Education as a transfer mechanism: translating planetary remote sensing methodologies into operational Earth Observation for Earth-system applications

Earth is the best-constrained planetary body, yet many Earth-system challenges still require remote-sensing workflows that remain robust under incomplete ground truth, multi-sensor heterogeneity, and complex observation geometries. Planetary science has long operated under these constraints, developing interpretation strategies and processing practices that are increasingly relevant for Earth Observation (EO) applications in hazard monitoring, environmental change, and geological process understanding. In line with the PS1.3 scope of transferring planetary-science methodologies to advance Earth-system knowledge, we present an education-driven framework designed to operationalise this methodological transfer at MSc level.
We describe the structure and rationale of a new Earth Observation curriculum embedded within an MSc in Planetary Sciences, conceived as an “educational pipeline” that trains students to move from sensor-aware analysis to geology-driven interpretation and application-ready products. The curriculum integrates core modules on Earth Observation analysis, satellite multi/hyperspectral data analysis, and geospatial technologies, followed by geology-centred Earth-system applications (e.g., sedimentary environments, marine geology, global changes) and applied EO modules targeting volcanic monitoring and tectonic deformation. A distinctive component is digital field mapping with emerging technologies, designed to explicitly link remote-sensing products to validation strategies and field-based geological reasoning. The training pathway is reinforced through institutional collaboration with national agencies and research bodies, enabling exposure to operational practices and real-world constraints.
We argue that the key innovation lies in implementing a reproducible planetary-to-Earth methodological transfer framework based on: (i) observation-geometry and uncertainty-aware processing, (ii) scalable multi-sensor analytics, (iii) process-based geological interpretation, and (iv) field-connected validation and mapping. By framing education as a mechanism for transferring robust planetary methodologies into EO practice, this approach contributes to bridging planetary and Earth-system sciences while producing graduates capable of translating EO data into reliable, decision-relevant geoscience knowledge.

Keywords: comparative planetology; Earth Observation; remote sensing; hyperspectral; GIS/geoprocessing; hazards; digital field mapping.