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[SatNews] The Emirates Institution for Advanced Science and Technology (EIAST) has signed a contract with Satrec Initiative, a provider of integrated and customized solutions for Earth observation missions, for global promotion and distribution of Dubai Sat-2’s products and services to customers worldwide.

The agreement further strengthens the existing cooperation between the two parties. Both organizations previously collaborated in the Dubai Sat-1 and Dubai Sat-2 projects. Currently, they are working on the first Arab-made satellite, the Khalifa Sat, which will be launched into outer space by 2017. Emirati engineers are involved in the planning and designing of the Khalifa Sat. The agreement was signed by H.E. Yousuf Al Shaibani, Director General, Emirates Institution for Advanced Science and Technology and Dong-Sung Park, Satrec’s General Manager. Senior managers and officials from both sides were present to witness the signing.

EIAST was established by the Dubai Government in 2006 with the goal of promoting a culture of advanced scientific research and technology innovation in Dubai and the UAE, and enhancing technology innovation and scientific skills among UAE Nationals. It is mainly involved in outer space research and development, satellite manufacturing and systems development, space imaging, and ground station services and support for other satellites.

EIAST and ““Satnews”:http://www.satnews.com/story.php?number=97682742&menu=1

To allow for a systematic assessment of freshwater ecosystems and riverine habitats, spatial information on extent, distribution and land cover and land use characteristics of riparian zones is required.

In order to meet this requirement, the local component of the Copernicus land monitoring service should provide more detailed information over the riparian zones, using very high resolution (VHR) imagery collected between 2011/13 in combination with other available datasets (high resolution (HR) and medium resolution (MR) images).

Through a call for tender published today, the European Environment Agency plans to establish a framework contract for the provision of the three following data layers:

  • The production of VHR LC/LU on a riparian buffer zone along selected rivers;
  • A VHR delineation of riparian zones, and
  • A VHR green linear elements data layer.

Furthermore, the framework contract should include the provision of consultancy services ancillary to the production of the 3 data layers specified above.

View Call notice on Tender Electronic Daily…
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Sensor, packet, video and signal data is not only all-digital and collected around the clock but it is also scaling up in size and resolution. The resulting massive surge in storage required to save it all is either a problem for your organization – or a major opportunity.

Plotting geophysical trends, tracking industrial changes or monitoring surveillance imagery requires both broad area spectral analysis and high resolution digital images. Ideally, you can combine multiple inputs for richer analysis to help make the most informed decision as close to real-time as you can get.

Better imagery and capture techniques from ever-higher resolution platforms available around the clock mean that your raw data ingest is massive. Given competitive pressures, your need to collect, route and make sense of that data quickly is sharper than ever. Throwing data away that you can’t handle is not an option, but neither is pumping data into an archive with no way to retrieve it and manage it intelligently.

Handling the influx of data requires a scalable storage platform that allows multiple computing environments to share satellite feeds or other collected data. Most organizations use multiple applications running on different operating systems for different purposes. For example, a Linux-based system might be used to provide high-performance computing horsepower for ingesting data, while a Windows-based system might enable another team to visualize and produce a final product. And since a single data set is often used in multiple workflows to generate varying types of images, simultaneous sharing among systems is critical.

High-performance shared file systems can serve as the glue to bind ingest, processing, and distribution systems together. A shared data pool can allow direct, Fibre Channel speed data access without the scalability and performance bottlenecks found in most NAS solutions. The architecture also provides the flexibility to add additional systems as application requirements and customer demands evolve. In some instances, the streamlining of production workflows might be sufficient, but in the majority of cases, creating imagery products might only be half of the goal.

The Need for Content Retention

Because it is essential to have access to the most complete historical data record possible, preservation of all geospatial data has been a critical requirement. A single snapshot in time is not adequate to facilitate temporal and spatial comparisons that enable accurate analysis of change and its impact over time. If a complete record is not maintained, extremely valuable content that is essential to many applications may be lost. Snapshots need to be retained indefinitely because you never know when that one archived image may be extremely critical for a project.

In industries where trend analysis is increasingly important, companies involved in managing geospatial imagery also need to keep their data sets stored and readily accessible based on evolving data analysis demands. This could apply to changes in plankton levels in our oceans, changing global environmental patterns that could impact the health of food supplies, or activities in a foreign nation that could impact our national security. This would also apply for natural resources where petabytes of location-referenced seismic data have been collected from around the world that need to be preserved for the petroleum industry for current and future exploration and extraction activities. Spatial as well as temporal comparisons are needed to answer important inquiries. And with the increasing resolution of imagery and complexity of the various types of geospatial data, retention and data management becomes extremely critical.

Automated Data Movement

Different data sets are treated differently depending on the project so companies need the ability to tweak movement based on specific project requirements. A data management platform with a rich policy engine could be tuned to handle multiple data sets in unique, project specific manners. A robust policy engine also makes it possible to build a second, long term storage repository. Now as projects are completed, the raw satellite feeds, refined imagery product, and browse thumbnails can be collated and transferred to a long term storage pool. Data can live on high-speed disk for short term repurposing needs and can then transparently move to long-term storage, such as a tape library or disk-based object storage, for faster, more efficient global access to historical data. Such a tiered storage strategy can cost much less than an all disk solution and provides standardization across all projects.

Simplified Data Access

When data analysis must be made quickly, for example in the case of disaster relief support where maps are used to assist relief workers to visualize where specific damages occurred and determine quickly how to route resources, time can’t be wasted when accessing a file. It is critical to find a solution which can mask data location regardless of if it has moved to a tertiary storage device. Within long term storage repositories, all data should look like it lives on the primary storage. This eliminates the need to reconfigure applications to look for data in different locations, causing upheaval to business processes.

A high-performance shared storage platform, such as Quantum StorNext, can ingest and process an ever growing amount of data in a timely fashion and have the ability to store data in a simplified, standardized long term storage repository. With a modern architecture, companies can scale faster and evolve with the next generation of visualization and interpretation techniques. There is a need to have the ability to produce quality imagery and provide trend data that enables better planning, smart analysis and quick action on evolving geophysical and geopolitical conditions. This kind of strategic implementation may not always be able to anticipate demand, but one can now safely plan for it – and turn what is a problem for other organizations into your major opportunity.

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(Munich, 19 March 2014) Imagine a geo service that combines remote sensing imagery and geodata from multiple sources and analyzes them with professional Geo-IT software on a powerful workbench—all on a pay-per-use basis. This has become reality with CloudEO , the cloud-based geo collaboration platform partnering with worldwide leading geodata content, software and service providers.

CloudEO enables new business models for existing and new market players. Rather than making huge upfront investments in permanent licenses for software, IT and data, CloudEO users can now buy subscriptions and even 24/7 geo processing services on a pay-per-use basis at affordable prices, or enter into innovative revenue- sharing schemes. Data providers, software developers and service providers are enabled to market their products and services more easily and efficiently.

“Geo service providers are the customers for our satellite imagery, and we facilitate their businesses every day,” said DMCii CEO Dave Hodgson. “CloudEO’’s unique geo collaboration portal provides all of the elements our customers need to develop a professional service easily and enable a fast market entry and ROI. That’s why we have decided to be CloudEO partner.”

Moreover, CloudEO’s cloud service handles all aspects of user authentication, registration and accounting. “CloudEO’s service opens up great new possibilities to reach our customers more easily, with less administrative effort. We are sure to get new customers with it,” said Dr. Thomas Heege, CEO of EOMAP, a CloudEO partner offering sophisticated map products. “The easy-to-access web store solution is an especially customer-orientated and well-designed platform.”

A new era of easy-to-use and affordable geo-based services has begun. The newly released CloudEO online store gives a first impression on available services, with many more to come in the next weeks and months. The use cases are endless. Only imagination sets the limits.

About CloudEO
CloudEO- the unique portal for all those who create, interpret and use geodata. CloudEO offers to its customers a secure and highly scalable geo infrastructure to develop, produce and market geoservices. It brings data, software and processing power together within a private cloud service and a certified hosting environment. Within CloudEO’s geo collaboration platform content providers, software developers, service providers and geodata users become partners within one ecosystem providing affordable geo services for commercial applications, visit: www.cloudeo-ag.com
CloudEO is supported by the European Space Agency and is part of the ESA BIC, which is operated by the Anwendungszentrum Oberpfaffenhofen.

Press Contact:Susanne Schneider.press@cloudeo-ag.com

(19 March 2014) Esri is launching a comprehensive effort to help communities work smarter and more efficiently, therefore growing their resilience, in response to the White House Climate Data Initiative. The GIS company is also launching a climate-focused geo-collaboration portal.

The White House Climate Data Initiative is one of the most important and timely initiatives of our times. In its community outreach, Esri plans to focus its initial efforts on 12 large and small communities, including New Orleans, Louisiana; Wake County, North Carolina; and Tamarac, Florida, to develop practical methods and approaches based on GIS technology that address the most critical requirements of the communities. Esri will continue its plan by publishing a series of maps and apps developed in conjunction with these communities that will be shared openly. Communities around the world can use the solutions to make progress toward becoming more resilient.

Esri’s climate-focused geo-collaboration portal is a place where citizens and professionals can go online to discover, contribute, and share resources critical to confronting the impacts of climate change, according to the press release. This website will offer a starting point for open data and ideas. It will evolve over time and grow as more scientists, government entities, and the public use it.

Both the local government focus group project and geo-collaboration portal complement the Esri Climate Resilience App Challenge, which launched last week in front of thousands of GIS developers at the Esri Developer Summit. The app challenge inspires developers to use their expertise for making maps and analytical tools that help communities see, understand, and prepare for climate risks. The event is open to everyone- from independent developers to startups, governments, academia, and NGOs. The resulting apps will be openly shared and Esri will award prizes to the winners. In July, the best of the best will be featured at the Esri International User Conference where more than 15,000 people gather to learn new practices they can use to make a positive difference in their own work.

To extend the reach of these important efforts, Esri has partnered with a variety of organizations that share a commitment for tackling complex climate challenges. Esri’s partners in building resilient communities include the International City/County Management Association (ICMA), National Association of Counties (NACO), National League of Cities (NLC), Tumml, American Public Works Association (APWA), American Planning Association (APA), Association of State Floodplain Managers (ASFPM), American Water Resources Association (AWRA), International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC), Local Government Commission (LGC), National Association of Development Organizations (NADO), National Alliance for Public Safety GIS Foundation (NAPSG Foundation), National Information Sharing Consortium (NISC), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO), Trust for Public Lands (TPL), and Public Technology Institute (PTI).

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(31 March 2014) Under the lead of the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre and the Dartmouth Flood Observatory (University of Colorado), the Global Flood Partnership was launched earlier this month.

It is a unique international forum aimed at developing a global flood observation and modelling infrastructure for managing and forecasting flood risk at a global scale. It will provide operational and globally applicable flood monitoring and, at a later stage, forecasting tools and services, as well as short- and long-term flood risk assessment tools, which will be complementary to national capabilities. This will be achieved by bringing together the scientific community, satellite and weather service providers, national flood and emergency management authorities, humanitarian organisations and donors.

The JRC has a unique expertise in this area, as it contributed to the set up and managed the development of the first operational hydrological network in Europe, the European Flood Awareness System (EFAS). EFAS is an early warning system at a pan-European scale to provide flood information 3-10 days in advance, allowing Member States and the Commission to be better prepared for potential flood crises at international scale. Since 2012, it operates under the umbrella of the Copernicus emergency management service and run by Member States organisations.

Source adn JRC

(5thMarch2014) Our Satellite Rapid Response System catalog has reached the incredible amount of 550.000 satellite images!!!

After 7 years of uninterruptible service we stored more than half million of images including ESA missions like ASAR and MERIS, NASA instruments like MODIS and VIIRS, EUMETSAT mission AVHRR and CSA SAR images from Radarsat2.

If you want have a look, follow this link Satellite Rapid Response

Clark Labs is pleased to announce that Geocarto International Centre in Hong Kong, has recently published a new version of Remote Sensing with IDRISI: A Beginner’s Guide, authored by Timothy Warner and David J. Campagna and updated for IDRISI Selva.

The text is ideal for students and professionals seeking a hands-on, guided exploration of the fundamental issues in remote sensing and image processing, using the techniques and approaches within the IDRISI software. An overview and methodology discussion is also provided for each of the topic areas.

The text introduces the reader to the display and basic processing procedures for enhancement, analysis and classification of satellite imagery, and trains the user in how to accomplish these tasks within the IDRISI environment. It also includes sample data from a number of locations around the globe, covering a variety of natural and human-modified environments.

The new text is currently available from Geocarto International Centre and Clark Labs

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(28 March 2014) With air pollution linked to millions of deaths around the world, it has never been more important to monitor the air we breathe.

Today marks a significant step forward as a deal is secured to build a crucial space sensor for tracking the world’s air quality.

The €144 million contract for the Sentinel-5 instrument of Europe’s Copernicus programme was formally signed today with Airbus Defence and Space in Ottobrunn, Germany.

“The Sentinel-5 instrument will be very important to continue the monitoring of our atmosphere by an operational system,” noted Volker Liebig, ESA’s Director of Earth Observation Programmes.

“Together with the launch of Sentinel-1A just days away, the ambitious Copernicus programme is now on the road to realising its full potential.”

The Sentinel satellites are dedicated to providing data for Europe’s Copernicus initiative – the first operational environmental observation system worldwide. Through Copernicus, data from all the Sentinel missions are freely available to users.

Delivering important data on the composition of the atmosphere, Sentinel-5 is set to make a step change in monitoring and forecasting global air quality.

This state-of-the-art instrument will be installed on the polar-orbiting MetOp Second Generation satellite. It will monitor the composition of Earth’s atmosphere globally on a daily basis by measuring trace gases – such as ozone, sulphur dioxide, methane and carbon monoxide – and aerosols that affect air quality and climate.

The readings will help to both monitor and differentiate between natural and human-produced emissions, providing new insight into the human impact on air quality, ozone and climate.

It will also facilitate air-quality predictions, ranging from near-realtime, next-day air pollution forecasts to climate forecasts for the coming decades.

Measurements by Sentinel-5 will also complement data from MetOp Second Generation’s thermal-infrared sounder and imagers.

As prime contractor for Sentinel-5, Airbus Defence and Space will lead the industrial consortium that will develop, construct and validate the mission’s ultraviolet to shortwave-infrared spectrometer.

(source: ESA) and spacenewsfeed