MODULATE is designed to assess how L-band radar systems can complement existing approaches to slope monitoring in complex alpine environments. Its main goals are to identify current shortcomings of C-band SAR interferometry (such as the results obtained from the ESA Copernicus Sentinel-1 mission), to analyse the added value and limitations of L-band systems in preparation …
In the heart of the Swiss Alps, scientists are pioneering new methods to monitor glacier health with unprecedented precision. By harnessing satellite data and advanced modelling techniques, they’re gaining insights into the subtle changes in glacier mass balance, crucial for understanding water resources and the impacts of climate change. Glaciers are sensitive indicators of climate …
Landslides across the Alps have major socio-economic impacts and represent a significant risk for the population, properties and infrastructures as well as a serious hindrance in the development of mountainous regions. Landslides are diverse in form and mechanism, ranging from rockfalls and debris flows to deep-seated rock instabilities and shallow rotational soil slides. Those shallow …
Snow cover is an important component of the Earth’s cryosphere and plays a significant role in regulating the Earth’s climate and hydrological cycle. Accurate estimates of snow cover are essential for a range of applications, from climate modelling to water resource management. In a recently published study, researchers develop an adaptive method for estimating snow-covered …
As Europe’s most densely populated mountain range, the Alps face serious threats from hydrological and gravitational hazards, all of which are exacerbated by accelerating climate change. The Digital Twin Alps (DTA) is an ambitious project funded under ESA’s Regional Initiative 3 programme dedicated to creating a digital representation of the major physical processes in the …
Most of the largest cities experience profound changes due to urbanization and hence, city administrations are facing challenges in order to safeguard high quality urban growth despite increasingly tight spatial resources. Modifications in the built up environment increase the temperature of cities compared to their surroundings and are more prone to excess heat. Moreover, climate …
The AlpLakes project aims at providing operational products based on a combination of remote sensing and hydrodynamic models. ALPLAKES is a continuation of the CORESIM (ESA SEOM S2-4Sci Land and Water) project based on the recommendations provided during the CORESIM roadmap. While many studies have focused on ecosystem variability over a latitudinal gradient (Woolway and …
A new processing chain is available on the Geo-hazards Exploitation Platform (GEP). Its core is the avalanche detection method demonstrated in an open call project led by Norce. Taking advantage of the geo-hazards community platform’s new capabilities, anyone can exploit the simple, intuitive user interface and process Sentinel-1 data to detect and monitor avalanches on …
The AlpSnow project will develop improved products for a number of snow parameters (area extent, albedo, grain size, depth, snow water equivalent, snow melt area and wetness). A dataset covering the entire Alps for 4 years will be produced, and its usefulness will be demonstrated through three science cases and three demonstration cases related to …
The Glacier Science in the Alps project is part of the Alps Regional Initiative and is aimed at maximising the scientific return of European investments in EO specifically from Sentinel-1 and Sentinel-2 specifically to provide first enhanced observation capacity for glaciers in the Alps beyond area to glacier velocity and end of season snow cover …
