Katarzyna Dragańska-Deja and Mirosław Darecki represented the Institute of Oceanology Polish Academy of Sciences (IOPAN) at the ESA Polar Science Cluster Meeting in Innsbruck, Austria 15-17 September 2026.
The meeting brought together scientists involved in ESA-supported polar research and provided an excellent opportunity to exchange knowledge, discuss recent advances in Earth observation of the polar regions, and strengthen collaboration within the international polar research community.
"Linking In Situ Bio-Optical Measurements with Ocean Colour Remote Sensing for Marine Biodiversity Assessment in the European Arctic"
Katarzyna Dragańska-Deja and Mirosław Darecki presented results from the SeaQuester, BioEcoOcean, OpticalGreen, and PhytoDiverse projects, demonstrating how in situ bio-optical measurements can be combined with satellite ocean-colour observations to support marine biodiversity assessment in the European Arctic. The meeting also provided an opportunity to present the European Space Agency’s new research programmes for the polar regions.
The ensuing discussions focused on aligning these programmes with the expectations and research needs of the scientific community, providing vital guidance to the PhytoDiverse project consortium.
