A remote sensing signal received at sensor-platform level is the result of EM wave propagation in vegetation and soils - as functional interfaces of terrestrial ecosystems - and the atmosphere. The description of the spatial and temporal variability of the functional status of soils, leaves and canopies has been a focus in many Earth Observation Programmes. In the coming years, a number of operational and experimental sensors will acquire an increasing wealth of observations providing an unprecedented information flux with respect to the biogeosphere. These observations include information on canopy structural (e.g. biomass, leaf area index, fAPAR, 3D parameters such as leaf area density) as well as functional states (e.g. carbon and water fluxes, chlorophyll, fluorescence). Additionally, the interpretation of the remote sensing signal has also been improved by a better spatio-temporal description of atmospheric aerosols and water vapour climatology's.
This session aims to bring together scientists from the remote sensing, data assimilation and modelling communities to share information on the latest advances in remote sensing product development and validation, data assimilation in biogeophysical (process) models and the quantification of atmospheric aerosols. We are looking forward to contributions illustrating similarities and discrepancies between modelling results and observations of different bio-geophysical parameters, revealing where current models and retrieval techniques have to be improved. Evidently, case studies in remote sensing, with respect to soil and canopy biogeophysical parameters, dynamics and processes are welcomed as well.