Soil moisture is vital for plant growth and thus food security. It helps maintaining ecosystem stability and is an integral part of the hydrological cycle aiding climate regulation.

Over 70 percent of global fresh water withdrawals are used for irrigation. Knowing where, when, and how much water is being irrigated is thus vital for water resources management.

Climate change is exacerbating droughts with great socioeconomic consequences. Monitoring the frequency and severity of droughts is vital for improving human well being.

Monitoring our planet with satellites that are orbiting in space at a speed of several kilometers per second is dauntingly complex. Assuring the quality of satellite observations is critical for making impactful decisions when facing key human challenges. 

Vegetation is a vital component of global ecosystems and a key resource for humans. It serves us for wood and food production, helps the planet to maintain biodiversity, and is a great asset in the fight against climate change by storing atmospheric carbon dioxide.

Wildfires affect about four percent of global vegetated area each year. The human society and economy are greatly impacted by fire due to the loss of lives and the destruction of livelihoods and critical infrastructure.

Today's computational resources have heralded a new era for artificial intelligence. Machine learning can help us to model and understand even the most complex biogeophysical processes and is thus a great asset to Earth system science.