Gepubliceerd 4 dagen ago
Satellite altimetry can measure the height of ice sheets, sea ice, rivers and lakes from hundreds of kilometres above Earth – but how do we know those measurements are right? In Svalbard, the VOCALIS 2026 workshop brought together the scientists working to answer exactly that question.
Held in Longyearbyen from 21 to 24 September, the meeting focused on validating operational Copernicus Sentinel-3 altimetry products and preparing the calibration and validation of the upcoming CRISTAL mission. The key ingredient is high-quality field data that can be directly compared with measurements from space.
Participants in the VOCALIS 2026 workshop in Longyearbyen, Svalbard, where scientists met to assess the quality of Copernicus Sentinel-3 altimetry products and prepare validation activities for the future CRISTAL mission.
Image: Matteo Alparone/Starion for ESA ESRIN
Svalbard offers an ideal natural laboratory for this work. Sea ice, glaciers and inland waters can all be studied close to major research infrastructure, allowing satellite measurements to be checked against observations collected directly in the field.
The discussions also highlighted a less obvious challenge: maintaining those ground measurements over the long term. Participants identified continuity of funding and gaps in temporal and spatial coverage as major obstacles to reliable Arctic validation.
Experience from Sentinel-3 and CryoSat is now feeding directly into preparations for CRISTAL, which will provide new measurements of polar ice and snow. The ultimate goal is simple: make sure that users know not only what a satellite measures, but also how much confidence they can place in the result.
Based on: Copernicus Sentinel Online, VOCALIS 2026 brings Copernicus altimetry validation to Svalbard, 1 October 2026.