Face-to-Face course on Satellite Atmospheric Data Validation and Application for Africa

The workshop SATVA 2025 will take place in Ben Guerir, Morocco, 14–18 April 2025 in close cooperation with University Mohammed VI Polytechnique, BIRA-IASB, Clean Air Task Force, UNEP IMEO, and EO-AFRICA R&D Facility.

The African continent presents unique challenges for atmospheric research, with significant implications for both local and global public policies. Rapid demographic growth and the expansion of megacities are contributing to deteriorating air quality, which has a direct impact on human health and agricultural productivity. Concerning greenhouse gases, efforts to reduce methane emissions from oil and gas production in African nations are complicated by increasing emissions from tropical wetlands in the face of a changing climate. Addressing these and other atmospheric chemistry issues requires accurate quantification of concentrations and sources of the relevant atmospheric species. Recent developments in satellite instrumentation and algorithms have made space-based observations an excellent tool to address these issues. Hundreds of data sets from space agencies like ESA are available online and can be used freely by users worldwide. Yet, accessing and utilizing satellite data in Africa remains challenging, making it difficult for local scientists and policymakers to fully leverage this resource. Moreover, satellite data require validation to assess their reliability. However, this is often hindered by the limited availability of accurate measurements.

The SATVA 2025 workshop will bring together scientists from Europe and Africa to discuss the validation and application of atmospheric data in Africa, with a particular focus on the TROPOMI/S5p satellite mission. The workshop aims to foster knowledge transfer and build capacity among scientists. It will feature lectures on satellite remote sensing, covering fundamental principles, validation techniques, and practical applications in the African context. Participants will also have the opportunity to explore state-of-the-art measurement concepts with both in-situ and remote sensing atmospheric instruments. The workshop will address the challenges of satellite data availability in Africa and explore how strengthening scientific capacity can enhance informed decision-making for more effective public policy.

Upon completing the course, attends will be able to:

• Discuss the interactions between radiation and the atmosphere.
• Explain how the concentration of trace gases and greenhouse gases can be inferred by us-ing absorption spectroscopy.
• Explain how visible radiances observed by satellite instruments are used to characterize aerosols and clouds.
• Work with TROPOMI data using python and jupyter notebooks.
• Find and access atmospheric satellite data available for Africa.
• Perform basic analysis with data from in-situ and remote sensing atmospheric instruments.
• Explain the importance of validation for satellite products.
• Argue the importance of CH4 emission mitigation to combat climate change.
• List the atmospheric species involved in air quality and their trends in African megacities.
• Identify ways to improve decision making by building local scientific capacity, particularly in-volving the use of satellite data.