Remote sensing, one of the pillars of research at the ICM

Over the last four decades, there has been an unprecedented deployment of satellite systems for Earth observation. Nowadays, artificial satellites send hundreds of gigabytes of Earth observations every day, which are used in many different fields of research.

Given this scenario, the Interdisciplinary Thematic Platform (PTI, for its Spanish acronym) TELEDETECT, which is coordinated by the Centro Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC) and the Instituto de Técnica Aeroespacial (INTA), has been created to bring together and promote interaction between the different CSIC groups that are working on remote sensing issues. This includes researchers assessing the effects of climate change on forests, coasts and poles, others working on urban planning and, finally, groups measuring water quality or optimising irrigation systems.

All this will contribute to improving the reach, visibility and research capacity of the CSIC. INTA's support will also ensure a better return on the products developed from Spanish satellite missions.

"Based on Spanish satellite data, TELEDETECT will develop high added-value products aimed at the end user", explains Eduardo de Miguel, co-coordinator of this PTI.

A Platform aimed at academics, the administration and companies

The Platform aims to reinforce and offer comprehensive and effective responses to the demands of academics, administrations and the business sector, where remote sensing is currently a key tool for generating value and solving current social challenges.

Among TELEDETECT members there are various researchers from the Institut de Ciències del Mar (ICM). In total, 18 research institutes and 50 professionals specialising in geosciences, ecology, natural resource management, computer science, optics and electronics, among other fields, are participating in this PTI.

"At the CSIC we have reached a point of maturity where there is already a critical mass of researchers working in and with remote sensing, and the time has come to go a step further with the TELEDETECT platform", says the ICM researcher Antonio Turiel, who coordinates this PTI.

"We want to combine efforts and knowledge, avoiding redundancies and increasing efficiency", specifies the researcher, who adds that "the main goal of the platform is to provide solutions and products in accordance with the needs expressed by the different agents of the Spanish R&D&I system".

PTIs are a mixed research and innovation instrument that bring together research teams, administrations and companies to solve global challenges of high social and scientific impact. They are aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the European Union's new framework programme for research, development and innovation, the Horizon Europe 2021-27 programme.

Each platform focuses on solving a specific problem, such as sustainable plastics management, climate prediction, soil fertilisation, rural depopulation, better food for healthy ageing, sustainable fisheries or quantum techniques for secure communications and more efficient computing.