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Satellite missions, global environment, and the concept of a global satellite observation information network
Acta Astronautica Vol. 34, pp. 195-203, 1994
Pergamon
Elsevier Science Ltd. Printed in Great
Britain
0094-5765(94)00029-8
SATELLITE MISSIONS, GLOBAL ENVIRONMENT, AND THE CONCEPT OF A GLOBAL SATELLITE OBSERVATION INFORMATION THE ROLE OF TEE COMMITTEE ON EARTH OBSERVATION SATELLITES
NETWORK: (CEOS)
D. Brent Smith, N a t i o n a l O c e a n i c and A t m o s p h e r i c A d m i n i s t r a t i o n , D a v i d F. Williams, B r i t i s h N a t i o n a l Space Centre, UK** A k i h i r o Fujita, S c i e n c e and T e c h n o l o g y Agency, Japan%
USA*
Abstract
Backqround
The p a p e r t r a c e s the d e v e l o p m e n t of the C o m m i t t e e on E a r t h O b s e r v a t i o n S a t e l l i t e s (CEOS) since its N o v e m b e r 1990 Plenary: its r e s t r u c t u r i n g to include m a j o r i n t e r g o v e r n m e n t a l u s e r and international scientific o r g a n i z a t i o n a l affiliates; its focus on d a t a s h a r i n g issues and c o m p l e t i o n of a CEOS r e s o l u t i o n g u a r a n t e e i n g global change r e s e a r c h e r s access to s a t e l l i t e data at the cost of filling a user request; u n f o l d i n g of a CEOSa s s o c i a t e d i n i t i a t i v e of the UK Prime M i n i s t e r r e p o r t i n g to UNCED d e l e g a t i o n s on the r e l e v a n c e of s a t e l l i t e m i s s i o n s to the study of the g l o b a l e n v i r o n m e n t ; d e v e l o p ment of a "Dossier" p r o v i d i n g d e t a i l e d i n f o r m a t i o n on all CEOS a g e n c y s a t e l l i t e missions, including s e n s o r s p e c i f i c a t i o n s , ground systems, s t a n d a r d data products, and o t h e r i n f o r m a t i o n r e l e v a n t to users; c r e a t i o n of a p e r m a n e n t CEOS S e c r e t a r i a t ; and efforts c u r r e n t l y u n d e r w a y to assess the f e a s i b i l i t y of a g l o b a l s a t e l l i t e o b s e r v a t i o n i n f o r m a t i o n network. Of p a r t i c u l a r r e l e v a n c e to d e v e l o p i n g countries, the p a p e r will discuss CEOS efforts to a s s u r e b r o a d user access and to foster a c c e p t a n c e of a p p l i c a t i o n s in such i m p o r t a n t areas as d i s a s t e r m o n i t o r i n g and mitigation, land cover change, w e a t h e r forecasting, and l o n g - t e r m c l i m a t e modeling.
With e x p a n s i o n of m e m b e r s h i p to include space E a r t h o b s e r v a t i o n agencies from R u s s i a and China, the C o m m i t t e e on E a r t h O b s e r v a t i o n S a t e l l i t e s (CEOS) at last c o m p r i s e s national and/or regional agencies r e p r e s e n t i n g all c o u n t r i e s w i t h funding and p r o g r a m r e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s for an Earth o b s e r v a t i o n s a t e l l i t e or instrument c u r r e n t l y o p e r a t i n g or in the later stages of system development. C r e a t e d in 1984 as an o u t g r o w t h of the Panel of E x p e r t s on Remote Sensing from Space, one of several panels that c o n s t i t u t e d the G r o u p of Seven E c o n o m i c Summit's W o r k i n g Group on Technology, Growth and Employment, CEOS serves as the focal point for i n t e r n a t i o n a l c o o r d i n a t i o n of space-related, Earth o b s e r v a t i o n activities. The 17 current members, 6 o b s e r v e r s and 8 o r g a n i z a t i o n a l affiliates are listed in an appendix to this paper. Policy and technical issues of common interest related to Earth o b s e r v a t i o n satellite m i s s i o n s and data r e c e i v e d from such are addressed in an annual Plenary, and through the a c t i v i t i e s of the Working G r o u p on Data and the Sensor C a l i b r a t i o n and P e r f o r m a n c e V a l i d a t i o n W o r k i n g Group. CEOS has e n c o u r a g e d c o m p l e m e n t a r i t y and c o m p a t i b i l i t y among spaceborne Earth o b s e r v i n g systems through c o o r d i n a t i o n in m i s s i o n planning, p r o m o t i o n of full and n o n d i s c r i m i n a t o r y data access, setting of data product standards, and d e v e l o p m e n t of c o m p a t i b l e data products, services and applications. The user c o m m u n i t y b e n e f i t s d i r e c t l y from this i n t e r n a t i o n a l coordination.
* Chief, I n t e r n a t i o n a l and I n t e r a g e n c y Affairs, N O A A / N E S D I S ** A s s i s t a n t Director, Earth O b s e r v a t i o n , BNSC t D i r e c t o r , I n t e r n a t i o n a l Space A f f a i r s Division, STA, and current CEOS C h a i r m a n
CEOS is a c o n s u l t a t i v e o r g a n i z a t i o n s t r i v i n g for i n f o r m a t i o n exchange, coordination, and c o n s e n s u s on policy issues. Findings and r e c o m m e n d a t i o n s are
This p a p e r is d e c l a r e d a w o r k of the U.S. G o v e r n m e n t and is not subject to c o p y r i g h t p r o t e c t i o n in the U n i t e d States.
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acted upon at the d i s c r e t i o n of each member. CEOS d e l i b e r a t i o n s and r e c o m m e n d a t i o n s help m e m b e r s to come to a g r e e m e n t on issues and to ensure a p p r o p r i a t e c o o r d i n a t i o n among na t i o n a l p r o g r a m s and across the s p e c t r u m of s p a c e - b a s e d Earth o b s e r v a t i o n m i s s i o n s and data m a n a g e m e n t activities. Revitalization
and R e s t r u c t u r i n q
F o l l o w i n g the successful model of the G o v e r n m e n t of F r a n c e ' s June 1990 S e m i n a r on Space and Global E n v i r o n m e n t , CEOS at its N o v e m b e r 1990 P l e n a r y c r e a t e d an a f f i l i a t e status to invite the p a r t i c i p a t i o n of a p p r o p r i a t e i n t e r g o v e r n m e n t a l user and i n t e r n a t i o n a l scientific o r g a n i z a t i o n s in CEOS Plenary and w o r k i n g g r o u p m e e t i n g s and special activities. The intention was to s t r e n g t h e n i n t e r a c t i o n and thereby foster a d i a l o g u e on scientific and user r e q u i r e m e n t s b e t w e e n such o r g a n i z a t i o n s and s a t e l l i t e and i n s t r u m e n t providers. This d e v e l o p m e n t was p a r t i c u l a r l y timely, gi v e n the global focus on climate c h a n g e and r e c o g n i t i o n of the i m p o r t a n c e of s p a c e - b a s e d e n v i r o n m e n t a l o b s e r v a t i o n s in c l i m a t e change a s s e s s m e n t and prediction. It was also r e c o g n i z e d that the i n t e r g o v e r n m e n t a l o r g a n i z a t i o n s , by v i r t u e of their global m e m b e r s h i p , p r o v i d e d the m ea n s for closer i n v o l v e m e n t of d e v e l o p i n g c o u n t r i e s in the a c t i v i t i e s of CEOS. As such, d e v e l o p i n g c o u n t r y needs for s p a c e - b a s e d Earth o b s e r v a t i o n a p p l i c a t i o n s could be factored into r e q u i r e m e n t s p a s s e d by affiliates to CEOS members. By the 1991 Plenary, the I n t e r n a t i o n a l C o u n c i l of S c i e n t i f i c U n i o n s (ICSU) i n c l u d i n g its International Geosphere Biosphere P r o g r a m (IGBP), the Intergovernmental Oceanographic C o m m i s s i o n (IOC), the W o r l d Climate R e s e a r c h P r o g r a m (WCRP), and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) had a f f i l i a t e d with CEOS. The United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP), the G l o b a l C l i m a t e O b s e r v i n g S y s t e m (GCOS) and the Global Ocean O b s e r v i n g S y s t e m (GOOS) b e c a m e a f f i l i a t e s in 1992. The affiliates
formally p r e s e n t e d o v e r v i e w s of their p r o g r a m s t o g e t h e r with u p d a t e d s p a c e - r e l a t e d r e q u i r e m e n t s at the 1991 and 1992 P l e n a r y sessions. E n c o u r a g e d by CEOS m e m b e r s to c o n s o l i d a t e t h e s e requirements, the affiliates met t o g e t h e r in G e n e v a in March 1993 to d e v e l o p a c o o r d i n a t e d set of r e q u i r e m e n t s that were shared with p a r t i c i p a n t s in an ad hoc user r e q u i r e m e n t s w o r k s h o p in May of this year and are to be p r e s e n t e d at next month's P l e n a r y in Tokyo. Both users and p r o v i d e r s are b e n e f i t t i n g from this d i a l o g u e that will likely influence d e v e l o p m e n t of a set of future g e n e r a t i o n sensors that are r e s p o n s i v e to user o r g a n i z a t i o n requirements. Developing country needs can be e f f e c t i v e l y r e p r e s e n t e d by these user o r g a n i z a t i o n s . The 1990 P l e n a r y r e f o c u s e d the work of the Sensor C a l i b r a t i o n and P e r f o r m a n c e V a l i d a t i o n Working G r o u p to u n d e r t a k e important global change-related calibration activities, with l e a d e r s h i p of this group t r a n s f e r r e d to a C a n a d i a n chair. The N O A A - c h a i r e d W o r k i n g Group on Data also r e c e i v e d Plenarylevel d i r e c t i o n aimed at r e v i t a l i z i n g its efforts. Emphasis was placed on d e v e l o p m e n t of an International Directory Network (IDN) with C o o r d i n a t i n g Nodes in the Western Hemisphere, E u r o p e and Asia. The IDN includes both s a t e l l i t e and in situ data and allows a user to d e t e r m i n e how the data, along with other s u p p o r t i n g information, can be obtained. The Plenary e n d o r s e d the Working G r o u p on Data's work on data product format s t a n d a r d i z a t i o n and the c r e a t i o n of a s u b g r o u p on g r o u n d - b a s e d n e t w o r k s for data exchange. As part of this r e v i t a l i z a t i o n process, CEOS m e m b e r s at the 1990 Plenary r e a l i z e d the need to e n c o u r a g e R u s s i a n and C h i n e s e agencies to seek CEOS m e m b e r s h i p to thereby a t t a i n global p a r t i c i p a t i o n of Earth o b s e r v a t i o n s a t e l l i t e d e v e l o p i n g agencies. Relevant agencies in both nations were a p p r i s e d of CEOS m e m b e r s h i p requirements. Chinese observers a t t e n d e d the 1991 Plenary, and R u s s i a n and C h i n e s e a g e n c i e s a p p l i e d for m e m b e r s h i p in c o n n e c t i o n with
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the 1992 Plenary. The Russian Space Agency and the Russian Committee for Hydrometeorology and Environment Monitoring (ROSKOMGIDROMET) were granted membership status at the 1992 London Plenary with the Chinese Academy of Space Technology (CAST) accorded membership and the National Remote Sensing Centre of China (NRSCC) observer status in confirmations following this Plenary.
for an exchange/sharing mechanism among CEOS members to maximize data use; agreement that programs should have no exclusive period of data use, with the goal of release o5 data in some preliminary form within three months after the start of routine data acquisition; and acknowledgement of the need to harmonize criteria and priorities for data acquisition, archiving, and purging.
CEOS Data Exchanqe Principles
A follow-on ad hoc data policy meeting, hosted in October 1992 by the French space agency, CNES, focused on producing minor revisions to the 1991 Plenary document as well as implementation of an exchange/sharing mechanism with regard to provision of global change relevant commercial data sets to selected researchers. With IGBP data needs being taken as a test case, all participants agreed to explore how commercial data could be provided to selected global change researchers through a pilot project involving IGBP requirements for high resolution data. NOAA at this meeting presented an outline for future discussions on operational environmental monitoring for the public interest. European representatives expressed their view that this topic should await future organizational developments within the European Communities and EUMETSAT.
Data exchange was a topic of discussion at the 1990 Plenary with NASA and NOAA proposing adoption of a set of data exchange principles for the full and open exchange of global change-related data. In the ensuing discussion, the British National Space Centre (BNSC) offered to host an ad hoc data policy meeting to discuss data policy issues in general. This meeting, held in Abingdon, UK, in April 1991, agreed to four generic groupings as a framework for CEOS consideration of data exchange. These were: global change/environmental research; other (local/regional) research not necessarily related to global environmental change; operational/environmental monitoring (public utility); and other (including commercial). As a first step, principles for global change/environmental research were addressed, and recognition of the need to address the other categories was noted. A draft set of global change-related data exchange principles was developed for review by the December 1991 Plenary with a number of outstanding issues noted, including questions of data cost, necessary limitations on available data, and how potential commercial opportunities could be protected. Data exchange principles for global change research were adopted by the 1991 Plenary. These included agreement on the need for preservation and archiving of all data needed for long-term global change research and monitoring; maintenance of international standards for recording and storage media and for processing and communication of data sets; the need
The December 1992 Plenary approved a Resolution on Satellite Data Exchange Principles in Support of Global Change Research based on the previous year's resolution with amendments stating that space data have value and involve major investments; affirming the importance of nondiscriminatory access; recognizing the common goal of providing data to global change researchers from all missions on a consistent basis reflecting primarily the cost of filling the user request; and recognizing also that constraints of mission operations and of available resources may require different mechanisms for data exchange/sharing. Plenary participants accepted the implementation mechanisms proposed
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in the O c t o b e r 1991 ad hoc m e e t i n g and a c c e p t e d a J a p a n e s e proposal to focus on how an IGBP r e q u i r e m e n t s related pilot p r o j e c t could be i m p l e m e n t e d at an ad hoc data policy m e e t i n g set for May 1993 in Tokyo. At the t h i r d CEOS ad hoc data p o l i c y m e e t i n g in Tokyo, CEOS m e m b e r s e x p r e s s e d their w i l l i n g n e s s to support the I G B P - p r o p o s e d pilot p r o j e c t in p r i n c i p l e and r e q u e s t e d m o r e d e t a i l e d i n f o r m a t i o n from IGBP on the s p e c i f i c r e q u i r e m e n t s and p r i o r i t i e s for data. Reduced-cost c o n t r i b u t i o n s o f f e r e d to this pilot project i n c l u d e d L a n d s a t T h e m a t i c M a p p e r scenes by NASA, SPOT scenes by CNES, MOS and JERS scenes by the N a t i o n a l Space D e v e l o p m e n t A g e n c y of Japan (NASDA), and ERS-I synthetic a p e r t u r e radar scenes by the E u r o p e a n Space A g e n c y (ESA). Other CEOS m e m b e r s i n d i c a t e d their p o t e n t i a l interest in also p r o v i d i n g imagery. It was agreed that IGBP would p r o v i d e d e t a i l e d r e q u i r e m e n t s and each of the i n t e r e s t e d CEOS a g e n c i e s w o u l d define its p o t e n t i a l c o n t r i b u t i o n and constraints. Other CEOS a f f i l i a t e s indicated their interest in r e q u e s t i n g data under similar a r r a n g e m e n t s in support of their global c h a n g e - r e l a t e d activities. IGBP and the CEOS S e c r e t a r i a t are to report the status of pilot p r o j e c t a c t i v i t i e s to the u p c o m i n g 1993 Plenary. NOAA a n n o u n c e d its w i l l i n g n e s s to host, t o g e t h e r w i t h NASA, a further CEOS ad hoc data p o l i c y m e e t i n g in Spring 1994 to focus on o p e r a t i o n a l e n v i r o n m e n t a l m o n i t o r i n g involving both s a t e l l i t e and in situ data for public benefit purposes. The E u r o p e a n C o m m u n i t i e s (EC) has s u b s e q u e n t l y i n d i c a t e d its interest in a s s i s t i n g w i t h the o r g a n i z a t i o n of this meeting, and E U M E T S A T has i n d i c a t e d to N O A A its r e a d i n e s s to discuss the topic by early 1994. UK Prime M i n i s t e r ' s
Initiative
UK Prime M i n i s t e r John Major, on F e b r u a r y 6, 1992, sent a letter to G r o u p of Seven E c o n o m i c Summit Heads of State c a l l i n g for i n c r e a s i n g v i s i b i l i t y and a t t e n t i o n to CEOS and its r e l e v a n c e to the study of the global e n v i r o n m e n t in the context of the u p c o m i n g June 1992 U n i t e d
Nations C o n f e r e n c e on E n v i r o n m e n t and D e v e l o p m e n t (UNCED) and the July E c o n o m i c Summit in Munich. Major r e f l e c t e d u p o n a long t r a d i t i o n in Summit d i s c u s s i o n s of a d v a n c i n g i n t e r n a t i o n a l c o l l a b o r a t i o n in Earth observation, n o t i n g the c o m m u n i q u e of the most recent L o n d o n E c o n o m i c Summit w h i c h called for g r e a t e r efforts in c o o p e r a t i o n on e n v i r o n m e n t a l science and technology, e m p h a s i z i n g p a r t i c u l a r l y satellite m o n i t o r i n g and ocean observation. M a j o r ' s initiative e n t a i l e d having the active space nations a s s o c i a t e d with CEOS (which was c h a i r e d d u r i n g 1992 by the BNSC) outline for UNCED a "unified schedule of the Earth O b s e r v a t i o n satellite m i s s i o n s t h r o u g h the next decade, and u n d e r l i n e their c o m m i t m e n t to s t r e n g t h e n c o l l a b o r a t i o n in order to achieve a truly global o b s e r v i n g system for the e n v i r o n m e n t . " The u n f o l d i n g of the Prime M i n i s t e r ' s i n i t i a t i v e involved d e v e l o p m e n t under CEOS auspices of a "Dossier" on the full array of satellite E a r t h o b s e r v a t i o n m i s s i o n s for the u p c o m i n g 15 years and a joint m e e t i n g of CEOS agency p r i n c i p a l s and senior national and regional e n v i r o n m e n t a l o f f i c i a l s in London, April 28-29, 1992. The London joint m e e t i n g agreed to pursue the i n i t i a t i v e to include the following five elements: o to recognize, e n c o u r a g e and support the w o r k of CEOS in p r o v i d i n g a forum for i n t e r n a t i o n a l c o o r d i n a t i o n .... o to e n c o u r a g e and f a c i l i t a t e the p r o v i s i o n of i n f o r m a t i o n on satellite m i s s i o n s and data to national and i n t e r n a t i o n a l e n v i r o n m e n t a l programs. o to urge and e n c o u r a g e national and i n t e r n a t i o n a l e n v i r o n m e n t a l programs to f o r m u l a t e their data needs and priorities. o to e n c o u r a g e the efforts of countries and i n t e r n a t i o n a l e n v i r o n m e n t a l p r o g r a m s w h i c h are c u r r e n t l y d e v e l o p i n g their p o t e n t i a l to c o n t r i b u t e to Earth o b s e r v a t i o n satellite p r o g r a m s and to p r o c e s s i n g
44~IAF Consresx and a n a l y s i s of data, and to e n c o u r a g e new users, p a r t i c u l a r l y in d e v e l o p i n g countries, in d e v e l o p i n g their capacities. o to m a k e the e f f o r t s of CEOS to i n t e r a c t w i t h the user c o m m u n i t y b e t t e r k n o w n and to foster the w i d e s t use of s a t e l l i t e data. In c o n n e c t i o n w i t h the initiative, the G o v e r n m e n t of the UK p u b l i s h e d , as a focused summary of g l o b a l c h a n g e - r e l e v a n t aspects d e r i v e d from the initial draft of the CEOS D o s s i e r of s a t e l l i t e missions, a d o c u m e n t for d i s t r i b u t i o n to UNCED d e l e g a t i o n s e n t i t l e d "The R e l e v a n c e of Satellite M i s s i o n s to the Study of the Global Environment." The Prime M i n i s t e r ' s initiative, with r e s u l t i n g D o s s i e r d e v e l o p m e n t and focus on f o s t e r i n g increased c o n t a c t for s p a c e - b a s e d Earth o b s e r v a t i o n p r o g r a m s with e n v i r o n m e n t a l agency and d e v e l o p i n g c o u n t r y interests, has c o n t r i b u t e d i m m e a s u r a b l y to increased CEOS v i s i b i l i t y and a h e i g h t e n e d sense of mission. It spawned o r g a n i z a t i o n among European regional e n v i r o n m e n t a l users of a framework to c o n s i d e r among such users and E u r o p e a n space o r g a n i z a t i o n s the use of s a t e l l i t e data for e n v i r o n m e n t a l purposes. A l t h o u g h not e x p l i c i t l y cited, a r e f e r e n c e to CEOS a c t i v i t i e s can be inferred in the l a n g u a g e of the e n v i r o n m e n t a l s e c t i o n of the 1992 M u n i c h E c o n o m i c Summit C o m m u n i q u e that calls for other c o u n t r i e s to join with the G r o u p of Seven "in further improving m o n i t o r i n g of the global environment, including through b e t t e r u t i l i z a t i o n of data from s a t e l l i t e and o t h e r E a r t h observation programs." CEOS D o s s i e r As n o t e d above, a CEOS D o s s i e r e f f o r t was l a u n c h e d in 1992 in c o n n e c t i o n w i t h the UK Prime M i n i s t e r ' s initiative. This Dossier has i n i t i a l l y c o n s i s t e d of separate v o l u m e s on the space segment, the g r o u n d segment, and on global e n v i r o n m e n t a l a p p l i c a t i o n s (linked to the d o c u m e n t issued for UNCED).
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The space segment volume, for instance, c o n t a i n s e x h a u s t i v e i n f o r m a t i o n p r o v i d e d by CEOS m e m b e r s on t h e i r c u r r e n t and firmly p l a n n e d s a t e l l i t e missions, i n c l u d i n g sensor specifications. T h e s e v o l u m e s have been subject to further r e f i n e m e n t and updating. 1993 v e r s i o n s of the three d o c u m e n t s are in the process of b e i n g issued, w i t h ESA t a k i n g over r e s p o n s i b i l i t y for D o s s i e r p r o d u c t i o n from BNSC. New CEOS members as well as CEOS o b s e r v e r s and a f f i l i a t e s have been invited to c o n t r i b u t e to the u p d a t e d version. The c o m b i n e d t h r e e - v o l u m e D o s s i e r was i m m e d i a t e l y r e c o g n i z e d as a v a l u a b l e o p e r a t i o n a l tool for CEOS members, o b s e r v e r s and affiliates, and u l t i m a t e l y users. A suggestion that the D o s s i e r be m a d e a v a i l a b l e on another, less b u l k y media, perhaps CD-ROM, is under consideration. Further v o l u m e s of the CEOS Dossier are under c o n s i d e r a t i o n for r e s e a r c h p r o g r a m s o t h e r than those related to global environment, and for a p p l i c a t i o n s such as r e s o u r c e s management, w i t h the C a n a d i a n Space Agency (CSA) having p r o p o s e d a draft outline for a v o l u m e on this latter topic. CEOS affiliates, in c o n n e c t i o n w i t h their M a r c h 1993 m e e t i n g to c o o r d i n a t e their respective organizational requirements, p r e s e n t e d a draft "Affiliates' Dossier" o u t l i n i n g their c o l l e c t i v e needs at the May 1993 user r e q u i r e m e n t s workshop. CEOS S e c r e t a r i a t With the g r o w t h of CEOS in the early 1990's, and as part of the r e v i t a l i z a t i o n process, the r e a l i z a t i o n came that a d m i n i s t r a t i v e functions of CEOS had g r e a t l y expanded, p u t t i n g an u n d u e burden on the r o t a t i n g host agency and chair. In June 1992, the BNSC Chair of CEOS, n o t i n g the i n c r e a s i n g administrative requirements, p r o p o s e d in a letter to CEOS m e m b e r s that a T a s k Force be formed to examine o p t i o n s for a m o r e p e r m a n e n t CEOS S e c r e t a r i a t to report to the D e c e m b e r 1992 Plenary. The T a s k Force limited itself to c o n s i d e r a t i o n of three options:
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o c o n t i n u i n g with the Host p r o v i d i n g S e c r e t a r i a t functions r o t a t i n g each year; o establishing a permanent S e c r e t a r i a t w i t h d e d i c a t e d staff in a fixed l o c a t i o n funded by c o n t r i b u t i o n s from CEOS members; and o e s t a b l i s h m e n t of a multiparty, distributed Secretariat with d e d i c a t e d staff, with Secretariat f u n c t i o n s and funding r e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s d i v i d e d among S e c r e t a r i a t members. The T a s k Force r e c o m m e n d e d the latter o p t i o n t o g e t h e r with a m p l i f y i n g r e c o m m e n d a t i o n s that were e n d o r s e d by the 1992 Plenary, with CEOS Terms of R e f e r e n c e m o d i f i e d accordingly. Under the new a r r a n g e m e n t s , the S e c r e t a r i a t is c u r r e n t l y c o m p o s e d of agency r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s from Europe (ESA), the A m e r i c a s (NASA/NOAA), and the A s i a - P a c i f i c r e g i o n (STA/NASDA), along w i t h the Host agency. The chairs of the CEOS w o r k i n g groups are i n v i t e d to S e c r e t a r i a t m e e t i n g s and c o p i e d on S e c r e t a r i a t correspondence. Such a solution is in k e e p i n g w i t h the international c h a r a c t e r of CEOS and gives the p r i m a r y funding r e s p o n s i b i l i t y for S e c r e t a r i a t tasks to the agencies w i t h the largest budgets. The f u n c t i o n s of the S e c r e t a r i a t are to be s t r i c t l y a d m i n i s t r a t i v e , o r g a n i z a t i o n a l and logistical, with some tasks p e r f o r m e d jointly while o t h e r s are d i v i d e d in an e q u i t a b l e and p r a c t i c a l manner, linked to agency i n v e s t m e n t s in ongoing a c t i v i t i e s and a b i l i t y to bear associated expenditures. The role of the Plenary Host and C h a i r does not change, except that the C h a i r is not d i r e c t l y r e s p o n s i b l e for p e r f o r m i n g a d m i n i s t r a t i v e S e c r e t a r i a t tasks b e t w e e n P l e n a r y sessions. The Chair does p r o v i d e g u i d a n c e to the S e c r e t a r i a t and is r e s p o n s i b l e for P l e n a r y logistics. Between Plenary sessions, the P l e n a r y Points of C o n t a c t serve as a steering c o m m i t t e e for the S e c r e t a r i a t under the d i r e c t i o n of the incoming CEOS P l e n a r y Host.
Under the l e a d e r s h i p of the current CEOS Chair from STA, the s e c r e t a r i a t has c o n s u l t e d on a number of issues by fax and e l e c t r o n i c mail and has met in c o n n e c t i o n w i t h other i n t e r n a t i o n a l m e e t i n g s in February, April, May and S e p t e m b e r of this year. A smooth t r a n s i t i o n to CEOS l e a d e r s h i p in 1994 by the G e r m a n Space A g e n c y (DARA) is e x p e c t e d as the distributed, m u l t i p a r t y S e c r e t a r i a t will still be intact. Secretariat mailing a d d r e s s e s have been e s t a b l i s h e d in Europe, the U n i t e d States and Japan. In close c o l l a b o r a t i o n w i t h CEOS members, the S e c r e t a r i a t published, in June 1993, a f u l l - c o l o r d e s c r i p t i v e brochure, " R e f l e c t i o n s of the E a r t h . . . R e f l e c t i o n s of the Future," h i g h l i g h t i n g CEOS activities. S a t e l l i t e imagery r e p r e s e n t i n g the efforts of CEOS members was i n c o r p o r a t e d with a p a r t i c u l a r focus on a p p l i c a t i o n s of interest to d e v e l o p i n g countries. Separate sections h i g h l i g h t specific d i s a s t e r monitoring, land, a t m o s p h e r e and o c e a n a p p l i c a t i o n s of interest to d e v e l o p i n g as well as d e v e l o p e d countries, as well as i n f o r m a t i o n sharing and education. The b r o c h u r e was p r i n t e d in J a p a n in time to be made a v a i l a b l e to p a r t i c i p a n t s in the July 1993 G r o u p of Seven T o k y o E c o n o m i c Summit, and for the July 1993 OECD M e g a s c i e n c e Forum w h i c h focused on global change research. Global
N e t w o r k Concept
STA, the current CEOS Chair, t o g e t h e r w i t h NASDA, have p r o p o s e d that CEOS m e m b e r s study the i m p l e m e n t a t i o n of a c o o p e r a t i v e effort to h e l p improve i n t e r n a t i o n a l access to data by f o c u s i n g on d e v e l o p m e n t of a global s a t e l l i t e o b s e r v a t i o n i n f o r m a t i o n n e t w o r k that would p r o v i d e data and i n f o r m a t i o n to meet the needs of the scientific, operational, d i s a s t e r monitoring, and c o m m e r c i a l user comr~unities. Such a n e t w o r k w o u l d build on regional a c t i v i t y u n d e r w a y in A s i a and c o n t e m p l a t e d w i t h i n Europe, and on b i l a t e r a l n e t w o r k c o o p e r a t i o n r e c e n t l y i n i t i a t e d b e t w e e n the U n i t e d States and Japan. The CEOS
44~IAF Congress W o r k i n g G r o u p on Data, with its directory, i n v e n t o r y and b r o w s e services, has a l r e a d y served as a forum for e s t a b l i s h i n g n e t w o r k c o n f i g u r a t i o n and g r e a t e r c o n n e c t i v i t y a m o n g CEOS agencies. F u t u r e w o r k is e x p e c t e d to address access to and the e l e c t r o n i c e x c h a n g e of actual data sets. A n u m b e r of C E O S - a f f i l i a t e d agencies have e x p r e s s e d interest in e x p a n d i n g the c o n c e p t of the s a t e l l i t e - b a s e d g l o b a l i n f o r m a t i o n n e t w o r k to i n c l u d e g r o u n d - b a s e d observations, a p p l i c a t i o n s and research. With an a d d i t i o n a l focus on in situ e n v i r o n m e n t a l data exchange, a g l o b a l n e t w o r k could serve as an i m p o r t a n t b u i l d i n g b l o c k to a truly g l o b a l o p e r a t i o n a l o b s e r v i n g system. The c o n c e p t was p r e s e n t e d by STA and N A S D A to CEOS members, o b s e r v e r s and a f f i l i a t e s in a session c o n n e c t e d to the May 1993 ad hoc m e e t i n g on data p o l i c y in Tokyo. As part of this effort, the J a p a n e s e a g e n c i e s p r o p o s e d the formation of a CEOS W o r k i n g G r o u p on N e t w o r k s be c o n s i d e r e d to p u r s u e global n e t w o r k ac t i v i t i e s . In response, CEOS p a r t i c i p a n t s s u g g e s t e d that STA and N A S D A w o r k with the W o r k i n g G r o u p on Data and its N e t w o r k s S u b g r o u p to prepare, for p r e s e n t a t i o n to the CEOS Plenary, a formal proposal for the g l o b a l n e t w o r k i n i t i a t i v e and a r e c o m m e n d a t i o n to c r e a t e a W o r k i n g G r o u p on Networks. It was agreed by p a r t i c i p a n t s that the proposal should be w r i t t e n from a senior m a n a g e m e n t and p o l i c y - l e v e l p e r s p e c t i v e and c o n v e y the notion that the global n e t w o r k initiative is a c o o p e r a t i v e e f f o r t s p o n s o r e d by CEOS r a t h e r than a c e n t r a l l y - m a n a g e d CEOS system. P a r t i c i p a n t s in the May 1993 d i s c u s s i o n s also agreed that g l o b a l n e t w o r k a c t i v i t i e s s h o u l d be c l o s e l y c o o r d i n a t e d with the two e x i s t i n g CEOS w o r k i n g groups and s h o u l d involve user r e q u i r e m e n t s input from CEOS a f f i l i a t e s . Terms of r e f e r e n c e for the p r o p o s e d new w o r k i n g g r o u p have been c i r c u l a t e d to CEOS members. The concept is e x p e c t e d to be fully d i s c u s s e d at next m o n t h ' s Plenary.
20] CEOS
and the
Future
Whither CEOS? This o r g a n i z a t i o n , not quite i0 y e a r s old, has e s t a b l i s h e d itself as an e f f e c t i v e c o o r d i n a t i o n m e c h a n i s m for s p a c e - b a s e d E a r t h o b s e r v a t i o n that has a t t r a c t e d the a t t e n t i o n of p o l i c y m a k e r s worldwide. With p a r t i c i p a t i o n now of all s p a c e faring E a r t h o b s e r v a t i o n a g e n c i e s and r e l a t e d user o r g a n i z a t i o n s , CEOS has b e c o m e the m e a n s for e m b a r k i n g on a c o l l e c t i v e m i s s i o n to c o n t r i b u t e to the u n d e r s t a n d i n g and m a n a g e m e n t of our p l a n e t ' s e n v i r o n m e n t and resources. Mindful of the need for forward planning, CEOS e x p e c t s at next m o n t h ' s P l e n a r y to d i s c u s s a s t r a t e g y (which BNSC agreed to draft) of what CEOS can aim to a c c o m p l i s h over the next five years. What is the r e l e v a n c e of CEOS and its m i s s i o n to d e v e l o p e d and d e v e l o p i n g nations? The CEOS brochure, " R e f l e c t i o n s of the E a r t h . . . R e f l e c t i o n s of the Future," a d d r e s s e s this in e l a b o r a t i n g on the wide range of a p p l i c a t i o n s in w h i c h CEOS m e m b e r s are involved: "Earth o b s e r v a t i o n s a t e l l i t e s have c o n f i r m e d that many natural d i s a s t e r s have regional and even global impacts; in addition, remote sensing i n s t r u m e n t a t i o n helps identify i n d u s t r i a l a c c i d e n t s that require r e m e d i a t i o n . The full and open sharing of Earth o b s e r v a t i o n data that CEOS p r o m o t e s e n s u r e s the a v a i l a b i l i t y of vital i n f o r m a t i o n needed to m o n i t o r natural p h e n o m e n a and to a s s e s s n e g a t i v e human i n f l u e n c e s on the e n v i r o n m e n t . " " P r o j e c t s s u p p o r t e d and c o o r d i n a t e d by CEOS m e m b e r s involve m o n i t o r i n g the E a r t h ' s land surface on a global scale. Detection, analysis, and c o m p a r i s o n of regional changes and human impacts p r o v e important for both the overall u n d e r s t a n d i n g of the Earth s y s t e m and the p r a c t i c a l and r e s p o n s i b l e use of natural r e s o u r c e s . " " P i c t u r e s of storms were the first r e m o t e l y sensed images from space, and s a t e l l i t e o b s e r v a t i o n s remain the most e f f e c t i v e m e a n s of
AA 34:1-0
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w a t c h i n g and m e a s u r i n g the c o n s t a n t l y c h a n g i n g atmosphere. CEOS m e m b e r a g e n c i e s include the o p e r a t o r s of w e a t h e r and a t m o s p h e r i c r e s e a r c h satellites. The close c o o r d i n a t i o n of these m i s s i o n s has imp r o v e d the q u a l i t y and a v a i l a b i l i t y of i n f o r m a t i o n about the c o m p o s i t i o n and d y n a m i c s of the atmosphere." "The oceans cover t w o - t h i r d s of the E a r t h ' s surface and are a cri t i c a l source of natural r e s o u r c e s for both the d e v e l o p e d and d e v e l o p i n g world. Changes in o c e a n t e m p e r a t u r e and c i r c u l a t i o n affect not only finite regions of the o c e a n itself, but also p r o d u c e climate v a r i a t i o n s in distant lands. The s a t e l l i t e m e a s u r e m e n t s p r o d u c e d and d i s t r i b u t e d by CEOS m e m b e r s help in the m a n a g e m e n t of o c e a n resources and in the u n d e r s t a n d i n g of their role in s u s t a i n i n g the Earth system. " " E d u c a t i o n is the key to the future, and the use of Earth o b s e r v a t i o n s a t e l l i t e s is central to i n c r e a s e d u n d e r s t a n d i n g of the planet. T h r o u g h o u t the world, s t u d e n t s at all levels can use s a t e l l i t e s to learn about Earth's geography, topography, temperature, cloud formations, and wind and w a t e r currents. The uses are already more c o m p l e x than simple photographs; d i r e c t r e a d o u t s of satellite data are u s e d to look at r e a l - t i m e c h a n g e s in the weather, and ground tru t h studies form the basis for field t r i p s to areas that have been scanned by m u l t i p l e satellites. F u r t h e r m o r e , CEOS p r o m o t e s p r o g r a m s to i n c r e a s e p u b l i c awareness and c o n f e r e n c e s to help p o l i c y m a k e r s in d e v e l o p i n g c o u n t r i e s take full a d v a n t a g e of the data that only s p a c e - b a s e d i n s t r u m e n t a t i o n can provide."
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APPENDIX
CEOS Membership L
~
~
ar~;z~atiO~"'~~~'~OcatiOn
Members CanadianSpaceAgency(CSA) Centre Notional d'EJudesSpatiales(CtlE~) EuropeanSpaceAgency(ESA) Indian SpaceResearchOrganization(ISRO) Institute I~lacianalde PesquisasEspaciais(IHP~ Scienceand TechnologyAgency(STA) l~atianal Aeronauticsand SpaceAdministration(NASA) Notional Oceanicand AtmosphericAdmin~ration (HOM] British ~l~onal Sp,,ceCentre(Bt;SC) Agenzia Spaziale Italiano (ASI) DeutscheAgentur fir Raumfahrlangeleger~eiten(DAP~) CommonwealthScientificand Industrial ResearchOrganization(CSIRO) European Organisationfar the Explai-lalion of MeteorologicalSatellites(EUMETSAT) SwedishNational SpaceBoard {StISB) RussianSpaceAgency(~A) Committeefor Hydrometeoralogyand Environment Monitoring (ROSKOMGIDROMED ChineseAcademyof SpaceTechnology(C~T)
?
i - e of Membership Canada France Europe India Brazil Japan U.S. U.S. U.K. Itab/ Germany Australia
1984 1984 1984 1984 1984 1984 1984 1984 1986 1986 1986 1989
Europe Sweden Russia
1989 1991 1992
Russia China
] 992 1993
Observers Ho~egian SpaceCentre(HSC) CanadaCentrefor RemoteSensing(CCRS) CrownResearchInstitute(CRI) Commissionof EuropeanCammuniJies(CEC) Bdgian Office of Scienceand Technology(BOST) National RemoteSensingCentreof China(NP,.SCC)
Norway Canada flew Zealand Europe Belgium Chine
1990 1990 1990 199] 1993 1993
Affiliates International Counalof ScientificUnions(ICSU) International Geosphere-BiosphereProgram(IGBP) Intergovernmental OceanographicCommission(IOC) World ClimateResearchProgram(WCRP) World MeteorologicalOrganization(WMO} United NotionsEnvironmentProgram(UNEP) Global Climate ObservingSystem(GCOS) Global OceanObservingSystem{GOOD
France Sweden fiance Switzerland Switzerland Kenya Switzerland fiance
1991 1991 1991 ] 991 1991 1992 1992 1992
Pergamon
Elsevier Science Ltd. Printed in Great
Britain
0094-5765(94)00029-8
SATELLITE MISSIONS, GLOBAL ENVIRONMENT, AND THE CONCEPT OF A GLOBAL SATELLITE OBSERVATION INFORMATION THE ROLE OF TEE COMMITTEE ON EARTH OBSERVATION SATELLITES
NETWORK: (CEOS)
D. Brent Smith, N a t i o n a l O c e a n i c and A t m o s p h e r i c A d m i n i s t r a t i o n , D a v i d F. Williams, B r i t i s h N a t i o n a l Space Centre, UK** A k i h i r o Fujita, S c i e n c e and T e c h n o l o g y Agency, Japan%
USA*
Abstract
Backqround
The p a p e r t r a c e s the d e v e l o p m e n t of the C o m m i t t e e on E a r t h O b s e r v a t i o n S a t e l l i t e s (CEOS) since its N o v e m b e r 1990 Plenary: its r e s t r u c t u r i n g to include m a j o r i n t e r g o v e r n m e n t a l u s e r and international scientific o r g a n i z a t i o n a l affiliates; its focus on d a t a s h a r i n g issues and c o m p l e t i o n of a CEOS r e s o l u t i o n g u a r a n t e e i n g global change r e s e a r c h e r s access to s a t e l l i t e data at the cost of filling a user request; u n f o l d i n g of a CEOSa s s o c i a t e d i n i t i a t i v e of the UK Prime M i n i s t e r r e p o r t i n g to UNCED d e l e g a t i o n s on the r e l e v a n c e of s a t e l l i t e m i s s i o n s to the study of the g l o b a l e n v i r o n m e n t ; d e v e l o p ment of a "Dossier" p r o v i d i n g d e t a i l e d i n f o r m a t i o n on all CEOS a g e n c y s a t e l l i t e missions, including s e n s o r s p e c i f i c a t i o n s , ground systems, s t a n d a r d data products, and o t h e r i n f o r m a t i o n r e l e v a n t to users; c r e a t i o n of a p e r m a n e n t CEOS S e c r e t a r i a t ; and efforts c u r r e n t l y u n d e r w a y to assess the f e a s i b i l i t y of a g l o b a l s a t e l l i t e o b s e r v a t i o n i n f o r m a t i o n network. Of p a r t i c u l a r r e l e v a n c e to d e v e l o p i n g countries, the p a p e r will discuss CEOS efforts to a s s u r e b r o a d user access and to foster a c c e p t a n c e of a p p l i c a t i o n s in such i m p o r t a n t areas as d i s a s t e r m o n i t o r i n g and mitigation, land cover change, w e a t h e r forecasting, and l o n g - t e r m c l i m a t e modeling.
With e x p a n s i o n of m e m b e r s h i p to include space E a r t h o b s e r v a t i o n agencies from R u s s i a and China, the C o m m i t t e e on E a r t h O b s e r v a t i o n S a t e l l i t e s (CEOS) at last c o m p r i s e s national and/or regional agencies r e p r e s e n t i n g all c o u n t r i e s w i t h funding and p r o g r a m r e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s for an Earth o b s e r v a t i o n s a t e l l i t e or instrument c u r r e n t l y o p e r a t i n g or in the later stages of system development. C r e a t e d in 1984 as an o u t g r o w t h of the Panel of E x p e r t s on Remote Sensing from Space, one of several panels that c o n s t i t u t e d the G r o u p of Seven E c o n o m i c Summit's W o r k i n g Group on Technology, Growth and Employment, CEOS serves as the focal point for i n t e r n a t i o n a l c o o r d i n a t i o n of space-related, Earth o b s e r v a t i o n activities. The 17 current members, 6 o b s e r v e r s and 8 o r g a n i z a t i o n a l affiliates are listed in an appendix to this paper. Policy and technical issues of common interest related to Earth o b s e r v a t i o n satellite m i s s i o n s and data r e c e i v e d from such are addressed in an annual Plenary, and through the a c t i v i t i e s of the Working G r o u p on Data and the Sensor C a l i b r a t i o n and P e r f o r m a n c e V a l i d a t i o n W o r k i n g Group. CEOS has e n c o u r a g e d c o m p l e m e n t a r i t y and c o m p a t i b i l i t y among spaceborne Earth o b s e r v i n g systems through c o o r d i n a t i o n in m i s s i o n planning, p r o m o t i o n of full and n o n d i s c r i m i n a t o r y data access, setting of data product standards, and d e v e l o p m e n t of c o m p a t i b l e data products, services and applications. The user c o m m u n i t y b e n e f i t s d i r e c t l y from this i n t e r n a t i o n a l coordination.
* Chief, I n t e r n a t i o n a l and I n t e r a g e n c y Affairs, N O A A / N E S D I S ** A s s i s t a n t Director, Earth O b s e r v a t i o n , BNSC t D i r e c t o r , I n t e r n a t i o n a l Space A f f a i r s Division, STA, and current CEOS C h a i r m a n
CEOS is a c o n s u l t a t i v e o r g a n i z a t i o n s t r i v i n g for i n f o r m a t i o n exchange, coordination, and c o n s e n s u s on policy issues. Findings and r e c o m m e n d a t i o n s are
This p a p e r is d e c l a r e d a w o r k of the U.S. G o v e r n m e n t and is not subject to c o p y r i g h t p r o t e c t i o n in the U n i t e d States.
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acted upon at the d i s c r e t i o n of each member. CEOS d e l i b e r a t i o n s and r e c o m m e n d a t i o n s help m e m b e r s to come to a g r e e m e n t on issues and to ensure a p p r o p r i a t e c o o r d i n a t i o n among na t i o n a l p r o g r a m s and across the s p e c t r u m of s p a c e - b a s e d Earth o b s e r v a t i o n m i s s i o n s and data m a n a g e m e n t activities. Revitalization
and R e s t r u c t u r i n q
F o l l o w i n g the successful model of the G o v e r n m e n t of F r a n c e ' s June 1990 S e m i n a r on Space and Global E n v i r o n m e n t , CEOS at its N o v e m b e r 1990 P l e n a r y c r e a t e d an a f f i l i a t e status to invite the p a r t i c i p a t i o n of a p p r o p r i a t e i n t e r g o v e r n m e n t a l user and i n t e r n a t i o n a l scientific o r g a n i z a t i o n s in CEOS Plenary and w o r k i n g g r o u p m e e t i n g s and special activities. The intention was to s t r e n g t h e n i n t e r a c t i o n and thereby foster a d i a l o g u e on scientific and user r e q u i r e m e n t s b e t w e e n such o r g a n i z a t i o n s and s a t e l l i t e and i n s t r u m e n t providers. This d e v e l o p m e n t was p a r t i c u l a r l y timely, gi v e n the global focus on climate c h a n g e and r e c o g n i t i o n of the i m p o r t a n c e of s p a c e - b a s e d e n v i r o n m e n t a l o b s e r v a t i o n s in c l i m a t e change a s s e s s m e n t and prediction. It was also r e c o g n i z e d that the i n t e r g o v e r n m e n t a l o r g a n i z a t i o n s , by v i r t u e of their global m e m b e r s h i p , p r o v i d e d the m ea n s for closer i n v o l v e m e n t of d e v e l o p i n g c o u n t r i e s in the a c t i v i t i e s of CEOS. As such, d e v e l o p i n g c o u n t r y needs for s p a c e - b a s e d Earth o b s e r v a t i o n a p p l i c a t i o n s could be factored into r e q u i r e m e n t s p a s s e d by affiliates to CEOS members. By the 1991 Plenary, the I n t e r n a t i o n a l C o u n c i l of S c i e n t i f i c U n i o n s (ICSU) i n c l u d i n g its International Geosphere Biosphere P r o g r a m (IGBP), the Intergovernmental Oceanographic C o m m i s s i o n (IOC), the W o r l d Climate R e s e a r c h P r o g r a m (WCRP), and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) had a f f i l i a t e d with CEOS. The United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP), the G l o b a l C l i m a t e O b s e r v i n g S y s t e m (GCOS) and the Global Ocean O b s e r v i n g S y s t e m (GOOS) b e c a m e a f f i l i a t e s in 1992. The affiliates
formally p r e s e n t e d o v e r v i e w s of their p r o g r a m s t o g e t h e r with u p d a t e d s p a c e - r e l a t e d r e q u i r e m e n t s at the 1991 and 1992 P l e n a r y sessions. E n c o u r a g e d by CEOS m e m b e r s to c o n s o l i d a t e t h e s e requirements, the affiliates met t o g e t h e r in G e n e v a in March 1993 to d e v e l o p a c o o r d i n a t e d set of r e q u i r e m e n t s that were shared with p a r t i c i p a n t s in an ad hoc user r e q u i r e m e n t s w o r k s h o p in May of this year and are to be p r e s e n t e d at next month's P l e n a r y in Tokyo. Both users and p r o v i d e r s are b e n e f i t t i n g from this d i a l o g u e that will likely influence d e v e l o p m e n t of a set of future g e n e r a t i o n sensors that are r e s p o n s i v e to user o r g a n i z a t i o n requirements. Developing country needs can be e f f e c t i v e l y r e p r e s e n t e d by these user o r g a n i z a t i o n s . The 1990 P l e n a r y r e f o c u s e d the work of the Sensor C a l i b r a t i o n and P e r f o r m a n c e V a l i d a t i o n Working G r o u p to u n d e r t a k e important global change-related calibration activities, with l e a d e r s h i p of this group t r a n s f e r r e d to a C a n a d i a n chair. The N O A A - c h a i r e d W o r k i n g Group on Data also r e c e i v e d Plenarylevel d i r e c t i o n aimed at r e v i t a l i z i n g its efforts. Emphasis was placed on d e v e l o p m e n t of an International Directory Network (IDN) with C o o r d i n a t i n g Nodes in the Western Hemisphere, E u r o p e and Asia. The IDN includes both s a t e l l i t e and in situ data and allows a user to d e t e r m i n e how the data, along with other s u p p o r t i n g information, can be obtained. The Plenary e n d o r s e d the Working G r o u p on Data's work on data product format s t a n d a r d i z a t i o n and the c r e a t i o n of a s u b g r o u p on g r o u n d - b a s e d n e t w o r k s for data exchange. As part of this r e v i t a l i z a t i o n process, CEOS m e m b e r s at the 1990 Plenary r e a l i z e d the need to e n c o u r a g e R u s s i a n and C h i n e s e agencies to seek CEOS m e m b e r s h i p to thereby a t t a i n global p a r t i c i p a t i o n of Earth o b s e r v a t i o n s a t e l l i t e d e v e l o p i n g agencies. Relevant agencies in both nations were a p p r i s e d of CEOS m e m b e r s h i p requirements. Chinese observers a t t e n d e d the 1991 Plenary, and R u s s i a n and C h i n e s e a g e n c i e s a p p l i e d for m e m b e r s h i p in c o n n e c t i o n with
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the 1992 Plenary. The Russian Space Agency and the Russian Committee for Hydrometeorology and Environment Monitoring (ROSKOMGIDROMET) were granted membership status at the 1992 London Plenary with the Chinese Academy of Space Technology (CAST) accorded membership and the National Remote Sensing Centre of China (NRSCC) observer status in confirmations following this Plenary.
for an exchange/sharing mechanism among CEOS members to maximize data use; agreement that programs should have no exclusive period of data use, with the goal of release o5 data in some preliminary form within three months after the start of routine data acquisition; and acknowledgement of the need to harmonize criteria and priorities for data acquisition, archiving, and purging.
CEOS Data Exchanqe Principles
A follow-on ad hoc data policy meeting, hosted in October 1992 by the French space agency, CNES, focused on producing minor revisions to the 1991 Plenary document as well as implementation of an exchange/sharing mechanism with regard to provision of global change relevant commercial data sets to selected researchers. With IGBP data needs being taken as a test case, all participants agreed to explore how commercial data could be provided to selected global change researchers through a pilot project involving IGBP requirements for high resolution data. NOAA at this meeting presented an outline for future discussions on operational environmental monitoring for the public interest. European representatives expressed their view that this topic should await future organizational developments within the European Communities and EUMETSAT.
Data exchange was a topic of discussion at the 1990 Plenary with NASA and NOAA proposing adoption of a set of data exchange principles for the full and open exchange of global change-related data. In the ensuing discussion, the British National Space Centre (BNSC) offered to host an ad hoc data policy meeting to discuss data policy issues in general. This meeting, held in Abingdon, UK, in April 1991, agreed to four generic groupings as a framework for CEOS consideration of data exchange. These were: global change/environmental research; other (local/regional) research not necessarily related to global environmental change; operational/environmental monitoring (public utility); and other (including commercial). As a first step, principles for global change/environmental research were addressed, and recognition of the need to address the other categories was noted. A draft set of global change-related data exchange principles was developed for review by the December 1991 Plenary with a number of outstanding issues noted, including questions of data cost, necessary limitations on available data, and how potential commercial opportunities could be protected. Data exchange principles for global change research were adopted by the 1991 Plenary. These included agreement on the need for preservation and archiving of all data needed for long-term global change research and monitoring; maintenance of international standards for recording and storage media and for processing and communication of data sets; the need
The December 1992 Plenary approved a Resolution on Satellite Data Exchange Principles in Support of Global Change Research based on the previous year's resolution with amendments stating that space data have value and involve major investments; affirming the importance of nondiscriminatory access; recognizing the common goal of providing data to global change researchers from all missions on a consistent basis reflecting primarily the cost of filling the user request; and recognizing also that constraints of mission operations and of available resources may require different mechanisms for data exchange/sharing. Plenary participants accepted the implementation mechanisms proposed
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in the O c t o b e r 1991 ad hoc m e e t i n g and a c c e p t e d a J a p a n e s e proposal to focus on how an IGBP r e q u i r e m e n t s related pilot p r o j e c t could be i m p l e m e n t e d at an ad hoc data policy m e e t i n g set for May 1993 in Tokyo. At the t h i r d CEOS ad hoc data p o l i c y m e e t i n g in Tokyo, CEOS m e m b e r s e x p r e s s e d their w i l l i n g n e s s to support the I G B P - p r o p o s e d pilot p r o j e c t in p r i n c i p l e and r e q u e s t e d m o r e d e t a i l e d i n f o r m a t i o n from IGBP on the s p e c i f i c r e q u i r e m e n t s and p r i o r i t i e s for data. Reduced-cost c o n t r i b u t i o n s o f f e r e d to this pilot project i n c l u d e d L a n d s a t T h e m a t i c M a p p e r scenes by NASA, SPOT scenes by CNES, MOS and JERS scenes by the N a t i o n a l Space D e v e l o p m e n t A g e n c y of Japan (NASDA), and ERS-I synthetic a p e r t u r e radar scenes by the E u r o p e a n Space A g e n c y (ESA). Other CEOS m e m b e r s i n d i c a t e d their p o t e n t i a l interest in also p r o v i d i n g imagery. It was agreed that IGBP would p r o v i d e d e t a i l e d r e q u i r e m e n t s and each of the i n t e r e s t e d CEOS a g e n c i e s w o u l d define its p o t e n t i a l c o n t r i b u t i o n and constraints. Other CEOS a f f i l i a t e s indicated their interest in r e q u e s t i n g data under similar a r r a n g e m e n t s in support of their global c h a n g e - r e l a t e d activities. IGBP and the CEOS S e c r e t a r i a t are to report the status of pilot p r o j e c t a c t i v i t i e s to the u p c o m i n g 1993 Plenary. NOAA a n n o u n c e d its w i l l i n g n e s s to host, t o g e t h e r w i t h NASA, a further CEOS ad hoc data p o l i c y m e e t i n g in Spring 1994 to focus on o p e r a t i o n a l e n v i r o n m e n t a l m o n i t o r i n g involving both s a t e l l i t e and in situ data for public benefit purposes. The E u r o p e a n C o m m u n i t i e s (EC) has s u b s e q u e n t l y i n d i c a t e d its interest in a s s i s t i n g w i t h the o r g a n i z a t i o n of this meeting, and E U M E T S A T has i n d i c a t e d to N O A A its r e a d i n e s s to discuss the topic by early 1994. UK Prime M i n i s t e r ' s
Initiative
UK Prime M i n i s t e r John Major, on F e b r u a r y 6, 1992, sent a letter to G r o u p of Seven E c o n o m i c Summit Heads of State c a l l i n g for i n c r e a s i n g v i s i b i l i t y and a t t e n t i o n to CEOS and its r e l e v a n c e to the study of the global e n v i r o n m e n t in the context of the u p c o m i n g June 1992 U n i t e d
Nations C o n f e r e n c e on E n v i r o n m e n t and D e v e l o p m e n t (UNCED) and the July E c o n o m i c Summit in Munich. Major r e f l e c t e d u p o n a long t r a d i t i o n in Summit d i s c u s s i o n s of a d v a n c i n g i n t e r n a t i o n a l c o l l a b o r a t i o n in Earth observation, n o t i n g the c o m m u n i q u e of the most recent L o n d o n E c o n o m i c Summit w h i c h called for g r e a t e r efforts in c o o p e r a t i o n on e n v i r o n m e n t a l science and technology, e m p h a s i z i n g p a r t i c u l a r l y satellite m o n i t o r i n g and ocean observation. M a j o r ' s initiative e n t a i l e d having the active space nations a s s o c i a t e d with CEOS (which was c h a i r e d d u r i n g 1992 by the BNSC) outline for UNCED a "unified schedule of the Earth O b s e r v a t i o n satellite m i s s i o n s t h r o u g h the next decade, and u n d e r l i n e their c o m m i t m e n t to s t r e n g t h e n c o l l a b o r a t i o n in order to achieve a truly global o b s e r v i n g system for the e n v i r o n m e n t . " The u n f o l d i n g of the Prime M i n i s t e r ' s i n i t i a t i v e involved d e v e l o p m e n t under CEOS auspices of a "Dossier" on the full array of satellite E a r t h o b s e r v a t i o n m i s s i o n s for the u p c o m i n g 15 years and a joint m e e t i n g of CEOS agency p r i n c i p a l s and senior national and regional e n v i r o n m e n t a l o f f i c i a l s in London, April 28-29, 1992. The London joint m e e t i n g agreed to pursue the i n i t i a t i v e to include the following five elements: o to recognize, e n c o u r a g e and support the w o r k of CEOS in p r o v i d i n g a forum for i n t e r n a t i o n a l c o o r d i n a t i o n .... o to e n c o u r a g e and f a c i l i t a t e the p r o v i s i o n of i n f o r m a t i o n on satellite m i s s i o n s and data to national and i n t e r n a t i o n a l e n v i r o n m e n t a l programs. o to urge and e n c o u r a g e national and i n t e r n a t i o n a l e n v i r o n m e n t a l programs to f o r m u l a t e their data needs and priorities. o to e n c o u r a g e the efforts of countries and i n t e r n a t i o n a l e n v i r o n m e n t a l p r o g r a m s w h i c h are c u r r e n t l y d e v e l o p i n g their p o t e n t i a l to c o n t r i b u t e to Earth o b s e r v a t i o n satellite p r o g r a m s and to p r o c e s s i n g
44~IAF Consresx and a n a l y s i s of data, and to e n c o u r a g e new users, p a r t i c u l a r l y in d e v e l o p i n g countries, in d e v e l o p i n g their capacities. o to m a k e the e f f o r t s of CEOS to i n t e r a c t w i t h the user c o m m u n i t y b e t t e r k n o w n and to foster the w i d e s t use of s a t e l l i t e data. In c o n n e c t i o n w i t h the initiative, the G o v e r n m e n t of the UK p u b l i s h e d , as a focused summary of g l o b a l c h a n g e - r e l e v a n t aspects d e r i v e d from the initial draft of the CEOS D o s s i e r of s a t e l l i t e missions, a d o c u m e n t for d i s t r i b u t i o n to UNCED d e l e g a t i o n s e n t i t l e d "The R e l e v a n c e of Satellite M i s s i o n s to the Study of the Global Environment." The Prime M i n i s t e r ' s initiative, with r e s u l t i n g D o s s i e r d e v e l o p m e n t and focus on f o s t e r i n g increased c o n t a c t for s p a c e - b a s e d Earth o b s e r v a t i o n p r o g r a m s with e n v i r o n m e n t a l agency and d e v e l o p i n g c o u n t r y interests, has c o n t r i b u t e d i m m e a s u r a b l y to increased CEOS v i s i b i l i t y and a h e i g h t e n e d sense of mission. It spawned o r g a n i z a t i o n among European regional e n v i r o n m e n t a l users of a framework to c o n s i d e r among such users and E u r o p e a n space o r g a n i z a t i o n s the use of s a t e l l i t e data for e n v i r o n m e n t a l purposes. A l t h o u g h not e x p l i c i t l y cited, a r e f e r e n c e to CEOS a c t i v i t i e s can be inferred in the l a n g u a g e of the e n v i r o n m e n t a l s e c t i o n of the 1992 M u n i c h E c o n o m i c Summit C o m m u n i q u e that calls for other c o u n t r i e s to join with the G r o u p of Seven "in further improving m o n i t o r i n g of the global environment, including through b e t t e r u t i l i z a t i o n of data from s a t e l l i t e and o t h e r E a r t h observation programs." CEOS D o s s i e r As n o t e d above, a CEOS D o s s i e r e f f o r t was l a u n c h e d in 1992 in c o n n e c t i o n w i t h the UK Prime M i n i s t e r ' s initiative. This Dossier has i n i t i a l l y c o n s i s t e d of separate v o l u m e s on the space segment, the g r o u n d segment, and on global e n v i r o n m e n t a l a p p l i c a t i o n s (linked to the d o c u m e n t issued for UNCED).
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The space segment volume, for instance, c o n t a i n s e x h a u s t i v e i n f o r m a t i o n p r o v i d e d by CEOS m e m b e r s on t h e i r c u r r e n t and firmly p l a n n e d s a t e l l i t e missions, i n c l u d i n g sensor specifications. T h e s e v o l u m e s have been subject to further r e f i n e m e n t and updating. 1993 v e r s i o n s of the three d o c u m e n t s are in the process of b e i n g issued, w i t h ESA t a k i n g over r e s p o n s i b i l i t y for D o s s i e r p r o d u c t i o n from BNSC. New CEOS members as well as CEOS o b s e r v e r s and a f f i l i a t e s have been invited to c o n t r i b u t e to the u p d a t e d version. The c o m b i n e d t h r e e - v o l u m e D o s s i e r was i m m e d i a t e l y r e c o g n i z e d as a v a l u a b l e o p e r a t i o n a l tool for CEOS members, o b s e r v e r s and affiliates, and u l t i m a t e l y users. A suggestion that the D o s s i e r be m a d e a v a i l a b l e on another, less b u l k y media, perhaps CD-ROM, is under consideration. Further v o l u m e s of the CEOS Dossier are under c o n s i d e r a t i o n for r e s e a r c h p r o g r a m s o t h e r than those related to global environment, and for a p p l i c a t i o n s such as r e s o u r c e s management, w i t h the C a n a d i a n Space Agency (CSA) having p r o p o s e d a draft outline for a v o l u m e on this latter topic. CEOS affiliates, in c o n n e c t i o n w i t h their M a r c h 1993 m e e t i n g to c o o r d i n a t e their respective organizational requirements, p r e s e n t e d a draft "Affiliates' Dossier" o u t l i n i n g their c o l l e c t i v e needs at the May 1993 user r e q u i r e m e n t s workshop. CEOS S e c r e t a r i a t With the g r o w t h of CEOS in the early 1990's, and as part of the r e v i t a l i z a t i o n process, the r e a l i z a t i o n came that a d m i n i s t r a t i v e functions of CEOS had g r e a t l y expanded, p u t t i n g an u n d u e burden on the r o t a t i n g host agency and chair. In June 1992, the BNSC Chair of CEOS, n o t i n g the i n c r e a s i n g administrative requirements, p r o p o s e d in a letter to CEOS m e m b e r s that a T a s k Force be formed to examine o p t i o n s for a m o r e p e r m a n e n t CEOS S e c r e t a r i a t to report to the D e c e m b e r 1992 Plenary. The T a s k Force limited itself to c o n s i d e r a t i o n of three options:
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o c o n t i n u i n g with the Host p r o v i d i n g S e c r e t a r i a t functions r o t a t i n g each year; o establishing a permanent S e c r e t a r i a t w i t h d e d i c a t e d staff in a fixed l o c a t i o n funded by c o n t r i b u t i o n s from CEOS members; and o e s t a b l i s h m e n t of a multiparty, distributed Secretariat with d e d i c a t e d staff, with Secretariat f u n c t i o n s and funding r e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s d i v i d e d among S e c r e t a r i a t members. The T a s k Force r e c o m m e n d e d the latter o p t i o n t o g e t h e r with a m p l i f y i n g r e c o m m e n d a t i o n s that were e n d o r s e d by the 1992 Plenary, with CEOS Terms of R e f e r e n c e m o d i f i e d accordingly. Under the new a r r a n g e m e n t s , the S e c r e t a r i a t is c u r r e n t l y c o m p o s e d of agency r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s from Europe (ESA), the A m e r i c a s (NASA/NOAA), and the A s i a - P a c i f i c r e g i o n (STA/NASDA), along w i t h the Host agency. The chairs of the CEOS w o r k i n g groups are i n v i t e d to S e c r e t a r i a t m e e t i n g s and c o p i e d on S e c r e t a r i a t correspondence. Such a solution is in k e e p i n g w i t h the international c h a r a c t e r of CEOS and gives the p r i m a r y funding r e s p o n s i b i l i t y for S e c r e t a r i a t tasks to the agencies w i t h the largest budgets. The f u n c t i o n s of the S e c r e t a r i a t are to be s t r i c t l y a d m i n i s t r a t i v e , o r g a n i z a t i o n a l and logistical, with some tasks p e r f o r m e d jointly while o t h e r s are d i v i d e d in an e q u i t a b l e and p r a c t i c a l manner, linked to agency i n v e s t m e n t s in ongoing a c t i v i t i e s and a b i l i t y to bear associated expenditures. The role of the Plenary Host and C h a i r does not change, except that the C h a i r is not d i r e c t l y r e s p o n s i b l e for p e r f o r m i n g a d m i n i s t r a t i v e S e c r e t a r i a t tasks b e t w e e n P l e n a r y sessions. The Chair does p r o v i d e g u i d a n c e to the S e c r e t a r i a t and is r e s p o n s i b l e for P l e n a r y logistics. Between Plenary sessions, the P l e n a r y Points of C o n t a c t serve as a steering c o m m i t t e e for the S e c r e t a r i a t under the d i r e c t i o n of the incoming CEOS P l e n a r y Host.
Under the l e a d e r s h i p of the current CEOS Chair from STA, the s e c r e t a r i a t has c o n s u l t e d on a number of issues by fax and e l e c t r o n i c mail and has met in c o n n e c t i o n w i t h other i n t e r n a t i o n a l m e e t i n g s in February, April, May and S e p t e m b e r of this year. A smooth t r a n s i t i o n to CEOS l e a d e r s h i p in 1994 by the G e r m a n Space A g e n c y (DARA) is e x p e c t e d as the distributed, m u l t i p a r t y S e c r e t a r i a t will still be intact. Secretariat mailing a d d r e s s e s have been e s t a b l i s h e d in Europe, the U n i t e d States and Japan. In close c o l l a b o r a t i o n w i t h CEOS members, the S e c r e t a r i a t published, in June 1993, a f u l l - c o l o r d e s c r i p t i v e brochure, " R e f l e c t i o n s of the E a r t h . . . R e f l e c t i o n s of the Future," h i g h l i g h t i n g CEOS activities. S a t e l l i t e imagery r e p r e s e n t i n g the efforts of CEOS members was i n c o r p o r a t e d with a p a r t i c u l a r focus on a p p l i c a t i o n s of interest to d e v e l o p i n g countries. Separate sections h i g h l i g h t specific d i s a s t e r monitoring, land, a t m o s p h e r e and o c e a n a p p l i c a t i o n s of interest to d e v e l o p i n g as well as d e v e l o p e d countries, as well as i n f o r m a t i o n sharing and education. The b r o c h u r e was p r i n t e d in J a p a n in time to be made a v a i l a b l e to p a r t i c i p a n t s in the July 1993 G r o u p of Seven T o k y o E c o n o m i c Summit, and for the July 1993 OECD M e g a s c i e n c e Forum w h i c h focused on global change research. Global
N e t w o r k Concept
STA, the current CEOS Chair, t o g e t h e r w i t h NASDA, have p r o p o s e d that CEOS m e m b e r s study the i m p l e m e n t a t i o n of a c o o p e r a t i v e effort to h e l p improve i n t e r n a t i o n a l access to data by f o c u s i n g on d e v e l o p m e n t of a global s a t e l l i t e o b s e r v a t i o n i n f o r m a t i o n n e t w o r k that would p r o v i d e data and i n f o r m a t i o n to meet the needs of the scientific, operational, d i s a s t e r monitoring, and c o m m e r c i a l user comr~unities. Such a n e t w o r k w o u l d build on regional a c t i v i t y u n d e r w a y in A s i a and c o n t e m p l a t e d w i t h i n Europe, and on b i l a t e r a l n e t w o r k c o o p e r a t i o n r e c e n t l y i n i t i a t e d b e t w e e n the U n i t e d States and Japan. The CEOS
44~IAF Congress W o r k i n g G r o u p on Data, with its directory, i n v e n t o r y and b r o w s e services, has a l r e a d y served as a forum for e s t a b l i s h i n g n e t w o r k c o n f i g u r a t i o n and g r e a t e r c o n n e c t i v i t y a m o n g CEOS agencies. F u t u r e w o r k is e x p e c t e d to address access to and the e l e c t r o n i c e x c h a n g e of actual data sets. A n u m b e r of C E O S - a f f i l i a t e d agencies have e x p r e s s e d interest in e x p a n d i n g the c o n c e p t of the s a t e l l i t e - b a s e d g l o b a l i n f o r m a t i o n n e t w o r k to i n c l u d e g r o u n d - b a s e d observations, a p p l i c a t i o n s and research. With an a d d i t i o n a l focus on in situ e n v i r o n m e n t a l data exchange, a g l o b a l n e t w o r k could serve as an i m p o r t a n t b u i l d i n g b l o c k to a truly g l o b a l o p e r a t i o n a l o b s e r v i n g system. The c o n c e p t was p r e s e n t e d by STA and N A S D A to CEOS members, o b s e r v e r s and a f f i l i a t e s in a session c o n n e c t e d to the May 1993 ad hoc m e e t i n g on data p o l i c y in Tokyo. As part of this effort, the J a p a n e s e a g e n c i e s p r o p o s e d the formation of a CEOS W o r k i n g G r o u p on N e t w o r k s be c o n s i d e r e d to p u r s u e global n e t w o r k ac t i v i t i e s . In response, CEOS p a r t i c i p a n t s s u g g e s t e d that STA and N A S D A w o r k with the W o r k i n g G r o u p on Data and its N e t w o r k s S u b g r o u p to prepare, for p r e s e n t a t i o n to the CEOS Plenary, a formal proposal for the g l o b a l n e t w o r k i n i t i a t i v e and a r e c o m m e n d a t i o n to c r e a t e a W o r k i n g G r o u p on Networks. It was agreed by p a r t i c i p a n t s that the proposal should be w r i t t e n from a senior m a n a g e m e n t and p o l i c y - l e v e l p e r s p e c t i v e and c o n v e y the notion that the global n e t w o r k initiative is a c o o p e r a t i v e e f f o r t s p o n s o r e d by CEOS r a t h e r than a c e n t r a l l y - m a n a g e d CEOS system. P a r t i c i p a n t s in the May 1993 d i s c u s s i o n s also agreed that g l o b a l n e t w o r k a c t i v i t i e s s h o u l d be c l o s e l y c o o r d i n a t e d with the two e x i s t i n g CEOS w o r k i n g groups and s h o u l d involve user r e q u i r e m e n t s input from CEOS a f f i l i a t e s . Terms of r e f e r e n c e for the p r o p o s e d new w o r k i n g g r o u p have been c i r c u l a t e d to CEOS members. The concept is e x p e c t e d to be fully d i s c u s s e d at next m o n t h ' s Plenary.
20] CEOS
and the
Future
Whither CEOS? This o r g a n i z a t i o n , not quite i0 y e a r s old, has e s t a b l i s h e d itself as an e f f e c t i v e c o o r d i n a t i o n m e c h a n i s m for s p a c e - b a s e d E a r t h o b s e r v a t i o n that has a t t r a c t e d the a t t e n t i o n of p o l i c y m a k e r s worldwide. With p a r t i c i p a t i o n now of all s p a c e faring E a r t h o b s e r v a t i o n a g e n c i e s and r e l a t e d user o r g a n i z a t i o n s , CEOS has b e c o m e the m e a n s for e m b a r k i n g on a c o l l e c t i v e m i s s i o n to c o n t r i b u t e to the u n d e r s t a n d i n g and m a n a g e m e n t of our p l a n e t ' s e n v i r o n m e n t and resources. Mindful of the need for forward planning, CEOS e x p e c t s at next m o n t h ' s P l e n a r y to d i s c u s s a s t r a t e g y (which BNSC agreed to draft) of what CEOS can aim to a c c o m p l i s h over the next five years. What is the r e l e v a n c e of CEOS and its m i s s i o n to d e v e l o p e d and d e v e l o p i n g nations? The CEOS brochure, " R e f l e c t i o n s of the E a r t h . . . R e f l e c t i o n s of the Future," a d d r e s s e s this in e l a b o r a t i n g on the wide range of a p p l i c a t i o n s in w h i c h CEOS m e m b e r s are involved: "Earth o b s e r v a t i o n s a t e l l i t e s have c o n f i r m e d that many natural d i s a s t e r s have regional and even global impacts; in addition, remote sensing i n s t r u m e n t a t i o n helps identify i n d u s t r i a l a c c i d e n t s that require r e m e d i a t i o n . The full and open sharing of Earth o b s e r v a t i o n data that CEOS p r o m o t e s e n s u r e s the a v a i l a b i l i t y of vital i n f o r m a t i o n needed to m o n i t o r natural p h e n o m e n a and to a s s e s s n e g a t i v e human i n f l u e n c e s on the e n v i r o n m e n t . " " P r o j e c t s s u p p o r t e d and c o o r d i n a t e d by CEOS m e m b e r s involve m o n i t o r i n g the E a r t h ' s land surface on a global scale. Detection, analysis, and c o m p a r i s o n of regional changes and human impacts p r o v e important for both the overall u n d e r s t a n d i n g of the Earth s y s t e m and the p r a c t i c a l and r e s p o n s i b l e use of natural r e s o u r c e s . " " P i c t u r e s of storms were the first r e m o t e l y sensed images from space, and s a t e l l i t e o b s e r v a t i o n s remain the most e f f e c t i v e m e a n s of
AA 34:1-0
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w a t c h i n g and m e a s u r i n g the c o n s t a n t l y c h a n g i n g atmosphere. CEOS m e m b e r a g e n c i e s include the o p e r a t o r s of w e a t h e r and a t m o s p h e r i c r e s e a r c h satellites. The close c o o r d i n a t i o n of these m i s s i o n s has imp r o v e d the q u a l i t y and a v a i l a b i l i t y of i n f o r m a t i o n about the c o m p o s i t i o n and d y n a m i c s of the atmosphere." "The oceans cover t w o - t h i r d s of the E a r t h ' s surface and are a cri t i c a l source of natural r e s o u r c e s for both the d e v e l o p e d and d e v e l o p i n g world. Changes in o c e a n t e m p e r a t u r e and c i r c u l a t i o n affect not only finite regions of the o c e a n itself, but also p r o d u c e climate v a r i a t i o n s in distant lands. The s a t e l l i t e m e a s u r e m e n t s p r o d u c e d and d i s t r i b u t e d by CEOS m e m b e r s help in the m a n a g e m e n t of o c e a n resources and in the u n d e r s t a n d i n g of their role in s u s t a i n i n g the Earth system. " " E d u c a t i o n is the key to the future, and the use of Earth o b s e r v a t i o n s a t e l l i t e s is central to i n c r e a s e d u n d e r s t a n d i n g of the planet. T h r o u g h o u t the world, s t u d e n t s at all levels can use s a t e l l i t e s to learn about Earth's geography, topography, temperature, cloud formations, and wind and w a t e r currents. The uses are already more c o m p l e x than simple photographs; d i r e c t r e a d o u t s of satellite data are u s e d to look at r e a l - t i m e c h a n g e s in the weather, and ground tru t h studies form the basis for field t r i p s to areas that have been scanned by m u l t i p l e satellites. F u r t h e r m o r e , CEOS p r o m o t e s p r o g r a m s to i n c r e a s e p u b l i c awareness and c o n f e r e n c e s to help p o l i c y m a k e r s in d e v e l o p i n g c o u n t r i e s take full a d v a n t a g e of the data that only s p a c e - b a s e d i n s t r u m e n t a t i o n can provide."
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APPENDIX
CEOS Membership L
~
~
ar~;z~atiO~"'~~~'~OcatiOn
Members CanadianSpaceAgency(CSA) Centre Notional d'EJudesSpatiales(CtlE~) EuropeanSpaceAgency(ESA) Indian SpaceResearchOrganization(ISRO) Institute I~lacianalde PesquisasEspaciais(IHP~ Scienceand TechnologyAgency(STA) l~atianal Aeronauticsand SpaceAdministration(NASA) Notional Oceanicand AtmosphericAdmin~ration (HOM] British ~l~onal Sp,,ceCentre(Bt;SC) Agenzia Spaziale Italiano (ASI) DeutscheAgentur fir Raumfahrlangeleger~eiten(DAP~) CommonwealthScientificand Industrial ResearchOrganization(CSIRO) European Organisationfar the Explai-lalion of MeteorologicalSatellites(EUMETSAT) SwedishNational SpaceBoard {StISB) RussianSpaceAgency(~A) Committeefor Hydrometeoralogyand Environment Monitoring (ROSKOMGIDROMED ChineseAcademyof SpaceTechnology(C~T)
?
i - e of Membership Canada France Europe India Brazil Japan U.S. U.S. U.K. Itab/ Germany Australia
1984 1984 1984 1984 1984 1984 1984 1984 1986 1986 1986 1989
Europe Sweden Russia
1989 1991 1992
Russia China
] 992 1993
Observers Ho~egian SpaceCentre(HSC) CanadaCentrefor RemoteSensing(CCRS) CrownResearchInstitute(CRI) Commissionof EuropeanCammuniJies(CEC) Bdgian Office of Scienceand Technology(BOST) National RemoteSensingCentreof China(NP,.SCC)
Norway Canada flew Zealand Europe Belgium Chine
1990 1990 1990 199] 1993 1993
Affiliates International Counalof ScientificUnions(ICSU) International Geosphere-BiosphereProgram(IGBP) Intergovernmental OceanographicCommission(IOC) World ClimateResearchProgram(WCRP) World MeteorologicalOrganization(WMO} United NotionsEnvironmentProgram(UNEP) Global Climate ObservingSystem(GCOS) Global OceanObservingSystem{GOOD
France Sweden fiance Switzerland Switzerland Kenya Switzerland fiance
1991 1991 1991 ] 991 1991 1992 1992 1992