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CONTENTSReport from the 10th Plenary---This page
CEOS and IGS - The Way Forward
CEOS and IGOS - The Way Forward/Report from the 10th Plenary
News from the Working Group on Information Systems and Services
A new three year work programme to the CEOS Working Group on Calibration and Validation
International Cooperation in Ocean Colour
Successful Launch of ADEOS
CNES is Chairing CEOS in 1997/Meeting Calendar
Report from the 10th CEOS Plenary
Brian J.J. EmbletonHead, CSIRO Office of Space Science and Application(COSSA)
CEOS Mural
Aboriginal artist Les Huddleston designed the mural, and supervised
its completion by delegates at the 10th Plenary meeting of the Committee
on Earth Observation Satellite in Canberra, 13-15 November 1996.
Turtles, goannas, fish and water lilies represent the natural environment,
the preservation of which is a key objective of many Earth Observation
programs. Also shown is Mirrabooka, the Southern Cross, which guides both
humans and animals, as well as inspiring the search for knowledge. The
pathways leading to Australia bear footmarks painted by the delegates and
illustrate the international nature of remote sensing.
Les Huddleston was originally from Roper River, Northern Territory,
and was commissioned by COSSA for this work, approximate size 2m by 6m,
natural ochre and acrylic paint on canvas.
- 10th CEOS Plenary
The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO) of Australia hosted the CEOS 10th Plenary from 13 to 15 November, in Canberra. About 100delegates from thirty countries and organizations attended the meeting, the first Plenary to be held in Australia.
One of the main pre-occupations for delegates was to consider the role of satellites - together with local or "in situ" measurements - in future global observing systems. As a result of the meeting, two task teams were established to assist in the development of an "integrated global observing strategy" IGOS. The Strategic Implementation Team, led by myself, will develop a broad strategy for the stepwise implementation of the space component of IGOS. The Analysis Group, led by Mr.Yukio Haruyama of NASDA, will comprise both provider and user representatives, and will examine how existing and foreseen space missions correspond with the anticipated needs of users. [See article on page 3]
CSIRO Chief Executive, Dr. Malcolm Mcintosh,
launched a new CD-ROM during the Plenary. "Resources in Earth Observation"
, published by CSIRO on behalf of CEOS, contains case studies, data sets,
lesson plans, scientific texts and other information on the social value
of Earth observation. We hope that the disk will be especially useful in
schools and developing countries around the world. [See
article on page 4]
Delegate to the Plenary thanked Dr. Susan Till of CCRS, and Mr. Levin Lauritson of NOAA, former chairs of the Working Groups on Calibration and Validation; and the WG on Data, respectively, for their outstanding work on behalf of CEOS over a long period.
The 10th Plenary also featured several technical demonstrations and special events, described below.
High Speed Computing
The CEOS plenary included a three - part presentation from Dr. John
Lilleyman of CSIRO about high speed network transfer and processing of
satelltie information.
1)Warping. Using eight al>
Transfer interrupted!
a's 155Mbs experimental broadband network, an AVHRR image downloaded in real time from the web was processed to a standard map projection.2)Progressive image transfer. Instead of waiting for an entire satellite image to download across the Web from Beijing, as soon as a recognizable outline is visible, users can select only the area of interest, which then continues to download high resolution data. Unhighlighted area of the satellite image remain in low resolution and do not acquire any further data.
3)Terrain flythrough. Dr. Lilleyman also demonstrated a simulated fly-through of the Canberra landscape. The high performance computer network processed first a 25m resolution colour IRS-IC image of Canberra, combining it, a 3D view, and a 6m black and white image of the same area, to a common map projection. After further virtually instantaneous processing, the monitor displayed a accurate and recognizable 3D simulation of the Canberra district, seen as if from an aircraft a few hundred meters from the ground.
Dr. Lilleyman's presentation illustrated the dual importance of the World Wide Web and high speed parallel processing for satellite-data users. Previously, even users with fast networks would have endured inconvenient waits for data delivery, then processing on a single machine would have taken days, weeks, or longer; processing for the CEOS computing demonstration occurred in seconds.
Data management networks, like the one demonstrated at the Plenary in Canberra, will enable researchers around the would to share the same observations. Users will be able to preview, order, and use data stored anywhere in the world.
Moving Window Display
The CEOS Plenary also included the world's first real-
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