EO-PERSIST: a Cloud-based Remote Sensing Data System for Promoting Research and Socioeconomic Studies in Arctic Environments

In today’s changing climate it is of key importance to understand the adverse impacts of climate change on the local and regional Arctic natural environments, infrastructures, and industries. To this end, Earth Observation (EO) is the way forward, as it is extremely challenging to obtain long-term continuous ground observations. Recent advances in EO sensors, cloud-computing, geographical information systems (GIS), and the field of socioeconomics provide unique opportunities to promote research and socioeconomic studies in the Arctic. Yet, despite their plethora, EO data are provided in a dispersed and unconnected way through several web platforms and in diverse formats, making their use difficult. In this presentation we introduce EO-PERSIST, an EU-funded project under the MSCA Staff Exchanges scheme, providing a detailed overview of the research aims and objectives for its 4 years duration. EO-PERSIST proposes the development of a single cloud-based system that will allow in a unique way the availability of the collection, management and exploitation of the available EO data suitable to permafrost studies. The system leverages existing services, datasets, and novel technologies to: a)create a continuously updated ecosystem with EO datasets suitable for permafrost studies, b)promote methodological advances in permafrost studies by exploiting the huge volume of EO datasets and c)provide indicators directly connected with socioeconomic effects to permafrost dynamics. Experimental analysis will also be carried out with the system to showcase its use via five carefully selected and innovative Use Cases, that will serve as Key Performance Indicators of the system. EO-PERSIST brings together a strong inter-sectoral experienced research team of 5 academic and 5 industrial partners, establishing a unique fertile collaborative research and innovation