Supporting training

IDEMS supports EUMETSAT training on a variety of their needs. This support started with support for their in person trainings on ‘The use of gridded satellite data for climatic services’ and moved online, with COVID, to a wider range of training needs.   

Vast amounts of satellite data are now freely available through EUMETSAT which could have direct impact on the climate services that Met Services and other organisations could provide. The data available includes estimates of radiation, sunshine hours, land surface temperature, vegetation cover and many more parameters.

Comparing satellite and station data

IDEMS has built specific expertise related to the comparison of satellite and station data and is involved in ongoing research in this area. This has led to a specific alternative approach to validation of satellite products for specific areas of application which benefit from point like estimates rather than area estimates. This is of particular significance given the extended use of satellite products as a proxy for climate data which is not as easily available.

An upcoming area of investigation which is also playing to IDEMS strengths is challenging topic of improving satellite estimates for rainfall events specifically. There is reason to hope that machine learning tools may be able to identify patterns that could substantially improve satellite estimates, either locally or globally, for extreme events.