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CONTENTSReport of 1993 CEOS Plenary
CEOS/IGBP-DIS Pilot Project on Data Exchange
High Resolution Data Coverage for CEOS/IGBP-DIS Pilot Project---This page
CEOS Working Group on Data (WGD)
CEOS Working Group on Calibration and Validation (WGCV)
Introduction of CEOS Community Locator System (CCLS)
Report of 1993 CEOS Plenary (continued from page 1)
Requirements for Participation in CEOS
News Highlights
1994 CEOS Meeting Calendar
High Resolution Data Coverage for CEOS/IGBP-DIS Pilot Project
(continued from page 2)
Investingations chosen for the Pilot Project are 1)Tropical Deforestation
and Regrowth (Brazil, Central Africa and South East Asia), David Shole(University
of New Hampshire, USA) 2) Transect studies (Australia and West Africa),
Will Steffen (Canberra-Australia) 3)European and Chinese Field Studies,
Hans-Jurgen Bolle (Berlin-Germany) and Adriaan Van de Griend (Holland)
- The highest priority of data requirement for this project will be to
obtain recent data sequences(over the last 2 years) accross the transect
using TM or SPOT imagery. Also it will be important to have a long term
data base (about 20 years) over several sites to assist in time sequence
analyses of the ecosystem change. A combination of Landsat, SPOT and Radar
measurements over the same site will allow for analysing the functional
characteristics of the vegetation cover.
Another program of IGBP (Biological Aspects of the Hydrological Cycle) is studying vegetation-water interaction on regional scale. It involves modelling of water and energy balance; scaling algorithms; measurements of vegetation-water interactions, surface fluxes. Over several sites in Europe, North Africa, US, Russia and China, simultaneous satellite measurements are carried out over areas where dense surface observation networks have been established. The areas investigated are of the size of SPOT scene (60 X 60 km) and duration of study is usually five months in a year during the green-up phase to the dry-down conditions of vegetation. Frequent coverage of the area by High Resolution images are the highest priority requirements for this project.
Figure which is above shows the areas where IGBP studies are on going and for which High Resolution Data will be critical. For the CEOS/IGBP-DIS pilot project, data request concerned two transects (Australia and West Africa), the tropical forests and several smaller sites in Europe and are in China. The total estimate of data required is of the order of 100 scenes/year of SPOT XS, 50scenes/year of SPOT/Pan, 300 scenes/year of MOS and about 200 scenes/year of Landsat/TM. The period of investigation was proposed to be 3 years starting 1993.
CEOS Response
The response from the concerned space agencies was very positive and
most encouraging.
NASA proposed availability to selected Global Change researchers of
up to 400 TM scenes/year at the "copying" price of $240/scene.
NASDA reported on the availability of approximately 300 scenes/year
of MOS/MESSR data over East and South East Asia which could be purchased
at the cost of $90/scene.
CNES proposed a twofold arrangement to provide SPOT data to IGBP. First,
some SPOT scenes could be made available at a special price ($1200/multispectral;
$1500/panchromatic scene) through SPOT Image and its partner data receiving
stations. Second, partner contributions from the United Kingdom, Sweden,
Belgium, Australia and CEC would enable purchase of a limited number of
scenes at a special price of $200/scene.
Late in 1993, discussions with ESA and ISRO were also initiated. A
request for SAR data from ERS-1 over tropical forests and North Australia
has been very favorably received by ESA. The Indian Space Research Organization
(ISRO) has offered access to IGBP researchers, at modest cost, to more
than 10,000 scenes of Landsat/TM and IRS 1 A and B archived in digital
form at ISRO Center in Hyderabad, India.
Pilot Project Schedule
With the agreements all in place we visualize the following steps to
successfully complete the project.
*Phase 1-Definition (1993-1994): definition of common data format,
identification of available data, precise definition of data required (location
and number of scenes), framework for data access and distribution.
*Phase 2-Execution (1993-1995): assemble existing (pre 1993) archived
data, acquire new data (post 1994), distribute data to core project teams/data
analysis.
*Phase 3-Evaluation (1994-1996): analysis of data, scientific results,
evaluation of project.
During these three phases, the IGBP-DIS will provide coordination from
the IGBP side of the Pilot Project, while CEOS provides coordination for
all of the participating space agencies and data providers. IGBP-DIS is
appointing a Working Group to monitor and track the development of the
project . The Working Group will be comprised of each of the principle
investigators and a few representatives at-large. IGBP-DIS will ensure
that the approach taken, and the ensuing activities of the Project continue
to enhance the goals of Global Change research within IGBP and help provide
added-value to the high quality data acquired by the space agencies. An
update on the activities and progress of the Pilot Project will be made
at each of the CEOS Plenary culminating in a final assessment of the project
in 1996.
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