Introducing Planet Publications

In April, 2017, Planet launched its Education and Research Program, which enables scientists and researchers at universities to apply for non-commercial access to up to 10,000 km2 of data per month.

In less than a year, more than 1,400 scientists and researchers across more than 70 countries have come onboard, leveraging Planet’s data for cutting-edge science that’s changing how we understand our planet.

Today, we’re launching Planet Publications, the destination for tracking and sharing scientific discoveries made by the Education and Research Community, with the goal of inspiring future research.

A perfect example is Jakob Steiner, a PhD candidate in glaciology at Utrecht University in the Netherlands. Steiner studies glaciers in the high mountains of Nepal and Pakistan, where he focuses on glacial runoff and the risks posed to downstream communities. Planet data helped Steiner get a closer look at the Khurdopin Glacier in Pakistan, where his local partners had recently been conducting field work.

Steiner’s study, published in the The Cryosphere, demonstrated the utility of Planet’s dense time-series data for monitoring surging glaciers and precarious glacial lakes that form as the ice pinches off a river’s flow. By publishing his work, Steiner is enabling other scientists to improve upon his methodology. Ultimately, progress in this field could lead to early-warning systems to protect communities from glacial floods and landslides.

Across disciplines as disparate as ecology, agriculture, glaciology and machine learning, we’ll keep you apprised of the most cutting-edge science happening with Planet data.

Check out more research at Planet Publications, and stay tuned for new research on agricultural monitoring with Planet’s global high-res satellite imagery.