Abstract-Citizens are providing vast amounts of georeferenced data in the form of in-situ data collection as well as interpretations and digitization of Earth Observation (EO) datasets. These new data streams have considerable potential for supporting the calibration and validation of current and future products derived from EO. Referred to as crowdsourcing and citizen science among many other terms, we provide a general introduction to this growing area of interest and review existing crowdsourcing and citizen science initiatives of relevance to EO. We then draw upon our own experiences to provide case studies that highlight different types of data collection and citizen engagement, and discuss various barriers to adoption. Finally, we highlight opportunities for how citizens can become part of an integrated EO monitoring system in the framework of the EU Space program including Copernicus and other monitoring initiatives.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.