Observations of the evolution of the Earth's climate from global to regional scales, and at time scales from months to decades, are of vital importance, and a key requisite, for further progress in virtually all areas of climate system and Earth system science, for example, global climate modeling & prediction and anthropogenic climate change detection & attribution.

Spaceborne observations, i.e., satellite measurements, are by far the most powerful means to fulfil these vast data needs. Thus an ever increasing variety of satellite sensors and remote sensing techniques is employed to serve climate research and monitoring in all parts of the climate system, including atmosphere, oceans, ice, and land.

This session provides a broad forum on the topic of satellite observations of climate change and variability in all parts of the climate system, and what the most important future data needs of climate system science are.
It wants to stimulate scientific discourse, mutual awareness, and interdisciplinary learning amongst the often widely separated sub-communities dealing with different parts of the climate system and either with provision of satellite data or use of them only.

Specifically encouraged are presentations on past achievements and/or future challenges in:
1) spaceborne monitoring of key climate variables and change
indicators (e.g., atmospheric trace gases and thermal structure, sea surface temperature, ice cover),
2) spaceborne methods for long-term monitoring of global and regional climate change,
3) spaceborne observations of interannual variability (e.g., evolution of El Ninos, volcanic eruptions),
4) realization of the Global Climate Observing System (GCOS),
5) satellite data exploitation for climate model validation, testing, and improvement,
6) satellite data exploitation for climate process studies (e.g., external/internal forcings, feedback mechanisms),
7) satellite data exploitation for anthropogenic climate change detection and attribution, and
8) transformation of satellite sensor data into climate data products (e.g., retrieval schemes, sensor inter-calibration, data assimilation systems).

Contributions outside of these specific topics but fitting into the general theme are welcome as well. The contributions will be organized into suitable thematic subsessions.

Note: High quality submissions of broader scope will be candidates for upgrade to solicited papers and authors may be invited accordingly after abstract evaluation.