Research
Research Lines
From raw satellite data to actionable products for climate, agriculture, and urban planning — structured around six interconnected work packages.
Pre-Processing
Lead: Juan Carlos Jiménez
Satellite Data
Collection and pre-processing of LSTM, TRISHNA, and SBG satellite imagery.
Airborne Data
Processing of airborne and UAV datasets for algorithm calibration and validation.
Surface Temperature Retrieval
Lead: Juan Carlos Jiménez
Atmospheric Corrections
Developing correction algorithms for atmospheric effects on thermal data.
LST Algorithms
Novel algorithms for Land Surface Temperature retrieval at 50 m resolution.
Uncertainty Analysis
Quantifying and characterizing uncertainties in temperature retrievals.
Products
Lead: José Antonio Sobrino
Water Stress
Algorithms for estimating crop water stress from thermal data.
Evapotranspiration
Surface energy balance and ET estimation for water resource management.
Urban Heat Island (SUHI)
Mapping thermal discomfort indices in urban environments.
Hotspot Detection
Fire and volcanic activity monitoring from thermal imagery.
Coastal SST
Sea surface temperature algorithms for coastal and inland water monitoring.
Calibration & Validation
Lead: José Antonio Sobrino
Field Campaigns
Intensive measurement campaigns in Spain, Italy, France, USA, and India in collaboration with NASA, ESA, CNES, and ONERA.
Permanent Cal/Val Sites
Operation and maintenance of 6 autonomous stations across Spain (Barrax, Doñana, Cabo de Gata, Lourizán, El Palmar, La Mudarra).
New Station – La Mudarra
Installation of a new station at the CIBA meteorological tower, University of Valladolid, integrated into the ICOS network.
Applications
Lead: José Antonio Sobrino
Water Management
Demo prototype for water stress and ET in agricultural areas across Spain, Italy, and France.
Urban Comfort
Thermal comfort mapping (UFTVI, DI, SUHI indices) in multiple European cities.
Crop Yield
Wheat and rice yield estimation integrating thermal and optical satellite data.
Thermal Anomalies
Forest fires, volcanic activity, peat and coal fire monitoring.
Coastal & Inland Waters
Water quality, algae blooms, thermal plume detection along Spanish coasts.
Expected Impact
Earth Observation
More precise monitoring of land surface temperature with direct impact on understanding climate change and managing extreme events.
Agricultural Optimization
Water stress and evapotranspiration products will improve agricultural productivity and ensure efficient water resource use.
Sustainable Urban Solutions
Thermal data for planning green spaces, mitigating urban heat islands, and improving energy efficiency in cities.
Disaster Resilience
Better preparation and response to wildfires, heatwaves, and droughts through real-time thermal monitoring.
Future Mission Readiness
Results will lay the groundwork for unprecedented high-resolution thermal observation from the next generation of satellites.
International Leadership
Consolidating GCU's leadership in thermal space research through collaboration with ESA, NASA, and CNES.