Institutional scientific discovery infrastructure for climate, space, and critical systems
Northflow builds institutional-grade evidence infrastructure that converts large-scale, uncertain datasets into reproducible, decision-ready intelligence. Our core asset is the Hypothesis Generation Engine (HGE) - a structured system for machine-driven hypothesis search, evaluation, and verification under uncertainty.
Built in Norway. Validated on astronomical observation data. Adapting to ESA Sentinel Earth Observation. Designed for European institutional environments.
Four pillars of institutional evidence infrastructure
Core capabilities defining Northflow's approach to structured discovery and verifiable knowledge production.
Structured discovery
Systematic hypothesis generation and prioritisation across complex observational spaces. Explicit representation enables formal evaluation, institutional review, and cross-domain application.
Verifiable evaluation
Deterministic execution producing identical results under identical conditions. Full replay capability ensures any finding can be independently verified. Audit-grade evidence outputs as standard.
Operational resilience
Architectures designed for regulated, mission-critical, and long-horizon institutional contexts. Governance modes, failover mechanisms, and continuity planning from inception.
Research integration
Applied research methodologies bridging structured discovery, institutional evidence systems, and domain-specific decision support. Validated across astronomical observation and Earth Observation datasets.
THE ENGINE
Powered by HGE - Hypothesis Generation Engine
HGE is an instrument-agnostic system for structured, machine-driven hypothesis discovery and reproducible evaluation. It converts complex observational data into verifiable evidence through explicit hypothesis representation, information-gain-driven prioritisation, deterministic execution, and uncertainty-aware provenance tracking.
The engine is domain-agnostic by architecture. It has been validated on astronomical catalog data and is now being adapted to Earth Observation, climate resilience, and marine systems. Future domains are structurally enabled without requiring engine modification.
Every HGE execution produces signed evidence bundles - tamper-resistant, auditable artifacts designed for institutional review, regulatory scrutiny, and cross-border verification.
- Structured hypothesis search with explicit representation
- Deterministic execution with signed evidence artifacts
- Designed for institutional reproducibility and auditability
- Validated on Gaia DR3 - operational since 2025
PROOF
Validated methodology. Operational evidence.
Northflow follows a strict proof-before-claim discipline. Every capability presented on this site is backed by a working implementation or a documented validation artifact. The proof inventory is maintained and updated as development progresses.
Gaia DR3 astronomical validation
OperationalHGE has been operationally validated against the Gaia Data Release 3 astronomical catalog - one of the largest and most complex structured scientific datasets available. This validation demonstrates the engine's ability to perform structured hypothesis search at scale, with deterministic execution and reproducible evidence outputs across billions of observational records.
Evidence verification system
OperationalA 5-step verification contract producing signed evidence bundles with deterministic replay, audit invariants, policy gating, and tamper resistance. The system has been tested against 6 adversarial attack vectors through a dedicated red-team tamper suite.
Governance modes
OperationalConfigurable governance (disabled / logging / enforced) enabling graduated institutional deployment. Supports transition from open research environments to fully governed mission-critical operations.
Sentinel Earth Observation adaptation
In developmentActive adaptation of HGE for ESA Sentinel satellite data. Targeting wildfire risk modelling, deforestation verification, and infrastructure vulnerability mapping. ESA engagement initiated.
DOMAIN ARCHITECTURE
One engine. Multiple application domains.
HGE is domain-agnostic by design. Each application domain is a structured adapter that connects the engine to a specific observational environment and institutional context. Domains are activated based on institutional validation milestones and partnership readiness.
| DOMAIN | SCOPE | DATA SOURCES | STATUS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Space & Astronomical Observation | Structured hypothesis search across large-scale astronomical datasets. Engine validation and methodology demonstration. | Gaia DR3, astronomical catalogs | Operational |
| Earth Observation & Climate | Wildfire risk modelling, deforestation verification, infrastructure vulnerability mapping from satellite observation. | ESA Sentinel, Copernicus | In development |
| Marine & Water Systems | Evidence frameworks for marine ecosystem monitoring, fisheries management, and coastal resilience. | Satellite + in-situ marine data | Planned |
| Biomedical Research | Secondary validation domain demonstrating engine generality. Automated hypothesis discovery in oncology and women's health research. | Biomedical datasets | Future |
| Energy Infrastructure | Evidence and reasoning frameworks for resilience, flexibility, and coordination in energy-system contexts. | Energy grid data | Future |
Current domains reflect active development and institutional engagement. Future domains are structurally enabled by HGE\'s architecture and will be activated after core validation milestones are achieved.
Architecture designed for European regulatory environments
Northflow systems are developed with structural alignment to relevant European regulatory and governance standards. Standards references describe design intent and target operating models. Formal certifications are pursued and verified where applicable.
ISO/IEC 27001 - Information security management design alignment
Structural design alignment for institutional security control models.
GDPR - European data protection regulation architecture
Design alignment for lawful processing and governance-ready data handling.
NIS2 Directive - Network and information systems security design principles
Architecture patterns aligned with resilience and incident governance intent.
DORA - Digital Operational Resilience Act framework alignment
Operational resilience design alignment for critical digital service contexts.
Standards references describe design alignment and target operating models. Formal certifications are pursued and verified where applicable.
Advanced research in climate and space-enabled systems
Northflow develops structured methodologies for institutional evidence generation across climate resilience, Earth Observation, and astronomical observation domains. Research areas include structured hypothesis discovery, audit-grade evaluation systems, and decision architectures for uncertain and large-scale environments.
Explore research capabilities →Policy framework research
Analysis of regulatory environments impacting climate, space, infrastructure, and institutional data systems.
Systems architecture
Development of verifiable infrastructure patterns for mission-critical and research environments.
Academic collaboration
Engagement with research institutions to validate and publish methodological advances.
Institutional engagement
Formal dialogue pathways for qualified institutional stakeholders.
Government entities
Infrastructure and resilience systems aligned with institutional requirements. Designed for evaluation within European space, climate, and governance frameworks.
Research collaboration
Academic and research partnerships in climate resilience, astronomical observation, Earth Observation methodology, and structured discovery systems. Co-publication and methodological co-development.
Institutional stakeholders
Mission-critical infrastructure consultation within regulated environments. Evidence infrastructure evaluation and governance framework assessment.
Research dialogue · Institutional collaboration · Funding discussions