Geographical Patterns in Earth Observation Science and Environmental Research: A Global Bibliometric Assessment (1978–2024)

This paper provides insight into the development of Earth Observation (EO) research within geographic and environmental sciences from 1978 to 2024, using a spatially explicit bibliometric approach. The research is based on 28,871 publications indexed in the Web of Science database, which includes four EO-related subject categories: remote sensing, environmental science, geography physical, and geography. Two main phases of the de velopment of EO research are identified. The first period (1978–2011) is marked by fundamental research on early satellite imagery, while the second period (2012–2024) represents a strong growth spurred by open data policies, the Sentinel missions and the development of cloud computing platforms. The results indicate marked geographical asymmetries. Research activities are concentrated in the United States, China, Canada and Western Europe, while many countries of the Global South remain underrepresented and rely more heavily on international collaboration. These spatial disparities reflect the uneven global distribution of scientific and technological capacity. Thematic and network analyses show a shift in focus from sensor- and data-driven research towards the application of machine learning, time-series analysis, land use and land cover change studies and Sentinel-based applications. The results provide a contextual framework for understanding how the development of environmental observation research capacity and technological change are shaping contemporary environmental research and its ability to respond to global environmental change.