Earth System Data Exploration

How can we leverage the AI wave to build better weather and climate models?

The Earth System Data Exploration (ESDE) research group develops advanced machine-learning methods and large-scale data workflows to improve the analysis and forecasting of air quality, weather, and climate. Our research supports science-based decisions that help save lives during extreme events, protect ecosystems, and strengthen resilience in a changing climate.

We integrate atmospheric data science, machine learning, and high-performance computing to design open, federated infrastructures that follow FAIR principles — making data Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable. From raw data processing to real-world applications, we work on end-to-end solutions for climate, weather, and air-quality research.

ESDE is a proud partner of the European WeatherGenerator consortium, which brings together 21 expert partners across Europe to advance the future of AI-based weather forecasting. We lead the BMFTR-funded RAINA project that focuses on extreme precipitation and flooding events, and coordinate the HFMI project HClimRep, which applies the concept of foundation modelling to the climate system.

In addition, we are actively engaged in the BMFTR-funded WarmWorld Smarter and Easier projects and hold a subcontract in the DestinationEarth initiative DE393 that aims at building an AI-based digital twin for climate.

Within the Jülich Supercomputer Center (JSC), we collaborate closely with the Simulation and Data Laboratories for Climate and Terrestrial Systems, the AI for Remote Sensing Lab, the Applied AI Lab, and ATML for Large-scale Data Management and Analytics.

Through its members, ESDE is an integral part of the Center for Earth System Observations and Computational Analysis (CESOC), with Prof. Dr. Martin Schultz serving as CESOC Director and Dr. Florentine Weber as CESOC Coordinator. The Center is a joint initiative of the Universities of Bonn and Cologne, together with Forschungszentrum Jülich. Recognising Earth as a complex system, CESOC works in close partnership with European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) and other national and international institutions to bring together expertise and address the pressing challenges of global environmental change.

The ESDE research group is led by Prof. Dr. Martin Schultz and brings together an international, diverse team of researchers across all career stages and disciplinary backgrounds. We are united by a shared motivation to advance AI-driven Earth system science and to translate cutting-edge research into real-world impact.