Earth Science Research Paper University Of London

This preprint presents a synthesis of applied earth science research conducted between 2022 and 2025, focusing on the integration of geospatial analysis, climate datasets, and quality assurance (QA) frameworks to support environmental assessment and policy-relevant decision-making. The research addresses four key thematic areas: urban expansion and land-use change, climate variability and water resource mapping, soil erosion and agricultural productivity, and cross-border benchmarking of geoscience data systems.

Remote sensing imagery from Sentinel-2 and Landsat 8 was combined with geographic information systems (GIS) to assess patterns of urban growth, vegetation loss, and land degradation in selected regions of Kenya, including Nairobi and Machakos. Climate analyses integrated ERA5 reanalysis data with ground-based hydrological observations to improve the reliability of drought vulnerability mapping. Soil erosion risk was evaluated using digital elevation models, rainfall erosivity indices, and field survey data to examine impacts on agricultural productivity.

The study also includes comparative benchmarking of metadata standards, QA protocols, and institutional workflows across geoscience data systems in Kenya, Denmark, and the United Kingdom. The findings highlight the importance of standardized QA frameworks and interoperable data infrastructures in enhancing data credibility, cross-regional comparability, and the policy relevance of earth science research. This work is intended as an open-access preprint to support knowledge sharing, research transparency, and future collaboration.