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CONTENTS10th Anniversary Celebration in Berlin
Report from CEOS 8th Plenary in Berlin
10th Anniversary Celebration in Berlin
Integrated User Data Requirements for Global Change Research
CEOS Special Report on Successful Applications of Earth Observation Satellite Data (Pilot Version)
Advancing Global Topographic Kowledge: Significant Progress, but CEOS Members Can Help Greatly
Advancing Global Topographic Kowledge: Significant Progress,---This page but CEOS Members Can Help Greatly(continued page)
CEOS Activity Plan for 1995/News Highlights/CEOS Meeting Calendar
Advancing Global Topographic Knowledge:Significant Progress, but CEOS Members Can Help Greatly!
- This data set alone covers over half of the Earth's land surface. Additional
contributions of 30-arc-second data have been made by the USA and Italy.with
additional contribution currently under negotiation. The U.S. Geological
Survey's EROS Data Center, and the Department of Photogrammetry and Surveying
at University College London, are converting digitized elevation contours
from the U.S. Defense Mapping Agency's Digital Chart of the World to gridded
DEMs. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Geophysical
Data Center is compiling global coverage DEMs at best available resolution
to complete GLOBE's coverage.
Nevertheless, GLOBE still faces considerable obstacles. Many parts of the Earth lack quality DEMs. Several areas with DEM coverage are currently unusable in GLOBE because of copyright or other restriction. Also, GLOBE is an unfunded project, based on the ability of its participants to fit GLOBE's objectives with their own individual missions. These financial realities limit GLOBE's ability to enhance GLOBE DEM coverage from spaceborne radar imagery, for example.
CEOS members, and other readers of this article can help immensely, if they can find or produce DEMs that can be used in GLOBE.
Some institutions, which must honor governmental copyright on high-resolution DEMs, have found a way to contribute versions with somewhat reduced horizontal resolution or vertical accuracy, which may be released without copyright or other restriction. As part of its documentation, GLOBE will cite these sources, and note that higher-resolution DEMs are available from these sources. GLOBE considers this as proper scientific citation of source materials. The institutions may consider this to be valuable free publicity for their higher-resolution data. Please contact us at the address below, if you are responsible for national, regional, or other DEM develoment, and wish to explore this option.
The current participants in GLOBE profusely thank the following major contributors to improve understanding of the Earth's topography:
* USGS EROS Data Center, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, USA * University College London UK * DLR-German Remote Sensing Data Center, Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany * NOAA National Geophysical Data Center, Boulder, Colorado USA * Defense Mapping Agency, Fairfax, Virginia, USA * Plus many other institutes and individuals. For further information contactd: David A. Hastings, Secretary of GLOBE World Data Center-A. Boulder Centers National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration National Geophysical Data Center 325 Broadway Boulder, Colorado 80303, USA Tel: (+1-303) 497-6729 FAX: (+1-303) 497-6513BLOBE: Existing Coverage of Digital Elevation Models.
Areas in Green have 30-arc-second DEMs derived from higher-resolution DEMs or from Digital Chart of the World contours. Areas in gray have lower-resolution coverage (the darker the gray, the coarser the coverage). Dark blue areas have moderate-to-coarse-resolution bathymetric models. CEOS participants can help by offering leads to better data in all aread, but especially in areas shaded dark gray.
Integrated User Requirement for Global Change Research
(continued from page 4)An operational satellite is one of a series of environmental observation
satellites with the primary purpose to routinely provide real-time observations
and services to a consistant standard over a long period of time. Resources
are committed to ensure continuity of services thus allowing a reliable
satellite replacement policy.
The earth system monitoring satellites are meant to provide long (and
consistent) time series of data, using existing or well proven observing
techniques and technologies that will support established climate applications
or assist in meeting earth system sciences needs. Earth system monitoring
satellites will provide a more comprehensive set of measurements by adding
oceanographic, climatological and environmental observations to the basic
real-time observing system.
An experimental satellite is an environmental observation satellite
with the primary purpose of acquiring a special set of research (exploratory)
data, or providing a flight demonstration (proof-of-concept) of new or
improved sensors and satellite systems.
The present is bright an the future clear. The presentation of the
CEOS Affiliates' Dossier to the CEOS Plenary was the first occasion for
all the satellite operators to view the total requirements for satellite
data from the major user communities. CEOS Members have stated their plans
and programmes as contained in the CEOS Dossier and in databases available
to the CEOS Affiliates. CEOS Affiliates are continuing their dialogue with
CEOS through User Workshops and at Plenary. Affiliates are also continuing
internal reviews of both their requirements and space agency plans to continue
the dialogue.
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