Research

The research focus of the Global Environmental Modelling and Earth Observation group (GEMEO) is on understanding the response of the biosphere to variations in climate. Our research uses satellite remote sensing data, land-surface models and ecosystem models. We have expertise in the analysis and processing of long-term global vegetation and aerosol data sets from satellite data, modelling of photosynthesis and of light interactions in the vegetation canopy, and analysis of carbon dioxide and water vapour flux observations from towers. The group led the NERC Climate and land-surface systems interactions centre () and is participating in the NERC National Centre for Earth Observation (NCEO). The group was highlighted during the 2008 RAE assessment as one of the key research groups in the Department of Geography.

 Current projects

• Determining On-site Variability of CO₂ and H₂O Fluxes Using Footprint and LiDAR Data, NERC, 2008 - 2010. (PI: Natascha Kljun)
• Use of LiDAR data to improve quantification of changes in terrestrial carbon sinks, NCEO, 2009 - 2010. (PI: Natascha Kljun)
• The Impact of Diffuse Sunlight and Shortwave Dimming on Carbon, Water and Energy Exchange at the Vegetated Land surface, NERC, 2008-2011. (PI: Paul Alton)
• MERIS / AATSR Synergy algorithms for cloud screening, aerosol retrieval and atmospheric correction, European Space Agency (ESA), 2007-2009. (PI: Peter North)
• Global land surface albedo (GlobAlbedo), (European Space Agency, 2009 - 2012) (PI: Peter North)
• EO Land Data Assimilation Project (EO-LDAS), (European Space Agency, 2009 - ) (PI: Sietse Los)
• Satellite LiDAR enhancement of forest inventory and production forecast capabilities,  with Forest Research, Edinburgh, (NERC, 2008 -) (PI: Peter North)
• GMES Sentinel 2 and 3 Products and algorithms definition, (European Space Agency, 2008 - ) (PI: Peter North)
• A long time-series of global estimates of surface reflectance and aerosol optical depth from AATSR, Grid Processing On Demand project (G-POD), (European Space Agency, 2007 -) (PI: Peter North)

Previous projects

• A 12 year land surface dataset from ATSR-2 and AATSR, NERC EO Mission Support Scheme 2007-2008. (PI: Peter North)
• Development of CHRIS/PROBA modules for the BEAM toolbox (European Space Agency, 2007 - 2009) (PI: Will Grey)
• Climate and Land Surface Systems Interaction Centre (CLASSIC), 2003-2008, NERC Earth Observation Centre of Excellence. (PI: Mike Barnsley)
• Modelling climate change in urban areas: exploiting new satellite observations, (Royal Society, 2007 - 2008) (PI: Peter North)
• Model-based estimation of biophysical parameters from hyperspectral and LiDAR data, for heterogeneous canopies (NERC ARSF campaign, 2006) (PI: Peter North)
• Validation of AATSR algorithms for retrieval of aerosol opacity and bi-directional reflectance over land surface (NERC, 2002 - 2004) (PI: Peter North)

 People

 Academic Staff

Dr Sietse Los   e-mail  web page 

Dr Peter North   e-mail  web page

Dr Natascha Kljun   e-mail  web page

Dr Paul Alton   e-mail

 Postdoctoral Staff

Dr Per Bodin   e-mail  web page

Dr Marianne Hall   e-mail  web page

Dr Andreas Heckel   e-mail 

Dr Ganna Leonenko   e-mail  web page

Dr Jackie Rosette   e-mail  web page

 Postgraduates

Luci Collinwood   e-mail

Will Davies   e-mail  web page 

Craig Mahoney   e-mail

Alex Soudant   e-mail  web page

Jamie Williams   e-mail

  Previous Group Members

Dr Suzanne Bevan

Dr Joanne Demmler

Dr Willian Grey