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CONTENTSCEOS Task Force on Planning and Analysis Reports
Activities of Working Group on Calibration and Valldatlon, (WGCV)
CEOS Inventory Interoperability Experlment
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):---This page
Plan for Space-Based Observations (continued from page 4)
CEOS Plenary/IAI/Highlight/Calender
- To the second question as we went around there was much support for
e-mail as the answer for DC, but we might also consider a yearly hardcopy
or a CD-ROM. On the donor countries' side WWW is the present choice. Due
to the ability to run www clients (e.g. Mosaic or Netscape) locally with
data sets from CD-ROM, this might be an efficient and cheap way to produce
a yearly CD-ROM version. At the time of writing this article the study
has not been finished. The Plenary report will contain a more elaborated
technical proposal.
The same is true for the answer to question 3. The following preliminary list can be regarded as candidates for the content of the system:
* Links to subject specific databases (if technically feasible) or description of existence, access and costs (e.g. index, sizing, etc.), including project databases and data set descriptions
* Access to the electronic version of the CEOS Dossiers describing the earth observation part of national and international space programs including ground segments
* Access to CEOS IDN, a database and search tool for available remote sesing data
* Funding sources
* Institutions and private sector providers
* Information on education and training opportunities
* Information on EO research and development activities
* Relevant literature, journals, magazines
* Information on electronic discussion groups
* Upcoming conferences, workshops
The final study results and implementation proposal will be presented to the Plenary at Montreal in October.
Even if the exact technical outline is still under discussion, it seems already clear that a CEOS ILS can only be implemented in stages, concerning both content and geographical coverage. Therefore a pilot phase would be the logical next step. To avoid additional investments one could attach the central part of the system to already existing systems (e.g. in one of the established EO data centers). By its design the ILS should need a minimum of maintenance. The necessary minimum additional manpower could be provided by a scholarship scheme.
After a pilot phase the decision should be made whether or not users have accepted the system as a working tool. However any ILS can only "live" if it is supported regularly by donor and developing countries. Only if it contains useful and up to date informations can it become and accepted tool for users who look for a quicker approach to answer their questions.
The Global Climate Observing System (GCOS):
Plan for Space-Based Observations
(continued from page 4)
- In summary, the GCOS programme has undertaken the development of a
comprehensive climate observing system based on the expressed need of national
and international organizations. It will be implemented through the efforts
of participating nations. To date, plans have concerntrated on establishing
the requirements for observations and assessing the contributions being
made by existing systems, recommending were appropriate the deficiencies
in these systems should be rectified. A particular assessment of the plans
for satellite observations of the space agencies has been completed to
assist the space agencies and CEOS to provide a comprehensive and effective
programme to respond to the climate requirements.
[References noted in the footnotes and additional material on the programme are available from the JointPlanning Office, c/o WMO, CP2300, CH-1211, Geneva 2, Switzerland, or via internet: http://WWW.wmo.ch/web/gcos/gcoshome.html or jpo@gcos.wmo.ch]
Japan -U.S. Global Observation
Information Network (GOIN)
- Senior officials of the Japanese and U.S. Governments electronically
cut the ribbon inaugurating the Global Observation Information Network
(GOIN) in Tokyo and Washington on June 6, 1995. In a live televideo conference,
Ms. Makiko Tanaka, Minister of the Japanese Science and Technology Agency
(STA), and Mr. Noriyuki Sekine, Parliamentary Vice Minister of STA, exchanged
remarks and viewed environmental data with Presidential Science Advisor
Dr. John Gibbons, NOAA Administrator Dr. James Baker, and NASA Administrator
Mr. Daniel Goldin. Technical seminars were held in Tokyo and Washington
as well, to provide more detailed presentations and an opportunity for
users to obtain and exchange data between centers in the U.S. and Japan.
The formal remarks on both sides noted that this system represents the
first step in what will and should become a global data and information
network supporting environmental research and operational activity internationally.
You may access GOIN WWW server:
[Japan node] http://WWW.goin.nasda.go.jp/
[U.S. node] http://WWW.nnic.noaa.gov/GOIN/
GOIN.html
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