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It seems that not many people have heard of the term PSI Re-use, yet it has the potential to have a strong impact on our industry over the next few years. PSI is Public Sector Information which is data or information gathered by Public Sector Bodies or PSB’s for governments. Examples of PSI are business registers, land registries, cartographic or meteorological information, vehicle registries etc.

The re-use part is the key term. Some time ago, governments recognised that some of the information they gathered had value outside and beyond government use. They asked that the agencies who gather such data make it available to consumers and business – but at a price.

This practise continues today in many domains; the most well-known to the EO community being meteorology. However, it is being challenged. In 2003, the EC produced legislation proposing that governments should not charge more than a marginal cost for data. Now this is being reviewed and it is anticipated that next year, further EC legislation will be issued stating that PSI should be made available at marginal cost except where there are very good reasons not to.

In preparation for this legislation the EC commissioned a study called POPSIS (Pricing of Public Sector Information Study). The results of this were published last year and make very interesting reading. POPSIS had 2 main results:

1. Where PSI had been opened up following the 2003 act, in most cases the increase in use of the PSI was dramatic.
2. Where PSB’s do impose charges, in most cases, the revenue generated is less than 1% of the body and barely covers the costs of selling the data.

The conclusion is clear, that opening PSI up for re-use has a dramatic effect. However, evidence is now building that not only is there a qualitative impact of a free and open policy but that also this can bring wider economic benefits.

The revenues collected by the PSB’s covers less than 1% of their costs and barely cover the cost of selling the data. By opening it up to many more users free of charge or at marginal cost, these users are then generating economic value. If we take one case that is highlighted, that of the Dutch meteorological service (KMI), when charging was ended in 2003, revenues from businesses went to €20m from €5m before the data was opened up. According to Eurostat, the average tax take in Europe is around 40% of GDP (value-added tax, social taxes, income tax ) which means the economy has gained €20m and the exchequer has gained an additional €6m in tax revenues (from €2m to €8m).

So what about EO in all this? I first became interested through formulating EARSC position on GMES. The downstream industry want access to free data convinced that this is the best way to develop the market. Intuitively it must be the case, as in the other instances, if more data (PSI) is used more economic value can be created and more PSI will be used if it is free. However, can we show that in addition to more use, more economic value will be generated?

We hope so and are planning just that through a study recently started sponsored by ESA. We are looking at examples from other domains and how to link them to EO activities. We shall look at both qualitative and quantitative benefits and we shall draw conclusions and make recommendations on policy. Our work will continue into the autumn when we shall publish results that will be presented in an open meeting in October.

As a first step, we took the opportunity of the EARSC AGM on 6th July to organise a workshop on the subject. We had a number of very interesting presentations and discussions on the European legislation, the impact of PSI re-use in some of the other domains and how this could translate into the EO domain, the relevance of Inspire and the experiences in the meteorological business area. I am looking for as many examples as possible where business has been generated using free data from satellites and if you have any that you know of I shall be very pleased to hear about them.

best wishes
Geoff Sawyer
EARSC Secretary General

Eomag_Editorial, Issue 30_Summer-2012.pdf
www.eomag.eu.pdf

After two successful workshops at ESA in Frascati, please join us in Sept. 2012 in Perth, Australia for the 3rd workshop on Earth Observation for the Oil & Gas industry.


Themes for the 1 day event will include but are not limited to: Environment / MetOcean / Geomatics / Infrastructure and will highlight the potential and best practise of using Earth Observation data and derived products for the Oil & Gas industry.

The workshop is open to members of the oil and gas industry, service providers and researchers involved in Earth Observation and related geo-information technologies.

Preliminary program with confirmed speakers

Session 1: Overview

  • OGEO, overview: Peter Hausknecht, Woodside, Australia
  • ESA, GMES programme: Ola Grabak, ESA, Italy
  • OGP, OilSpillResponse JIP update, Surface surveillance: Colin Grant, BP, United Kingdom

Session 2: Environmental

  • Coastal area and water quality monitoring and using RS data: Arnold Dekker, CSIRO, Australia
  • Change detection time series using WorldView2 high resolution satellite data: Leah Glass, GeoImage, Australia
  • Remote sensing of the coastal transitional zone: Rasmus Borgstroem, Grass, Denmark
    * The importance of the first 24hrs in oil spill monitoring: Paul Whitaker, KSAT, Norway

Panel Session

Lunch

Session 3: MetOcean

  • Oil Spill Response: MetOcean and Satellite data integration: Cedric Michel, Total, France
  • Mapping solitones with satellite data: Jan Flynn, Shell, Australia
  • Looking ahead 5 years: What satellite data services do we need for MetOcean: Jason McConochie , Woodside, Australia
  • Tbd

Feedback session: Open session in topic groups

Session 4: Geomatics and Infrastructure

  • Coastal bathymetry from WorldView2 satellite data: Thomas Heege, EoMap, Germany
  • Satellite assessment and monitoring for infrastructure, environmental and engineering applications: Michael Hall, Astrium, UK
  • Satellite monitoring and airborne mapping integrated: Tbd , AAM, Australia  
  • Supporting Oil and Gas in WA from a distance: a View From Landgate: Mat Adams, Landgate WA, Australia
  • The use of UAV technology to complement satellite imagery for benthic habitat assesments: Peter Mellor, WorleyParson, Australia

Note: The titles of the presentations are only indicative and may change for the final program

More information at www.esa-ogeo.org

Chelys is competing in the GMES Masters European Earth Monitoring Competition 2012 for the second year in a row.

Last year, Chelys’ Satellite Rapid Response System (SRRS), which participated in the category “Emergency Management Services”, was the competition’s overall winner of the “Best Service Challenge”. This year, Chelys is competing once again, this time for its Earth Snapshot portal [www.eosnap.com], in the category “Climate Change”.

Every day, Chelys generates hundreds of real-time photorealistic images from satellite data, allowing us to monitor environmental issues such as desertification, glacial melt, and deforestation. While such images often remain unseen in datastorage, we analyse, describe and publish them daily on our Earth Snapshot portal. As such, Earth Snapshot raises awareness on climate change, providing images and information useful for specialists and non-specialists alike. Please vote for our service at GMES Masters [http://stage.gmes-masters.com/service-application/earth-snapshot], and help Chelys increase public and scientific awareness of environmental issues and provide more information useful for combating detrimental forms of climate change.

(Source Chelys)

Measuring the sea-surface temperature (SST) across regional and global scales is important for improving weather and ocean forecasting and climate change research.

Satellite measurements provide a consistent and global view of SST at high resolution.

The past, present and future of SST measurements came into focus last month at the 13th Science Team Meeting of the Group for High Resolution Sea Surface Temperature (GHRSST). Held in Tokyo, Japan, the meeting brought together international scientists and space agency representatives that maintain the provision of SST data for science and operational services.

In Europe, ESA started monitoring SST in 1991 with the launch of the first European Remote Sensing satellite, ERS-1. The Envisat satellite, launched in 2002, ensured continuity of SST measurements. The next ESA mission foreseen to continue the dual-view SST dataset is Sentinel-3 (Planned for launch in April 2014), being developed under Europe’s Global Monitoring and Environmental Security (GMES) programme.

Read more at ESA website

Astrium GEO-Information Services encourages the development of innovative products and applications using radar satellite data, specifically TerraSAR-X’s X-band data.

The ideas submitted must be truly inventive, offer a clear benefit (e.g. for the environment, security, or specific industries…), and build on the unique features radar satellite data offers. They may also include the integration of data or information from additional data sources, such as satellite imagery from other commercial or public sensors.

You can download TerraSAR-X sample data here

Prize: The winner will receive a data package (radar and/or optical satellite data) worth EUR 25,000 and operational support to help advance their idea.

Evaluation: Please note that in order to determine the winner of the Astrium Radar Challenge, finalists may be asked to participate in an interview (in person or by telephone/video conference) during the week of 24-28 September.

Source

Framework service contract supporting the global land component of the GIO land service: JRC/IPR/2012/H.5/00014/OC

The European earth monitoring programme ‘Global monitoring for environment and security’ (GMES) hasentered its initial operational phase following adoption of the GMES initial operations programme 2011–2013.The global land component is earmarked as a component of the land service, one of the 2 GMES servicesidentified for operational implementation.

The purpose of this contract is to set up and operate the global land component GIO-GL.

It is organised in 2 lots:
lot 1: operation of the global land component
lot 2: product and service independent evaluation.

The primary users of this service are defined in the GMES 2012 annual work programme.
Type: Open Call
Institute/Directorate: IES

The Full set of documents for the Invitation To Tender (ITT) launched by DG JRC on behalf of DG ENTR for the implementation of the GMES Initial Operation Global Land component of the Land Service is available since 9th of July at the following address

  • Eye on Space
    Space Research projects under the 4th call of the 7th Framework Programme for Research.
  • Let’s embrace space (2011)
    Book with scientific papers on research results under the FP7 Space Programme.
    Order your copy of this book online from the EU bookshop
  • A European Journey
    Space research projects under the 7th Framework Programme for research.
  • Desire for space
    Space research projects under the 7th Framework Programme for research.
  • Space for a safer world
    Learn more about the projects that empower Europe to harvest the potential of space for a safer world.

Source

“Eye on Space” is the 4th in an existing series of brochures featuring EU Space Research co-projects funded by the European Commission and managed by REA under the FP7 and mainly in the domains of GMES and Strengthening Space Foundations (SSF).

In a view of continuity, the publication is produced to include the 32 Space Research projects supported mainly under the 4th FP7 Space call.

The electronic version of the brochure can be downloaded from the Europa website.

Read more…

(Source European Commission)

The European Space Agency hosted an industry workshop in ESA-ESRIN in Frascati, Italy on 23rd and 24th of February 2012. This note provide a link to the final report.

Earth Observation (EO) data and services can deliver significant benefits to the scientific, public and private sector communities and this workshop examines the potential value of this data to the insurance industry. This will be a unique gathering, bringing together colleagues from the Insurance and Reinsurance communities with the Earth Observation community to address real challenges that we face in the drive to realise the benefits of using EO information in global insurance processes and products.

Workshop Objectives

  • To ensure that the re/insurance community is aware of current and new generation Earth Observation capabilities
  • To provide an opportunity for key personnel from both insurance and space industries to exchange ideas and develop new possibilities
  • Identify blockages to increased uptake of Earth Observation based services, short and long term
  • Develop ideas for new innovative Earth Observation products relevant to the Re/insurance industry
  • To communicate Re/insurance requirements to satellite operators and service providers, so that the space sector can work to meet these requirements

Please find attached the Final Report for you to download in pdf

Source ESA

Critical Software participated in the event MundoGEOLatinAmerica Connect 2012, held from 29 to 31 May in Sao Paulo, Brazil. During this seminar dedicated to the use of satellite imagery, Critical Software presented the results of the project DesertWatch regarding the production of indicators related to desertification and soil quality.

During the seminar, the DesertWatch was presented. This tool was developed by a consortium led by Critical Software for the European Space Agency (ESA), in collaboration with UNCCD’ focal points in Brazil, Mozambique and Portugal, and in partnership with Instituto Superior Técnico, Instituto Geográfico Português and Deimos Engenharia. The aim of the system is to produce information to be used by all stakeholders of the UNCCD (United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification) to assess and monitor land degradation through three metrics: Land Cover, Land Degradation Indicator and Indicator of Susceptibility to Desertification.

Read full article here