The application of lidar and passive optical remote sensing technologies has revolutionized the study of marine ecosystems and atmospheric environments. These advanced techniques allow for high-resolution, non-invasive monitoring of oceanographic features, marine biodiversity, and atmospheric conditions across vast and often inaccessible areas. Lidar, with its ability to measure precise distances and resolve vertical structures, has emerged as a crucial tool to obtain detailed profiles of seawater optical properties, enabling applications such as bathymetry, plankton detection, and fluorescence measurements, which can identify events like red tides or hypoxia. Meanwhile, passive optical remote sensing provides valuable data on ocean color, phytoplankton distribution, and the health of marine ecosystems. Besides, artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly being incorporated to assist in processing and interpreting these large datasets, improving the efficiency and accuracy of analyses. As climate change impacts intensify, these technologies, enhanced by AI, are becoming essential for understanding the intricate interactions between marine environments and atmospheric processes, thus advancing knowledge of global environmental changes and supporting sustainable management strategies.

This Research Topic aims to bring together leading experts in lidar and optical remote sensing to explore current and emerging technologies in marine and atmospheric research. It will focus on the integration of lidar, passive optical remote sensing, and AI techniques to address the limitations of traditional methods, particularly in high-latitude and polar regions. The goal is to advance our understanding of marine ecosystems, atmospheric processes, and their interactions by providing continuous, high-resolution data. Contributions will highlight recent achievements in ocean optics, atmospheric optics, and biogeochemical monitoring, with an emphasis on improving environmental management and policy strategies in the face of climate change.

This Research Topic welcomes contributions on the following themes:

o History and review of ocean and atmospheric lidar remote sensing technologies;

o Ocean optics and their role in marine remote sensing;

o Lidar remote sensing of oceans, including bathymetry and ecosystem monitoring;

o Atmospheric optical properties and lidar applications in atmospheric studies;

o Fluorescence lidar for detecting photosynthetic pigments and water quality;

o Feature extraction and pattern recognition in laser-induced fluorescence spectra;

o Development of lidar remote sensing algorithms for improved data inversion;

o Evaluation of oceanographic lidar inversion algorithms for marine data;

o Synergies between lidar and passive remote sensors or in-situ measurements;

o Space-borne lidar systems (e.g., CALIPSO, ICESat-2) for bathymetry and atmospheric studies;

o Ground-based, ship-based, airborne, and space-borne lidar systems;

o Lidar applications in marine biogeochemistry and climate change research;

o Integration of lidar with AI for data analysis and modeling in environmental studies;

o Carbon remote sensing and its role in monitoring carbon cycles and carbon sinks;

o Polar remote sensing, focusing on the unique challenges and advancements in polar region monitoring.

Are you interested in contributing a manuscript to this Research Topic?

Volume 2: Advances in Lidar and Passive Optical Remote Sensing for Marine Ecosystem and Atmospheric Environmental Monitoring