AURORA · Project

Complete Ozone and UV Monitoring by Merging Satellite Data Into One Service

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Imagine trying to understand the weather by looking through just one window — you only see part of the sky. Ozone sits at different heights in the atmosphere, and no single satellite can measure it all the way from ground level to the upper atmosphere. AURORA combined data from satellites in different orbits and frequency ranges to build one complete picture of ozone concentrations, top to bottom. They then packaged it into a cloud-based web service so anyone — from air quality agencies to solar energy companies — can access accurate ozone and UV radiation data without needing their own satellite expertise.

By the numbers

consortium partners

countries in consortium

SME partners in consortium

50%

industry participation ratio

total project deliverables

The business problem

What needed solving

Businesses that depend on accurate atmospheric data — solar energy operators, air quality consultancies, environmental regulators — currently struggle with fragmented ozone and UV measurements from individual satellites that each only see part of the picture. No single instrument can profile ozone from the ground to the upper atmosphere, leaving critical gaps in data that affect forecasting, compliance, and product development. Companies either invest heavily in their own atmospheric science teams or settle for incomplete information.

The solution

What was built

The project built a cloud-based data processing chain that merges geostationary and low Earth orbit satellite measurements into complete vertical ozone profiles. Concrete outputs include a prototype and final version of a web service for remote data access and visualization, plus a geo-database containing all intermediate and final data products — 36 deliverables in total.

Audience

Who needs this

Air quality monitoring agencies needing full-column ozone data for regulatory complianceSolar energy companies requiring accurate UV surface radiation forecasts for yield optimizationCopernicus downstream service providers looking to add atmospheric productsWeather and climate service companies integrating ozone data into forecasting modelsAgricultural technology firms tracking UV exposure impacts on crop management

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Environmental monitoring and air quality

any

Target: Air quality monitoring agencies and environmental consultancies

If you are an environmental consultancy dealing with incomplete ozone data from single-source satellites — this project developed a cloud-based web service that fuses data from geostationary and low Earth orbit satellites to deliver full vertical ozone profiles. The system covers from the surface to the mesosphere and calculates tropospheric ozone columns, giving you the complete picture needed for regulatory reporting and health advisories. The platform was built and tested by a 10-partner consortium across 6 countries.

Solar energy and UV-dependent industries

mid-size

Target: Solar farm operators and UV technology manufacturers

If you are a solar energy operator dealing with unreliable UV radiation estimates that affect power output forecasting — this project built a processing chain that calculates UV surface radiation from fused satellite ozone profiles. Accurate UV data directly impacts solar panel yield predictions and maintenance scheduling. The web service provides remote data access and visualization, eliminating the need for in-house atmospheric science capabilities.

Earth observation data services

SME

Target: Geospatial data companies and Copernicus downstream service providers

If you are a geospatial data company looking to add atmospheric monitoring products to your portfolio — this project created a production-ready data processing chain with a geo-database, virtual machine infrastructure, and web services specifically designed for commercial uptake of Copernicus Sentinel data. The consortium included 4 SMEs and conducted a market analysis of pre-market applications, providing a validated path from satellite raw data to commercial service.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would it cost to access or license this ozone monitoring technology?

The project data does not include specific licensing fees or pricing. Since the coordinator is a public research council (CNR, Italy) and the project was publicly funded, the data processing algorithms and web-service architecture may be available through research licensing or Copernicus downstream service agreements. Contact the coordinator to discuss commercial terms.

Can this scale to cover regions beyond the original test areas?

The system was designed around Copernicus Sentinel missions (S-4, S-5, S-5P), which provide global coverage. The cloud-based infrastructure using virtual machines was built specifically to handle large-scale satellite data processing. Scaling to new regions is primarily a matter of computational resources, not redesigning the algorithms.

Who owns the intellectual property from this project?

IP is distributed among the 10 consortium partners across 6 countries (BE, EL, FI, IT, NL, UK). The consortium includes 5 industry partners and 4 SMEs, suggesting that commercial exploitation rights were negotiated. The coordinator (CNR, Italy) would be the first point of contact for licensing discussions.

Is this compatible with existing satellite data systems and standards?

Yes — the system was specifically built on Copernicus Sentinel satellite data (S-4, S-5, S-5P) and designed for integration with CAMS (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service) and GEOSS. International collaboration with TEMPO (USA) and GEMS (Asia) missions was part of the exploitation strategy, indicating interoperability with major global systems.

How mature is this technology — is it ready for commercial deployment?

The project delivered both a prototype and a final version of the web service, along with a complete database of outputs. However, the system was validated using synthetic data simulating an operational environment rather than full operational deployment. It sits between demonstrated prototype and pilot-tested.

Are there regulatory requirements this technology helps address?

Ozone monitoring and UV radiation reporting are required under multiple environmental regulations. The tropospheric ozone columns and UV surface radiation calculations directly support air quality compliance monitoring. The system's alignment with Copernicus and GEOSS standards makes its outputs suitable for regulatory reporting.

What ongoing support or updates can we expect?

Based on available project data, the project ended in July 2019. The web service and data processing infrastructure were completed and tested. Long-term maintenance depends on the consortium partners' continued involvement. The alignment with operational Copernicus Sentinel missions suggests the underlying data streams remain active and supported by ESA.

Consortium

Who built it

The AURORA consortium is a balanced mix of 10 partners from 6 European countries (Belgium, Greece, Finland, Italy, Netherlands, UK), split evenly between 5 industry players and 5 research organizations. With 4 SMEs in the group, there is real commercial interest baked in — these are not just academic institutions studying theory. The 50% industry ratio is above average for research projects, which signals that commercial viability was a priority from the start. The coordinator, Italy's National Research Council (CNR), is one of Europe's largest public research bodies and brings institutional credibility. The multi-country spread across Northern, Southern, and Western Europe suggests the technology was designed for pan-European applicability, not a single national market.

CONSIGLIO NAZIONALE DELLE RICERCHECoordinator · IT
S&T NETHERLANDS BVparticipant · NL
EPSILON INTERNASIONAL ANONYMI ETAIREIA MELETON KAI SYMVOULON (EPSILON INTERNATIONAL SA)participant · EL
KONINKLIJK NEDERLANDS METEOROLOGISCH INSTITUUT-KNMIparticipant · NL
EUROPEAN CENTRE FOR MEDIUM-RANGE WEATHER FORECASTSparticipant · UK
ILMATIETEEN LAITOSparticipant · FI
INSTITUT ROYAL D'AERONOMIE SPATIALE DE BELGIQUEparticipant · BE

How to reach the team

Coordinator is CONSIGLIO NAZIONALE DELLE RICERCHE (CNR) in Italy. SciTransfer can help identify the right contact person and arrange an introduction.

Order a report on this consortium See CONSIGLIO NAZIONALE DELLE RICERCHE profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want to explore how AURORA's satellite-based ozone and UV monitoring can feed into your products or services? SciTransfer can connect you directly with the research team and help structure a commercial partnership.

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