EO4Health Virtual Observatory

Getting started with the EO4Health Virtual Observatory

The EO4Health Resilience Project leverages Earth Observation (EO) data to support public health and environmental resilience, particularly in regions vulnerable to climate-sensitive diseases. By integrating satellite-derived environmental indicators with epidemiological models, the project provides timely, location-specific insights into the risks of vector-borne and water-borne diseases.

Its goal is to enhance early warning systems, inform health interventions, and support decision-making for disaster preparedness and climate adaptation, with a strong focus on data accessibility and collaboration across scientific and policy communities.

EO4Health Viewer

The EO4Health Viewer is an interactive platform designed to visualize Earth Observation data pertinent to public health. It plays a crucial role in making EO and geospatial data accessible to non-expert users, including public health officials, decision-makers, and humanitarian workers.

By offering an intuitive, web-based interface, it allows users to visualize, explore, and interpret complex EO datasets without needing technical expertise in remote sensing or GIS. This accessibility bridges the gap between advanced scientific data and real-world application, empowering users to make informed decisions on health risk monitoring, environmental management, and climate resilience—especially in regions with limited technical capacity.

Follow these guidelines (partial, yet representative) to explore the various datasets and tools on the platform, made available in the scope of ESA’s EO4Health Resilience project.

Accessing the EO4Health Viewer

• Navigate to: https://eo4health.viewer.brockmann-consult.de

Interface Overview

• Main Map Area: Central display showing geospatial data.
• Top Toolbar: Tools for navigation and settings.
• Left Panel: Dataset selection and layer management.

Accessing the Confidential Part of the Platform

Accredited users have access to private datasets that, for various reasons, cannot be made publicly available. To log in, simply click the “login” button located on the right side of the top toolbar.

Once logged in, users gain access to all datasets available in the EO4Health Viewer.

Selecting, Managing and Visualizing Datasets

• Dataset Selection:
  In the left panel, click on datacubes such as West Nile Virus circulation forecast (250m), Vembanad Lake E. Coli Concentration, or Milan Air Pollution to load them onto the map.
• Variable Selection:
  Some datasets include multiple variables. These can be selected from the dropdown menu located to the right of the dataset name.

• Info Box Activation:
  To view real-time values from each variable, enable the info box. As you move your mouse over the map, actual data values will be displayed dynamically.
• Time Series Navigation:
  For datasets with time series data, use the time slider in the top toolbar. Navigate forward or backward in time manually or automatically. Available dates are shown as you scroll.

• Displaying Satellite Images (for accredited users):
  Satellite datasets offer two visualization modes:
  1. True Colour Images: Use the “RGB” toggle button to display standard satellite imagery.
  
  2. Spectral Bands: View individual spectral bands listed in the variable list for each image.
  
• Data Selection and Plotting:
  Users can extract values and visualize them in graphs for better understanding, especially for time-series analysis.
  Use the “Add a point location in map” feature to click on the map and generate a graph in the left panel. Each point is color-coded for easy identification on both the map and the graph.

• Data Symbology:
  Datasets are displayed using default symbology optimized for clarity. Users can customize this by:
  • Clicking on the symbology in the legend box.
  • Choosing from a wide range of color palettes.
  • Adjusting layer opacity.
  • Inverting color ramps.

  Click on the colour ramp → Choose the desired palette → Adjust display options

Utilizing Additional Map Tools and Information

• Split Layers:
  Compare datasets using the split layer option in the right-side panel.
  Example: Day (left) and night (right) land surface temperature over Madagascar.

• Settings:
  Customize language and other preferences via the Settings menu.
• Viewer Documentation:
  Access the Help section within the EO4Health Viewer for additional guidance.
  Clicking the “Documentation” link redirects to the xcube Viewer Documentation webpage, which provides a comprehensive explanation of all platform functionalities.

Note: Screenshots referenced are illustrative. For actual visuals, please visit the EO4Health Viewer directly at
https://eo4health.viewer.brockmann-consult.de

List of Available Layers