■ OpenSense - COST Action CA20136

Opportunistic Precipitation Sensing Network

OPENSENSE brings together scientists investigating different opportunistic sensors, experts from national weather services, owners of sensor networks, and end-users of rainfall products to build a worldwide reference opportunistic sensing community.

Discover what is OpenSense and how it helps weather monitoring here:

Second OpenSense Action Joint Meeting and Workshop
June 27th – 29th, 2023, Kraków, Poland

All information here.

OPENSENSE training school on software and methods for data processing from opportunistic rainfall sensors
10-12 October 2023 in Tel Aviv

Apply here.

■ ABOUT

Introduction to
OpenSense Action

Find out more about our COST Action (CA20136) OpenSense focused on Opportunistic Precipitation Ensing Network.

Despite advances in remote sensing, precipitation observations remain one of the weakest links in the description of Earth’s water cycle. This is especially critical in the face of climate change, human-induced hydrologic changes e.g. due to rapid urbanisation, and consequent increase in frequency and magnitude of extreme events.

Opportunistic sensing can greatly improve spatial and temporal resolution of standard precipitation monitoring networks on continental scale by complementing them with measurements from personal weather stations or devices primarily not intended for precipitation monitoring such as commercial microwave links or broadband satellite terminals.

The number of opportunistic sensors has already now exceeded traditional in-situ observations by an order of magnitude, and it is increasing exponentially. Nevertheless, it is still unclear how to make this data operationally accessible, achieve robust quality control of these observations, and integrate them into standard observation systems.

OPENSENSE brings together scientists investigating different opportunistic sensors, experts from national weather services, owners of sensor networks, and end-users of rainfall products to build a worldwide reference opportunistic sensing community.

It will i) overcome key barriers preventing data exchange and acceptance as hydrometeorological observations ii) define standards to allow for large-scale benchmarking of OS precipitation products developing new methods for precipitation retrieval iii) coordinate integration of the opportunistic observations into traditional monitoring networks, and iv) identify potential new sources of precipitation observations.

These coordinated activities will boost uptake of OS as precipitation observation methods and enable generation of high-quality precipitation products with unprecedented spatial and temporal resolution.

■ NEWS

Latest Updates

■ STRUCTURE

Meet our
Working Groups

Establish a network of 5 working groups with multidisciplinary scientists investigating different opportunistic sensors.

WG1 is focused on improving availability of well-documented OS historical and operational data and definition of benchmark datasets.
WG2 l coordinates comparison and homogenisation of methods needed for operationalisation of OS precipitation observations with focus on i) automated quality control, ii) fast processing, and iii) uncertainty assessment.
WG3 coordinates the research agenda on merging different types of OS with each other and with traditional observations. It will coordinate the creation of OS precipitation products in historical and operational mode and their application in weather and hydrological forecasts.
WG4 coordinates stakeholder involvement and communication with external stakeholders, the scientific community, and the broader public. It develops strategies for unlocking OS data and their uptake through stakeholder engagement.
WG5 manages internal communication, knowledge exchange and capacity building. It is also in charge of coordinating Working Group cross-activities, identifying possible synergies and thus maximizing the Actions impact.
■ Join us

Are you interested in taking part?

The COST Action OPENSENSE welcomes research-active scientists working in the field. There are many ways to get involved.