Meet the team

Level-2 algorithm developers

Many scientists have contributed to the algorithms that generate EarthCARE's "Level-2" products (by which we mean those that contain data processed beyond basic calibration and geometric correction), typically containing meteorological variables describing the properties of clouds, aerosols, radiation and precipitation. These algorithms are documented in a Special Issue of AMT.

Cloud Profiling Radar (CPR) algorithms

Pavlos Kollias (Stony Brook University, USA), Bernat Puigdomènech Treserras (McGill University, Canada) and Alessandro Battaglia (Polytechnic University of Turin, Italy) developed the European/Canadian radar algorithms for processing the reflectivity and Doppler signals (the C-FMR, C-CD and C-APC products). With Kamil Mroz (University of Leicester, UK) they developed the European cloud and precipitation retrievals (the C-CLD product).

Atmospheric Lidar (ATLID) algorithms

David Donovan, Gerd-Jan van Zadelhoff and Ping Wang (KNMI, Netherlands) developed the European lidar feature-mask product (A-FM) and the lidar aerosol, extinction, target-classification and ice products (A-AER, A-EBD, A-TC and A-ICE).
Ulla Wandinger, Moritz Haarig and Holger Baars (TROPOS, Germany), along with David Donnovan and Gerd-Jan van Zadelhoff, developed the European lidar retrievals of cloud top height and aerosol layer properties (A-CTH and A-ALD). With Nicole Docter and Rene Preusker (see below) they developed the combined ATLID-MSI retrieval of cloud-top height and aerosol columnar properties (AM-CTH and AM-ACD).
Tomoaki Nishizawa (National Institute for Environmental Studies, Japan) led the development of the Japanese lidar retrievals of cloud and aerosol properties.

Multi-Spectral Imager (MSI) algorithms

Anja Hünerbein and Sebastian Bley (TROPOS, Germany) led the development of the European MSI algorithms for retrieving the cloud mask (M-CM) and cloud optical and physical properties (M-COP).
Nicole Docter and Rene Preusker (Free University of Berlin, Germany) led the development of the European MSI aerosol optical depth retrieval (M-AOT).
Takashi Nakajima (Tokai University) led the development of the Japanese MSI cloud and aerosol algorithms

Broadband Radiometer (BBR) algorithms

Almudena Velázquez Blázquez, Edward Baudrez, Nicolas Clerbaux (RMIB, Belgium) and Carlos Domenech (GMV, Spain) developed the European algorithm to spectrally unfilter the BBR radiances (the BM-RAD product). With Carla Salas Molar (GMV, Spain) and Nils Madenach (Free University of Berlin, Germany) they developed the algorithm for retrieving fluxes from the BBR radiances (BMA-FLX), also making use of the lidar and imager.

Radar and lidar synergy retrieval algorithms

Abdenour Irbah and Julien Delanoë (LATMOS, France) led the development of the European radar-lidar target classification algorithm (the AC-TC product).
Shannon Mason and Robin Hogan (ECMWF & University of Reading, UK) developed the European retrieval of the properties of clouds, aerosols and precipitation from radar, lidar and imager (the ACM-CAP product).
Kaori Sato and Hajime Okamoto (Kyushu University, Japan) led the development of the Japanese retrieval of the properties of clouds and precipitation from radar, lidar and imager (the ACM-CLP product).

Radation algorithms

Jason Cole, Howard Barker and Zhipeng Qu (ECCC, Canada) led the development of the European/Canadian algorithms for constructing 3D scenes by combining all four instruments (the ACMB-3D product), for computing radiative fluxes and heating rates from the retrieved products (the ACM-RT product) and for assessing the of radiative closure (the ACMB-DF product).
Akira Yamauchi and Kentaroh Suzuki (University of Tokyo, Japan) led the development of the Japanese algorithm for computing radiative fluxes and heating rates from the retrieved products.

Scientific working groups

The evaluation of EarthCARE products and the scientific exploitation of the data are overseen by a number of working groups listed below. On the European side, this work forms part of the EarthCARE Data, Innovation and Science Cluster (DISC), an ESA-funded international consortium of experts. Most of the European/Canadian Level-2 developers listed above are part of the DISC.

CPR

Coordinated by Pavlos Kollias (Stony Brook University)

ATLID and aerosols

Coordinated by David Donovan (KNMI), Ulla Wandinger (TROPOS) and Tomoaki Nishizawa (NIES)

MSI

Coordinated by Rene Preusker (FUB)

BBR and radiation

Coordinated by Jason Cole (ECCC), Nicolas Clerbaux (RMIB) and Kentaroh Suzuki (University of Tokyo)

Cloud and precipitation

Coordinated by Shannon Mason (ECMWF and University of Reading) and Hajime Okamoto (Kyushu University)

Calibration and validation

Rob Koopman (ESA), Silke Groß (DLR), Toshiyuki Tanaka (JAXA) and Jonas von Bismarck (ESA) coordinate the EarthCARE calibration and validation activities
Eleni Marinou (NOA) oversees the development and provision of calibration/validation support tools

Data assimilation

Marta Janiskova and Mark Fielding (ECMWF) work on assimilation of EarthCARE radar and lidar data into ECMWF weather forecasts
Will McLean and Angela Benedetti (ECMWF) work on assimilation of EarthCARE lidar data into ECMWF air-quality forecasts

Model evaluation

Coordinated by Masaki Satoh (University of Tokyo) and Robin Hogan (ECMWF and University of Reading) as part of the ECOMIP project

The Quality Working Group

In January 2025 EarthCARE passed from its Commissioning to its Operational Phase, and scientific oversight similarly from the Joint Mission Advisory Group (JMAG) to the Quality Working Group (QWG).

ESA QWG members

Timon Hummel (EarthCARE Data Quality Manager, QWG co-chair)
Thorsten Fehr (ESA EarthCARE Mission Scientist)
Björn Frommknecht (EarthCARE Mission Manager)

European/Canadian QWG scientists

Luca Baldini (ISAC, Italy)
Alessandro Battaglia (Politechnic University of Turin, Italy)
Jason Cole (ECCC, Canada)
David Donovan (KNMI, Netherlands)
Oleg Dubovik (University of Lille, France)
Robin Hogan (ECMWF and University of Reading, UK)
Pavlos Kollias (Stony Brook University, USA)
Oliver Reitebuch (DLR, Germany)
Bjorn Stevens (Max Planck Institute for Meteorology, Germany)
Philip Stier (University of Oxford, UK)
Yoko Tsushima (Met Office, UK)
Gerd-Jan van Zadelhoff (KNMI, Netherlands)
Ulla Wandinger (TROPOS, Germany)

JAXA QWG members

Takuji Kubota (JAXA EarthCARE Mission Scientist, QWG co-chair)
Tomomi Nio (JAXA EarthCARE Mission Manager)

Japanese QWG scientists

Hiroaki Horie (NICT)
Yasutaka Ikuta (Japan Meteorological Agency)
Hironobo Iwabuchi (Tohoku University)
Yoshitaka Jin (National Institute for Environmental Studies)
Takashi Y. Nakajima (Tokai University)
Tomoaki Nishizawa (National Institute for Environmental Studies)
Yiuchi Ohno (NICT)
Hajime Okamoto (Kyushu University)
Kaori Sato (Kyushu University)
Masaki Satoh (University of Tokyo)
Tatsuya Seiki (JAMSTEC)
Kentaroh Suzuki (University of Tokyo)
Nobuhiro Takahashi (Nagoya University)