NASA Use Cases for the Earth Observation Sensor Web Karen Moe NASA Earth Science Technology Office WGISS-26 Boulder, CO, USA 24 September 2008

page 2 Sensor Webs are … Distributed Earth observation systems Comprised of –Satellite and in situ sensors –Data systems –Models Dynamically configured to produce products on demand By using emerging web technologies

page 3 Why Sensor Webs for Earth Science Enable eScience for Earth Observation –Improve science products –Improve science operations –Enable collaboration –Save operational costs

Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS) GEOSS Architecture Earth Observation Sensor Web End Users Model - Observations Feedback Science and Applications

page 5 Sensor Web Use Case Assignments Model Middleware Sys Mgmt. Middleware Smart Sensors Decadal Survey DESdynIHyspIRISMAP Science Category Solid earthLand useWater ApplicationForecastsRapid response Sensor cal/val Sensor Web feature Data assimilation WorkflowAgents Autonomy NASA ESTO Sensor Web Meeting April Use Cases

Sensor Web Use Themes Autonomous Sensor Operations User Support Autonomous Data Production GEOSS Architecture Predictions Societal Benefits Observations DA TA Ongoing feedback to optimize value and reduce gaps High Performance Computing, Communication, & Visualization Standards & Interoperability Decision Support Assessments Decision Support Systems Management Decisions Policy Decisions Earth Observation Systems Remotely-sensed In situ Earth System Models Oceans Ice Land Atmosphere Solid Earth Biosphere End Users Rapid response Autonomous tasking Cal / Val Sensor management Data downlink Rapid response Autonomous tasking Cal / Val Sensor management Data downlink Workflow generation Access to sensors Campaign / mission design Workflow generation Access to sensors Campaign / mission design Data assimilation Forecasting Reduce model uncertainty Data assimilation Forecasting Reduce model uncertainty

page 7 Earth Observation Sensor Web Uses Improve science products –Rapidly respond to events Autonomous sensor tasking Sensor management Sensor data networking strategies –Enable cross mission, multi-sensor products Autonomous data assimilation Workflow generation –Reduce model uncertainty via targeted data inputs –Provide timely calibration/validation of sensor data

page 8 Earth Observation Sensor Web Uses Improve science operations –Plan sensor flight paths for unmanned air & surface vehicles Autonomous sensor management Workflow generation –Design field campaigns –Simulate mission designs (ala OSSE, the Observation System Simulation Experiment)

page 9 Earth Observation Sensor Web Uses Enable collaboration and save operational costs –Leverage multi-agency, international assets, eg. US GEO, GEOSS/CEOS –Reuse infrastructure enabling collaboration in totally different domains such as fires and floods –Reduce staff via automation

page 10 Technical Challenges Sensor hardware, software and network architecture –Power management, communications in constrained environments –Intelligent agents, autonomy Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) challenges –Standards maturity and cross-standards interoperability –Extending SOA to space –Service orchestration –Data provenance and quality in dynamically configured sensor webs –Security

page 11 Acknowledgements ESTO Advanced Information Systems Technology Sensor Web technical report team: Steve Smith, Glen Prescott, and Marge Cole of NASA/ESTO, Rob Sherwood/JPL, Phil Paulsen/GRC, Vicki Oxenham/GSFC, and April Gillam, Brad Hartman and Thomas Eden of Aerospace Corporation The participants of the 35 NASA AIST sensor web projects who are developing and demonstrating sensor web capabilities to the Earth science community