CEOS NEWSLETTER No.9
page 2
CONTENTS
IGOS Strategic
Implementation:Project and Partnership
CEOS Analysis Group Activity---This page
CNES Activities
in Relation with User Organizations
News from
the Working Group on Information Systems and Services
The CEOS Information
Locator System CILS
News from
the International Ocean Colour Coordinating Group
Information
on the Preparation of the 11th Plenary
CEOS Analysis Group Activity
Yukio Haruyama
Chair of Analysis Group, STA / NASDA
The CEOS Analysis Group (AG) was formed at the 1996 CEOS Plenary in
Canberra. Its Chairman is Yukio Haruyama, NASDA and he is closely supported
by John Morgan, GOSSP Chairman and Affiliates' Coordinator. The Plenary
also formed the Strategic Implementation Team (SIT) which has Brian Embleton
(CSIRO) as its Chairman.
The purpose of the AG is to supply CEOS Participants and the SIT with
an analysis of the extent to which existing and planned missions are meeting
the current set of defined requirements. This analysis is to be presented
such that CEOS Participants can consider their own plans and the SIT can
develop recommendations for coordinated CEOS agencies action to act upon
recommendations regarding correction of gaps/overlaps in observing programmes.
The AG has made best use of existing analysis and has ensured that
its work plan integrates with, and complements, existing Affiliates plans
for similar analysis.
The work plan of the AG was developed during late 1996 and distributed
widely for comment. Yukio Haruyama and John Morgan attended the first meeting
of the SIT in
Irvine, California (February 1997) and presented details of the work
plan to the SIT. These were accepted, with the analysis requirements of
the 6 prototype projects forming the basis of the first year of activities
of the AG.
The first meeting of the AG was held in Darmstadt in March 1997 (EUMETSAT
HQ) and this was attended by 25 users and providers of space data and information.
The meeting endorsed the work plan and set out procedures by which the
individual projects requirements could be analyzed against CEOS members
provision of data and information. The AG identified two types of possible
analysis: matching of users requirements against products that are actually
available from space agencies (the availability strand); matching of users
requirements against products that in principle can be derived from current
and planned satellite missions (the utility strand). It was decided that
the AG would focus on the availability strand and that analysis of the
utility strand would be left to the users (eg CEOS Affiliates such as GCOS,
WCRP etc.). Preparations then began in earnest for an international workshop
to be held in Tokyo, July 22-25, 1997. The aim of the workshop was to answer
the question: How well do the current and planned satellite missions and
product supply systems of CEOS members meet users requirements? The workshop
lasted four days. Days 1 and 4 were held in Plenary session and days 2
and 3 involved parallel sessions focusing on each of the projects. The
workshop was a great success with around 100 expert users and providers
in attendance.
The final report of AG produced at the third AG meeting in Washington,
Sept. 9- 1O, 1997 will be presented at the 1997 CEOS Plenary in Toulouse,
France. The principal results of the AG's activities will also be presented
to the second meeting of the SIT, September 29-30, 1997.
(continued from Page 1)
IGOS Strategic Implementation:Projects and Partnership
as well as other science and user organizations, to propose informal
discussions on the IGOS concept with an invitation to become involved in
planning an early 1998 senior-level IGOS Partners Meeting. CEOS Chairman
Gerard Brachet made an informal IGOS presentation at the invitation of
FAO in Rome in mid-May, timed with a meeting of the GTOS Steering Committee.
He addressed the WMO Executive Council in Geneva in mid- June on the topic
of IGOS. A further informal IGOS discussion took place in Paris in late
June with the GOOS sponsors. In connection with that occasion, the CEOS
Chairman hosted an informal evening discussion among prospective IGOS partners
with participation by CEOS, IGFA, IOC, GOOS, ICSU, WMO, UNEP and IGBP.
CEOS has been invited to address IGOS and join in a UNEP-hosted meeting
of the G30S Sponsors Group in Geneva in mid-September. At the discussion
among prospective IGOS partners in Paris there was consensus on the need
for IGOS partner discussions that would examine models for IGOS cooperation
and lead to a senior-level IGOS Partners Meeting for early 1998.
Second SIT Meeting Planned for Oxford
Principals of all CEOS participating agencies have been invited by
SIT Chairman Brian Embleton to the Second SIT Meeting, to be hosted in
Oxford, UK by BNSC Director General Derek Davis. Key user organizations
have been particularly urged to participate. The SIT will review the status
of IGOS prototype projects with project representatives and the AG Chainwan;
it will address the potential relationship of IGOS to implementation of
key international political conventions; it will discuss a range of IGOS-related
common issues including project resources and availability of satellite
and in situ data; and it will address the concept of IGOS partnership as
a prelude to the focus on this topic over the next few months by an IGOS
partners planning group.
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