A Perspective on Gaussian Processes for Earth Observation
This is an incremental perspective paper addressing challenges in applying GPs to Earth observation for monitoring the planet.
The paper reviews the use of Gaussian processes (GPs) in Earth observation for estimating bio-geo-physical variables with accurate predictions and uncertainty quantification, but notes challenges such as the need for physics-aware models and causal inference.
Earth observation (EO) by airborne and satellite remote sensing and in-situ observations play a fundamental role in monitoring our planet. In the last decade, machine learning and Gaussian processes (GPs) in particular has attained outstanding results in the estimation of bio-geo-physical variables from the acquired images at local and global scales in a time-resolved manner. GPs provide not only accurate estimates but also principled uncertainty estimates for the predictions, can easily accommodate multimodal data coming from different sensors and from multitemporal acquisitions, allow the introduction of physical knowledge, and a formal treatment of uncertainty quantification and error propagation. Despite great advances in forward and inverse modelling, GP models still have to face important challenges that are revised in this perspective paper. GP models should evolve towards data-driven physics-aware models that respect signal characteristics, be consistent with elementary laws of physics, and move from pure regression to observational causal inference.