The earth gives us a place to live and provides resources that ensure our existence. At the same time, the earth poses challenges in the shape of natural hazards and the results of human overconsumption of resources and resulting pollution. Earth observation from space is the only way to monitor the planet for its overall health and state. In this course, an overview is given of how modern Earth sciences help to understand our planet, how we should use its resources to support our societies and mitigate its hazards, and also what we can do to protect our planet.
[CONCEPT] The Earth is a complex, dynamic system that not only provides us with a habitat but also supplies the resources essential for sustaining modern society and ensuring our survival. The various components of the Earth System, including human activities, interact across space and time, with changes in one part potentially affecting all others in intricate and often unpredictable ways. These interactions determine the overall health of our planet and present challenges such as natural hazards, resource limitations, and constraints on societal growth. Earth observation from space, combined with advanced geoscience techniques, is vital for understanding how the planet works and for monitoring its health and state. This course is designed to equip students with the concepts and tools needed to comprehend the fundamental aspects of the Earth System. It will cover key geodynamic processes, their interactions, and their links to natural hazards and resource availability. Students will also learn modern techniques for imaging the Earth's surface and subsurface, with a focus on their significance in planetary monitoring, hazard assessment and management, and the sustainable exploration and use of natural resources. The students will be able to choose the topics for their assignments from a list of case studies relevant to the course's goals. By the end of the course, students will have a deep understanding of the complex natural processes and feedback mechanisms between the Earth's interior, near-surface dynamics, and activities relevant to society. They will also gain the fundamental technical skills necessary to develop innovative solutions to the societal challenges posed by global environmental change and to capitalize on opportunities in the transition to global sustainability.