A test environment for the planet
In engineering, a digital twin is a virtual model of a physical object which can be tested to destruction without doing real damage. A digital twin of the Earth, constantly updated with new data, would allow us to simulate best and worst-case scenarios, assess risks, and track the development of dangerous conditions before they occur. Such information is vital for sustainable development and protecting vulnerable populations.
To build their digital twin models, Brocca and his colleagues harnessed extraordinary volumes of satellite data, combining new Earth observation data that measures soil moisture, precipitation, evaporation, river discharge, and snow depth. This newly available data, crucial to the development of the models, includes measurements taken much more frequently across space and time: as often as once a kilometer and once an hour.