Motivation

1. To date there is no adequate training in aquatic remote sensing for students and young researchers in Nordic Countries, need to bundle educational expertise and facilities.
2. The aquatic remote sensing community in the Nordic countries is relatively small, and the network will reinforce our national research programs as well as stimulate new Nordic collaboration (both in science and application).
3. The Baltic Sea is one of the most polluted seas in the world and therefore it requires international coordination of science and monitoring programs. Remote sensing provides a synoptic view and therefore essential information to facilitate this coordination.
4. Because of the geographical location, Nordic and Baltic countries have a great challenge in the application of remote sensing; the use of standard processing of satellite data and global algorithms is inadequate (global products from NASA and ESA). Combining the knowledge and infrastructure of the network participants can lead to the development of region-specific processing and algorithms (both for water and atmosphere).
5. There is a need to improve the positions of Nordic countries within the field of aquatic remote sensing, as currently most of the work is done by larger centers outside the Nordic region which may lack knowledge about specific Nordic conditions.
6. In Nordic countries most lakes and parts of the Baltic Sea are ice-covered in the winter season but most aquatic optics data spans over spring-autumn. Including data from winter (ice-cover) can help to develop a system for better environmental monitoring (not only for water, but also for ice cover and for coastal areas).