1 LAND SURFACE IMAGING VC Julio Dalge & Marcia Alvarenga (INPE)

2 SIT 28 – LSSG Terms of Reference

3 LSSG O BJECTIVES Land Surface Study Group (LSSG) created at SIT-28  Review the current capacity of LSI and list current and future likely needs for significant land surface imagery in CEOS activities.  Review activities to date of the LSI VC, SDCG for GFOI and other groups, if any, which have performed similar tasks.  Review the relevant functions of WGISS and how they are best considered in the context of the study group purpose.  Review the major requirements for land surface data sets from current CEOS and GEO priorities.  Consider the implementation which will best satisfy all the above needs.  Make recommendations on the way forward to CEOS Plenary.

4 SIT WS – RECOMMENDED PATH FORWARD

5 P ATH FORWARD FOR LSSG FROM SIT T ECHNICAL W ORKSHOP 2013  LSSG should produce a document specifically addressing the objectives in the LSSG ToR – to address the unique roles that will be played by an LSI VC given the existence and activities of related groups (e.g. SDCG/GFOI, GEOGLAM, WGISS).  The scope of the LSI coordination objectives needs not be confined to classical land imagery, but rather should address coordination of the suite of measurements required to generate the information products needed by ongoing and future land-focused CEOS activities.  The document should be formally approved by existing related CEOS organizations (e.g. GFOI, GEOGLAM, WGISS, etc.) prior to the LSSG presentation to CEOS. CEOS endorsement at SIT-29 (progress report at 2013 Montreal Plenary).  CEOS agencies are requested – urged – commanded to provide active and expert representatives to the LSSG process.

6 Key Issues for the future of LSI VC

7 LSSG C ONCLUSIONS AND K EY I SSUES ON THE FUTURE OF LSI VC  Co-Chairs John Faudeen (USGS) and Julio Dalge (INPE) quit in 2013 and there were no replacements.  Without INPE and USGS in the LSI leadership the current CEOS SIT Chair (CNES) understands the most important issue is the leadership.  In February 2014, Julio Dalge and Marcia Alvarenga had a telecon with Steven Hosford and Kerry Sawyer and came to the decision of freezing the LSI ToR while the SIT Chair Team searches for new leaders.  The work of LSSG has been terminated.  LSSG participants also understand that LSI should: coordinate optical and radar missions. Involve access to long-term data records, methodologies and best practices.  The SIT Chair Team would not be searching for new leaders if they did not see the important role of LSI. In that sense, the LSSG work was very valuable.

8 Thank you! Julio Dalge & Marcia Alvarenga

9 LSI VC Terms of Reference as presented at the SIT WS 2013 BACKGROUND SLIDES

10 LSI T ERMS OF R EFERENCE – C ONTENTS M ISSION S TATEMENT /S TATEMENT OF N EED C HARACTERIZATION OF THE M EASUREMENTS AND D ATA C OLLECTIONS WITHIN S COPE C HARACTERIZATION OF THE S PACE S EGMENT C ONCERNED I MPLEMENTATION AND C OORDINATION I SSUES TO BE A DDRESSED BY SIT O UTCOMES AND D ELIVERABLES S CHEDULE M EMBERSHIP AND L EADERSHIP R ESOURCES

11 M ISSION S TATEMENT /S TATEMENT OF N EED The LSI VC roles are the promotion, the coordination, the access, and the distribution of effective and comprehensive collections of Earth Observation (EO) data of the global land surface, especially to meet societal needs of the global population, such as those addressed by the Group on Earth Observations (GEO) Societal Benefit Areas (SBAs).

12 C HARACTERIZATION OF THE M EASUREMENTS AND D ATA C OLLECTIONS WITHIN S COPE Measurements and data collections include land surface space-based remote sensing from optical and microwave data with necessary metadata linkages to allow the use of the LSI Explorer as a browsing mechanism for discovery and access of land surface data collections. The LSI VC shall promote and coordinate the distribution of the following measurements and data collections:  Terrain-corrected satellite images from member agencies.  System-corrected satellite images from member agencies. A tool provided on the LSI VC website (MS3Ortho engine) can be used to produce terrain-corrected images.  Terrestrial Essential Climate Variables (ECVs) derived from satellite images.  Value added products derived from satellite images in the context of current GEO initiatives, like the Global Forest Observation Initiative (GFOI) and the Global Agriculture Monitoring (GEOGLAM): Forest/non-forest maps. Land use and land cover maps. Land use and land cover change maps. Agriculture crops maps.

13 C HARACTERIZATION OF THE S PACE S EGMENT C ONCERNED Up to now, the LSI VC core missions are the ones from member agencies that established open access policies for their satellite data: Landsat (USGS); CBERS (INPE/CRESDA); Sentinels (ESA). However, the LSI VC aims at including other missions in order to fulfil its ambitions, to minimize the occurrence of data gaps, and to assure high satellite revisit capabilities with appropriate spatial resolutions required by initiatives such as GFOI and GEOGLAM.

14 I MPLEMENTATION AND C OORDINATION I SSUES A DDRESSED BY SIT The LSI VC is the appropriate body for developing tools and coordinating discussions for CEOS terrestrial mission planning. The value-add of the LSI VC is the potential optimization of resources of contributing agencies, minimizing the costs and the occurrence of data gaps. The LSI VC shall strive to address the crosscutting issues that are common and fundamental to all data coordination responses from CEOS (information extraction, cross calibration, inter-operability, long- term data records, availability and dissemination) in cooperation with the other CEOS Working Groups. Impediments to achievement of the LSI VC outcomes and deliverables should be clearly communicated to SIT as challenges for CEOS to address.

15 O UTCOMES AND D ELIVERABLES The LSI VC shall commit to the following outcomes:  Provide distribution services from the LSI Explorer for terrestrial data of CEOS agencies.  Update the LSI Portal to reflect the use of the LSI Explorer as the main browsing mechanism to access data from member agencies.  Update the contents of the LSI website to include the results from recent discussions, new deliverables, and current membership.  Facilitate the distribution of terrestrial ECVs as recommended by the Working Group on Climate (WGClimate), the Global Climate Observing System (GCOS), and the Terrestrial Observation Panel for Climate (TOPC).  Provide end users with updated information on current CEOS data coverages, gaps and potential discontinuity in data availability, through well- designed user interface.  Support the ad-hoc team of the Space Data Coordination Group (SDCG) in the acquisition strategy for GFOI and GEOGLAM.  Investigate a land data coordination role with CEOS agencies utilizing Public-Private Partnership arrangements with the goal to facilitate data access and usage for CEOS sponsored activities.

16 O UTCOMES AND D ELIVERABLES 3-year horizon5-year or more horizon Space Segment Landsat-7/8; CBERS-4; Sentinel-1/2. Any other? Landsat-8; CBERS-4; Sentinel-4/5. Any other? Ground Segment & Information Systems Member agencies product generation systems and image catalogues. Products & Services Tools for gap analysis and data discovery; calibrated radiances; CDRs; ECVs; value added products.

17 S CHEDULE LSI VC participants will assess and define the overall timetable for the work plan implementation, to include specific CEOS agency responsibilities.

18 M EMBERSHIP AND L EADERSHIP LSI VC is open to any space agency or relevant partners outside CEOS willing to collaborate with human resources with the necessary scientific, technological, or operational expertise in all the aspects of land surface imaging activities. LSI VC participants shall nominate one or more Chairs responsible for the management of the Group. Chair roles should be reviewed after two years with a view to sharing the workload. LSI VC Chairs have the responsibility for day-to-day communications and documentation of LSI VC activities. This shall include an up to date, annual work plan and schedule for the LSI VC for the purposes of effective management and external communications – including progress reporting at key CEOS meetings. External organizations with well defined interests and demands for the LSI VC shall be considered relevant partners: GEO, GCOS and TOPC.

19 R ESOURCES Participating agencies shall be entirely responsible for committing the necessary human and financial resources to develop and maintain the LSI VC. In terms of human resources, at least one representative from each member agency is required to participate in the annual meetings, teleconferences and in the development of documents and reports. Financial resources imply in covering travel expenses of their own agencies representatives. Teleconferences must be frequent and, therefore, teleconference tools shall be provided in order to allow free calls from all participants. The LSI VC will primarily utilize exchanges, teleconferences or video conferencing sessions, and workshops as needed to fulfill its objectives.

20 R ESOURCES CEOS WGs and VCs with potential exchange of resources with LSI:  Working Group on Information Systems and Services (WGISS) Data formats, interoperability standards, web services.  Working Group on Climate (WGClimate) Essential Climate Variable (ECV) time-series.  Working Group on Calibration and Validation (WGCV) Calibration and validation of land imaging data products.  Working Group on Capacity Building and Data Democracy (WGCapD) Data availability for training courses.  Space Data Coordination Group (SDCG) Support to the strategy of data acquisition.  Atmospheric Composition Constellation (ACC) Inter-comparison of land data products. Generation of land products using historical data records.