Notes on calibration, uncertainty, and Earth observation.

SpectraWorks publishes commentary, technical notes, and curated reading on the calibration questions shaping Earth observation. Not every remote sensing problem is a data-access problem - often, the harder question is whether the measurement can be trusted, compared, and defended.

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15 May
2026

Commentary

When a regulator asks "how do you know," the answer cannot be a colour ramp

A Mexican coffee farmer flagged non-compliant by an EUDR map that confused agroforestry with forest. A Dutch farmer permitted under a model the Council of State struck down. Both cases met the same question - how do you know - and could not answer it. The colour ramp is not the answer.

Richard van Schaik· 9 min read

14 May
2026

Commentary

70% or 7%? The Climate TRACE dispute and the calibration question

When a peer-reviewed paper reports two emissions inventories disagree by 70% across 260 US cities and the dataset producer replies the gap is closer to 6%, the question is not which number is correct. It is how anyone is supposed to know.

Richard van Schaik· 7 min read

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