A remote sensing signal acquired by a sensor system results from electromagnetic radiation (EM) interactions from incoming or emitted EM with atmospheric constituents, vegetation structures and pigments, soil surfaces or water bodies. Vegetation, soil and water bodies are functional interfaces between terrestrial ecosystems and the atmosphere. The description and modelling of the spatio-temporal variability and angular dependency, of the reflectance or emittance of water bodies, soils, leaves and canopies and the photochemistry of the atmosphere has been a focus in many Earth Observation Programmes. The physical type of EM has increased during the years of remote sensing development. Originally, the main focus was on optical remote sensing. Now, thermal, microwave, polarimetric, angular and quite recently also fluorescence have been added to the EM regions under study.

This evolution has led to the definition of an increasing number of bio-geophysical variables in Earth observation. Products include both information on canopy structural (e.g. biomass, leaf area index, fAPAR, 3D parameters such as leaf area density) as well as ecosystem mass flux exchanges dominated thematically by carbon and water exchange, but many other variables as well where under chlorophyll fluorescence, soil moisture content, evapotranspiration. New modelling approaches including models with fully coupled atmosphere, vegetation and soil matrices have led to improved interpretations of the angular and spatio-temporal variability of the remote sensing signal including that of atmospheric aerosols and water vapour.

This session solicits for papers presenting strategies, methodologies or approaches leading to the assimilation of before mentioned remote sensing products from different EM regions, angular constellations, fluorescence as well as data measured in situ for validation purposes. Typically Earth observation data are assimilated into bio-geophysical and atmospheric models. Contributions should preferably focus on topics related to climate change, food production (and hence food security), nature preservation and hence biodiversity, epidemiology, and atmospheric chemistry and pollution (stratospheric and tropospheric ozone, nitrogen oxides, VOC’s, etc). It goes without saying that we also welcome papers focusing on the assimilation of remote sensing and in-situ measurements in bio-geophysical and atmospheric models, as well as the RS extraction techniques themselves.

This session aims to bring together scientists developing remote sensing techniques, products and models leading to strategies with a higher (bio-geophysical) impact on the stability and sustainability of the Earth’s ecosystems, for the benefit of humanity and its next generations.