For more than sixty years, diffusion has provided one of the central frameworks for describing the transport of energetic particles in the Earth’s radiation belts. In this framework, changes in particle distributions are often interpreted as the result of gradual, stochastic transport, much like a drop of ink dispersing through water. It is a simple, elegant idea, and it has helped anchor the field ever since.
As one of the first scientific results to emerge from the ISSI International Team 640, “Beyond Diffusion: Advancing Earth’s Radiation Belt Models with Nonlinear Dynamics”, led by Miroslav Hanzelka and Oliver Allanson, a new paper asks whether some of what we have interpreted as diffusion might instead be the observational signature of coherent, collision-less dynamics.
We are pleased to feature a new and timely Perspective paper: “Earth observations for climate adaptation: tracking progress towards the Global Goal on Adaptation through satellite-derived indicators” published in npj Climate and Atmospheric Science on 11 November 2025.
ISSI welcomes Dr. Htet Yamin Ko Ko who will study how geospatial and satellite images can help us manage the effects of rising temperatures in cities.
The International Space Science Institute (ISSI) in Bern, Switzerland, is thrilled to announce Dr. Benjamin Poulter from the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, USA, as the upcoming 2025 Johannes Geiss Fellow. This fellowship offers an exceptional opportunity for established researchers to advance innovative and interdisciplinary work in space and Earth science.
The project of ISSI Team 524 dives into how changes in the open ocean influence coastal sea levels. Through coastal altimetry, tide gauge data, and advanced model simulations, this research uncovers key insights on sea-level fluctuations that impact both local shores and broader coastal systems globally.
Roland Hohensinn’s research underscores the importance of Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) in both long-term geophysical monitoring and rapid-response applications, contributing valuable insights to the field of natural hazard assessment.
