar regions has never been more critical. ESA is currently supporting an ambitious Arctic field campaign to prepare three next-generation Copernicus missions: Copernicus Imaging Microwave Radiometer (CIMR), Copernicus Polar Ice and Snow Topography Altimeter (CRISTAL) and Copernicus …
Ozone in the lower atmosphere can reach harmful levels, especially during summer pollution events. Prolonged exposure irritates the respiratory system and worsens lung diseases. Beyond health, it reduces agricultural productivity and harms ecosystems. Importantly, it is also the third most significant human-driven greenhouse gas, trapping heat and intensifying climate change. Tracking its global distribution over …
A recently published paper, outcome of the Sense4Fire project, highlights a significant gap in how we understand the climate impact of Amazon wildfires. Using combined observations from the Copernicus Sentinel-2, Sentinel-3 and Sentinel-5P missions, scientists have discovered that emissions from the 2024 fire season may have been up to three times higher than previously estimated. …
