Monitoring the Oceans from Space

EUMETSAT

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Start Date: 16 Oct, 2017
5 weeks
Study Content: Videos

Explore our oceans from space. Discover how Earth observation allows us to monitor ocean health, and inform policy and planning.

Course Fee: Free

Certificate Cost: See Fees and Eligibility

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Introduction

Introduction Video

Course Description

This course is made available through the eLearnAfrica and FutureLearn partnership.

This free online course will provide an introduction to ocean monitoring Earth Observation (EO) satellite data, and its uses, types and challenges. It will explain how the data is acquired and used, the range of data types available, and the terminology and techniques involved.

The course is presented by physicist, oceanographer and broadcaster Dr Helen Czerski from University College London, remote sensing specialist Dr Hayley Evers-King from the Plymouth Marine Laboratory, and the lead educator Dr Mark Higgins from EUMETSAT.

The course is run by EUMETSAT in support of the Copernicus Programme.

Explore ocean monitoring EO data using real-world examples

You will look at practical examples of using ocean monitoring EO data - in real-world case-studies and in a range of areas of policy and decision-making - and will explore emerging technologies and trends.

The course will introduce you to the operational marine data stream from EUMETSAT in the context of the ‘Copernicus’ programme. It will highlight the role of the Sentinel-3, Sentinel-6 and Jason-3 ocean monitoring satellites and the contributing missions providing marine data for Copernicus – such as Metop and Meteosat. You will also explore the role of the Copernicus Marine Environment Service (CMEMS), focussing on the applications of its data for users and its wider benefits to society.

Examine different areas of ocean monitoring week by week

The course consists of five themed weeks:

Week 1 - Oceans and Climate

How do the oceans play a key role in the Earth’s climate system? How are the oceans set to be affected by changes in climate and why is satellite data so valuable for addressing multiple challenges in the marine environment?

Weeks 2 & 3 - Oceans, Weather and Hazards

What role do our oceans play in weather forecasting? How does monitoring our oceans from space play a key role in this and how is satellite data used in weather models? How can we use satellite data to understand ocean hazards?

Week 4 - Living Oceans

How do satellites help to monitor, quantify and preserve ocean biodiversity?

Week 5 - Oceans and Us

How does Earth observation help us to set international policy, manage ocean resources and biodiversity? How can the oceans be used for renewable energy? How can the public get involved in ocean science?

Learn with ocean monitoring experts from EUMETSAT and major research centres

Throughout the course, you will learn with experts from EUMETSAT - one of the key global organisations involved in ocean monitoring using satellite data - and from its research partners including Plymouth Marine Laboratory, National Oceanography Centre, CLS, Mercator Ocean, and the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

(Animations, data visualisations and imagery from ESA, NASA and CMEMS are provided courtesy of ESA, NASA and CMEMS. This course is produced for EUMETSAT by Imperative Space).

This course is designed for people who want to learn and explore more about Earth observation and ocean monitoring from space. It is ideal for new potential EO marine data users as well as existing professionals working in other areas of EO, oceanography or environmental science.

It will also help policy-makers, decision-makers, communicators, educators and the general public gain a better insight into the use of satellite data in environmental and ocean monitoring.

This course is provided through eLearnAfrica’s partnership with FutureLearn.

Please note that, should you choose to purchase a Certificate of Achievement or a Statement of Participation, you will be re-directed to the FutureLearn for processing.

The following information is from the Future Learn website:

What is a Certificate of Achievement?

A Certificate of Achievement is a valuable certificate to prove what you’ve learned on your course.

Your Certificate will include your name; an outline of what you’ve learned and how long it took; the logos of the university and other organisations associated with your course. Your printed certificate will also include the lead educator’s signature.

In addition to the digital and printed certificate, you will receive a detailed transcript of what you’ve learned, how long it took and your average test score (if your course contained tests).

You can view our page about Certificates of Achievement to see what they look like.

How do I qualify for a Certificate of Achievement?

To be eligible to buy a Certificate of Achievement, you must:

complete 90% of the steps in a course (by using the “Mark as complete” button on each step),
attempt every test question in the course,
score over 70% on average across all course tests.

How do I buy a Certificate of Achievement?

If you’re taking a course, we’ll email you details of how to buy a Certificate of Achievement, once you’re eligible for one.

How much does a Certificate of Achievement cost?

The cost of the Certificate of Achievement varies depending on the course. They normally cost from £39.00 (GBP) to £59.00 (GBP) + shipping. The price shown includes a digital and printed certificate and transcript, and VAT or local sales tax. The exact price for your course will be shown within the course itself.

What if I don’t qualify to buy a Certificate of Achievement?

If you don’t qualify to buy a Certificate of Achievement because your test score does not meet the 70% pass threshold, you have a couple of options. You will still be able to purchase a Statement of Participation for the course, or you could join a later run of the course. Unfortunately it is not possible to retake tests in FutureLearn courses.

What is a Statement of Participation?

A Statement of Participation is a collectable printed and digital record that you can buy, to show that you’ve taken part in a FutureLearn course. Statements are available for the vast majority of FutureLearn courses in both digital and printed formats. You can view our page about Statements of Participation to see what they look like.

Your Statement will include your name; a short summary of the course and how long it took; the logo of the university and other organisations associated with your course. In addition, your printed certificate will also include the lead educator’s signature.

Your Statement will confirm that you’ve completed the majority of steps in a course and attempted all test questions, but it will not show your individual level of completion or your test scores.

How do I qualify for a Statement of Participation?

To be eligible to buy a Statement of Participation, you must complete over half of the steps in a course (by using the “Mark as complete” button on each step) and attempt all test questions.

How do I buy a Statement of Participation?

If you’re taking a course, we’ll email you details of how to buy a Statement of Participation, once you’re eligible for one.

To be eligible, you must complete the majority of steps in the course and attempt all test questions. You can check how close you are to being eligible on your course progress page.

How much does a Statement of Participation cost?

The cost of a Statement of Participation varies depending on the course. They cost from at £19.00 (GBP) to £34.00 (GBP) plus shipping. The price shown includes a digital and printed version, and VAT or local sales tax. The exact price for your course will be shown within the course itself.

For more information on Fees and Eligibility, please feel free to consult the Frequently Asked Questions:

If you do not find an answer to your question, you can also contact FutureLearn directly via email, at: feedback@futurelearn.com

The information provided was current as of 22 September 2016. Please visit Certificates and Statements to check for changes.

Certificate cost may vary. You will be redirected to the host page for cost and payment options.

This course is provided through eLearnAfrica’s partnership with FutureLearn. To go directly to a specific Category of Frequently Asked Questions, please feel free to click on any of the links below (you will be redirected to the FutureLearn website):

EUMETSAT

The European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites is Europe’s operational satellite agency monitoring the weather and climate.

Established in 1986, we are an intergovernmental organisation based in Darmstadt, Germany, currently with 30 Member States and one cooperating state.

We operate a fleet of European meteorological satellites which includes:

The geostationary satellites Meteosat-8, -9, -10 and -11 over Europe and Africa, and Meteosat-7 over the Indian Ocean, providing frequent observations for severe weather warnings.
The polar orbiting Metop satellites which give access to a unique wealth of ocean, land and atmospheric data essential for forecasting of high impact weather up to 10 days in advance.

In the ocean realm, EUMETSAT is a partner in the cooperative ocean altimetry Jason missions involving Europe and the United States (Jason-2, Jason-3 and Jason-CS/Copernicus Sentinel-6).

We also operate the ocean monitoring Copernicus Sentinel-3A satellite, in cooperation with ESA, and on behalf of the EU, and deliver marine data services to the Copernicus Marine Environment Monitoring Service and users.

EUMETSAT delivers real time, integrated data streams to users worldwide and makes its more than 30-year archive of observations available to scientists, research and operational users.

This institution is available on eLearnAfrica through partnership with FutureLearn.

You may be able to download course materials after enrolling in this course. If not, all of the necessary course materials provided by the course instructor will be available on the provider's course page.

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Effective Date: September 22, 2016