Funding from the 2025 programme “Use of space infrastructure for Earth observation and planetary research (GO)” will be divided among nine research projects focusing on two themes: Earth observation research and research into planets and other objects within our solar system.
All researchers make substantial use of space infrastructure such as satellites for their projects. These facilities are developed and maintained by various national and international space agencies and institutions. The infrastructure, and the data and signals it produces, are available to scientists and other users. Together with the Netherlands Space Office (NSO), NWO encourages Dutch researchers to use this infrastructure within the framework of the accompanying space policy of the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science.
The fundings for VU Amsterdam:
Opening the black box: using satellite MAP retrievals to attribute errors in aerosol model processes of earth scientist Nick Schutgens.
Models are incredibly useful to understand the climate impacts from aerosols, small airborne particles. Mostly this impact is a cooling that partially offsets heating from greenhouse gases. But models have errors and this causes substantial uncertainty in our understanding of aerosols. We will use satellite data, combined with a new methodology, to understand the errors in models and improve them. Satellite data from special sensors allow us to estimate particle amounts, sizes, and even shapes and compositions. Combined with the global coverage that satellites provide, this offers a great opportunity to improve our understanding of aerosol impacts on climate.
Earth Observation for Water Quality in Dutch Inland Waters (EO4WQ-NL) of earth scientists Ype van der Velde and Marit van Oostende.
EO4WQ-NL develops a new satellite-based method for year-round monitoring of water quality in Dutch inland waters. In addition to chlorophyll-a, the project is the first to measure optically active iron compounds from space - an important but previously overlooked indicator of winter nutrient flows and sediment dynamics. Using Sentinel-2 and SuperDove imagery, combined with field sampling, lab analysis, and smart data modelling, the project improves detection of eutrophication trends. This approach directly supports the 2027 revision of the EU Water Framework Directive, which emphasises the role of Earth Observation. EO4WQ-NL delivers open tools and data for faster, more effective water management.
NWO invests in research infrastructure
This call is part of NWO's efforts on research infrastructure. Together with its partners, NWO works on broad accessibility, renewal and continuity of research infrastructure. This includes highly specialised equipment such as large telescopes or high field magnets, but also digital infrastructures, such as scientific computer networks and supercomputers, and data and sample collections or biobanks. Such facilities are essential for breakthroughs in all fields of science.
Thanks to its independent position and its overview of the science system, NWO can take the lead in developing a joint long-term strategy for research infrastructure. In addition, NWO takes a coordinating and important (co-)funding role in the implementation of this strategy. The goal is a balanced and future-proof ecosystem of high-quality research infrastructure for all science domains.
Read more at the NWO website