A proof-of-concept online metadata catalogue service of Earth observation datasets for human health research in exposomics

This article describes research carried out during 2023 under an International Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ISPRS)-funded project to develop and disseminate a metadata catalogue of Earth observation data sources/products and types that are relevant to human health research in exposomics, as a free service to interested researchers worldwide. The proof-of-concept catalogue was informed by input from existing research literature on the subject (desk research), as well as online communications with, and relevant research publications collected from, a small panel (n = 5) of select experts from the academia in three countries (China, UK and USA). It has 90 metadata records of relevant Earth observation datasets (n = 40) and associated health-focused research publications (n = 50). The project's online portal offers a searchable version of the catalogue featuring a number of search modes and filtering options. It is hoped future, more comprehensive versions of this service will enable more researchers and studies to discover and use remote sensing data about population-level exposures to disease determinants (exposomic determinants of disease) in combination with other relevant data to reveal fresh insights that could improve our understanding of relevant diseases, and hence contribute to the development of better-optimized prevention and management plans to tackle them.