Mission

4DHydro is a response to the invitation to tender (ITT) of the European Space Agency with reference number ESA AO/1-11298/22/I-EFin July 2022. 

4DHydro aims:

• To perform a thorough assessment of the uncertainty of existing EO and LSM/HM data sets (Tier 1) related to key hydrological variables and to generate improved datasets at 1 km (Tier 2).

• To perform targeted science cases to demonstrate the synchronization of EO products and LSM/HMs models for improved predictability of hydrology system at higher spatial and temporal resolutions. For example:

  1. To determine the water balance skill of the existing EO products if used as drivers of LSM/HMs at different spatial and temporal scales

  2. To determine the scalability of the selected LSM/HMs

  3. To determine under existing conditions what is the optimal spatial resolution of the tECVs from a computational/efficiency perspective.

• To develop tools to enhance the ability of end-users and decision-makers to extract and manipulate existing and future reanalysis and climate data sets. These tools should help users to better understand and characterize key tECVs at the scales suitable for decision-making.

• To derive a solid scientific basis of the state-of-the-art EO retrieval systems, as well as land surface modelling capabilities that are needed to assist the EU Destination Earth initiative.