Remote sensing & Assimilation
Aims
Main activities of the remote sensing research group are concerned with the analysis of satellite data acquired over the ocean and over sea ice. Land processes (e.g., terrestrial hydrological cycles) will also be of concern. The primary objective of our research efforts is to obtain maximum information possible about ocean and ice processes, and understand their dynamics and their impact for the Earth system. For that purpose, existing retrieval methods will be applied and - where necessary - improved. New retrieval algorithms will be developed where required. Water surface processes and their role for the interpretation of the various remote sensing data are investigated. An essential task exists in applying satellite data in combination with in situ data and numerical models for ocean, climate and earth system studies. The remote sensing group is actively pursuing the assimilation of satellite data - jointly with in situ observations - into ocean and ice models to obtain best possible descriptions of ocean and ice dynamics. Data and observations used for this purpose originate primarily from space-borne sensors but also from airborne and ground-based sensors.
Staff of the Remote Sensing & Assimilation group