The SAR subgroup hosted a workshop February 1998. The workshop was attended by more than 120 participants viewing 55 presentations arranged in the form of serial plenary sessions. Each workshop session was followed by a short round table in order to discuss specific issues. The session topics included; SAR Ocean and Terrestrial applications, Radarsat, ENVISAT ASAR, Calibration, Processing and Future Systems.
The Terrain Mapping (TM) subgroup continued making assessments of DEM generation methods and data sources. Tandem data have been received from ESA, ASF and DLR, and optical data from ISRO and other sources. Multiple data sets have been collected and distributed to several groups for evaluation.
At the Microwave Sensors Subgroup (MSSG) meeting at Marshall Space Flight Center (april 1998) calibration and validation issues for several sensors were discussed. Sensors discussed included MSU, AMSR, CMIS, AMSU, PR and TMI. After many years of dedicated service, Jim Shuie (NASA/GSFC) has stepped down as chairman of the group. Elena Lobl (NASA/MSFC) has been appointed new working group chair.
Infrared Visible and Optical Sensors (IVOS) subgroup members supported the very successful CEOS Radiometer intercomparison held in Miami, and work on the intercomparison of space-borne visible radiometers has been continuing through collaborations between RAL and the NOAA and POLDER Teams. In addition, the ATSR Team will put the complete ATSR-2 data set for the Libyan Desert Test site on-line before the next IVOS meeting to facilitate additional intercomparisons.
The ongoing effort for WGCV to respond to requests from IGOS pilot projects was discussed. Several specific actions were taken and there was a general recommendation to handle detailed individual requests (e.g., for input on the validation of thematic products) by forming ad hoc experts groups or hosting WGCV-sponsored workshops to develop methods, share information, or undertake studies. These workshops or expert groups could then consider the need for or feasibility of creating a subgroup.
During a special session on Japanese developments WGCV members were informed of the plans for the Japanese EO programme and specific details of calibration and validation of ADEOS OCTS and TRMM PR. Additional information related to JERS-1 SAR Science Program and TRMM TMI validation was also provided.
The group was also heard from Phillipe Teillet, CCRS, who provided input for discussion through presenting the recent developments in the Quality Assurance and Stability Reference Monitoring activities and associated recommendations for instrumented test sites, and Nagaraja Rao, NOAA, who presented a future calibration strategy which incorporated an element of instrumented test sites.
Special Meeting on Working Groups Contribution to the Development of IGOS (23-24 March 1998).
Following a recommendation from the 13th meeting of the WGCV, the chairman of WGCV organised a two-day meeting to discuss the potential for the CEOS working groups to contribute to the cal/val and information systems and services needs of the IGOS Pilot Projects. The meeting was co-chaired by Alan Belward (WGCV Chairman) and Peter Churchill (WGISS Deputy Chair).
Following informative presentations by working group and pilot project
representatives, Peter Churchill led the workshop attendees in a real-time
requirements definition forum. This resulted in each IGOS project identifying
requirements and recommendations related to calibration and validation,
project methodology, organisation issues, data availability, data access,
and data use.
This information, which is available on-line at http://www.eos.co.uk/ceos-calval/docs/docs_index.htm
provided a focus for WGCV and WGISS discussions. Additional recommendations
were drafted for presentation to the SIT.
