Welcome to the ESA Ocean Synergy Training Course 2025 (#OTC25)
Ocean and atmosphere dynamic processes define the surface expressions imprinted on the sea surface or in the atmosphere that we can measure from space. In order to extract scientific knowledge from satellite data, it is fundamental to understand the processes that define the signals we can measure. This is at the very heart of the #OTC25 which has the following course aim:
To understand and interpret the ocean signatures that are measured from complementary satellite instruments in space by studying the sensor physics used to measure ocean signals and the fundamental ocean and atmosphere processes that define those signals.
The best place to do this is on the ocean surface itself which is why the #OTC25 Training Course consists of two mandatory parts: online and at-sea.
Ship based component
A ship-based component takes place aboard the tall ship Statsraad Lehmkuhl, during the One Ocean Expedition, from Tromø, Norway, to Nice, France, via Reykjavik, Iceland (see draft voyage track here). During this part the ship will depart Tromsø on 22nd April 2025 to sail 6200 nm in about 43 days arriving in Nice, France on 4th June 2025 as part of the opening events for the United Nations Ocean Conference 2025.
On board, will involve an advanced training course in satellite oceanography in support to Marine Services, tailored to the regional environmental and climate change of the oceans in the Norwegian Sea and Northeast Atlantic Ocean. During the voyage, the students will collect in situ observations and use these together with satellite data and ocean model outputs to interpret the ocean state, validate satellite and model data. They will conduct their own research projects, following their proposed research plans submitted as part of their course application. Being at sea is the best place to understand the origin of the signals we measure from space!
50 students, from Masters level to Post Docs, will have a berth onboard. In addition, the students will actively participate in crew-related watches and tasks, as their involvement is necessary to sail the ship, making the combined training course and voyage an unforgettable event in more than one way!
Shore based component
A shore-based online component that consists of 19 modules will take place once per week for a duration of 2 hours each. Each module will explain a different Earth Observation satellite measurement: how they work, how different instruments measure different parameters, and how we can apply derived data in different ways for ocean science applications. The shore-based course will focus on a virtual Voyage of the ship-based component of the training course.
A broad range of disciplines will be covered in satellite oceanography, upper ocean dynamics, air-sea interaction, coupling of ocean physics to biogeochemistry, marine biology, ocean modelling and data assimilation, and environmental and climate change. There will be a mixture of lectures and practicals; the practicals will make use of the free online tool, the Ocean Virtual Laboratory Portal, to help analysis different data sets. As an example, you can access all of the ESA 2023 Training course materials and recorded lectures here. Further details and the full OTC 2025 course material will be made available via the links in the Online Course section.
Both the introductory virtual training course and the onboard training course on Statsraad Lehmkuhl will be run by internationally recognized expert lecturers. Some of the lecturers for the online course will also join on board the ship.