Course overview

Course Overview

Select a week below to view the summary and begin watching the course videos.

Week 1 - Overview of optical Earth observation technology and data

This week will guide learners through the basic concepts of how optical sensors acquire data, the underlying science that underpins and enables this, and examples of key missions and emerging technologies.

Week 2 - Observing the land and what lives on it

This week will look in more depth at the role and methodologies of optical EO in environmental monitoring, and will begin to introduce specific case studies of applications in areas such as deforestation and land use and water management.

Week 3 - Atmosphere and oceans

This week will delve into more detailed case studies on how optical EO is enabling critical observations of climate change impacts in real world contexts, and how this is supporting decision-making.

Week 4 - Monitoring rapid change, natural disasters and humanitarian issues

This week will look at the applications of Optical EO in monitoring short-term changes in the landscape and in human activity, including natural disasters and humanitarian crises.

Week 5 - Future technology and working with optical EO data

This week will consolidate learning from the previous weeks and will use a case-study approach to provide practical guidance on using different types of optical data products.