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CONTENTSCEOS Task Force on Planning and Analysis Reports---This page
Activities of Working Group on Calibration and Valldatlon, (WGCV)
CEOS Inventory Interoperability Experlment
The Global Climate Observing System (GCOS): Plan for Space-Based Observations
Analysis of the Great Hanshin Earthquake by Using Satellite Data
Feasibility Study for a CEOS Developing Country Space Information System
The Global Climate Observing System (GCOS):
Plan for Space-Based Observations (continued from page 4)
CEOS Plenary/IAI/Highlight/Calender
CEOS Task Force on Planning and Analysis Reports to CEOS User Requirements Workshop
Lisa R. Shaffer
Director, Mission to Planet Earth Division, Office of External Relations,
NASA HQ
- The Task Force on Planning and Analysis was formed at the eighth CEOS
Plenary meeting, in September 1994, to evaluate the extent to which existing
and planned satellite systeme address defined user requirements of the
CEOS Affiliate organizations.
The Task Force, co-chaired by Dr. B. Bizzarri (ASI) and Dr.I.Rasool (IGBP) has met three times since the Plenary. On May 8-9, 1995, NASA hosted a Workshop so that the Task Force could present its preliminary findings to CEOS members, and receive further guidance and feedback prior to the 1995 Plenary.
The Task Force is developing a preliminary assessment of where there are gaps and where there is overlap in satellite systems, based on nine groupings of geophysical parameters and interpretation of particular sensor capabilities. This information is the basis for assessing the extent to which particular requirements of CEOS Affiliate organizations are being or can be met. The groups of parameters are:
* temperature and humidity sounding
* wind sounding
* clouds and precipitation
* atmospheric energetics
* ozone and other trace gases
* ocean surface
* ice and snow
* land surface
* solid earth
One immediate outcome of the Task Force's work was the realization that the information on sensors/satellites and the format for documentation of user requirements were not easily integrated. Therefore, the Task Force developed a new format and recommended that both CEOS member agencies as data providers, and Affiliate organizations, as users, use a consistent set of definitions and elements in defining their capabilities and needs. This format was discussed and agreed by the Workshop, and will be presented to the Plenary with a recommended action for all participants to update their inputs in this manner.
Coordination for the next decade
The 1995 CEOS Yearbook
- The CEOS UNCED document launched at the June 1992 Rio Conference proved
very successful in publicising the activities of CEOS and the capabilities
of current and future EO satellites in relation to requirements of global
environment (notably climate change) programmes. This document has become
known as the first CEOS 'Yearbook'. Given the success of the Yearbook,
the Plenary agreed that further editions should be published by CEOS. To
bridge the gap between the biennial publication of the CEOS Dossier, the
European Space Agency (ESA) undertook to produce a second CEOS Yearbook
in 1995. As with the first edition, the aims of the 1995 Yearbook are to:
* widely publicise the activities of CEOS;
* inform and educate on the capabilities of EO satellites;
* advertise plans of the CEOS agencies for future missions and instruments;
* provide a valuable, definitive reference source to a wide audience (of laymen, policy-makers, data users).
The report details the current status and plans for future Earth observation satellite missions and describes how the data and information which they supply relate to worldwide needs for information on Earth System processes-in support of a range of significant objectives of national and international concern.
The document includes:
* an overview of the increasing need for observations of the Earth;
* a summary of the structure and activities of CEOS:
* a tutorial on the capabilities of EO satellite in strumentation;
* an analysis of the provision of data from EO satellites for a range of key geophysical parameters;
* updated mission and instrument catalogues;
*brief description of CEOS Affiliate programmes;
* information on how to access the CEOS IDN and CEOS Infosys.
CEOS should strive to maximise the publicity benefit from the 1995 Yearbook. Copies have already been distributed at IGARRS'95 in Florence and a special mailing is planned to G-7 participants. ESA will make a number of copies available to each CEOS agency, and hope that members will seek to achive maximum impact from their local distribution. Some copies will also be available for Plenary attendees in October.
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