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The latest issue of the Mercator Ocean Journal is now available! You can access it by clicking on this link: http://goo.gl/h3vn89

Contents:

  • Introduction: MyOcean2 and MyOcean Follow-On projects
  • MyOcean user service
  • Evolution of the catalogue of products during MyOcean 2 and MyOcean Follow-On
  • Main achievements on MyOcean global and regional prediction systems
  • MyOcean regional reanalyses: overview of reanalyses systems and main results
  • Main achievements for MyOcean satellite thematic assembly centers
  • Main achievements for MyOcean in situ thematic assembly center
  • Main achievements for Nemo evolution during MyOcean period
  • Product quality achievements within MyOcean

This issue is dedicated to the main outcomes of the MyOcean2 and Follow-On projects. The EC/FP7 MyOcean2 and H2020 MyOcean Follow-On projects covering the April 2012 to May 2015 period have paved the way for the current Copernicus Marine Environment Monitoring Service

(March 18) The Group on Earth Observations announced the launch of the Early Warning Crop Monitor, a new tool to fight food insecurity. The announcement was made during the GEO 36th Executive Meeting held in Geneva on 8-9 March.

Developed by the GEO Global Agricultural Monitoring Initiative (GEOGLAM), initiated by the G-20 Agriculture Ministers, the Early Warning Crop Monitor (ECWM) provides consensus reports on crop conditions in countries at risk of food insecurity in Central and South America, Africa, the Middle East, and Central and East Asia. The March EWCM bulletin reports that countries in Southeast Asia, and even more so in Southern Africa, face severe droughts attributed to the on-going El Niño.

The Early Warning Crop Monitor, together with the GEOGLAM Crop Monitor for the Agricultural Market Information Service (AMIS), will ultimately monitor crop development in 124 countries, totalling about 94 percent of the world’s agricultural area. Both reports synthesize remote sensing data, field observations and environmental modelling conducted by more than 40 international, regional and national organizations. The monthly reports are made available to decision-makers across the food security community and to the commodities markets. (http://www.geoglam-crop-monitor.org/)

GEO’s US Co-Chair, Dr Kathryn Sullivan, Administrator of the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), stated, “Concerns over food and water security are rising globally. Ensuring that agricultural industries around the world have access to the best science, data, tools and resources is essential as we work to increase food security and mitigate the effects of droughts and floods. The GEOGLAM Early Warning Crop Monitor provides decision-makers with essential information, gathered from satellites, buoys and other observational tools, to be ready, responsive and resilient against extreme weather and water events.”

During its latest meeting, the GEO Executive Committee also welcomed new Participating Organizations: European Association of Remote Sensing Companies (EARSC); Joint Board of Geospatial Information Societies (JBGIS); Mountain Research Initiative (MRI); and a new Observer, the Asia-Pacific Regional Space Agency Forum (APRSAF).

In addition to Kathryn Sullivan, the Executive Committee Co-Chairs include Hejun Yin, Vice-Minister, Ministry of Science and Technology (China); Rudolf Strohmeier, Assistant Director-General, Directorate-General for Research and Innovation (European Commission); and Philemon Mjwara, Director-General, Department of Science and Technology (South Africa).

The Group on Earth Observations (GEO)

The intergovernmental Group on Earth Observations (GEO) is comprised of 102 Member states, including the European Commission, and 95 Participating Organizations. Established in 2005, GEO strives to improve the world’s observation systems and provide policy makers and scientists with accurate and useful data that can be used to make informed decisions on issues affecting the planet. GEO’s primary focus is to develop a Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS) to enhance the ability of end-users to discover and access Earth observation data and convert it to useable and useful information. GEO is headquartered in Switzerland. For more information, visitwww.earthobservations.org

Source

The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency is producing flood and damage assessments for areas in the southern U.S. at the request of the Federal Emergency Management Agency to aid in response and recovery efforts.

NGA is providing geospatial analysis of areas affected by the flood, primarily in Louisiana and along its Texas border. NGA has produced over 2,200 assessments, highlighting affected and destroyed properties (residential and non-residential) as well as sections of roads that have become impassable. This analysis is critical to the state, local, and federal emergency response officials in allocating resources for the overall effort.

“Our value to the FEMA response is the flood and damage assessments we’re providing using geospatial data,” said Brian Cameron, NGA team lead and FEMA liaison. “FEMA uses our products to determine and prioritize affected populated areas in need of assistance. NGA’s analysis assists state officials in determining evacuation routes based on impassable roads and inundated areas.”

As of March 16, NGA has identified over 1100 homes and non-residential buildings that have been affected by the floods, over 1000 buildings that were destroyed, over 500 sections of roads that have become impassable and analyzed a total flooded area of more than 500 square miles.

One of NGA’s core mission sets is providing accurate and timely geospatial intelligence to first responders in the wake of natural disasters. NGA supports humanitarian and disaster relief efforts by working directly with the lead federal agencies responding to fires, floods, earthquakes, landslides, hurricanes or other natural or manmade disasters.

Source

The global drone market is expected to grow from $639.9 million in 2014 to $725.5 million in 2015. This market is further expected to grow to $1.2 billion by 2020 with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11.4% for the forecast period, 2015-2020.

Report to:
● Understand opportunities and innovation-driven drone market highlights, as well as the major regions involved in such developments.
● Analyze the various applications of drones and the market dynamics of each application.
● Examine key trends related to types, applications, sub-systems and regional factors that shape and influence the overall drone industry.
● Analyze growth strategies of key players in the drone market.

IAS104A-Web.pdf

Source

Juan Garcés de Marcilla, Director of Copernicus Services, ECMWF, explains the purpose of the EU’s earth observation programme and the economic and moral imperative to act on the insight it provides.

Climate change and severe weather events are challenging the assumptions that underpin Europe’s economic and social policies. They take no account of borders and have a global economic impact, affecting health, where we choose to live, how we work and how we spend our leisure time.

Faced with this knowledge, it is incumbent on policymakers, industry and the scientific community to mitigate damaging emissions, but also to equip society to adapt to changes that are already inevitable. This is where Copernicus comes in.

A global problem requires a global perspective

The European Union’s Copernicus earth observation programme comprises an array of satellites and thousands of sensors on land, in our oceans and in the air. Built on cooperation between agencies across the globe it provides free and open access to environmental data via six services – land, marine, emergency, security, atmosphere and climate.

One major component is the European Union’s network of Sentinel satellites. Sentinel-3A, launched in early February, was the third of six families of dedicated missions set to make up the core of this monitoring system.

And for the innovative companies looking to provide insight into our immediate priorities and climate future this new perspective is a game changing opportunity. The European Commission expects its Open Data Strategy to deliver a €40 billion annual boost to the EU’s economy, while studies suggest that, by 2020, big data analytics could boost European economic growth by 1.9%, a GDP increase of €206bn.

The companies working with the European Centre for Medium-range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) – which operates the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS) and the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) on behalf of the European Commission – are developing products with applications across the energy, water, agriculture, financial and urban planning sectors; turning perspective into insight and data in to information.

These companies have a lot to draw upon from the ECMWF-run services alone: the monitoring data from CAMS includes daily forecasts of air quality and greenhouse gases; C3S holds information on around 20 climate variables such as surface temperatures and in the near future customisable climate projections for sectors.

An economic and moral imperative

However insight alone is meaningless without action. Better information must help to prepare for, respond and adapt to the effects of the change, to minimise further harm.

If the evidence shows that repositioning wind turbines may lead to higher yield there is a financial imperative to act. If pollution is too high and is effecting health and life expectancy the considerations are not merely financial but moral.

Where once Nicolaus Copernicus suggested humans look outwards from the Earth, the Copernicus earth observation programme now turns the human gaze back onto our own planet. The choice is between an unsustainable future and a revolution in green growth and resilience. It is incumbent on us not just to observe but to act.

For more information http://atmosphere.copernicus.eu http://copernicus.eu

Source

Source

(AMBER-LEIGH WOOLF, March 17 2016) A plan for an advanced earth observation centre in Southland is understood to have made the shortlist for the Government’s regional research institutes initiative.

The plan, submitted by Venture Southland, is understood to be on the ministry’s initial shortlist selected from 24 applicants. The proposal, called the ‘Earth Add Vantage Centre for Advanced Earth Observation’, could become part of the government’s initiative to support the establishment of up to three privately-led regional research institutes outside of Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch.

The research institute would take data and make it commercially valuable. It is understood the Awarua Satellite Ground Station would be central to the project.

Southland Regional Development Strategy governance group chair Tom Campbell said the institute would interpret data from Southland’s tracking stations for the benefit of New Zealand, Campbell.

The data could be used in a range of ways from assisting with agriculture to helping track forest fires “and where they’re breaking out”.

“It allows us to look at New Zealand and particularly Southland and being able to interpret things about Southland like crop growth. That will become the information that’s commercially valuable.”

If established the institute’s research could be used nationwide, Campbell said.

“What we’re looking at is using that data to support New Zealand. It’s a broader part of the economy. It’s the fact that the data can be used to help farmers farm better.”

Campbell said the research institute could provide confidence for new business in Southland.

“It would not create other jobs in the short-term but I think it will be a great incentive for technology-based businesses to come down.

“I think it’s a great initiative for Southland. It’s got tremendous long-term potential.”

The Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment would not confirm that the bid had been shortlisted, with principal policy advisor of science policy Ron Clink saying an evaluation process was underway.

“Shortlisted applicants will be announced in the coming weeks and will be invited to progress to the next stage of the process – business case development.

“The final numbers will depend, among other things, on the number and strength of proposals and subsequent business cases, and on the level and duration of financial commitments from the businesses and research organisations that will be directly involved.”

MBIE would make its final recommendations to Cabinet once business case developments were completed, Clink said.

“The Government has set aside $25 million in total funding over three years. How much funding each institute requires will be determined as part of the evaluation and business case development process.”

Invercargill mayor Tim Shadbolt said Southland’s large skies were advantageous for satellite research.

“I don’t think any other region will be as advanced in terms of space technology as Southland at the moment. To be on the short-list even is a compliment.”

Deputy Mayor Darren Ludlow said if the research institute was established it would be a positive for Southland.

Source

(16 March 2016) The National Remote Sensing Centre of ISRO has signed an agreement with the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) for preparing satellite-based maps to help check unauthorised construction around over 3,000 protected monuments

Culture and Tourism Minister Mahesh Sharma said this on Monday while replying to a question in the Lok Sabha.

The maps will indicate prohibited and regulated areas around protected monuments for the information of the public.

“The ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) has a repository of photographs that are taken routinely through satellite. Those photographs will be used for developing a surveillance system for the centrally protected monuments,” Sharma said.

Source Indo-Asia News Service

By Caleb Henry [Via Satellite 03-16-2016] Belgian law has formed the Association of the European Space Research Establishments (ESRE) as an international nonprofit organization. Members consist of space research centers in Italy (CIRA), Germany (DLR), Spain (INTA), the Netherlands (NLR) and France (ONERA).

Through ESRE, these research centers will strengthen their cooperation and propose common Research and Development (R&D) actions to advance science and technology both to support the competitiveness of the European space sector and address grand societal challenges.

ESRE will pursue two key missions: first, being to enhance cooperation between research centers to support industry; and second, begin to make the organization a guiding force for medium and long term space-related R&D.

After an initial evaluation, ESRE identified the following areas as particularly promising for next generation research and development: collaborative small satellite constellations; future launch systems; cost-efficient satellite subsystem technologies; and satellite-based greenhouse gases monitoring. For 2016, ESRE plans to start consultations and discussions with the European space sector.

Source

(By Eric Sagara / March 9, 2016). As different satellites scan the globe, they gather a variety of information. That data gathering, known as remote sensing, regularly is used by scientists, and the data is free and publicly available.

The use of satellite data is a fairly recent tool in most newsrooms.

We used it last year to show how California’s drought affected vegetation health and how that, in turn, affected the state’s wildfire season. For that project, we worked with the MODIS sensor on NASA’s Terra satellite. This time, we turned to Landsat 8, a joint satellite mission between NASA and the U.S. Geological Survey. Both satellites capture imagery from a wide spectrum of light stretching beyond what the eye can see. But Landsat 8 has a much finer spatial resolution than MODIS, which means you can see more details in the images.

Landsat 8 scans Earth every 16 days. We selected imagery from four days from late July through September. These days were chosen primarily based on how much cloud cover obscured the area where fires were burning.

The data is available from the geological survey online for free. Landsat 8 captures multiple bands of light – both what can be seen by the naked eye and what cannot – and each band is stored in its own file, for a total of 12 images. By combining these bands in different ways, we could tell different aspects of the story.

Band Name Wavelength (micrometers) Resolution (meters) Purpose
1 Coastal aerosol 0.43 – 0.45 30 Studies looking at coastal areas or focusing on aerosols such as dust or ash.
2 Blue 0.45 – 0.51 30 Bathymetric mapping. Separating some vegetation types as well as distinguishing soil from vegetation.
3 Green 0.53 – 0.59 30 Vegetation health.
4 Red 0.64 – 0.67 30 Vegetation slopes.
5 Near infrared 0.85 – 0.88 30 Shorelines and biomass.
6 Shortwave infrared 1 1.57 – 1.65 30 Moisture content of soil and vegetation. Also penetrates thin clouds.
7 Shortwave infrared 2 2.11 – 2.29 30 Better moisture content analysis and cloud penetration.
8 Panchromatic 0.50 – 0.68 15 Sharper image in the red, green and blue wavelengths.
9 Cirrus 1.36 – 1.38 30 Used to detect cirrus clouds.
10 Thermal infrared 1 10.60 – 11.19 100 resampled to 30 Heat mapping and soil moisture.
11 Thermal infrared 2 11.50 – 12.51 100 resampled to 30 Improved heat mapping and soil moisture.
12 Quality assurance NA 30 Provides metadata on each pixel.

Combining the red, green and blue bands allowed us to produce a true-color image of what the land looks like to the naked eye. Adding a panchromatic band helped us increase the resolution of the images because it captures imagery in the red, green and blue spectrums at a resolution of 15 meters per pixel.
True-color image of fire area

To examine vegetation health, we used a second technique that combines imagery captured in the near infrared, red and green bands. This method was developed during World War II to detect camouflage.

More info