Session Description
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Earth Science |
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| A.1 Atmosphere |
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A1.01 Atmospheric Satellite Data Assimilation Regular ContributedDescription: Atmospheric data assimilation is the analytical process of estimating the entire state of the atmosphere from a set of observations. Advanced instruments of current (e.g. Sentinel-5 Precursor) and planned atmospheric satellite missions (e.g. ADM/Aeolus) will increasingly provide large volumes of data related to the atmospheric state. Here recent advances in satellite data assimilation are described which will help ensure that full benefit is derived from the considerable investment in these space-based missions. Convenors: R. Engelen (ECMWF), H. Elbern (U. Koeln) |
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A1.02 GNSS and SAR troposphere observations for NWP models Regular ContributedDescription: GNSS and SAR observations can be used to monitor the high temporal and spatial variability of troposphere water vapor content. Experiments are carried out to assimilate water vapor products into high resolution Numerical Weather Models to better model atmosphere thermodynamics at small scale, such in convective phenomena, and to provide most accurate forecasts of heavy rainfalls and flash floods. The possibility to densify GNSS permanent networks, also thanks to the more and more performing low-cost GNSS receivers, the huge amount of Sentinel-1 data and the launch of new L and C-band SAR missions in the next decade is opening new perspectives for an operational GNSS and SAR meteorology. The objective of the session is to bring together researchers investigating new uses of GNSS and SAR water vapour observations and their assimilation into high resolution NWM models, also in synergy with other space geodesy techniques, or new spaceborne SAR configurations to start a synergic work on meteorological applications. Convenors: Giovanni Nico (CNR-IAC) - Giovanna Venuti (Polimi) |
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A1.03 Satellite winds and cloud dynamics Regular ContributedDescription: In meteorology, the traditional Earth Observation landscape is changing dramatically by the introduction of new satellite technology to measure winds. At the same time atmospheric circulation models are improving to describe phenomena in the 3D turbulence and moist convection regimes. This is a timely development, as cloud dynamics and processes are currently one of the World Climate Research Programme’s Grand Challenges. Concerning technology, the launch of the ESA core explorer Aeolus is the most unique and which brings long-awaited upper air weather information over the oceans, tropics, southern hemisphere and poles, including winds in upper air clouds and at cloud boundaries. In addition, dedicated new space technologies are being proposed using high-resolution Doppler cloud radar and tandem multi-angle imagers to capture cloud dynamics and processes. Moreover, cloud-resolving models (CRM) are being developed to simulate the satellite system measurements and perform trade-offs in their envisaged measurement capabilities. Besides new explorers, also operational missions provide enhanced capability for studying cloud dynamics. The launch of MetOp-C will result in complete ocean wind coverage at 9:30 local time in the morning and evening, while Chinese and Indian wind scatterometers, planned for launch this year, will provide coverage at around 0:00, 6:00, 12:00 and 18:00 too, resulting in unprecedented ocean vector wind coverage in space and time. Scatterometers depict ocean wind shear, divergence and convergence associated with moist convection events and their temporal evolution. Finally, the resolution of geostationary imagers is being improved in space and time, providing enhanced views on cloud dynamics, gravity waves and motion in the cloudy atmosphere. The objectives of this session include presenting and discussing:
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A1.04 Atmospheric Research in the Stratosphere and Mesosphere Regular ContributedDescription: The stratosphere is responsible for many processes influencing weather, climate and environment on Earth. Most noticeable is the impact of the ozone layer on nature and human civilization, but it is also becoming increasingly evident that stratospheric processes have large impact on the tropospheric climate. The mesosphere is also very important for earth's protection. The mesosphere burns up most meteors and asteroids before they are able to reach the earth's surface. The mesosphere is difficult to study, so less is known about this layer of the atmosphere than other layers. This session is on recent research results for these atmospheric layers based on satellite measurements. Convenors: C. Zehner (ESA), M. Lopez-Puertas (Instituto De Astrofisica De Andalucia), K. Walker (U. Toronto) |
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A1.05 Aerosols and Clouds Regular ContributedDescription: For studying climate system processes and changes, the remote sensing of aerosol and clouds is of key importance. An accurate understanding of both properties is relevant to climate and weather-related processes on a wide range of spatial and temporal scales. Parameters like aerosol and cloud optical thickness, particle size, layer height, liquid or ice water path and vertical particulate matter columns are required on a high level of reliability. We invite presentations on current developments, challenges and opportunities in aerosol and cloud remote sensing as well as contributions on model improvements. Convenors: A. Kokhanovsky (Vitrociset) , G. Leeuw (FMI), R. Preusker (F.U. Berlin), Christian Retscher (ESA) |
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A1.07 Water Vapour Regular ContributedDescription: The importance of water vapour for the Earth's radiative balance, climate feedbacks, atmospheric circulation and stratospheric processes is undisputed, and yet significant observational uncertainties remain in documenting its distribution and its response to climate change. This session shall review the latest progress in both tropospheric and stratospheric water vapour retrieval from satellite data, the potential contribution of new satellite missions to the understanding of water vapour's role in the Earth system, and efforts to develop and utilise long-term water vapour ECVs for climate research. Convenors: Michaela Hegglin (U. Reading), Rene Preusker (Freie Universität Berlin), Simon Pinnock (ESA) |
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A1.08 Tropospheric Composition and Air Quality Regular ContributedDescription: The growing availability of tropospheric composition data from air quality satellite missions (e.g. Sentinel-5P/TROPOMI) provides measurements at unprecedented spatial and temporal resolutions. Improvements in trace gas remote sensing and models are enabling advances in numerous applications in air quality analysis and prediction. We invite presentations on data product improvements, validation aspects as well as studies using satellite data for applications in tropospheric chemistry and air quality from current and future missions. Convenors: M. van Roozendael (BIRA-IASB), J.Tamminen (FMI), Christian Retscher (ESA) |
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A1.09 Greenhouse Gases Regular ContributedDescription: Remote sensing observations of methane and carbon dioxide provide a significant potential for improving the understanding of the natural carbon cycle and specifically the monitoring of anthropogenic emissions. While spaceborne, airborne and groundbased remote sensing technologies for measuring greenhouse gases have made great advances, there still exist uncertainties in the understanding of the global and regional cycles of CH4 and CO2. We invite presentations on data product improvements, validation aspects, the development of future sensors and technologies, as well as studies using satellite data for applications in greenhouse gas remote sensing from current and future missions. Convenors: M. Buchwitz (U. Bremen), I. Aben (SRON), H. Boesch (U. Leicester), C. Retscher (ESA) |
| A.2 Cryosphere |
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A2.01 Observing Permafrost State and Dynamics from Space Regular ContributedDescription: A better understanding of the dynamics of permafrost landscapes is critical to project impacts of global warming in high latitude and mountain regions on infrastructure, ecosystems, hydrology, and global carbon cycling. While there are still many challenges, a wide range of remote sensing techniques now provides spatially and temporally consistent data to observe the state and change of permafrost directly or indirectly. Increasingly, regional- to global-scale numerical modeling of permafrost also relies on input parameters delivered by remotely sensing systems. We here solicit contributions of studies demonstrating the use of space-borne Earth Observation techniques for characterizing permafrost state and dynamics. Studies on all spatial and temporal scales are welcome. Research that showcases integration of space-borne datasets with airborne and/or field-based measurements from permafrost regions for validation or with numerical modeling is of particular interest for this session. Convenors: Guido Grosse (AWI), Annett Bartsch (b.geos), Sebastian Westermann (Department of Geosciences, University of Oslo), Frank Martin Seifert (ESA) |
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A2.02 Radar measurements of alpine snow Regular ContributedDescription: The dynamic nature of mountain snowpacks has been amplified by recent climate perturbations resulting in an increased awareness of the importance of mountain snow and ice. Mountainous snow cover plays an important role in terms of water availability, groundwater recharge, glacier stability, and tourism. Recent droughts in California, Fenno-Scandia and Central Europe have all been amplified due to perturbations in snowmelt runoff. Initiatives in North America and Europe including SnowEx and the proposed Copernicus Snow and Ice service as well as reports from ESA and the formation of the ESA Arctic Task Force have raised the profile of the issue. This session aims to summarise recent advances in the observation and measurement of snow in Alpine terrain using radar instruments. The expected focus is synthetic aperture radar including interferometric and polarimetric methods but results using other radar systems, such as altimeters and ground-penetrating radars are welcome. We expect a number of presentations on the exploitation of Copernicus data, satellite constellations such as Tandem-X or COSMO-SkyMed, and airborne platforms. Convenors: Ian Brown (U. Stockholm), Andreas Dietz (DLR) |
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A2.03 The importance of Snow in Earth Climate System Regular ContributedDescription: Snow, being among the most variable and sensitive components of Earth's climate system, is an important target for the growing global constellation of SAR, passive microwave and optical sensors. That importance is underlined by the growing advancements remote sensing offers to support water resource management, climate studies, and ecosystem services. This session welcomes the international snow remote sensing community to share new insights and challenges for retrieving snow parameters over land, ice, and sea ice surfaces. The session aims to feature new snow products, models and services utilizing Altimetry, SAR, passive microwave and optical satellite sensors and any synergistic combinations of them. Convenors: Jason Box (GEUS), Thomas Nagler (ENVEO), Chris Derksen (Environment Canada), Teruo Aoki (Okayama University), Thomas Painter (NASA JPL) |
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A2.04 Glaciers and ice caps in a warming world: Improved understanding of changes from recent satellite data Regular ContributedDescription: The currently freely available satellite (e.g. Landsat 8, Sentinel 1 / 2) and elevation data (e.g. Arctic DEM, TanDEM-X, Cryosat-2) have substantially increased our capabilities to observe glaciers and ice caps and their changes at unprecedented spatial and temporal resolution. We can precisely follow changes in glacier extent, elevation and flow velocities (among others), leading to an improved understanding of the driving physical processes (e.g. for surging glaciers). This allows us to model and anticipate the response of glaciers to ongoing and expected future climate change with higher certainty. This session welcomes contributions that utilize latest satellite and elevation data to reveal glacier processes and changes globally. This includes observation of long-term trends from the entire satellite archive back to the earliest reconnaissance imagery (Keyhole mission) and the impacts changing glaciers have on the environment (e.g. hazards, run-off, sea-level change). We also invite studies linking the current capabilities to requirements for future satellite missions and new data processing techniques that explore the full potential of the currently acquired datasets for glacier monitoring. Convenors: Anna Maria Trofaier (ESA), Frank Paul (U. Zurich), Andreas Kääb (U. Oslo) |
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A2.05 Ice-sheet-wide remote sensing in Antarctica and Greenland Regular ContributedDescription: Antarctica and Greenland are increasingly affected by climate change. Five essential climate variables (ECV) pertaining to ice sheets are defined by the WMO in an effort to better understand, to monitor temporal trends, and to predict the evolution of these changes. Remote sensing data play a key role in the retrieval of ECVs and their availability has increased significantly over the last 20 years. The objective of this session is to provide a status update and to highlight recent advancements of monitoring key ice sheet parameters. We particularly encourage presentations discussing multi-sensor data merging, the assimilation of remote sensing products with models, international coordination efforts, as well as initiatives like IMBIE, Copernicus Ice Sheet Services, NASA MEaSUREs, ESA CCI+ and identification of potential observation gaps and how to address them, and recommendations for the next generation of space missions. Convenors: Bernd Scheuchl (U. California), Thomas Nagler (ENVEO) |
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A2.07 Monitoring Polar Regions by using Microwave Radiometry Regular ContributedDescription: Despite significant improvements in our knowledge of polar areas, substantial uncertainties remain in the magnitude of cryospheric feedback mechanisms, impairing the predictability of climate variability and change. Satellite microwave radiometers (MR), with their daylight and weather independent observations, constitute today’s most promising tool to monitor and quantify dominating processes in Polar Regions. Current (e.g., SMOS and SMAP, AMSRE-2, SSM/I) and future mission (i.e. the Copernicus Imaging Microwave Radiometer - CIMR) allow retrieval of essential geophysical quantities at high spatio-temporal resolution and accuracy. Moreover, recent airborne activities prove that the use of low frequencies (i.e. lower than 1.4 GHz) can strongly improve the current capabilities. In this session, we invite presentation about: (1) MR applications covering the sea ice (e.g. ice concentration, thickness, type, snow), polar ocean (e.g. SST, SSS), and land ice (e.g. snow, glaciers, ice sheets) domains. (2) Operational services based on MR data, and their integration in forecast systems and models. (3) New retrieval methods including microwave radiative transfer modelling. (4) Synergy and merging with other satellite sensors like Sentinel-1 SAR or Sentinel-2/3 optical. (5) Evaluation studies, e.g., airborne or in-situ like the MOSAiC ice drift. Convenors: Giovanni Macelloni (CNR IFAC), Gunnar Spreen (U. Bremen), Catherine Prigent (Observatoire de Paris) |
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A2.08 Altimetry of the cryosphere and polar oceans Regular ContributedDescription: Satellite and airborne altimetry have transformed our capacity to study the polar regions, and the past three decades of measurements have painted a new and unique picture of how Earth’s ice sheets, ice shelves, sea ice, and polar oceans evolve. As global temperatures have risen, so too have rates of snowfall, ice melting, and sea level rise, and each of these changes impacts upon the neighboring land, marine, and atmospheric environments. Altimeter measurements are now central to our awareness and understanding of Arctic and Antarctic environmental change. This session brings together studies that innovate and utilise measurements developed from satellite and airborne altimeter platforms to examine the complementarity of approaches across scientific disciplines, and to advance our understanding of the polar regions. We welcome submissions based on assessments of past, current, and future missions and on the application of altimeter datasets to observe and model polar environmental change. Convenors: Anna Hogg (CPOM), Thomas Armitage (JPL), Sebastian Simonsen (DTU), Amandine Guillot (CNES) |
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A2.09 Retrievals of sea ice properties and processes Regular ContributedDescription: Sea ice is an important component of the polar systems and it is changing rapidly. Accurate and systematic observations are required to better understand and predict sea ice changes. We invite abstracts about retrievals of sea ice properties and processes from any kind of satellite remote sensing, or from combinations of satellite and airborne or in-situ observations that can advance our capability to better observe sea ice from space, and to comprise components of near-future polar regions observing systems. Convenors: Christian Haas (AWI), Sinead Farrell (NOAA), Eero Rinne (FMI),Tommaso Parrinello (ESA) |
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A2.10 Multi-sensor monitoring of the Arctic and Southern Oceans Regular ContributedDescription: The Arctic and Southern Oceans are critical regions for climate change. In particular, the Arctic is extremely sensitive to human activity, causing it to be a highly dynamic environment that is the focus of European and international Policy. This session will focus on the different sensors and state-of-the art techniques that will be used to monitor changes in circulation, temperature and biology on timescales from weekly to multi-decadal. This will require the coherent analysis of data from many past and present missions, and the development of new sensor technology to address future challenges. Convenors: Craig Donlon (ESA), Graham Quartly (PML) |
| A.3 Biosphere |
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A3.01 Remote sensing for ecosystem modelling: scalability of plant traits, essential biodiversity variables and ecosystem functional properties from the leaf to the ecosystem level Regular ContributedDescription: Understanding and predicting ecosystem functions remains a major challenge in evaluating ecosystem services and biosphere-atmosphere interactions under future environmental scenarios, as current dynamic vegetation models are still not capable of grasping the spatial and temporal variability in ecosystem processes. Remote sensing data at a range of scales from in-situ to Earth Observations can detect essential changes in plant traits, biodiversity and ecosystem functioning, providing a method for scaling-up and characterize spatial and temporal variability of these parameters. In this Session, we welcome contributions that make use of remote sensing observations to advance estimates of plant traits, essential biodiversity variables and ecosystem functional properties from varying perspectives using multiple sensors and platforms, never integrated before. Convenors: Micol Rossini (U. Milano Bicocca), Mirco Migliavacca (Max-Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry), Cinzia Panigada (University of Milano Bicocca), Uwe Rascher (Forschungszentrum Juelich), Duccio Rocchini (University of Trento) |
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A3.02 EO for Terrestrial Biodiversity Regular ContributedDescription: Scientific advances in Remote Sensing of the function and structure of terrestrial ecosystems and their components. Despite increasing awareness that sustainable development cannot be achieved without safeguarding the environment, the world is still undergoing a massive degradation of terrestrial, freshwater and marine ecosystems and consequently some dramatic reduction of the services these ecosystems provide to society. Regular assessment of the status of and change to biodiversity at a global scale is urgently needed. In this context, the 2020 Aichi biodiversity targets of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) address the underlying causes of biodiversity loss, reduce direct pressure on biodiversity, safeguard ecosystems and their services, and enhance implementation of the Convention. This requires scientific cooperation for the collection, production, analysis and dissemination of biodiversity data. A framework for such a global and integrated biodiversity monitoring system is currently being developed by the Group on Earth Observation Biodiversity Observation Network (GEO BON) under the general concept of Essential Biodiversity Variables (EBVs). The EBVs have been defined as the key variables needed, on a regular and global basis, to understand and monitor changes in the Earth’s biodiversity, and form the basis of biodiversity monitoring programs by countries. From their conceptual definition in 2013, the EBVs have been based on the integration of remotely sensed observations that can be measured systematically and globally by satellites, with field observations from local sampling schemes integrated into large-scale generalisations. Satellite remote sensing allows wide scale, repeatable, standardised and cost effective measurements, yet their application in global biodiversity monitoring is still insufficiently developed, and the derivation of high-level biodiversity indicators from remotely sensed data has proved challenging. The emergence of government-funded satellite missions with open and free data policies, global coverage, and long term continuity of observations, such as the Sentinel missions of the European Copernicus Program or the US Landsat series, offer an unprecedented ensemble of satellite observations at high spatial and temporal scales, which together with very high resolutions sensors from commercial vendors (e.g. SPOT 6/7, Pleiades, WorldView, QuickBird), enable the development of satellite-based biodiversity monitoring systems. The combined use of different sensors opens new pathways for a more effective and comprehensive use of Earth Observations in the functional and structural characterisation of terrestrial ecosystems and their components. The importance of EO for terrestrial biodiversity monitoring is also articulated by ongoing activities within the Group on Earth Observations (GEO) and Committee on Earth Observation Satellites (CEOS), namely GEO BON and CEOS Biodiversity, as well as funded projects by ESA, NASA and the European Commission H2020 program. In this series of biodiversity sessions, we will present the recent scientific advances in the development of EO applications for the monitoring of the status of and changes to terrestrial ecosystems, and their relevance for biodiversity and conservation studies such as ecological modelling or ecosystem integrity analyses. The session will also present examples of the EO contribution to policy activities such as monitoring progress towards the 2020 Aichi Biodiversity Targets of CBD and the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations. The development of RS-enabled EBVs for standardized global assessment will also be addressed, with the road ahead. Topics of interest mainly include (not limited to):
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A3.03 Ground & space sensors for monitoring resilience of forest canopy structure & forest functioning Regular ContributedDescription: In this session we focus on established and emerging developments in ground and earth observation sensor technology and modelling approaches used to monitor and map forest canopy structure and resilience at various spatial and temporal scales. We will use the session to synthesise across these developments taking this as a baseline to propose a scale- dependent method framework that will be suitable to: (1) monitor forest canopy structure (2) monitor and predict forest resilience The framework will be structured around the feasibility of remote sensing to monitor Essential Biodiversity Variables (EBVs) and managing landscapes for EBVs. The concept of EBVs was proposed as framework for biodiversity indicators that allows researchers, managers and decision-makers to monitor progress to the Aichi Biodiversity Targets for 2020. Thereby EBV candidates should be able to capture critical scales of biodiversity, they should be state variables that are sensitive to change, and they should be technically feasible and economically viable. GeoBon, the group On Earth Observations Biodiversity Observation Network (https://geobon.org/), lists earth observation as a key tool to measure, map and monitor EBVs and in particular those linked to ecosystem structure and ecosystem functioning. Structure and functioning of ecosystems also link to ecosystem services, which are critical to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) including Life on Land (SDG15), Climate Action (SDG13), and Clean Water (SDG6). However, we lack a clear method framework that delineates (1) to what extent earth observation alone or in combination with ground based observation can realistically deliver on the EBV monitoring challenge, (2) the steps needed to implement the challenge and (3) the corresponding challenges of interoperability between sensors and approaches. Talks within the session will focus on forest canopy structure, measured as biophysical attributes canopy height, gap fraction, leaf area index (LAI), fractional vegetation cover (FCover) and fraction of absorbed photosynthetically active radiation (fAPAR). They typically represent longer term forest stand adaptations to given environmental contexts, including water availability. They are Essential Climate Variables that regulate key ecosystem processes, determine habitat differentiation along vertical gradients of light availability and control vegetation productivity and thus stand biomass. The session will also focus on measures of short-term responses to stress, e.g. caused by drought, thereby reconciling structure of forests with forest function and resilience. Talks will focus on EO spectral measures from visible to thermal wavelengths to radar that provide an indicator of plant stress and photosynthetic activity (including leaf surface temperature and functioning traits such as photosynthetic capacity via chlorophyll content, maximum carboxylation rate Vcmax, light use efficiency and vegetation optical depth). A third focus of the session will be on modelling approaches interlinking climate and terrestrial biosphere to reveal long-term trends in forest structure and functioning (and hence resilience). This includes recent research on long-term greening trends and underlying drivers, observed changes in net and gross carbon uptake and how both are regulated through key environmental drivers such light and water availability. Convenors: Marion Pfeifer (U. Newcastle), Kim Calders (U. Gent) |
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A3.04 Concerted Actions for Global Forest Biomass Monitoring Regular ContributedDescription: This session aims to collect inputs from all internationally relevant forest biomass monitoring activities. The CCI Biomass Project aims to use long-term Earth Observation datasets to generate global estimates of the ECV Biomass, primarily for use in climate change science. The intention is to integrate recent EO missions and advanced methods to support the generation of global above biomass maps for 2007-2010, 2017/18 and 2018/19. This endeavour builds on the previous ESA DUE GlobBiomass project, but also includes partners from other comparable international remote sensing programmes and organisations with expertise in climate science, vegetation biomes and crucially, in situ data.This session aims to collect inputs from all internationally relevant forest biomass monitoring activities. The CCI Biomass Project aims to use long-term Earth Observation datasets to generate global estimates of the ECV Biomass, primarily for use in climate change science. The intention is to integrate recent EO missions and advanced methods to support the generation of global above biomass maps for 2007-2010, 2017/18 and 2018/19. This endeavour builds on the previous ESA DUE GlobBiomass project, but also includes partners from other comparable international remote sensing programmes and organisations with expertise in climate science, vegetation biomes and crucially, in situ data. Convenors: Christiana Schmullius (U. Jena), Richard Lucas (UNSW) |
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A3.05 Near real-time forest monitoring Regular ContributedDescription: Satellite-based monitoring systems are the primary tools for providing near real-time information on new changes in forest environments. Their great potential for early detection of, for example, illegal and unsustainable forest activities and areas affected by natural disasters is essential for good governance and law enforcement. With the Sentinel satellites an increasing availability and access to free and open optical and SAR satellite data streams at up to 10 m spatial resolution is available offering the opportunity to monitor changes more timely and more accurate. In parallel, more frequent observations from very high resolution satellites come available. This opportunity comes with challenges and requires new methods that can efficiently handle dense satellite image time series, enable temporal analysis and consider the spatial context. We encourage scientists from different fields to contribute their novel approaches and insights for near real-time forest monitoring. Convenors: Johannes Reiche (U. Wageningen) |
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A3.06 Integrated Earth Observation for Carbon Cycle Science Regular ContributedDescription: Radiative forcing of Earth’s climate system is largely driven by growing atmospheric abundances of the greenhouse gases carbon dioxide and methane. These abundances are controlled by man-made carbon emissions and carbon cycle processes. The terrestrial carbon cycle is particularly dynamic, variable and sensitive to meteorological, climatic and human forcings. Thus, carbon cycle science requires an integrated view on the Earth system. Earth Observation can deliver such a view by providing interconnected pieces of information that can be combined to generate deeper insights into the functioning of the carbon cycle and its sensitivity to climatic and societal changes. Convenors: André Butz (U. Heidelberg) |
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A3.07 Land Surface Global Monitoring from PROBA-V to Sentinel-3 Regular ContributedDescription: With its launch in 2013, PROBA-V has ensured the continuity of the SPOT/VEGETATION mission, started in 1998, providing daily global observations of Earth land ecosystems. Now, the continuity is relying on the Sentinel-3 mission, with two satellites 3A & 3B. The transition from PROBA-V to Sentinel-3 is anticipated to be challenging owing to the diversity of the relevant sensors. Therefore, extreme care should be paid to guarantee consistency in the time series of derived biophysical variables (e.g., FAPAR, LAI). To this end, PROBA-V mission will be extended until (at least) end of 2019, so that to allow for a rigorous cross-sensors verification and validation. Additional extension of PROBA-V beyond this date is currently under discussion. A first objective of the session is to report on the major scientific achievements of PROBA-V mission for land monitoring and to review and discuss the proposals for extending the mission beyond 2019. A second objective is to present the most recent innovations in the retrieval methodologies of biophysical variables allowing the monitoring of vegetation state and dynamics. It includes the challenges to adapt the existing satellite-based algorithms to the Sentinel-3 sensors characteristics in order to ensure time series consistency. A third objective is to highlight the use of biophysical vegetation variables for concrete end-users applications, at regional, continental and global scale. This includes the applications based upon the vegetation products derived from PROBA-V data, as those provided by the Copernicus Global Land Service, but also based on the Sentinel-3 OGVI, Synergy and VGT-like products. Convenors: Fabrizio Niro (ESA), Roselyne Lacaze (HYGEOS) |
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A3.08 Land Cover Regional to Global Regular ContributedDescription: With its Earth Observation programmes the Agency has supported the prototyping of Global Land Cover products since the launch of ENVISAT with GlobCover 2005 and GlobCover 2009. Then with its Climate Change Initiative the series has been consistently extended back with the AVHRR to 1992 up to 2015 with Proba-V at medium resolution. Now with the advent of full operational capacity of the sentinel series, another arena is open. The space capabilities to support more systematic regional development and production of High Resolution Regional Land Cover exists and has been demonstrated with the 2016 African prototype at 20 meters for 2016 and the Mexican prototype for 2017 at 10 meters. Alternatives approaches often targeting single land cover class have been also recently completed at global scale in various international frameworks. This session intends to capitalize on the progress performed within the science community on this subject and will be the occasion to present new results on Regional and Worldwide Land Cover and potentially trigger new research initiatives. Convenors: Lorenzo Bruzzone (U. Trento), Pierre Defourny (U.C. Lovain) |
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A3.09 Next generation land cover monitoring services: Towards a flexible, user-oriented approach. Regular ContributedDescription: During the last decade several global land cover datasets have been created at medium spatial resolution. For instance, the GLC-2000 (1 km), MCD12Q1 (500 m) and GlobCover and CCI Landcover (300 m) products. Recent developments in different fields provide vast new potential for global land cover mapping and change detection. New global datasets based on Earth Observation (EO) satellite data are now becoming available and -often- freely accessible. These datasets, with higher spatial resolution (e.g Sentinel-2, Landsat, PROBA-V, but also very high resolution missions) could significantly improve the characterization of the Earth’s land surface and provide land cover maps at a finer scale. Moreover, the new data available in combination with more powerful computing infrastructure and advances in deep learning/artificial intelligence techniques allow for on-demand, adaptable land cover mapping, hence going beyond Land cover 2.0 (Wulder et al, 2018). Land cover data and maps are used by various user groups to better understand the current landscape and the human impact on these landscapes. Next to be a core information layer for a variety of scientific and administrative tasks, maps can help organizations, stakeholders, politicians and individual users to assess urban growth, assist in land management and land planning, track wetland losses and potential impacts from sea level rise, prioritize areas for conservation efforts, assess the impact of climate change on socio-economic, socio-ecologic systems as well as ecosystem services, etc. This variety of different user groups and their different needs make it hard to create a one fits all land cover map. As a result most detailed land cover maps end up with a lot of mixed land cover classes which are hard to be used in different applications. Hence, we have to move towards flexible and user-oriented land cover maps. But there is more, currently there is no single mission or sensor that can combine fine spatial, spectral and temporal resolution. It is obvious that a combination of data originating from missions with either a high spectral, spatial or temporal resolution will result in more accurate land cover maps, which again should be tailored to the needs of a specific user group, e.g. Ecosystem Natural Capital Accounting. Based on these various aspects we would like to host a session which discusses innovations in operational land cover mapping and new methodologies on how to address different user communities. We believe that it’s time to have a good discussion on this subject with all the new technologies, data sources and possibilities that currently exist or will emerge in near-future. Convenors: Ruben Van De Kerchove (VITO), Martin Herold (U. Wageningen), Michael A. Wulder (NRCan) |
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A3.10 Large area land change assessments for sustainability Regular ContributedDescription: The session illustrates how freely available, global remote sensing data together with innovative analysis frameworks can underpin global and regional land change assessments and contribute to solving pressing questions in land system science. The session focuses on ongoing progress and future developments of moving from land cover assessments to land use monitoring, how recent research and novel approaches improve land change and systems analysis. A specific focus lies on the use of Sentinel 1 and 2 and sensor constellations in general, such as utilizing integrated time series from Sentinel-2 and Landsat. Presentations shall also thematise the crucial role of open archives, algorithmic advances and the ever increasing increase in IT resources. We specifically welcome talks that exemplify how novel approaches allow for wall-to-wall mapping at regional to national scale, or beyond. Participants and session topics shall advocates underpin discussions on future needs and directions for the Global Land Program (GLP), Future Earth, and Global Observations of Forest Cover and Land Dynamics (GOFC-GOLD); with particular focus on the Sustainable Development Goals. Convenors: Martin Herold (U. Wageningen), Patrick Hostert (U. Humboldt Berlin) |
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A3.11 Remote sensing of fluorescence Regular ContributedDescription: Chlorophyll fluorescence emitted by higher plants, algae and bacteria is a by-product of photosynthesis and it can be used as an indicator of photosynthetic energy conversion. However, the chlorophyll fluorescence signal is small, less that 5% of absorbed light, and in natural outdoor conditions it is difficult to separate from ambient light. Nevertheless, remote sensing techniques have been developed over the past decades to allow the estimation of Solar Induced Fluorescence (SIF). Most of these measurement systems utilize atmospheric features such as Fraunhofer solar lines and absorption features such as the oxygen-A and B bands to detect this small, but physiologically important, variable. Preliminary space-based retrievals of fluorescence have been reported from a few missions, providing high spectral resolution measurements in the red to far-red range. These missions have been designed for atmospheric chemistry operating at coarse spatial resolution ( ≥ 30 km2 ). They include GOSAT (TANSO-FTS sensor), MetOp (GOME-2), and Envisat (SCIAMACHY). Newer missions that include NASA’s OCO-2 mission allow discontinuous (~3 km2) spatial samples for retrievals in the far-red. Since 2018, Europe’s Sentinel-5 Precursor (TROPOMI sensor) also offers the potential to measure fluorescence emission from space. However, none of these satellite data sets were derived from sensors that were specifically designed for the retrieval of fluorescence following well-specified user requirements. Up to now, there is no dedicated satellite mission for SIF measurements in space. However, the FLuorescence EXplorer (FLEX) satellite concept was selected by ESA to be the Earth Explorer 8 mission. This session will focus on remote sensing measurements of SIF originating from satellites and airborne instruments. Presentations will focus on the technology available for airborne demonstrators and satellite systems, calibration of instruments, atmospheric corrections, the retrievals of fluorescence and geophysical parameters facilitating the interpretation of the signal, and the validation of the resulting data sets. We also encourage submitting abstracts addressing the bio-geophysical modeling, radiative transfer modeling within canopies, and the spatial scaling from the leaf to the canopy and applications making use of fluorescence measurements. Convenors: M. Drusch (ESA), D. Schuettemeyer (ESA), M. Bouvet (ESA), S. Mecklenburg (ESA) |
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A3.13 Mapping, Monitoring & Modelling of Savannah Vegetation Characteristics Regular ContributedDescription: Remote sensing, be it in the form of satellite imagery or aerial photography from manned aircrafts or UAVs, has proven its potential as a unique tool for retrieving savannah vegetation properties at the local, the regional and continental scales. Over the last decades, a substantial amount of work has been allocated to the retrieval of savannah vegetation characteristics, e.g. the mapping of the extent of vegetation cover, the monitoring of vegetation condition using the NDVI or other indices, deforestation and the monitoring of forest cover trends, the expansion of bushes in the expense of palatable grasses in the drylands (or bush encroachment), woody structure modelling and mapping using Synthetic Aperture Radar data, extracting structural vegetation components from LiDAR for biomass estimation, combining hyperspectral and LiDAR data for upscaling vegetation structural information, to mention but a few. Numerous satellite missions are currently being used to quantify such characteristics in a wide range of temporal and spatial resolutions; new missions with improved capacities are constantly becoming available or planned for the near future in an ever-increasing rate. However, the use of remote sensing for mapping, monitoring or modelling savannah vegetation characteristics is clearly not problem-free: quite the contrary. Within this context, we welcome studies that present novel approaches of mapping, monitoring and modelling savannah vegetation characteristics. We endeavour this session to provide the platform for the analysis of the benefits as well as the pitfalls of using aerial photography, UAVs, LiDAR, Radar, hyperspectral or multi-spectral satellite data in this field. Convenors: Elias Symeonakis (M.U. Manchester) |
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A3.14 Monitoring grassland dynamics with Sentinel data Regular ContributedDescription: Despite the global relevance of grasslands in the context of ecosystem services, food security and the Common Agricultural Policy, the EO based monitoring of grasslands has received comparably less attention than EO based monitoring of commodity crops. The availability of Copernicus Sentinel data and other open EO data archives offer novel opportunities for improved grassland monitoring through the exploitation of temporal information contained in Sentinel optical and SAR time series. This session aims at gathering researchers working on improved grassland characterization around the globe and thematic foci might include mowing regimes, biomass estimates, grazing dynamics, ecological and biodiversity properties of grasslands. Convenors: Patrick Griffiths (ESA), Patrick Hostert (U. Humboldt Berlin) |
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A3.15 Advances in monitoring land surface phenology Regular ContributedDescription: Earth observing satellites have gained increasing importance for monitoring seasonal land surface phenomena related to vegetation phenology and land use. Vegetation phenology is a key indicator of plant responses to climate and the natural environment. Thus, satellite-based phenological observations are often used to study climate change effects from global to regional scales and to model and monitor agricultural production systems. With the Copernicus Sentinels, it is now possible to observe land surface phenology at improved spatial and temporal resolutions, opening new opportunities and challenges for developing remote sensing solutions and products. The aim of this session is to present and discuss the latest advancements of remote sensing methods and applications to characterize land surface phenology, with a particular focus on medium resolution observations from Sentinel-1/2 and similar sensors. The following potential topics related to EO observations are of interest to this session:
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A3.16 Sentinel Applications for Understanding Impacts on South African Ecosystems and Societies Regular ContributedDescription: The launch of recent satellite missions, such as the Sentinel fleet of ESA’s Copernicus programme, has led to a tremendous increase in available Earth observation data provided without cost. These data will enable novel and improved research applications aiming at a better understanding of climate change induced and anthropogenic impacts on ecosystems and society. The objective of this session is to bring together contributions from researchers utilizing optical and/or radar data from Sentinel-1/-2 and -3 for various land applications with geographical focus on southern Africa. These include, but are not limited to, land cover/land use monitoring, biomass changes, drought and flood monitoring, fire detection or biodiversity loss. Convenors: Marcel Urban (U. Jena), Bob Scholes (U. Wits), Christiane Schmullius (U. Jena) |
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A3.17 From Agriculture mapping to monitoring Regular Contributed |
| A.4 Hydrosphere |
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A4.01 Current and potential multisensor approaches to marine litter detection Regular ContributedDescription: The objective of this session is to showcase research defining the characteristics for a suitable EO system to monitor ocean plastics, demonstrating feasibility or discussing new ideas of remote sensing technologies that can help identify, quantify, and/or track various types of plastic pollution or other types of marine debris in the aquatic environments and the shoreline. The session invites presentations on the following topics:
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A4.02 Uncovering upper ocean dynamics: ocean surface currents and rapidly evolving processes using Multi-Mission EO synergy Regular ContributedDescription: The tremendous advances in Earth Observation systems combined with high resolution numerical ocean models and a new generation of autonomous and dynamic in situ measurement capability have strengthened our ability to monitor and study the state of the surface ocean. The global ocean is filled with mesoscale (~100 km) and sub-mesoscale (<~10 km) meandering surface currents and eddies and the challenge is to accurately quantify the surface current dynamics and kinematics associated with the surface expression of these features. owing to their lateral scale and rapid evolving nature (hours to days), these features and underlying processes are not easily accessible from traditional in situ ocean sampling. recent experiments indicate that local divergence and vorticity values strongly exceed the coriolis frequency. this extreme departure from the geostrophic balance suggests intense upper ocean dynamics. quantitative insight of how processes influence energy pathways, buoyancy budgets, vertical motions and physical-biology interactions in the upper ocean, and how they structure and concentrate floating material, such an marine plastic debris, is lacking. such processes also impose distinct changes in ocean-atmosphere momentum, heat and gas exchanges, with profound implications on ocean biogeochemistry and climate. in this context, this session is will explore how multi-variable satellite observations (including altimeters, accelerometers and gradiometers, scatterometers, sar, infrared and microwave radiometers, and optical spectrometers) can be consistently and systematically used in synergy to address these issues. a key challenge is to develop new approaches to use native resolution measurements (ie single image snapshots, transects etc) rather than gridded fields (that smear and smooth features) in a broader data-driven analysis framework. Convenors: J. Johannessen (NERSC), C. Donlon (ESA), B. Chapron (IFREMER) |
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A4.03 Detecting targets at sea with Sentinel-1 Regular ContributedDescription: Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) plays a key role in detecting ships at sea due to the capability to cover wide regions independently of solar illumination and under almost all weather conditions. In recent years, we witnessed the blooming of methods exploiting SAR to detect different typologies of targets. Latest research demonstrates that Sentinel-1 can be used to detect icebergs, oil/gas platforms, oil slicks, wind turbines, fish farms and other ecosystems in intertidal areas. The topic of this session covers particularly novel methodologies exploiting Sentinel-1 to detect also less conventional targets at sea. The objectives are to provide a show case of possible applications and invite the new generation of scientists to think outside the box when it comes to exploiting Sentinel-1 data. Among others, we expect presentations covering: icebergs, oil rigs, fish/mussel farms, small wind farms, small boats and intertidal areas. Convenors: Armando Marino (U. Stirling) |
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A4.04 Monitoring the coastal zone from space: from land/sea/air interactions to trends and extremes Regular ContributedDescription: The coastal zone is under serious threat from coastal erosion, cyclones, storms, saltwater incursion into estuaries and coastal aquifers AND SURGES OF FRESHWATER DISCHARGE FROM RIVERS, and its vulnerability to natural hazards is forecast to increase under the combined effects of sea level rise, climate change, human activities and population increase. Recent advances in spaceborne Earth Observation now provide a multitude of new high-resolution observations that are directly relevant to environmental monitoring and coastal management. Improved sea level and sea state data from coastal altimetry and SAR-mode altimetry on Cryosat-2 and now globally on Sentinel-3A and –3B are particularly valuable in the coastal zone. The session will provide a focus to bring together diverse parts of the Earth Observation community to review current spaceborne capability for coastal monitoring over short- to climate scales. The session will also seek to highlight areas where further developments are needed, for example to observe wind vectors, sea state and ocean currents in coastal regions. Contributions including (but not limited to) the following topics will be invited:
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A4.05 Marine Wind and Wave Regular ContributedDescription: This session will cover all aspects of wind and wave information derived from spaceborne sensors: new sensors and new algorithms and their validation, ocean-atmosphere fluxes and other process studies benefitting from meteorological data, construction of long-term datasets and their analysis for climate variations on seasonal to interdecadal scales. Convenors: Graham Quartly (PML) |
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A4.06 Space-based Sea Surface Salinity Regular ContributedDescription: Ocean Surface Salinity is a parameter of exceptional importance for modelling and applications and GCOS has included it in the list of Essential Climate Variables. Its estimation from space is made possible by passive L-band microwave sensors such as SMOS, Aquarius, SMAP. Retrieval aspects, validation and scientific exploitation are the subject of several studies funded by the Space Agencies, for instance Pi-MEP and the Salinity CCI funded by ESA. Convenors: Jacqueline Boutin (Locean/cnrs), Nicolas Reul (IFREMER) |
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A4.07 Colour and Light in the Ocean from Earth Observation Regular ContributedDescription: This session will deal with various aspects of ocean-colour science, including, but not limited to: sensor development and evaluation; calibration (pre-flight, in-flight, vicarious); atmospheric correction; in-water algorithms; product validation; and applications. Contributions dealing with the new series of Sentinel 2 and 3 sensors, and the ESA Climate Change Initiative are encouraged. Model and satellite data comparisons, and assimilation of ocean-colour data into ecosystem models, especially in the context of climate studies, are welcome. Development of novel products, synergies between sensors for product improvement, multi-sensor time series generation; climate data records; and synergies with related work on inland water bodies are within the scope of this session. Depending on the response of the session contributors, the potential for a special issue on the session topic in an international journal will be explored. Convenors: Shubha Sathyendranath (PML) |
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A4.08 Remote Sensing of the Ocean Surface and Lower Atmosphere - a SOLAS Session Regular ContributedDescription: The ocean-atmosphere interface is the boundary between the two major fluid components of the climate system. Exchanges of heat, moisture, momentum, and gases between the ocean and atmosphere are of fundamental importance to better understanding and improved forecasting of the weather and climate change. Satellite remote sensing provides global data with rapid sampling at useful accuracies for many studies, and remote sensing from planes, drones and other platforms is used to study important processes and critical regions. We are in a fortunate position as remote sensing of the ocean surface and lower atmosphere has provided time series of consistent, accurate fields of two to three decades, and new satellites recently launched or in development are opening new research opportunities. This session welcomes contributions related to all aspects of remote sensing of the ocean surface and lower atmosphere, especially those directed at the scientific objectives of the Surface Ocean - Lower Atmosphere Study (SOLAS) project – see http://www.solas-int.org/about/solas.html. Convenors: Peter Minnett (U. Miami), Diego Fernandez (ESA) |
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A4.09 Wetlands Inventory, assessment and monitoring Regular ContributedDescription: The Ramsar Convention on wetlands has taken many steps to ensure wise use and conservation of wetlands globally. This includes the development and promotion of EO guidance and best practice tools for the inventory, assessment and monitoring of change in wetlands. The importance of EO for wetland monitoring has also been stressed in the context of the SDGs with the target 6.6 on water related ecosystems. The Wetland session will review the latest scientific advances on the use of Earth observations for wetland inventory, assessment and monitoring and discuss way forward for mainstreaming EO into sustainable management of wetland ecosystems. Convenors: Marc Paganini (ESA) |
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A4.10 Mapping and monitoring of inland water bodies Regular ContributedDescription: Remote sensing observations have recently been proven to allow for exact quantification of extent and dynamics of inland water bodies. Water body maps have been created from historical data records of a given satellite dataset (Landsat, MODIS, Envisat ASAR, ALOS PALSAR). The unprecedented wealth of spaceborne observations from current operating missions represents a great endeavor to overcome systematic errors introduced in the maps by the specific spectral properties of a given remote sensing dataset. The objective of this session is to provide the most up-to-date overview on inland water body mapping with remote sensing data. The session addresses all topics related to mapping and monitoring of water bodies, with a focus on improved knowledge of water signatures in recent spaceborne observations, advanced water detection techniques based on synergy of observations and improvement of existing water datasets with novel observations. The session also welcomes contributions to assess water status and conditions. To provide a wider spectrum on the relevance of remote sensing for surface water mapping, contributions are solicited that address the benefit of multiple spatial resolutions. Convenors: Jean-François Pekel (JRC), Maurizio Santoro (GAMMA) |
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A4.11 Water Level, Storage, River Discharge and Floods from Remote Sensing and Assimilation in Hydrodynamic Models Regular ContributedDescription: The monitoring of river level, river discharge, storage in lakes and reservoirs, flooding plays a key role in assessing water resources, understanding surface water dynamics, characterising and mitigating water-related risks and enabling integrated management of water resources and ecosystems. Remotely sensed variables have the potential to monitor river discharge and their information can be profitably assimilated in hydrological and hydraulic models. Moreover, the recent and forthcoming satellite missions dedicated to global water surfaces monitoring, such as the Sentinels, along with more complex technologies like the SAR altimetry on CryoSat-2, will improve the quality, as well as the spatial and temporal coverage, of remotely sensed data. We encourage presentations related to flood monitoring and mapping through remotely sensed data. Contributions that cover aspects on assimilation of remote sensing together with in situ data within hydrodynamic models are welcome and encouraged. Convenors: Jérôme Benveniste (ESA), Peter Bauer-Gottwein (DTU), Jean-François Crétaux (CNES-LEGOS) |
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A4.12 High Resolution Soil Moisture and Perspective Applications Regular ContributedDescription: Over the past decade, surface soil moisture (SSM) products at 50 km – 25 km resolution, e.g., ESA SMOS, EUMETSAT ASCAT and NASA SMAP, have been developed and operationally delivered demonstrating their tremendous scientific and application contribution in improving our understanding of the interactions among water, energy and biochemical fluxes. More recently, the availability of consistent time series of Sentinel-1 (S-1) SAR data has enabled the development of surface soil moisture (SSM) products at high resolution (e.g., ~1 km) and large scale either in synergy with low resolution missions or from S-1 alone. At the very high resolution (e.g. ~0.1 km), several studies have demonstrated the integrative use of S-1 and Sentinel-2 (S-2) data for SSM retrieval at regional and continental scales. Moreover, the forthcoming launch of new SAR systems, e.g. the RADARSAT Constellation, the SAOCOM constellation, NISAR, etc., will likely stimulate the combined use of SAR time series from various systems in order to improve the accuracy, spatial and temporal resolution of satellite SSM products. Many applications, such as applied hydrology, agriculture, disaster prevention, numerical weather prediction, are expected to have a beneficial impact from the use of satellite high resolution SSM products at regional, continental and global scale. A crucial issue is to be able to assess their accuracy and consistency and monitor their evolution. Validation is important in order to provide feedback about the various retrieval approaches and stimulate the adoption of best solutions. At the same time, it is vital to understand the needs and requirements of the scientific and economic communities that are interested in exploiting satellite high resolution SSM. The objectives of the proposed session are to
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A4.13 Satellite soil moisture and precipitation for predicting extreme hydrological events Regular ContributedDescription: The intensification of the water cycle is expected to have severe consequences in all aspects of human life. Climate change alters the behaviour of hydrological variables, which affect both the magnitude and the frequency of extreme events like floods, droughts, and landslides. Recent advances in remote sensing of precipitation (e.g., GPM, H-SAF) and soil moisture (e.g., SMOS, SMAP, ASCAT), together with advanced modelling techniques, offer an unprecedented opportunity to improve our understanding of these processes allowing to assess the likelihood, extent, and uncertainty of extreme events and mitigate their impacts. Convenors: Luca Brocca (CNR), Stefania Camici (Research Institute for Geo-Hydrological Protection) |
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A4.14 Ocean General Circulation and Climate Regular ContributedDescription: Advanced remote sensing capabilities provide unprecedented opportunities for monitoring the ocean environment at basin scale.This session welcomes contribution on the use of ocean remote sensing data (altimetry, sea surface temperature, ocean colour…) for general oceanographic studies in the open ocean. Topics for this session include but are not limited to: Ocean physical and biogeochemical processes in the open ocean, Tropical & Subtropical Ocean Circulation, Mean Sea Surface calculation and the link with marine gravity and space geodesy for the calculation of the ocean Mean Dynamic Topography, ocean decadal to interdecadal variability, Global Mean Sea Level and Global Sea Level Budget Closure. Applications of multi-sensor observations to study ocean and climate are also welcome Convenors: Marie-Helene Rio (ESA), Jerome Benveniste (ESA), Ananda Pascual (IMEDEA CSIC-UIB), Rosemary Morrow (LEGOS) |
| A.5 Geosphere |
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A5.01 Geodetic satellite missions and their applications Regular ContributedDescription: Space-based geodetic techniques provide extreme-accuracy observations of a vast range of Earth system parameters, such as the gravitational field, the shape of the Earth, the reference frame, as well as positioning. The past 15 years have seen a rapid development in the field, including highly successful endeavours such as ESA's GOCE mission, and the GRACE Third-Party Mission. As a direct consequence, the research and application community has developed a vast range of ideas building on the achievements of this golden age of space geodesy. This session deals with state-of-the-art results from the current set of geodetic satellite missions (e.g. GOCE, Swarm, GRACE, GRACE-FO), as well as plans and ideas for new initiatives in the field. This includes the strong community-driven effort to realise a permanent observing system for mass variation and mass transport in the Earth system. We also invite contributions to geodesy based on data from the explorer and operational missions, such as the Sentinels. Convenors: Nico Sneeuw (U. Stuttgart), Tonie van Dam (U. Luxemburg), Rune Floberghagen (ESA), Roger Haagmans (ESA) |
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A5.02 Our solid Earth: from core to surface Regular ContributedDescription: This session solicits contributions ranging from the deepest layers of the Earth, the gedynamo and core dynamics, the mantle and the lithossophere. It is currently placed as an umbrella session that quite likely will be split in a range of better focused sessions (the outer core, the lower mantle, induction studies, lithospheric modelling etc.) once we know the full list of contributions. The session shall address all aspects linked to the subsurface, using a multitude of observational techniques (e.g. gravimetry, magnetometry, seismology) as well as physics-based models. It is expected to become an important event within the LPS as substantial improvement in understanding is expected through the ongoing R&D activities funded by ESA and many other funding bodies. Convenors: Isabel Panet (IGN), Chris Finlay (DTU Space), Rune Floberghagen, Roger Haagmans (ESA) |
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A5.03 Sentinels for geology and geomorphology Regular ContributedDescription: Earth Observation can be a major source of information for new and improved geological, mineral, regolyth, geomorphological and structural mapping. Data provided by Landsat-8, archived data from Hyperion, ASTER, SRTM, ERS or ENVISAT as well as data and products from commercial satellites fused with geophysical and in-situ observations have offered geologists with a wide range of mapping opportunities. This session calls for presentations enlightening the contribution of data provided by the Sentinel family in support to geological/geomorphological studies. Convenors: Michaela Frei (Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources ) |
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A5.04 Design and monitoring of transport, energy and utility infrastructure with Copernicus data Regular ContributedDescription: The lifecycle of transport, energy and utility infrastructure can benefit from the range of spatial, temporal and spectral resolutions of the Copernicus’ Sentinels satellite fleet and its contributing missions such as COSMO-SkyMed, TerraSAR-X, RADARSAT, WorldView and Pléiades. These data can help to gather environmental baselines (e.g. topography, land use, soil moisture, land instability, gas emissions) and support feasibility studies, layout/track design and planning for the construction of new high-speed roads, railways, subways, harbors, airports, energy production sites, artificial dams, wind farms, tunneling for electricity, water or gas pipes. EO information can also feed into monitoring activities during engineering construction, operations and (post-)closure management to provide insights into efficiency and impacts of infrastructure projects. Papers are expected to discuss the potential benefit of embedding EO data into infrastructure management practice and standards. Convenors: Francesca Cigna (ASI), D. Tapete (ASI), D. Perissin (U. Purdue) |
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A5.05 Earth Observation for Soils Regular ContributedDescription: Soils are critical for the human existence as they have essential ecosystems functions. Soils and litter represent the largest terrestrial carbon pool of the Earth, acts as a climate regulator, influences biodiversity and is the driver for biomass production and thus secures humans food production. Earth observation provides information about the status and evolution of soils. With the accessibility of local to global-scale high spatial resolution Earth observation data new opportunities and concepts have been developed that enable the retrieval of soil status and development of soil compositional distribution maps at variable spatial scale. Additionally, new spaceborne plattforms such as imaging spectrometer will be launched in the near future that can further enhance the derivation of soil properties. The goal of this session is to bring together experts working on new concepts, algorithms and products using EO data for soil sciences. Methodical papers as well as applied disciplines are welcome that present the use of EO data for several disciplines related to soil sciences such as soil survey, soil spectral libraries, digital soil mapping, precision agriculture and environmental monitoring, soil mapping and monitoring, large-scale soil maps, etc. Convenors: Uta Heiden (DLR) |
| A.6 Climate |
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A6.01 Advances in remote sensing of energy budget in the changing climate and environment Regular ContributedDescription: Energy budget quantifies the redistribution of incoming solar radiation into reflected shortwave radiation, emitted longwave radiation, sensible heat, and latent heat. It interacts with global and local climate and environment, which plays a key role in Horizon 2020’s climate action and sustainable development goals. Satellite remote sensing is a promising way of monitoring energy budget with large spatial coverage, fine spatial resolution, and long-term data records. This session invites contributions that develop or improve remote sensing methods for energy budget monitoring with legacy satellite platforms or new satellite missions and that provide extensive evaluations of existing data sets. This session also welcomes studies that utilize remote sensing data sets for assessments of interactions between energy budget and climate and/or environmental changes for climate action and sustainable management. Convenors: Tao He (U. Wuhan), Shunlin Liang (University of Maryland) |
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A6.02 Earth’s Radiation Budget and Temperature: Critical Variables for Monitoring Climate Change Regular ContributedDescription: Climate change on Earth is provoked by a perturbation of the Earth radiative budget (ERB), and manifests itself through a rise of global surface temperature. ERB at the top of the atmosphere describes how Earth gains energy from the Sun and loses energy to space through reflection of solar radiation and the emission of thermal radiation; the latter predicting temperature at the surface and at different altitudes. Temperature can be measured in-situ, and both ERB and temperature can be measured from space using remote sensing instruments. Their long-term monitoring is therefore of fundamental importance for understanding climate change and is of urgent need for proper description in climate models. This session solicits the latest studies of radiative fluxes and temperature monitoring, variability, and long-term climate trends and their application to climate analysis to better understand the Earth system and disentangle anthropogenic vs natural contributions. We particularly welcome submissions that address the following themes:
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A6.03 Land-climate interactions Regular ContributedDescription: The biophysical properties of the land surface strongly influence land-atmosphere fluxes of carbon, water and energy, thereby affecting the climate system. These include physical surface properties such as albedo, land surface temperature and soil moisture, but also vegetation properties such as stomatal conductance and carbon assimilation. Human activities alter these properties at planetary scale either directly, e.g. through land use change which changes both evapotranspiration and albedo, or indirectly, as shown by the overall boreal greening of the land and the melting of polar ice caused by increased green-house gas emissions. In the past, the scarcity of adequate observations related to these properties has limited the study of land-climate interactions either to local study cases or to climate model simulations. Now, thanks to the consolidation of data streams of products derived from satellite remote sensing observations by international efforts, such as the ESA climate change initiative (CCI) and the Copernicus Climate Change Services (C3S), it is possible to take a perspective at land-climate interactions at global scale. This session welcomes contributions investigating the connections between land states and the climate systems through the combined use of different satellite products. Convenors: Gregory Duveiller (JRC), Mirco Migliavacca (Max-Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry), Miguel Mahecha (Max-Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry) |
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A6.04 Observations for supporting the UNFCCC Paris Agreements Regular ContributedDescription: This session is linked to the following round table:Observations for supporting the UNFCCC Paris Agreement: Part I – Panel Discussion A round table discussion will be led by the ESA Climate Office on observations for supporting the UNFCCC Paris Agreement. This format allows us to invite high-level speakers from key organisations that we collaborate with, including the Space Climate Observatory, UNFCCC, ICOS, GCOS, GEO, C3S, representatives from country delegations, etc. This panel discussion will ask how all the contributing organisations can better support the science-policy dialogue, in particular the work of the UNFCCC SBSTA, to translate climate science into information that’s timely and relevant for the Delegations. This includes reporting in the IPCC AR6, supporting the process of the Global Stocktake, and adaptation and mitigation measures. Similarly, to take stock of the feedback from the SBSTA and Delegations to review where EO data can better support them, i.e. what are the current data gaps and how can we address them. The panel discussion is intended as a high-level debate, concentrating on coordination across the various invited organisations. There is an intended second part to this debate that is an open session on the same topic, where we can explore these ideas in a more practical way. Convenors: Pascal Lecomte (ESA) |
| A.7 Geospace |
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A7.01 Geospace system science: thermosphere, ionosphere, magnetosphere and their coupling Regular ContributedDescription: This session deals with geospace science on all temporal and spatial scales. It includes new results based on ESA (such as but not limited to Swarm and GOCE) and Third-Party missions and affiliated observing systems, and also novel physics-based modelling approaches for improved understanding of geospace and space weather. Specifically, we solicit contributions on the first-order questions in thermosphere, ionosphere and magnetosphere science, with particular emphasis on coupling between the various elements. Elements linked to ESA's ambitious 4D Ionosphere activities and their link with world-wide R&D activities are particularly welcome. Convenors: Claudia Stolle (GFZ), Eelco Doornbos (TU Delft), Jonathan Burchill (U. Calgary), Rune Floberghagen (ESA), Roger Haagmans (ESA)) |
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A7.03 Space weather Regular ContributedDescription: Space weather can have profound effects on the science and operations of European Earth observation satellite missions. These can range from ionospheric effects on satellite radar and tracking signals to thermosphere drag affecting orbit and formation maintenance. Often, the mitigation measures available on board Earth observation satellites, such as dual frequency radiometric systems, can also provide interesting information on space weather events. Missions like Swarm and GOCE have already provided direct space weather related data products and inputs to space weather and space climate models. This session aims to bring together contributions on these topics, in particular related to current limitations, new developments, and data products, related to space weather. Convenors: Eelco Doornbos (U. Delft), Guram Kervalishvili (GFZ) |
EO Mission |
| B.1 Earth Explorers |
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B1.01 10 years of SMOS in orbit - from technology demonstrator to operational applications* Special ContributedDescription: ESA's SMOS mission was launched in 2009. Originally conceived under ESA’s Earth Explorer initiative, it was intended to demonstrate novel technology in space and deliver unique data in support of scientific questions not been tackled previously. After 10 years in orbit SMOS has successfully achieved both: SMOS carries the first interferometric L-Band radiometer flown in space. SMOS was also the first satellite mission to provide global maps of soil moisture and ocean salinity from space. Over recent years SMOS has bridged the gap between originally being conceived as a technology demonstrator to becoming the provider of essential information for scientific, operational (Copernicus services use SMOS data) and climate applications (soil moisture, ocean salinity and sea ice have been identified as ECV). The session will focus on the technological excellence and the scientific achievements leading to operational applications providing benefit to society. Convenors: Susanne Mecklenburg (ESA) |
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B1.02 CryoSat Mission: highlights on status and future outlook |
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B1.03 Earth Explorer 8 FLEX (invited session)* Special ContributedDescription: In late 2015, the FLuorescence EXplorer (FLEX) satellite concept was selected by ESA to be the Earth Explorer 8 mission. The mission concept pairs FLEX’s specialized FLuOrescence Imaging Spectrometer, FLORIS, with another satellite, Sentinel-3. The two platforms will fly in a tandem sun-synchronous polar orbit with FLEX flying ~10 seconds ahead of a Sentinel-3 unit. The measurements from the instruments onboard the two satellites will allow the derivation of solar induced chlorophyll fluorescence across the full emission spectrum at ~ 300 m * 300 m spatial resolution together with relevant information of the vegetation structure and state. Currently, the FLEX satellite is slated for launch in late 2022. In order to demonstrate technologies, develop and test fluorescence retrieval algorithms, and validate satellite products, a range of airborne demonstrators has been developed. The scientific data products originating from FLEX comprise solar induced fluorescence, e.g. the locations and magnitudes for the red and far-red fluorescence peaks and the total fluorescence integrated over the spectrum. Additional products for the interpretation of the fluorescence signal will quantify photochemical reflectance changes (e.g. PRI) related to non-photochemical energy dissipation (NPQ), canopy temperature, and relevant vegetation variables (e.g., chlorophyll content; leaf area index, LAI) needed to assess the true physiological status of vegetation and to provide quantitative estimates of photosynthetic rates and vegetation stress conditions. Higher-level products include fluorescence quantum efficiency, PSI - PSII contributions, photosynthesis rate, and vegetation stress indicators. In this session, the latest status of the FLEX mission will be presented. This includes the space component including the spacecraft, the FLORIS instrument, and operations as well as the development of the data processing schemes and retrievals. In addition, summary presentations will be given focusing on the campaign activities and on the latest scientific findings in the field of remote sensing of vegetation fluorescence. Convenors: M. Drusch (ESA), D. Schuettemeyer (ESA), M. Bouvet (ESA), S. Mecklenburg (ESA) |
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B1.04 The Biomass mission - status of implementation* Special ContributedDescription: Biomass addresses one of the most fundamental questions in our understanding of the land component in the Earth system, namely, the status and the dynamics of forests. Its primary scientific objectives are to determine the distribution of aboveground biomass in the world forests and to measure annual changes in this stock over the period of the mission. These objectives will be achieved by measuring biomass and forest height at a resolution of 200 meters and forest disturbances at a resolution of 50 meters. In addition, and as secondary mission objectives Biomass will provide the first opportunity to explore the Earth’s surface using the P-band wavelength. The new data is expected to be used for monitoring the ionosphere, glacier and ice sheets, mapping subsurface geology in deserts and mapping the topography below dense vegetation. The status of preparation and implementation of the mission will be addressed in the session. Convenors: Michael Fehringer (ESA), Klaus Scipal (ESA), Clement Albinet (ESA) |
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B1.05 The Earth Explorer 9 FORUM and SKIM missions* Special ContributedDescription: In 2017 the Earth Explorer-9 call for new ‘Fast Track’ missions resulted in the selection of two candidates for study to Phase A, of which one will be implemented: SKIM – will, for the first time, measure the total ocean surface current vector co-located and contemporaneously with the directional wave spectrum to understand surface ocean kinematics from the tropical ocean to the rapidly evolving Arctic marginal ice zone including the exchange of gas, heat, and momentum between the ocean and atmosphere. FORUM – systematic global spectrally resolved observations of the atmosphere of the spectral region from 6.25 to 100 micrometer. Together with the MidInfraRed (MIR) IASI-NG instrument will provide the first observation from space of the complete IR spectrum of the Earth. Convenors: Hilke Oetjen (ESA), Craig Donlon (ESA) |
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B1.06 Earth Explorer 10 Mission Candidates* Special ContributedDescription: This session of invited talks will focus on the three successful Earth Explorer 10 candidates and their core objectives, through preliminary and conceptual overviews. Key selection criteria included a blend of scientific excellence with innovative technology to target scientific and societal challenges. The session also gives a brief historic and programmatic overview of the Earth Explorer programme, and of the process underpinning the short-listing of this first round of future mission candidates, following the tenth Call for Ideas. The next EE-10 is targeted to be launched within the 2027/28 timeframe. Mission candidates selected for a Phase 0 study will be decided upon and announced by ESA's Programme Board for EO in September 2018. Convenors: Alex Hoffmann (ESA), Klaus Scipal (ESA) |
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B1.07 ESA's Earth Explorer Aeolus - First Results Regular ContributedDescription: ESA's wind mission, Aeolus, is getting ready for launch on 21 August 2018. It will be the first Doppler Wind lidar in space, and the first satellite to providing direct global observations of wind profiles from the lower Stratosphere down to the surface or optically thick clouds. The mission will also provide backscatter and extinction coefficient profiles for detection of cloud and aerosol layers along the flight track. The mission shall improve numerical weather forecasts, air quality and climate modelling. ECMWF hosts the L2 processing facility ensuring powerful product quality monitoring and direct assimilation into the forecast model as soon as the product quality is sufficient. Assimilation will also be peformed at numerous weather centres world wide. Convenors: Anne Grete Straume-Lindner (ESA) |
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B1.08 EarthCARE* Special ContributedDescription: The Earth Cloud Aerosol and Radiation Explorer (EarthCARE) mission is the sixths Earth Explorer Mission currently under development in cooperation with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, JAXA. EarthCARE will carry a suite of four instruments to study the link of clouds, aerosols and radiation, by observing, simultaneously, vertical cloud and aerosol profiles along with collocated reflected solar and emitted thermal radiation. A comprehensive geophysical data product retrieval system is under preparation to provide the science community with comprehensive synergistic data products. Assimilation of cloud profile data is being prepared in order to demonstrate the operational value of the mission for NWP. Convenors: Tobias Wehr (ESA), Anthony J. Illingworth (University of Reading) |
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B1.09 Swarm - ESA's extremely versatile magnetic field and geospace explorer Regular ContributedDescription: This session invites contributions dealing specifically with the Swarm mission: mission products, calibration, validation and instrument-related discussions, observational synergies. Swarm in this context is seen as a four-satellite constellation, with the Third-Party e-POP mission being Swarm Echo. It is also the session in which the future and evolution of the mission will be discussed. Particularly welcome are contributions highlighting observational synergies with non-ESA missions, and with related new space developments such as nanosatellite technologies for similar purposes. Convenors: Therese Jørgensen (U. Bergen), Gauthier Hulot (IPGP), Nils Olsen (DTU Space), Rune Floberghagen (ESA) |
| B.2 Copernicus Sentinels |
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B2.01 Copernicus Programme: Present and Future* Special ContributedDescription: Copernicus, the European Union’s flagship Earth Observation programme, is now well and truly powering ahead as its comprehensive family of Sentinel satellites grows. The Sentinels, a new fleet of European satellites, deliver the wealth of data and imagery that are central to Europe’s ambitious Copernicus programme. This unique global monitoring initiative is making a step change in the way we manage our environment, understand and tackle the effects of climate change, and safeguard everyday lives. The European Commission jointly with ESA are working on a step by step evolution of the current Copernicus Space and Ground Segment and Data dissemination system in order to incorporate the new data management technologies. All these data are then fed into a range of information services designed to benefit the environment and to support global, national, regional and local decision-making. The services cover six thematic domains today; atmosphere, ocean and land monitoring, as well as emergency response, climate change and security. Even if it has been built to primarily serve operational services and national member states from EU and ESA, there is a large benefit for science users as well. In addition, science will be crucial to advance services and provide critical input to the definition of new observation systems.The session intends to give also an overview on the future perspectives of the program with a focus on the space component. Convenors: Simon Lorenz Gabriel Jutz (ESA) |
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B2.02 Expanding Copernicus: High Priority Candidate Missions to address Copernicus user needs* Special ContributedDescription: The current Copernicus satellite fleet ensures data continuity until early 2030, when the 2nd generation of Sentinel missions will be launched. The European Commission (EC) is proposing to “extend” the Sentinel series by expanding the fleet with additional missions. 6 new “high priority candidate missions” (HPCM) are foreseen to address observation gaps and to support urgent emerging user needs identified by EC. In response to these priorities, the following HPCM have been studied at Phase A/B1:
Convenors: Craig Donlon (ESA) |
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B2.03 The Copernicus Sentinel-6/Jason-CS Mission* Special ContributedDescription: Sentinel-6/Jason-CS is designed to measure global sea level change and variability and two identical satellites flying in sequence designed to provide near-real-time measurements to operational users of sea surface height, significant wave height, and wind speed to support operational oceanography and climate monitoring. As a secondary objective, the mission will also include Radio Occultation user services. The mission uses a the state of the art satellite platform hosting a new synthetic aperture radar altimeter (Posiedon-4) and an improved microwave radiometer (AMR-C) to secure operational continuity of the long-term ocean surface topography climate data record until the early 2030’s. The Altimeter provides a new interleaved mode of operation that provides simultaneously SAR and LRM outputs. Sentinel-6/Jason-CS is a cooperative mission with contributions from NASA, NOAA, ESA, EUMETSAT, CNES, and the European Union. Convenors: Craig Donlon (ESA) |
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B2.04 The Sentinel-3A and Sentinel-3B Tandem Phase: first results* Special ContributedDescription: The Copernicus Sentinel-3 Mission is an operational constellation consisting of at least two satellites in orbit at any one time to attain the required coverage as specified by Copernicus Services. The mission includes four satellites in total. To address subtle but important differences between the recurrent sensors on Sentinel-3A and Sentinel-3B that might impact the construction of climate data records, at the start of the Sentinel-3B mission between June and October 2018 the two satellites were flown in close "Tandem" formation. This is a first within the Copernicus constellations. Based on GCOS climate monitoring principles, the "Tandem" formation entails Sentinel-3B flying 30 seconds ahead of Sentinel-3A. This configuration is designed (1) to increase knowledge of Sentinel-3 constellation payload differences (2) to reduce uncertainties when comparing data from different satellite missions within the constellation and (3) to homogenise differences within the Sentinel-3 constellation payload by defining appropriate adjustments. The intended outcome is a uniform data set from Sentinel-3A and Sentinel-3B instruments. In addition, the Tandem Phase allows the exploration of fundamental altimeter measurement approaches (SAR and LRM mode) that has never been possible before. This session will review early results from the Sentinel-3 Tandem phase. Convenors: S. Mecklenburg (ESA), C. Donlon (ESA), S. Clerc (ACRI) |
| B.3 Meteorological |
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B3.01 Meteorological Satellites: Current and Future Satellites and instruments Regular ContributedDescription: Meteorological satellites are major contributors to weather nowcasting, forecast up to a week away and long term global climate change. Several satellites have been and are being developed by ESA on behalf of EUMETSAT. For the geostationary orbit, ESA has developed MOP, MTP, MSG satellites series already launched and in operation (the oldest one already de-orbited) and now MTG satellites series are under development by ESA for EUMETSAT. Similarly, for the low earth orbit, two Metop satellites are in orbit, the 3rd one will be launched by summer 2018. In the meantime, Metop SG is under development by ESA for EUMETSAT. A number of Copernicus satellites are also being developed to be operated by EUMETSAT (Sentinel-3, Sentinel-4, JASON, etc…). ADM Aeolus will be launched in 2018 will deliver unprecedented 2D wind vectors for weather and climate for which the development is made by ESA. In this session, the authors shall introduce the satellites under development and those which will be launched within 2018 and beyond. In particular, in this session, can be included the description of each mission and its performances. Convenors: Donny M. A. Aminou (ESA) |
| B.4 International Cooperation |
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B4.01 International Cooperation in Earth Observation* Special ContributedDescription: This session will present the activities in the field of Earth Observation of major International Space Agencies worldwide. It will also present the progress on main international cooperative initiatives and programmes in the field of Earth Observation (e.g.: CEOS/GEO). Convenors: Simonetta Cheli (ESA) |
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B4.02 International Coordination for future SAR missions* Special ContributedDescription: Space agencies and private sectors to present the plans for future SAR missions and to identify potential cooperation between partners on existing and future SAR systems (joint acquisitions, standards, cal/val, synergy in data exploitation, use of commercial missions for science, etc...) Convenors: Maurice Borgeaud (ESA) |
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B4.03 ESA-NASA Cooperation in Earth Observation* Special ContributedDescription: To enhance cooperation in the area of Earth science and observation and global climate change, NASA and ESA have developed since 2010 a Framework for Coordination based on a Joint Program Planning Group (JPPG) with the following objectives: to identify strategic issues for bilateral cooperation and benefitting the Earth Observation programmes and communities within both Agencies. Convenors: Malcolm Davidson (ESA) |
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B4.04 PRISMA – The Hyperspectral Italian Mission* Special ContributedDescription: PRISMA is the Italian Earth Observation Hyperspectral mission of the Italian Space Agency (ASI). PRISMA launching is planned on January 2019 with VEGA launcher. On May 2019 the satellite commissioning phase will be approaching the end of the scheduled activities, being the operational qualification in progress. The main objective of the proposed session is to present the PRISMA mission characteristics to the International Science and User's Community. The PRISMA system can be presented as already deployed, in orbit and operational during the commissioning phase. Convenors: Rosa Loizzo (ASI) |
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B4.05 National Missions* Special ContributedDescription: This session will offer an overview of national EO programs and future plans. Convenors: Antonio Ciccolella (ESA), Bruno Greco (ESA) |
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B4.06 Missions and Data Quality |
| B.5 Heritage |
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B5.01 The Heritage of the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR): Celebrating the 40-year legacy of land observations* Special ContributedDescription: The first Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer was launched onboard TIROS-N satellite in October 1978. The proposed session pays tribute to the sensor that has provided a four-decade long time series of radiances in the optical and thermal infrared solar range that was a precursor for the next generation of coarse resolution sensors, for example MODIS and VIIRS in the USA, and ESA's Sentinel-3 sensor (OLCI and SLSTR). Much work has been done with AVHRR observations for land, ocean and atmosphere by thousands of scientists over the world. The AVHRR sensor was not designed to study terrestrial vegetation but turned out to be an invaluable space asset for global land monitoring and time series analysis. This session will be devoted to the AVHRR legacy in studying land properties and their changes at 1-4 km spatial resolution during the past four decades and celebrate this sensor's 40th anniversary. Convenors: Garik Gutman (NASA) |
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B5.02 Heritage Missions and Long Time Data Series* Special ContributedDescription: The content of EO data archives is extending from a few years to decades and their value as a scientific time-series is continuously increasing. Information extracted from long time series of observations is used to observe and characterise the current climate, to detect climate change and to determine the rate of change. Hence there is a strong need to secure state-of-art preservation of a growing volume of heritage data and associated information holdings, to allow their discoverability/accessibility through state of art technologies, and to ensure continuous improvement and valorisation to maximise usability and impact with current and future missions. The session focuses on activities and projects dealing with the preservatioon and valorization of earth observation data including new datasets generation, algorythms improvements, reprocessing and long time series generation through harmonization and combination of data from multiple sensors. Convenors: Mirko Albani (ESA) |
| B.6 Calibration, validation and data quality |
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B6.01 Precise Orbit Determination of Earth Observation Satellites - Progress, Validation, and Challenges Regular ContributedDescription: Precise orbit determination (POD) is essential for the applications of many Earth Observation Satellites, such as radar altimetry, InSAR, radio occultation or gravity field recovery. The Copernicus Sentinel satellites, ESA Earth Explorer missions like GOCE, CryoSat, Swarm, and other missions like Jason, GRACE/GRACE-FO, or the MetOp satellites could be mentioned as part of a long list of Low Earth Orbiting (LEO) satellites requiring highly precise orbit products. The main observation techniques of GNSS, DORIS, and SLR are available for this purpose and they are either used for POD or for independent validation of orbits derived from other techniques. The progress in POD over the last years is tremendous due to improved gravitational and non-gravitational force modelling, reduction of measurement-specific systematic errors but also due to common use of efficient GPS carrier phase ambiguity-fixing and improved internal and external validation methods. Upcoming multi-GNSS observations from the LEOs are a new challenge but also a great opportunity for POD. Radar altimetry and InSAR processing are relying on precise knowledge of the satellites´ positions but these techniques may also be used for validating the quality of the orbit. Submissions related to but not limited to the following topics are encouraged:
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B6.02 Satellite Operations for EO missions Regular ContributedDescription: This session focuses on satellite flight operations and the challenge of ensuring maximum science data return in all situations, for different types of Earth Observation missions. Convenors: Nic Mardle (ESA) |
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B6.03 Analysis Ready Data: moving from concept to practice Regular ContributedDescription: In an Earth observation (EO) context, Analysis Ready Data (ARD) are satellite data that have been processed to a set of requirements that enable immediate analyses with minimum user effort. The need for Analysis Ready Data within the EO community is being driven by user requirements to reduce the burden on resources and expertise to effectively use huge volumes of data being generated continually by multiple satellite missions, and producer objectives to increase use and uptake of the data. As the EO community seeks to generate value from the rapidly increasing volume and variety of EO data, both data users and producers need to understand opportunities and issues around the use and production of Analysis Ready Data, in order to maximise the return on investments. The session on Analysis Ready Data aims to consolidate the current state of knowledge, uptake and benefits of global efforts towards producing Analysis Ready Data for Earth observations across the optical, thermal and microwave domains. Potential topics for this session would include: maturity and of ARD products and frameworks; ARD methods; availability of ARD products from government and commercial sources; comparison of multi-sensor ARD products; validation of ARD products; and user-uptake of ARD. Convenors: Medhavy Thankappan (Geoscience Australia) |
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B6.04 Present and future of Calibration & Validation for Optical Imaging Sensor Products Regular ContributedDescription: Usage of land parameters retrieved from space has been greatly increasing on a global scale, for a growing number of different applications and needs. The Copernicus Space Component is now one of the major providers of land products acquired from space. Its dedicated Sentinel-2 and Sentinel-3 satellite constellations are now fully deployed and more data are made available by the Copernicus Contributing Missions as well. On top of this, the ESA Proba-V mission is continuing to provide globally-used data even beyond its nominal lifetime and the ESA FLEX Earth Explorer mission will be in orbit in a few years. In this context, ensuring high quality of the disseminated Earth Observation data through the Sentinel-2 and Sentinel-3 dedicated Mission Performance Centers, the Sentinel Validation Teams and the Copernicus Quality Control activities, has become crucial. Practices and approaches used for data quality control have now to face the needs of a growing and more demanding pool of users. Calibration and validation activities need to improve consequently in order to meet the diverse challenges we face nowadays. Worldwide agreed protocols, methodologies and standards need to be put in place. In this framework, ESA has initiated several activities, like the so called Fiducial Reference Measurements, aimed at supporting the above-mentioned needs by providing SI traceability and inter-operability among missions. Convenors: Valentina Boccia (ESA) |
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B6.05 Radiative Transfer Modeling in the Optical Domain Regular ContributedDescription: Radiative Transfer Models (RTM) are a central tool in Earth Observation for activities related to geophysical variables retrieval, validation of products, vicarious calibration of sensors and sensor measurements simulation. The objective of this session is to gather the community working on radiative transfer modeling in the optical spectral domain for exchanging on the algorithms, models and applications. Convenors: Ferran Gascon (ESA), Nadine Gobron (JRC) |
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B6.07 Sensing our Earth from the air: a new perspective on ESA campaigns. Regular ContributedDescription: Since 1981, the European Space Agency has been actively conducting airborne and ground measurements campaigns by deploying a broad range of active and passive instrumentation in both the optical and microwave regions of the electromagnetic spectrum such as lidars, limb/nadir sounding interferometers/spectrometers, high-resolution spectral imagers, advanced synthetic aperture radars, altimeters and radiometers. In this session, we welcome results from recent multi-sensor campaigns exploring new measurement concepts and covering systems as diverse as the agricultural and forest ecosystems to Arctic and Antarctic sea-ice and even ocean currents. Convenors: Dirk Schuettemeyer (ESA), Tania Casal (ESA) |
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B6.08 Sentinel-5 Precursor Mission Status and Cal/Val activities Regular ContributedDescription: Sentinel-5 Precursor (S-5P) is the first of a series of atmospheric chemistry missions within the European Commission’s Copernicus (former GMES) Programme. It was launched on Oct.13 2017 and has a nominal lifetime of 7 years. S-5P is providing continuity in the availability of global atmospheric data products between its predecessor missions SCIAMACHY (Envisat) and OMI (AURA) and the future Sentinel-4 and -5 series. The S-5P satellite carries a single payload, namely TROPOMI (TROPOspheric Monitoring Instrument) that was jointly developed by The Netherlands and ESA. Covering spectral channels in the UV, visible, near- and short-wave infrared, it measures various key species including tropospheric/stratospheric ozone, NO2, SO2, CO, CH4, CH2O as well as cloud and aerosol parameters. This session will give on overview of the current status of the S5p mission and its Cal/Val results. Convenors: Claus Zehner (ESA), P. Veefkind (KNMI) and D. Loyola (DLR) |
Space 4.0 and Earth Observation |
| C.1 AI and Data Analytics |
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C1.01 Technologies and Applications Regular ContributedDescription: Big Earth Data Analytics enable the efficient and effective transformation of big data into relevant information that can serve science and society. EO satellite can be used coupled with AI and Big Data techniques for sizing, planning, managing and operating a micro-grid, including renewables plant (i.e. solar, wind or hydro) and eMobility management. This session will focus on the different aspects that enable such Big Earth Data Analytics. For instance, a number of new techniques have been developed recently to deal with these data that are based on Machine Learning. Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Deep Neural Networks (DNN) in particular, have gained a lot of interest in this respect in Earth Observation applications. With the launch of the Copernicus Data and Information Access Services, users will be offered a number of alternatives in this respect. Both presentations from platform providers and users will be addressed in this session, including needs for standards and platform inter-operability. Convenors: Pieter Kempeneers (JRC), Ciro Lanzetta (i-EM S.r.l.) |
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C1.02 Challenges and opportunities for deep learning in remote sensing: understanding the world through Earth Observation Regular ContributedDescription: Modern Earth Observation satellites provide massive amounts of data, both in the spatial and temporal domain, and can finally be used for precise, up-to-date and reactive modelling of the processes occurring at the surface of our Planet. Studying deforestation or land-use trends is now a reality and new societal challenges as modelling population dynamics, poverty or carbon fluxes globally are starting to be tackled with remote sensing. For extracting relevant information from this evergrowing amount of data (both in size and complexity), the use of machine learning techniques is becoming indispensable. Large scale bio-inspired models as deep neural networks are offering new opportunities to study the dynamic Earth through big Earth data. In this session we aim at inviting the leading scientists (from MIT, Harvard, Stanford, DLR, ETH, …) and companies (Facebook, DigitalGlobe, …) working in this sector to provide their overview and to discuss potentials and challenges of using deep learning for a better understanding of Earth’s dynamics. Convenors: Devis Tuia (U. Wageningen), XiaoXiang Zhu (DLR) |
| C.2 Emerging Technologies |
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C2.01 Advances in Earth Observation with GNSS Reflectometry from space Regular ContributedDescription: GNSS-Reflectometry (GNSS-R) is an innovative and rapidly developing Earth Observation technique that exploits reflected signals from Global Navigation Satellite Systems to observe Earth surface properties such as near-surface ocean winds. Modestly-sized hardware, low-power demands and cost-effectiveness make GNSS-R an attractive remote-sensing technique to potentially deliver improved global coverage at high temporal resolution, for example with a constellation of GNSS-R instruments or by flying as passenger payloads on larger platforms of opportunity. Recent global spaceborne data acquired onboard the UK TechDemoSat-1 and the NASA CYGNSS missions have demonstrated the wide range of Earth Observation applications that can benefit from this ground-breaking approach. This session will review recent scientific discoveries and technical advances with spaceborne GNSS-Reflectometry and ask how this technology could be taken forward to address outstanding user data needs. Convenors: Giuseppe Foti (NOC)) |
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C2.02 Advances on Hyperspectral Imaging and Processing Regular ContributedDescription: Hyperspectral remote sensing is receiving growing interest within the Earth Observation (EO) community. Therefore, it's important that we continue to understand and promote the benefits of hyperspectral data as the community transitions from research to operational applications. In the framework of both scientific and service-oriented operational applications, the session will facilitate a review of current and upcoming missions and instruments such as CHRIS-PROBA, ECOSTRESS, EnMAP GF-5, HyperScout, PRISMA and of the longer-term future ones such as FLEX, CHIME-S10 and Shalom. The session aims are both to capitalise on lessons learned from past spaceborne hyperspectral missions as well as from airborne campaigns for the retrieval of terrestrial and/or aquatic ecosystems parameters, and to foresee the increased effectiveness of the future ones. The session will highlight recent scientific advances and application-oriented exploitation alongside sensor techniques and data processing that often includes artificial intelligence based solutions. Session's scientific challenges are related to the development of products for land surface and coastal systems, which can benefit from the current and the near future hyperspectral missions in synergy with broader EO missions. Convenors: Giuseppe Ottavianelli (ESA), Samantha Lavender (Telespazio VEGA UK & Pixalytics Ltd), Stefano Pignatti (CNR IMAA), Michael Rast (ESA) |
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C2.04 New Atmospheric Radar Concepts and Application Regular ContributedDescription: Atmospheric radars have a long history in weather observation, specifically, for the observation of precipitation and clouds. The first rain radar in space was the Ku-band radar of the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM, 1997-2014). The Global Precipitation Mission (GPM) is presently continuing precipitation measurements with a dual-frequency Ku and Ka-band radar, working in synergy with a microwave imager. CloudSat focusses on the profiling of clouds, therefore, deploying a higher frequency radar in the W-band, and EarthCARE will deploy an advanced version with Doppler capability. The European Agency is supporting the evolution of space-borne radars by advancing mission concepts and technologies through dedicated studies, including higher-frequency technologies and passive radiometers synergy studies. This session shall give an overview of study activities for new radar technology and system concepts. Convenors: Tobias Wehr (ESA), Martin Suess (ESA) |
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C2.05 Multi-Source Data for Next Generation Land Monitoring Regular ContributedDescription: Moderate-resolution remote sensing provides key information for land management and for monitoring changes in terrestrial ecosystems. Increasingly, researchers are developing innovative new land information products by combining multiple free and open sources of moderate-resolution optical and radar data, including Landsat, Sentinel-2, and Sentinel-1. This session draws on recent US-EU collaboration through the NASA Multi-Source Land Imaging (MuSLI) Program, the NASA/USGS Landsat Science Team, and the ESA/EC Copernicus missions, to highlight innovative results that leverage multiple, national sources of moderate-resolution remote sensing to create new land information products. The temporal frequency afforded by combining Landsat and Sentinel-2 allows detailed understanding of highly dynamic phenomena like vegetation phenology, wildfire evolution, crop management, and surface water changes. Adding SAR imagery opens the door to improved mapping of soil moisture and inundation, among other phenomena. Convenors: Jeffrey Masek (NASA), Benjamin Koetz (ESA) |
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C2.06 Multi-frequency SAR exploitation synergy Regular ContributedDescription: The ongoing operation of many SAR satellites along with currently planned missions means that SAR data will be available for at least the next twenty years at X, C, and L band wavelengths. Considering the opportunity represented by all these missions, the challenge is to find suitable and adequate image processing multi-band procedures able to fully exploit the huge amount of data available. This session provides insights into the synergistic contribution of multi – temporal and multi-frequency L, C, and X-band data to various set of earth observation applications. Convenors: Alessandro Coletta (ASI) |
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C2.07 SAR Tomography of natural media: current state-of-the art and perspectives for future applications Regular ContributedDescription: Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) Tomography (TomoSAR) is an emerging technology to image the 3D structure of the illuminated media. TomoSAR exploits the key feature of microwaves to penetrate into vegetation, snow, ice, and sand, hence providing access to features that are hidden to optical and hyper-spectral systems. This session is intended to i) present state-of-the art works on the use of SAR Tomography for enviromental applications, including forest biomass retrieval and vertical structure characterization, snow profiling, and 3D ice sounding; ii) discuss the potential for the development of future Earth Observation methods. Convenors: Stefano Tebaldini (Polimi) |
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C2.08 Monitoring water quality in coastal and inland waters Regular ContributedDescription: Inland and coastal waters are critical components of the global biosphere, play an important role in the Earth’s biochemical cycles and provide various ecosystem services to human beings. At the same time, inland and coastal waters are increasingly threatened due to anthropogenic pressure and climate change. A timely and accurate monitoring of water quality is therefore necessary to enhance the understanding of their functions and to enable a more effective and sustainable management. The current generation of sensors offer a high potential for a remote sensing based monitoring across global, regional, and local scales. Nevertheless, there is still an urgent need for reliable remote sensing techniques to monitor these important aquatic resources. This session therefore invites contributions addressing new instrumentation, technology, and algorithm development for operational monitoring of water quality of inland and coastal waters. This includes new or improved applications for atmospheric correction, parameter retrieval, data assimilation, and synergistic use of sensors as well as new and operational activities for validating water quality products. Convenors: Natascha Oppelt (U. Kiel) |
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C2.09 Exploiting current capability to improve Land Surface Temperature science Regular ContributedDescription: Observations of LST play a key role in describing the physics of land-surface processes at regional and global scales as they combine information on both the surface-atmosphere interactions and energy fluxes within the Earth Climate System. LST provides a metric of surface state when combined with vegetation parameters and soil moisture, and is one of the drivers of vegetation phenology. As a result, LST can be a significant factor in agriculture and water management including irrigation, drought stress, evapotranspiration and soil moisture. The assessment and improvement of LST representation in land surface schemes, on the other hand, is likely to significantly increase the quality of Hydrology, NWP, or Climate models. LST is measured using remote sensing observations acquired by ground, airborne, and spaceborne instruments. Current satellite missions driving improvements in LST science include the Copernicus Sentinel-3 series (A and B), and EUMETSAT’s Meteosat Second Generation. We also look forward to utilising high resolution LST data from NASA’s Ecosystem Thermal Radiometer Experiment on Space Station (ECOSTRESS), and potentially from the Copernicus candidate High Spatio-Temporal Resolution Land Surface Temperature Mission (LSTM). Merging satellite data from different instruments in geostationary and low earth orbit, additionally provides a unique opportunity to understand changes in global LST. The LST community continues to grow and play an active role in advancing the fundamental understanding of the Earth system, providing knowledge for societal use and to monitor climate. We welcome abstracts covering current state-of-the-art in LST including algorithm development, validation and its protocols, downstream applications, and exploiting the full potential of long-term satellite LST data to deliver the quality demanded for climate science. Convenors: Darren Ghent (U. Lecester) |
| C.3 Security EO |
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C3.01 Space 4.0 for Secure Societies
Regular Contributed |
| C.4 Cloud Platforms |
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C4.01 Big EO Data Analytics: Platforms and applications Regular ContributedDescription: Thanks to the availability of a wide variety of space borne systems that generate an ever-growing amount of data, Earth Observation (EO) is entering into a Big Data era. Therefore, new processing and analysis challenges have to be addressed and answered. Moreover, the operational nature of these systems, such as the Landsat, Copernicus, BIOMASS, NISAR and GEDI ones, is fostering the implementation of innovative services for Earth monitoring at both local and global scale. For instance, new time series based algorithms are evolving to take advantage of ever-lengthening observation records to identify the status and trends of the ecosystem structure, the ground deformation phenomena of tectonic plate and volcanic areas, and the aboveground terrestrial carbon dynamics. Accordingly, to be properly and efficiently processed and analysed, the EO data need to be close to the algorithms which, on their round, have to exploit High Performance Computing platforms in a scalable and easy manner. This session focuses on cloud-based solutions, analytical approaches, time-series and space-time methods applicable to a large variety of EO fields, moving from biomass estimation, to SAR data analysis, up to world’s ecosystem understanding. Applications showing already implemented services and benefiting from available processing platforms are encouraged. Emphasis is put on those contributions that exploit new computing and cooperative paradigms and architectures, such as Cloud Computing and GPUs, open data structures, and virtual collaborative environments. Experiments that benefit from the use of the existing public platforms, as for instance (but not limited to) the ESA TEPs and the Copernicus DIAS, will be also expected. Contributions proposing new algorithm solutions for improving the processing efficiency, covering large areas and/or long time periods, also in view of their use in operational services, are welcome. Convenors: Jan Verbesselt (U. Wageningen), Francesco Casu (CNR-IREA), Clément Albinet (ESA), Mike Wulder (NRCan), Rasmus Fensholt (U. Copenhagen), Erwin Goor (EASME), Guenther Landgraf (EOP-SDP) |
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C4.02 Open and standard-based approaches to Big EO data architecture Regular ContributedDescription: This session will encompass a series of presentations that, together, outline an emerging pattern for an open approach to Big EO data delivery, processing, and analysis. The goal is to develop an architecture that promotes the reuse of EO data, tools and algorithms to allow scientists, researchers, and the businesses to harness “big EO data” at a minimum cost and effort. Emphasis is on the following aspects: T1: Making imagery available via cloud object stores using open, cloud optimized raster formats; T2: Exposing functional metadata via both interactive web services and static resources; T3: Enabling users the freedom to either download data for their region of interest, or bring interactive tools to the data; T4: Enable data analysis experts to market their applications through containerization and on-demand deployment and execution in cloud environments; T5: Investing in and collaborating on open source web APIs; T6: Developing and sharing remote sensing algorithms under open source licences. Convenors: David Gavin (Geoscience Australia), Ingo Simonis (Ogc), Guenther Landgraf (EOP-SDP) |
| C.5 Small Satellites & Constellations |
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C5.01 Opportunities brought by constellations of small satellites to help understand process on the Earth’s surface or to explore new services. Regular ContributedDescription: In the last couple of years the accessibility to space and miniaturization of electronics has resulted in a boost for Earth observation constellations composed of small satellites. These new systems are at the forefront of how the next space infrastructure will look like. These constellations are already able to touch upon new applications and domains which up to now have not been served. In this session we welcome contributions of an exploratory character, to showcase what such a future might look like. For example, new architecture of different orbital configurations is now more feasible, either through different time-of-day overpasses, or deployment in other orbits than the commonly sun-synchronous orbit. Furthermore, the added value of versatile and adaptive design of small satellites make it possible to look further than the mission objectives and make it arrive at tailored data acquisitioning for specific needs and targeted science. Hence, demonstrations on a small scale of new and novel applications and extrapolations of such studies into future directions are welcomed. Topics cover all Earth sciences that are concerned with surface processes. Furthermore, we envision contributions of new designs of constellations, which take form in demonstration studies using data from agile or adaptive imaging platforms. Though the session has a specific emphasis on imaging sensors (SAR and optical), as this session focusses on natural or human induced change. Convenors: Bas Altena (U. Oslo) |
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C5.02 Building Trains and Tandem missions Regular ContributedDescription: Creating synergy between missions. Many missions can benefit from flying in a train of s/c or just in tandem with another satellite. The session focusses on the resulting orbital characteristics beneficial to the end users of current and proposed tandem / train missions and the scientific benefits for the missions like calibration and auxiliary data by other sensors. Convenors: Berthyl Duesmann (ESA), Itziar Barat (Deimos Space) |
| C.6 HAPs/UAVs |
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C6.01 Advances in environmental monitoring thanks to unmanned aircraft Regular ContributedDescription: Environmental monitoring is critical to understand processes of a dynamically changing world. Traditional field monitoring techniques are time and labor consuming, and resolution of air- and space-borne remote sensing is often too course from both spatial and temporal point of view. The dynamic nature and spatial variability of many environmental processes require data of high spatial and temporal resolution. The high flexibility of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) makes their use ideal for the task, enabling specific timing and frequent acquisition of data at very fine scales and low costs. Objectives of this session is to discuss UAS applications in monitoring dynamic environmental processes such as river basin hydrology & floods, soil erosion, changes in management & land cover, ecosystem disturbances & restoration, vegetation state, phenology & health, biodiversity & species richness, alien invasions, forest assessment, and impact of global change. Convenors: Jana Mullerova (Czech Academy Of Sciences), Salvatore Manfreda (U. della Basilicata) |
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C6.02 HAPS and Space 4.0 Regular ContributedDescription: High-Altitude Pseudo-Satellites (HAPS) are unmanned airborne platforms at 20 km altitude or higher allowing station keeping above a fixed location for extended periods. HAPS have the potential to provide observation capabilities bridging the gap between satellite and ground based observations. The Earth observation community has shown interest in the exploitation of the HAPS ranging from farming, urban planning, air quality, greenhouse gas and sea ice monitoring to disaster response, fire monitoring, security and maritime surveillance. ESA is promoting new HAPS opportunities for:
Convenors: Thorsten Fehr (ESA) |
| C.7 Open Science |
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C7.01 EO Education Regular ContributedDescription: The utilisation of modern educational tools and techniques go hand in hand with the development of the open data and science movement in Earth observation. Various platforms, approaches and educational products are fostering the dissemination of knowledge within the EO community and also more and more interest in the broad public awareness. New information technologies have enabled the development of modern educational tools and practices (such as MOOCs, gamification, VR, Hackatons, E-Universities). Convenors: Robert Eckardt (U. Jena) |
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C7.02 Open Science: Collaboration for open research Regular ContributedDescription: The unique set of grand challenges faced by humankind require more than ever that Earth scientists advance their understanding of the planet, its processes and its interactions with human activities and translate that knowledge into information, policy advice and services for the benefit of citizens, their business and their lives. The world population will reach 9 Bn by 2050 and is expected to increase to 11 Bn by the end of the century. This would lead in the coming two decades to an increase demand for food, freshwater and energy of some 35%, 40% and 50%. Today, at least 663 million people lack access to safe drinking water. Estimates show that with current practices, the world will face a 40% shortfall between forecast demand and available supply of water by 2030. Nearly 800 million people are hungry, over 2 billion suffer from micronutrient deficiencies. The above problems will be further exacerbated by the expected environmental changes associated to global warming. Impacts from recent climate-related extremes, such as heat waves, droughts, floods, cyclones and wildfires, reveal significant vulnerability and exposure of some ecosystems and many human systems to current climate variability. Europe has now an unique opportunity to contribute to this goal. In the next decade Europe will rely on the most comprehensive and sophisticated EO system in the world. The synergistic capacity offered by the complementary capabilities of the Sentinel series, the Earth Explorers, the Meteorological missions and the different national EO satellites will offer an unique and unprecedented opportunity to advance our knowledge of the Earth system, it dynamics and its interactions with human activities. However, the full potential of this system is far from being reached. Ensuring that the scientific community benefit from this unprecedented capacity and maximise its scientific impact will require a significant collaborative effort and an integrated approach to science where the synergistic use of EO data, in-situ observation networks and advanced ITC capabilities together with interdisciplinary research and open science practices will be essential elements. This session aims at reviewing and explore the latest development in Open science tools and practices as a new paradigm to speed-up the scientific process promoting collaborative and interdisciplinary research, exchange of data, knowledge and code through advance dedicated tools, new ICT capabilities and community initiatives. Convenors: Diego Fernandez (ESA), Anca Popescu (ESA) |
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C7.03 Combining satellite and citizen observations to improve environmental monitoring Regular ContributedDescription: The objective of this session is to bring together communities developing tools and techniques for combining citizen observations with satellite datasets, for improved monitoring of the environment. Topics include: tools for citizen observations (mobile applications, low cost electronics, 3D printing); data transfer; data processing; data quality, biases and uncertainties; citizen engagement and motivation; integration of citizen observations with satellite data; satellite validation; and satellite algorithm development. Convenors: Bob Brewin (PML) |
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C7.05 EO end-user Toolboxes and Apps Regular ContributedDescription: A session to present end-user toolboxes and applications in the EO domain. Covers tools and apps that end-users can access on desktop, mobile and processing platforms. Convenors: Marcus Engdahl (ESA) |
| C.8 Commercial EO |
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C8.01 Embedding Open and Commercial EO into Operational Working Practices Regular ContributedDescription: This session will highlight real-life cases where EO data has been integrated into government or private sector decision-making processes and working practices, for example in the extractives, commodities and trading, maritime and security domains. The session will conclude with a brief discussion on the effectiveness of this type of activities and priority issues to be addressed in future. Convenors: Zoltan Bartalis (ESA), Gordon Campbell (ESA), Corey Froese (Wavelength Advisory Services), Gordon Staples (MDA) |
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C8.04 Globalisation and commercialisation of Earth Observation Services - Current Capabilities and Future Potential Regular ContributedDescription: We are at the beginning of a revolution where the world satellite fleet is delivering petabytes of data at increased frequency and lower-cost – a source of knowledge we have never had before. Ideally suited to machine learning techniques, satellite data is increasingly combined with terrestrial information to provide business and governments with incredible new levels of insight, with applications in urban planning, flood control and emergency response, commodities tracking, carbon trading, environmental monitoring and ecological management. There are a host of fast-moving, innovative companies taking advantage of new technology to launch smaller, lower-cost satellites in constellations to access data more frequently and bring new services to market. Allied to this is a growing ecosystem of service companies. They are using the newly available data to address business problems such as infrastructure monitoring and management to commodities tracking including food crops, metals, energy and timber. To accelerate this growth, and to secure this emerging industry, we need to address barriers businesses face using this data, ensure its integration into new technologies and enable adoption in a wide range of markets. The aim of the proposed session is to focus on commercial earth observation applications, both current and future. We wish to share knowledge about the operational aspects of service provisioning and the commercialization process of an application: what is important for customers of EO applications? The session will include insights from current EO service providers discussing operational challenges and capabilities expected from the customers and will also focus on the longer-term future aspects of the EO industry. With evolving EO capabilities, how will the industry change? Convenors: Andreas Hay Kaljord (Kongsberg Satellite Services As), Terri Freemantle (Satellite Applications Catapult) |
Benefits for a Resilient Society |
| D.1 Managing Risks |
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D1.01 Monitoring impacts of climate change and assessing adaptation with Copernicus Sentinel data Regular ContributedDescription: Climate change is recognized a major challenge worldwide because of its impacts such as heat waves, drought, flooding, erosion and losses of biodiversity. So far, monitoring efforts have mostly focused on essential climate variables. However, observations of climate change impacts and adaptation are required to inform adaptation policies and enhance resilience. This includes observations of population, infrastructures and ecosystem services, of their vulnerability, as well as on the resulting human responses, risk management and adaptation. Today, information systems combining space and in-situ observations with biophysical models considering human interventions can increasingly benefit from Sentinel Earth Observation data, acquired over the last four years from active and passive sensors, and ultimately deliver better knowledge at local, regional and global scale. This session will collect research results on Sentinel-based monitoring of the impacts of climate change and assessment of adaptation, both in natural and anthropogenic environments. Convenors: Francesca Cigna (ASI), Issaak Parcharidis (HUA), Gonéri Le Cozannet (BRGM) |
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D1.02 Using Earth observations to deliver on international risk reduction efforts Regular ContributedDescription: For international agreements such as the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction to be effective, governments need to create and implement national and local disaster risk reduction strategies. These strategies require and improved understanding of risk to resilient societies, and an improved understanding of the fundamental elements underlying risk: hazard, exposure, and vulnerability. Work in relation to each of these requires enhanced access to data, and interoperable systems. Earth observation data and information, including from satellites, has a key role to play in relation to this understanding as it can be used across multiple jurisdictions, platforms, and risk models. This session will be led by the Group on Earth Observation (GEO) and the Committee on Earth Observing Satellites (CEOS). It will discuss how and why internationally agreed policies are adopted, how satellite data can provide insight into each of the elements of the risk equation, and the role that practitioners play in helping to deliver actionable change within these frameworks. GEO is an intergovernmental organisation working to improve the availability, access and use of Earth observations for the benefit of society. CEOS has worked for several years on risk reduction activities, and is beginning to implement multi-hazard risk management projects in several countries. Convenors: Simona Zoffoli (ASI), James Norris (GEO) |
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D1.03 Disaster Risk Reduction for Developing Countries Regular ContributedDescription: Many significant developments and changes are taking place in Earth Observation (EO) that directly contribute to the Sendai Framework aims to reduce disaster risk and build resilient communities, particularly in low-income nations. In addition, political, public and scientific interest is growing to improve environmental monitoring and aid decision-making through the use of EO to address grand societal challenges at local, national and international scales. This session will present developments and new advances in using EO to enhance sustainable development and resilience to natural hazards in Official Development Assistance (ODA) recipient countries, especially in regions where EO is a good complement – if not the first-hand element – of the assessment, monitoring and management systems. We welcome contributions using innovative remote sensing techniques and case studies oriented toward hydrometeo and geohazard studies (such as floods, volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, landslides, natural or anthropogenic ground subsidence etc). The session covers a range of topics including mapping exposure and vulnerability, disaster response, groundwater management, and monitoring critical infrastructure and resilience building activities, mapping ground deformation and land cover changes… e.g. using InSAR time series, SAR amplitude and coherence tracking time series, multispectral optical time series, atmospheric composition time series… Combined use of Sentinel data (1, 2 and 5P), but also other space-borne sensors, with ground based instruments, is encouraged. We also welcome contributions discussing the benefits (and pitfalls) of EO-derived products for end-users in their decision making process and recovery progress monitoring. The session will share current experiences, demonstrate benefits for populations and define best practice in EO for the DRM/DRR community. Convenors: Ekbal Hussain (BGS), Collet Agwilh (CNES), Nicolas d'Oreye (Nat. Museum For Nat. Hist./ ECGS) |
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D1.04 Natural Hazard Regular ContributedDescription: In the last decades, the use of Earth Observation (EO) for hazard prevention, mapping and monitoring has grown significantly contributing to both Disaster Risk Reduction and Disaster Response. With the launch of the Sentinel EO missions of the Copernicus programme of the European Union, we are now in the “golden age of remote sensing”. Supported by a series of national EO missions, the Sentinel satellites can contribute to monitoring a broad range of hazard types such as active volcanoes, seismic zones, landslides, flooding, fires, droughts just to cite some example. The overall capability of EO missions now provides unprecedented spatial resolution and temporal frequency of observations and is planned to be available on a long term basis. Already the use of EO products to support Disaster Risk Management has started to expand from tools for the scientific community to tools able to meet the needs of local and national organisations with a mandate concerning the risks of natural hazards. This session focuses on recent advances in satellite-based risk management and monitoring of natural hazards. You are invited to present your latest research and development in the areas of, but not limited to: - Satellite-based techniques for better understanding hazards and for risk estimation - Rapid mapping of the impact of natural hazards for Disaster Response - Combination of in situ measurements and Earth Observation data for Disaster Risk Reduction Convenors: Simon Plank (DLR), Oriol Monserrat (Cttc) |
| D.2 Sustainable Development |
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D2.02 EO for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Regular ContributedDescription: Mainstreaming Earth Observations in SDG monitoring and reporting The international community is widely engaged in an ambitious universal agenda on sustainable development with the aim to end poverty, promote prosperity and people’s well-being while protecting the environment. The 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development ratified by the UN General Assembly in September 2015 is a new transformative and integrated development agenda that builds on the Millennium Development Goals, and which will drive the global agenda on sustainable development till 2030 and beyond. In total 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and 169 targets were adopted by the world leaders, which later got translated into 232 indicators that collectively provide a management tool for countries to implement their development strategies. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development stresses the importance of Geospatial Information and Earth Observations (EO) to achieve the goals. Effective monitoring of the SDG indicators and reporting of the progresses towards the SDG targets require the use of multiple types of data that go well beyond the traditional socio-economic data that countries have been exploiting to assess their development policies. EO is an essential source of information to produce high-quality and timely information, with more detail, at higher frequencies, and with the ability to disaggregate development indicators. However, EO poses several challenges related to the acquisition, processing, integration, analysis and understanding of the data which need to be tackled by the EO scientific community in order to ensure operational applicability. This LPS session will present practical examples of EO assimilation into SDG monitoring and reporting, and EO integration within national statistical frameworks to support data-driven development policies, with a focus on SDG indicators. Topics of interest mainly include (not limited to): • EO methods for supporting countries in setting development policies (including national targets), monitoring progress toward SDG targets, and reporting on SDG indicators; • Modelling and EO data assimilation methods for SDG monitoring; • Approaches to integration of EO with socio-economic data into National Statistical Systems; • Practical examples of EO integration in national systems and processes on SDGs; • Innovative tools as EO enablers for countries adoption (e.g., on-line platforms, data cubes, open source software). Convenors: Marc Paganini (ESA), Agyro Kavada (NASA), Alex Held (CSIRO), Steven Ramage (GEO) |
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D2.04 EO for Resilient Cities Regular ContributedDescription: The new frontiers of urban remote sensing: from legacy to the Sentinels era, and more. From the beginning of the years 2000, more than half of the global population lives in cities and the dynamic trend of urbanization is growing at an unprecedented speed. Hence the needs for more effective urban planning and development measures that enhance city resilience. The use of Earth Observations and their integration with other source of information into effective urban data analytics tools can produce a quantum leap in tracking progress towards and achieving international development goals such as the SDG 11, the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction or the new urban Agenda (Habitat III). The advent of continuous data streams of high quality and free of charge satellite observations such as the Sentinels of the European Copernicus program, in combination with the emergence of automated methods for large data processing and image analysis and the democratization of computing costs, offer unprecedented opportunities to efficiently monitor the changes and trends in urban development globally. In addition, the synergetic use of EO data from different satellite sensors (radar/optical, HR/VHR, SAR/InSAR, TIR, Hyperspectral, Lidar) and the combination with ground-based and crowd-sourced data opens new pathways to extract an unprecedented range of urban information. Urban remote sensing is therefore progressively evolving from traditional urban extent and cover mapping into advanced urban applications, connecting to environmental monitoring of urban-related parameters (impervious surfaces, green spaces, urban welfare, air pollutants). The series of LPS2019 urban sessions will present the recent scientific advances in the application of remote sensing in urban applications, discuss opportunities and challenges which lie ahead for mainstreaming EO solutions into urban development practices and policies, and highlight future paths of research. Topics of interest for the urban sessions include (not limited to):
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D2.05 Sentinels and Copernicus contributing missions for Cultural & Natural Heritage Regular ContributedDescription: Cultural and natural heritage (CNH) has a major significance for local communities, and symbolizes the legacy and resources that will be passed on to future generations. CNH has therefore a critical value in building the local identity and strengthening the regional growth and development. Protection of CNH is included in the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and among innovative applications and services of EU Earth Observation (EO) programme Copernicus. In addition, in 2016 the EC Communication "Towards an EU strategy for international cultural relations" has identified Copernicus, and in particular the Emergency Management Service (EMS), as the main tool of the Commission's contribution to international efforts led by UNESCO, for a rapid reaction mechanism for the protection of cultural heritage sites. In the current discussion on Copernicus potential to support monitoring and management requirements of the CNH community, this session aims to:
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D2.08 Novel in-situ collection approaches for agricultural EO applications Regular ContributedDescription: The increasingly detailed and available field level information from the Copernicus Sentinel satellites opens up novel possibilities for efficient near-real time and wall-to-wall agricultural monitoring. However, high-quality and timely in-situ data are still a prerequisite to build robust operational crop monitoring systems for both training and validation purposes. Traditional in-situ ground truth collected datasets lack the scale and the automation of big data, and are prone to sampling errors. So far, integrated in-situ data collections meaningful for EO applications are still limited. This session aims to discuss novel methodologies to collect in-situ data for agricultural EO applications including: crowdsourcing (Geo-Wiki, Social networks,... ), street-level imagery collection (Google Street View, Mapillary,..), and their relevance for official statistics (e.g. LUCAS). Furthermore, highly detailed reference data sets are now released as open access data (e.g OpenStreetMap, EU governmental data under the INSPIRE directive), enabling sophisticated cross-checks and statistical designs. Taking advantage of recent advances in machine learning, computer vision, and social networks’ developments, suitable novel in-situ data collection methodologies could help to make sense of the EO data deluge. Convenors: Raphaël d’Andrimont (JRC) |
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D2.09 GEOGLAM - from R&D to operational agricultural monitoring Regular ContributedDescription: The session will cover the dedicated activities within the GEOGLAM initiative preparing for the necessary capabilities required for monitoring agricultural productivity at national to global scale in response to the G20 Agricultural minsters request for increased market transparency. It aims at reviewing the state-of-the art in large scale near real time monitoring, identifying the current successes and the knowledge gaps, and recommending a research agenda for the EO community. Current operational crop monitoring systems are based on medium to coarse satellite remote sensing for the sake of consistency with the existing long-term archives. This session intends to cover these activities and also to put emphasis on the innovative experiments based on the 10 to 30 meters Copernicus Sentinel-1, Sentinel-2 and Landsat sensors which pave the way for crop monitoring at field level on national scale. Within this context, the generation of basic products such as crop masks, crop type maps or vegetation status (e.g. from the open source Sen2Agri system) should be seen as a unique opportunity to develop more advanced agriculture research and applications, like emergence date detection, crop rotation characterization, early crop area indicator, and last but not least, yield estimation. Convenors: Sophie Bontemps (U.C. Lovain), Benjamin Koetz (ESA), Inbal Reshef (GEOGLAM), Bettina Baruth (JRC), Ian Jarvis (GEOGLAM), Chris Justice (University of Maryland) |
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D2.10 REDD+ Regular ContributedDescription: The Paris Agreement encourages countries to reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation. The REDD+ mechanism developed in the UNFCCC framework since 2005 takes benefit of information based on Earth Observation data. With the Sentinels in orbit (S-1 and S-2) EO provides an effective tool as input towards national forest management and reporting system. We welcome presentations on REDD+ implementation, setting historical reference levels, MRV systems and ways towards performance based payments. Convenors: Martin Herold (U. Wageningen), Thomas Haeusler (GAF), Frank Martin Seifert (ESA) |
*Special Contributed Session (solicited presentation)
Regular Contributed Session (open to all)
