Playing the Water Cycle “Game”: Data From Space for A Safer Planet

Abstract

As Earth’s climate continues to warm, extreme weather events like severe storms and floods are becoming more common, endangering many lives. To help keep people safe, we have developed a computer model called DTE Hydrology—kind of like a scientific video game—that can warn people if flooding is likely in their area. This model is known as a “digital twin” of the Earth because it is almost like having a computer-based copy of the planet! Measurements of rainfall and soil moisture can be collected both on Earth and from satellites, and the model can use these data to predict the likelihood of flooding in a given area. We can also use DTE Hydrology to “experiment” on Earth’s digital twin, to learn more about what causes flooding. In the future, we hope to use this system to save even more lives by predicting landslides and monitoring wildfires, too.