Certificate course in

Land Surface Modeling and Data Assimilation

This course will offer a set of methods and techniques to deal with large-scale process modelling and data assimilation, and subsequently this knowledge will be applied in different application domains.

For whom is the course relevant?

The course is relevant for hydrometrologists, water/natural resources and environmental engineers, hydrologists and biohydrologists.

What will be achieved?

On completion of this course, participants should be able to:

• apply state-of-the-art large-scale process models for a specific application domain
• fuse multisensor data on different levels using different techniques
• use satellite data products via data assimilation in a specific application domain
• use open-source tools to process spatial and temporal data products for food security, carbon cycle−vegetation dynamics, and drought and climate impacts.

What is the course content?

Week 1: Process description and model building (land-atmosphere exchange scheme)
This will include different components to describe the complete energy, water and mass exchanges between land-ecosystem and atmosphere.

Week 2: Datasets, data fusion and data assimilation
Large-scale to continental-scale satellite data products; multisensor data fusion and product merging; data integration and assimilation into process models; land surface schemes used in atmospheric models, crop growth models and dynamic vegetation models.

Week 3: Applications and case studies
Case studies for food security, carbon cycle−vegetation dynamics, drought and climate impacts.

For food security, semi-empirical seasonal integration techniques are introduced for now-casting purposes, and various statistical (tele)connections are introduced for forecasting end-of-season harvestable produce of food and fibre (at national to regional scale).

For carbon cycle−vegetation dynamics, state-of-the-art models and techniques (including open-source codes) will be used for building applications.

For drought and climate impact studies, large-scale satellite data products will be used for data analysis of selected regions in the world and compared with existing operational products.

Case studies and group exercises will be based on current research projects and PhD research. Supervision will be given to participants and PhD students together.

Why choose this course?

If you want to increase your understanding of:

• land surface hydrology processes
• land-atmosphere exchange and interaction
• assimilation and working with global-scale data
• the application of state-of the art assimilation techniques

then this could be the course for you.

Admission requirements

Academic level and background

Applicants for the Certificate programme should have a Bachelor degree or equivalent from a recognised university in a discipline related to the course, preferably combined with working experience in a relevant field.

Some courses in the Certificate programme or separate modules require knowledge of, and skills in, working with GIS and/or digital image processing of remotely sensed data.

Skills in taught or related subjects are a prerequisite for some courses in the Certificate programme or separate modules. Even if the applicant satisfies the overall admission requirements, acceptance is not automatic.

English language

As all courses are given in English, proficiency in the English language is a prerequisite. If you are a national of one of the countries in this list (PDF), you are exempted from an English language test. Please note: the requirements when applying for fellowships may vary according to the regulations of the fellowship provider.

English language tests: minimum requirements

Only internationally recognised test results are accepted.

Computer skills

Applicants lacking computer experience are strongly advised to follow basic courses in their home countries.