Today's Edition
ABU DHABI (WAM)
The National Centre of Meteorology (NCM) has been awarded the Innovate for Impact Use Case Winner Certificate at the AI for Good Global Summit, organised by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) in Geneva, in recognition of its VIIRS LEO–SEVIRI GEO Satellite Super-Resolution technology.
This capability builds on research conducted under the fifth cycle of the UAE Research Programme for Rain Enhancement Science (UAEREP) through the project titled “Identification of Clouds' Microphysical Seedability in an Actionable Manner,” led by Prof Daniel Rosenfeld of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in collaboration with the Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI).
Using advanced artificial intelligence, the technology enhances the resolution of geostationary satellite imagery by combining the frequent observations of geostationary satellites with the higher spatial detail of low Earth orbit satellite data. This enables the generation of high-resolution satellite imagery at 15-minute intervals to support more accurate weather monitoring, forecasting, and operational decision-making.
Dr Abdulla Al Mandous, President of the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) and Chairman of the National Centre of Meteorology (NCM), said, "This recognition reflects the impact of the integrated research and innovation ecosystem established by NCM through the UAE Research Programme for Rain Enhancement Science and its close collaboration with leading academic and research institutions. The development of this cutting-edge satellite imaging capability demonstrates how strategic investment in scientific research and artificial intelligence can be translated into practical solutions that strengthen meteorological services and address emerging weather and climate challenges.
"This achievement also underscores the UAE's continued commitment to advancing scientific innovation, fostering international collaboration, and contributing to global efforts aimed at enhancing weather and climate resilience for the benefit of communities worldwide."
For her part, Alya Al Mazrouei, Director of the UAE Research Programme for Rain Enhancement Science and Director of the Research and Weather Enhancement Department at NCM, said, “The recognition of this satellite super-resolution capability highlights the value of translating research outcomes into advanced operational technologies that can strengthen meteorological services and support future advances in rain enhancement science. It also reflects the quality of the research conducted by UAEREP awardees and the growing impact of the programme in advancing next-generation weather technologies that harness artificial intelligence and emerging scientific approaches to address key challenges in atmospheric sciences and weather enhancement."
The award-winning capability addresses a long-standing challenge in satellite meteorology. While geostationary satellites provide observations every 15 minutes, their imagery is typically limited by coarser spatial resolution. In contrast, low Earth orbit satellites capture significantly finer details but revisit the same location only a few times per day.
By applying advanced machine learning techniques, the UAEREP awardee team developed a diffusion-based super-resolution model trained on approximately 8,000 paired satellite images, enabling lower-resolution imagery to be enhanced with much finer detail while maintaining the frequent update rate required for operational weather applications.
Future development of the technology will focus on near-real-time deployment and expansion across additional satellite channels and products to further support operational forecasting and rain enhancement activities.
The AI for Good Global Summit serves as the United Nations’ leading platform for identifying and advancing practical applications of artificial intelligence that contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, bringing together policymakers, researchers, industry leaders, and technology experts from around the world.
