TUM innovation Network EarthCare

The TUM Innovation Network EarthCare is an explorative and interdisciplinary study that bridges the knowledge gap between the use of Artificial Intelligence and Earth observation data for our planet’s sustainability.

Under this general goal, EarthCare explores three main directions:
- Methodologies for retrieving geoinformation from massive amount of Earth observation data;
- Methodologies for creating hybrid earth system models of compartments of the Earth by combining machine learning and Earth observation data;
- Methodologies and use cases of impact models for decision of sustainability action.

The vision of EarthCare is to provide key methodologies for science and policy-making for a sustainable future.

The research team consists of high profile experts from four disciplines: Earth observation, AI and data science, Earth system modeling, Sustainability, which has unique capabilities to unlock the potential of merging highly innovative methods in Earth observation, artificial intelligence, and Earth system modeling with applications in biodiversity and forestry, the urban domain, and climate-induced natural hazards.

EarthCare is a research project at TUM that uses artificial intelligence (AI) and satellite data to help protect our planet.

Today, we collect huge amounts of information about the Earth from satellites and other observation systems. But turning this data into useful knowledge for sustainability is still a challenge. EarthCare works on closing this gap.

The project focuses on three main areas:

Finding better ways to extract useful information from large amounts of satellite data.

Combining AI and Earth system knowledge to build smarter models that help us understand how different parts of the Earth (like forests, cities, and climate systems) work.

Developing tools that help decision-makers choose effective actions for sustainability.

The goal of EarthCare is to create practical scientific methods that support better policies and decisions for a sustainable future.

The team brings together experts from different fields — satellite observation, artificial intelligence, Earth system science, and sustainability. By working together, they aim to improve how we monitor forests and biodiversity, manage cities, and respond to climate-related natural hazards like droughts or floods.

More isohydric species decline their canopy greenness stronger than more anisohydric species under drought.

The more isohydric species is more sensitive to soil drought, but the more anisohydric species is more sensitive to atmospheric drought.