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Interview with Venkataraman Lakshmi, John L. Newcomb Professor of Engineering at University of Virginia and President, Hydrology Section, American Geophysical Union

In this insightful interview, Prof. Lakshmi shares how space technologies are transforming our understanding of Earth’s water systems. Using satellite sensors that detect visible, infrared, microwave, thermal, and gravity data, he studies key variables like soil moisture, precipitation, and vegetation to track water movement across the planet. As President of the American Geophysical Union’s Hydrology Section—home to nearly 10,000 global members—he helps coordinate scientific committees, awards, and one of the largest gatherings of Earth scientists at the AGU Annual Meeting. One of his many standout projects involves downscaling soil moisture data from NASA’s SMAP satellite. By integrating data from MODIS and VIIRS instruments, his team has refined soil moisture resolution from 9 km to as fine as 400 meters—which is critical for applications in agriculture, weather forecasting, and climate science. Looking ahead, he emphasizes the urgent need for efficient water use in agriculture, which consumes 70 per cent of global freshwater. He advocates for innovation and smarter water management, especially in the face of population growth and climate extremes. His advice to young professionals? Dive into water science—it’s at the heart of global challenges like droughts, floods, and wildfires. And when asked what drives innovation, his answer is simple: motivated young minds.

The water cycle from space: the central role of satellite-informed models in corporate water management

Water in the atmosphere, in the soil, in rivers and oceans is in continuous exchange via the global water cycle. This is commonly thought to be the circular movement of water that evaporates from the Earth's surface, rises on warm updrafts into the atmosphere, and condenses into clouds. It is transported by the wind as water vapour, and eventually falls back to the Earth’s surface as rain or snow.

Exploring the exciting potential of hyperspectral imaging for water quality monitoring

Harmful Algal Blooms occur when toxin-producing algae experience excessive growth within bodies of water. These blooms have the potential to cause detrimental effects on both aquatic and human health and can sometimes even cause death, depending on the type of algae involved (NIEHS, 2021). Thanks to the use of space-based remote sensing technology to monitor water quality conditions in coastal areas and drinking water reservoirs, nations are becoming more aware of the quality of their water.

Tropical cyclones monitoring and forecasting using space-based radar

During the summer season tropical cyclones (TC) tend to cause flood disasters over coastal areas. In ancient times fishermen along the coast of China predicted the coming of tropical cyclones by observing weather phenomena. They observed the shape of clouds and the sunset glow to anticipate them. Tropical cyclones occur in various places where they are named differently as well. In the North Atlantic, central North Pacific, and eastern North Pacific the term hurricane is used. The same type of disturbance in the Northwest Pacific is called a typhoon.

Relation of extreme precipitation with temperature: How do open-access global gridded datasets work in a hydrometeorological study?

Analysts have long noted that extreme precipitation appears to intensify with temperature at a rate of around 7%/°C, which is governed by the Clausius-Clapeyron (CC) equation. This study aims to investigate the relationship between the spatio-temporal properties of hourly precipitation and daily dew point temperature. Specifically, the global gridded products of bias-corrected Climate Prediction Center morphing technique (CMORPH-CRT) and ERA5 reanalysis were applied for nine locations in the world. The results show that significant spatial heterogeneity in extreme precipitation scaling is present at the selected locations, which might be attributed to local conditions, such as regional climate and the proximity to humidity sources. Despite the potential limitations, this study provides insight into the application of high-resolution open-access global gridded products in analysing precipitation scaling.

Remote stock water monitoring and worsening drought-induced water scarcity in U.S. Southwest

The exacerbation of climate change-induced droughts, among other weather extremes, is escalating into a critical global challenge particularly in arid regions like the Southwestern U.S. where droughts pose grievous environmental and socio-economic threats. Increasingly frequent, intense, and enduring droughts are commonplace generally in Western U.S. inflicting damages on crops and aggravating record-breaking wildfires year after year. Drought is the second-most expensive natural disaster in the U.S. behind hurricanes, costing an average of $9.6 billion in damages per event. Therefore, continuous innovation and deployment of cost-effective and time-efficient water resources monitoring tools could help mitigate severe environmental and socio-economic impacts of droughts which currently impact livestock and wildlife management in Southwest U.S. A recent innovation as a potential climate change adaptation solution is the Surface Water Identification and Forecasting Tool (SWIFT). The Google Earth Engine-based tool is a remote sensing-based technology that leverages optical imagery derived from Landsat 8 OLI and Sentinel-2 Multispectral Instrument (MSI), and radar imagery from Sentinel-1 C-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar (C-SAR) to monitor near real-time the availability of water in stock ponds and tanks. As drought conditions are expected to worsen with rising global temperatures, SWIFT is designed to provide a valuable and affordable stock water monitoring solution for cattle producers and land managers, etc.

Interview with Russ Limber, recent PhD Graduate, University of Tennessee

Russ Limber, a recent PhD graduate in data science and engineering with the University of Tennessee Knoxville (UTK), specializing in environmental and climate sciences, focuses on modeling river ice breakup timing in high-latitude regions. By using deep learning techniques like LSTMs (Long Short-Term Memory models), he predicts river ice breakup based on meteorological data with the goal of providing valuable forecasts for communities that rely on river ice for transportation and access to resources. His research leverages remotely sensed as well as modeled spaceborne data. In addition to river ice, Russ’ work spans other topics pertaining to environmental disturbance, which has led him to develop a deep appreciation for the interconnection between hydrology, local communities and ecosystems. This perspective has shaped his understanding of how environmental change affects both the natural world and human livelihoods. Rising temperatures disrupt migratory species and ecosystems that inhabitants rely on, while thawing permafrost increases the potential for erosion and threatens infrastructure. Russ carries out his research through the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK) Bredesen Center for Interdisciplinary Research and Graduate Education. Looking ahead, Russ is focused on the intersection of water, remote sensing and geospatial technology. He thinks spaceborne observations and derived products will be crucial for monitoring and predicting environmental changes and he is excited to contribute to the ongoing advancements in this field.

Interview with Venkataraman Lakshmi, John L. Newcomb Professor of Engineering at University of Virginia and President, Hydrology Section, American Geophysical Union

In this insightful interview, Prof. Lakshmi shares how space technologies are transforming our understanding of Earth’s water systems. Using satellite sensors that detect visible, infrared, microwave, thermal, and gravity data, he studies key variables like soil moisture, precipitation, and vegetation to track water movement across the planet. As President of the American Geophysical Union’s Hydrology Section—home to nearly 10,000 global members—he helps coordinate scientific committees, awards, and one of the largest gatherings of Earth scientists at the AGU Annual Meeting. One of his many standout projects involves downscaling soil moisture data from NASA’s SMAP satellite. By integrating data from MODIS and VIIRS instruments, his team has refined soil moisture resolution from 9 km to as fine as 400 meters—which is critical for applications in agriculture, weather forecasting, and climate science. Looking ahead, he emphasizes the urgent need for efficient water use in agriculture, which consumes 70 per cent of global freshwater. He advocates for innovation and smarter water management, especially in the face of population growth and climate extremes. His advice to young professionals? Dive into water science—it’s at the heart of global challenges like droughts, floods, and wildfires. And when asked what drives innovation, his answer is simple: motivated young minds.

Interview with Russ Limber, recent PhD Graduate, University of Tennessee

Russ Limber, a recent PhD graduate in data science and engineering with the University of Tennessee Knoxville (UTK), specializing in environmental and climate sciences, focuses on modeling river ice breakup timing in high-latitude regions. By using deep learning techniques like LSTMs (Long Short-Term Memory models), he predicts river ice breakup based on meteorological data with the goal of providing valuable forecasts for communities that rely on river ice for transportation and access to resources. His research leverages remotely sensed as well as modeled spaceborne data. In addition to river ice, Russ’ work spans other topics pertaining to environmental disturbance, which has led him to develop a deep appreciation for the interconnection between hydrology, local communities and ecosystems. This perspective has shaped his understanding of how environmental change affects both the natural world and human livelihoods. Rising temperatures disrupt migratory species and ecosystems that inhabitants rely on, while thawing permafrost increases the potential for erosion and threatens infrastructure. Russ carries out his research through the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK) Bredesen Center for Interdisciplinary Research and Graduate Education. Looking ahead, Russ is focused on the intersection of water, remote sensing and geospatial technology. He thinks spaceborne observations and derived products will be crucial for monitoring and predicting environmental changes and he is excited to contribute to the ongoing advancements in this field.

Vacancy for Senior Sustainable Development Officer

Job Opening ID: 252664   
Job Network: Economic, Social and Development   
Job Family: Sustainable Development   
Category and Level: Professional and Higher Categories, P-5   
Duty Station: NEW YORK   
Department/Office: Department of Economic and Social Affairs   
Date Posted: Feb 27, 2025   
Deadline: Mar 12, 2025

Capacity Building and Training Material

Introduction to Lidar

Overview

This course provides quick and flexible access to several topics needed to understand the lidar landscape, what lidar is and why it is useful for management decisions. The course features engaging video and audio, optional knowledge checks, a final quiz with certificate, and assistive services for those with disabilities.

ARSET - Applications of remote sensing-based evapotranspiration data products for agricultural and water resource management

Overview

Evapotranspiration (ET) is the process by which the land surface returns water to the atmosphere in the form of moisture. ET is a very important part of the water cycle in the Earth system. It is the sum of evaporation from bare soil and transpiration from vegetation. For a given watershed, the supply of water from precipitation, surface and groundwater can be depleted via ET. Therefore, estimating the amount of ET is crucial for calculating the overall water budget and for effective water management.

Land cover products for understanding water quality impacts

Description

Communities need to understand how land cover affects water quality. This webinar provides information about NOAA’s coastal land cover data (also known as “C-CAP data”). Several tools make these data easier to use, including the Land Cover Atlas, an online viewer used to analyze land cover changes by county or watershed. Also covered: a step-by-step guidance document that helps users understand key water quality indicators.

Event

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Click on any of the highlighted countries to retrieve further information.

Stakeholder

H2O Geomatics Inc.

H2O Geomatics is a research spin-off from the University of Waterloo. The company uses state-of-the-art remote sensing technologies to turn Earth Observation (EO) data into products and information tailored to meet end-user needs in various domains of application. H2O Geomatics is also conducting R & D activities on machine learning algorithms to handle big EO datasets as well as the development of environmental risk assessment tools for climate-dependent sectors such as agriculture and water resources management.

Services offered by the company include:

University of Birmingham: Resilient Systems and Climate Action Group

The University of Birmingham, a leading global research university in the United Kingdom, is renowned for its multidisciplinary expertise in addressing complex global challenges. With a strong commitment to sustainability and innovation, the University conducts pioneering research in water resources, climate resilience, and satellite technology applications.

National Water and Sanitation Agency of Brazil

The National Water Agency (ANA) is legally liable for implementing the National Water Resources Management System (SINGREH), created to ensure the sustainable use of our rivers and lakes for the current and future generations. This implies regulating the use of water according to the mechanisms established by Law No.

International Water Management Institute

IWMI is a research-for-development (R4D) organization, with offices in 13 countries and a global network of scientists operating in more than 30 countries. For over three decades, our research results have led to changes in water management that have contributed to social and economic development. IWMI’s Vision reflected in its Strategy 2019-2023, is ‘a water-secure world’.

Hydrosat Inc.

Hydrosat is a climate tech company that was founded to help Earth manage its most valuable resource: water. Hydrosat leverages the unique capabilities of thermal imagery from space to measure water stress in agriculture and enhance food security, public safety and the environment.

International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis

The International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) is an independent, international research institute with National Member Organizations in Africa, the Americas, Asia, and Europe. Through its research programs and initiatives, the institute conducts policy-oriented research into issues that are too large or complex to be solved by a single country or academic discipline. This includes pressing concerns that affect the future of all of humanity, such as climate change, energy security, population aging, and sustainable development.

Deepwaters.ai

DeepWaters AI uses satellite data and AI to find underground drinking water and pipe leaks. It has created a map of the Earth’s underground water, with up to 98% accuracy. It was awarded a European Space Agency AI Kickstart contract in 2018. DeepWaters AI is supported by Esri, Amazon and Nvidia startup programs. It is a UK based social impact startup, that donates 51% of profits to water philanthropy. DeepWaters AI combines neural networks with ESA Sentinel 1 & 2 satellite data.

Bahrain Space Agency

The Bahrain Space Agency (BSA) seeks to establish a sound infrastructure for the observation of outer space and the earth, make Bahrain a leader in space science and technology, build a culture and methodology of scientific research within the kingdom and encourage technical innovation, among other goals. BSA is interested in satellites to obtain data, to use them for remote sensing and to conduct advanced space research, so it can be the engine for the state in the use of the latest satellite communication technologies.

BSA’s main projects are as follows:

GEO AquaWatch

AquaWatch is an Initiative within the Group on Earth Observations (GEO) that aims to develop and build the global capacity and utility of Earth Observation-derived water quality data, products and information to support water resources management and decision making.

Goal

The goal of the AquaWatch Initiative is to develop and build the global capacity and utility of Earth Observation-derived water quality data, products and information to support effective monitoring, management and decision making.

Objectives

The objectives to achieve this goal are:

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Anam Bayazid

Intern United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs

Anam Bayazid is an engineer with a passion for earth observation and space exploration technologies. Her academic journey involves pursuing a Master of Engineering in Systems Engineering with a concentration in Space Systems at Stevens Institute of Technology in United States. Her specialization is in systems modeling and simulation, as well as designing missions and systems for space exploration.