Our team and mission

Within the Earth Observation Projects Department, the Copernicus Sentinel Expansion missions are currently under development. One of those missions is the CHIME (Copernicus Hyperspectral Imaging Mission for the Environment). CHIME plans to carry a unique visible to shortwave infrared spectrometer to provide routine hyperspectral observations to support new and enhanced services for sustainable agricultural and biodiversity management, as well as soil property characterisation.

You will join the CHIME project and work with the system engineering and mission-performance teams on end-to-end simulation, uncertainty propagation and the reliability of hyperspectral satellite data products.

Further details on the CHIME mission can be found at:

• ESA - Copernicus Sentinel Expansion missions;
• ESA - Going hyperspectral for CHIME;
• CHIME: an overview of its mission, system and planning status; SPIE Proceedings Volume 12729; 1272909 (2023) The copernicus hyperspectral imaging mission for the environment (CHIME): an overview of its mission, system and planning status;
• CHIME's end to end simulator (CHEES): simulating, testing and generating hyperspectral products;
• Geolocation error impact on retrieval uncertainty: a new algorithm for high-resolution Earth observation missions;
• Examples for typical CHIME Level 2 products: Prototyping Vegetation Traits Models in the Context of the Hyperspectral Chime Mission Preparation | IEEE Conference Publication | IEEE Xplore, Retrieval of carbon content and biomass from hyperspectral imagery over cultivated areas - ScienceDirect.

Candidates interested are encouraged to visit the ESA website: http://www.esa.int

Field(s) of activity for the internship

Topic of the internship: Enhanced spatial detection capabilities for Imaging spectrometer CHIME

Can imaging spectroscopy reveal materials smaller than a ground pixel, and can spatial enhancement improve their detection and quantification? You will investigate these questions for selected scientific applications using simulated or suitable reference observations. 

What you will do:

• review the baseline pixel-binning approach and the telescope, spectrometer and pixel contributions to spatial performance;
• develop a simulation and prototype processing algorithm;
• evaluate sensitivity to noise, channel misregistration and differences in scene content between wavelengths;
• quantify spatial improvement alongside any loss of radiometric accuracy or spectral fidelity;
• document expected improvements and limitations of the proposed approach;
• test the methods using representative mission scenarios and discuss the results with mission scientists and industrial simulator teams.

Learning objectives

By the end of the internship, you will be able to:

• assess how instrument modulation transfer function (MTF) affects CHIME’s spatial resolution;
• develop reproducible simulation and reconstruction methods to compare the baseline product with potential enhanced products;
• evaluate achievable spatial improvement and its sensitivity to noise, channel misregistration and spectral differences;
• communicate quantitative evidence to scientific, engineering and industrial specialists.

The principal outcome will be a tested software prototype that enables a feasibility assessment quantifying the achievable spatial improvement relative to the baseline CHIME product.

Behavioural competencies

Result Orientation
Operational Efficiency
Fostering Cooperation
Relationship Management
Continuous Improvement
Forward Thinking

For more information, please refer to ESA Core Behavioural Competencies guidebook

Education

You must be a university student, preferably in your final or second-to-last year of university course at Master's level. In addition, you must be able to prove that you will be enrolled at your university for the entire duration of the internship.

Additional requirements

The working languages of the Agency are English and French. A good knowledge of one of these is required. Knowledge of another ESA Member State language is an asset.

During the interview, your motivation for applying to this role will be explored.

You should also have:

• background in physics, applied mathematics, Earth observation, signal processing or aerospace engineering;
• experience with Python, numerical modelling and statistical analysis;
• familiarity with uncertainty propagation, sensitivity analysis or imaging spectroscopy is an asset.