Observing Earth From Space – Online Course – FutureLearn

Find out how the Earth is observed by hundreds of satellites how they do it and what this means for the future Gain insight into how satellite data is used to monitor the Earth There are now over 600 satellites observing the Earth with hundreds more to be launched over the next decade Over this 4-week course you will learn how satellite data informs our understanding of the natural environment and the impact of human development finding out about different sensors that are carried by satellites and how they orbit the earth to detect changes to the planet Discover easy to use tools to view and analyse images Using a powerful new web tool Earth Blox you will be able to explore satellite data from anywhere on Earth You will use this to learn how satellite data is used to monitor Earth from uncovering information about climate change to how global deforestation is measured and the effects of pollution Please be aware that EarthBlox isnt suitable for use on mobile phones Discover the satellite applications in weather climate and environmental change With the advancement of satellite imagery and orbit coverage we can now measure a wide range of physical attributes of the Earth system from space This course will guide you through how the weather is monitored from space as well as how the oceans atmosphere and pollution are measured Youll also dive into the cryosphere and biosphere of Earth and discover how these are viewed monitored and measured using satellite data Learn from Earth Observation experts at Edinburgh University Edinburgh University is one of the preeminent Higher Education Institutes for Earth Observation EO in the UK Not only are they are a member of the National Centre for EO but their staff are involved in international space missions world-class EO research and creating new companies Learn about the different sensors that are carried by satellites how they orbit the Earth and how they utilise subtle differences in light from the surface and the atmosphere to detect the changes on the Earth Discuss the ethical implications of collecting finely detailed images from space how does that impact on privacy How does it disadvantage countries without their own satellites Find out about the importance of oceans and atmosphere in the Earth system and how satellites can measure them See how space radar can detect and measure the size of ice breaking off from Antarctica or the loss of forests in the tropics See how satellite images change as crops grow on the ground Learn how satellites can be used to measure the impact of humans on the planet including pollution and climate change See how earthquakes can be measured from space