At the universities Interdisciplinary Centre on Baltic Sea Region Research, we are responsible for the sub-project Spatio-temporal patterns that uses Earth observation images, geodata, and historical maps to explore transformations throughout space and time.

In work package 1 Spatio-temporal patterns of land cover and land use, we create an Earth observation (Landsat, Sentinel 2) data cube for the Baltic Sea Region and derive maps on land cover and its gradual changes since the mid-1980s. Together with colleagues we then explore selected processes related to research questions in the IFZO context. One focus is on the quantification of change processes in peatlands.

The maps from the previous work package together with digitized historical maps mark the core content of the Baltic Earth Observation and Geodata Repository, which is the aim of work package 2. This repository is a basic data infrastructure for the research at IFZO and the basis for collaborative projects that contribute to the Atlas of Fragmented Transformation.

In work package 3 Urban-Rural Gradients we put a special focus on the gradients of urban development. We reconstruct urban growth in the Baltic Sea Region over four decades, which were characterized by multiple political changes and fragmented developments. Together with the workgroup of Paula Prenzel, we explore how results from the Earth observation and geodata analysis can be combined with socio-demographic information.