1. GEO Coordination and GEO-relevant projects at the Austrian Meteorological Service
Dr. Gerhard Wotawa, MA
Division Data, Methods and Modelling
GEO Coordinator, Austria
Presented at the EU Side event at the GEO-IX Assembly, 21 November 2012, Foz do Iguacu, Brazil

2. GEO structures in Austria
Outline
GEO structures in Austria
Responsibilities of the Austrian GEO Secretariat
Related projects and activities
Phenology
Sonnblick Observatory/Histalp
Conrad Observatory/Space weather
Soil moisture and agricultural modelling Eastern Africa
EODC Water

3. April 2009: Decision to join GEO as member
History
Austria participated in GEO as observer since the GEO-II Assembly in Geneva (December 2005)
2008: Feasibility study regarding possible Austrian membership in GEO (by ZAMG and Austrian Environmental Protection Agency): GEO considered as a useful process
April 2009: Decision to join GEO as member
August 2009: Establishment of a GEO Secretariat at ZAMG

4. GEO Structures in Austria
Responsible Ministry: Federal Ministry of Science and Research (BMWF)
BMWF has appointed ZAMG to coordinate GEO in Austria
GEO Secretariat has been established at ZAMG in August 2009

5. Responsibilities of GEO Secretariat
Participation in the GEO Assembly and the meetings of the European HLWG
National Point of contact for persons and institutions interested and/or involved in GEO activities
Coordination of the Austrian involvement in specific GEO tasks and Implementation Boards
Identification of needs for research and development related to GEO, and channeling these needs to the Federal Ministry
Public information related to GEO

6. Responsibilities of GEO Secretariat (2)
Communication with the GEO Secretariat in Geneva
Organization of national workshops and information events
Analysis of the GEO-relevant data in Austria, and assessment of the data needs
Establishment of a GEO Web site in Austria
Organizing meetings of the Austrian GEO group (GEO principal, Ministry of Science and Research, GEO coordinator and various partners) twice a year

7. Inter-ministerial coordination
Different ministries in charge of GEO, GMES and INSPIRE
Policy area
Existing Coordination
Geo-Portal of the Austrian Provinces
IMG Weltraumpolitik
(Inter-Ministerial Group Space Politics)
E-Government PG Umweltinformation
(E-Government Project Group for Environmental Data and Information)

8. Public Web Site http://www.zamg.ac.at/geo_office/ (English)
(English)
(German)

9. BMWF & ZAMG co-organize a GEO Workshop on 10 December 2012 in Vienna
GEO Workshop 2012, Vienna
BMWF & ZAMG co-organize a GEO Workshop on 10 December 2012 in Vienna
Information on GEO process and GEO-IX outcome
Information on European initiatives (GMES)
Oral and poster sessions – bringing together data providers and users
Engagement of private sector: cooperation with Austrian Chamber of Commerce

10. GEO & GCOS
The GEO Secretariat at ZAMG is also involved in the Austrian GCOS process (GCOS Web site, GCOS data survey)

11. GEO related projects and activities
Examples for GEO related activities and projects

12. Phenology
Phenology is the study of the timing of recurring biological events in the animal and plant world
Examples:
Leaf unfolding and flowering of plants in spring, fruit ripening, colour changing and leaf fall in autumn, as well as the appearance and departure of migrating birds and the timing of animal breeding 12

13. Are Climate Change Indicators What are Phenological Data good for?
Purpose of Phenological data
Necessary for Understanding the Interaction between Atmosphere and Biosphere
Increase the Knowledge about Critical Changes in the Global Carbon Balance
Are Climate Change Indicators
What are Phenological Data good for? 13

14. CLIMATE CHANGE INDICATOR 2 WEEKS EARLIER FRUIT RIPENING
Phenological data shows climate change
CLIMATE CHANGE INDICATOR
2 WEEKS EARLIER FRUIT RIPENING
OF ELDER IN THE ALPS SINCE 1970S
y-axes left: summer temperature deviation from the mean y-axes right: entry date right of fruit ripeness of elder (Sambucus nigra) 14

15. Phenology shows Seasonal variability
Green Wave in Spring 15

16. Sonnblick Observatory
Sonnblick, Goldberggruppe, Hohe Tauern, 3106 m
The only summit observatory world-wide above 3000 m asl
Highest continuously inhabited building of Austria
Continuously active for more than 125 years

17. Measurement of air quality and CO2
Environmental Protection Agency (UBA) Vienna measures the following parameters at Sonnblick:
Air quality: CO, NOy and O3
Greenhouse gases: CO2

18. Aerosol measurements (ZAMG)
New Aerosol inlet was installed in September 2011
PM10 monitor (Sharp) was installed in 2012

19. Sonnblick Observatory
125 YEARS OF CLIMATE VARIABILITY AND TRENDS AT SONNBLICK
125 years of monitoring show:
It gets continuously warmer and brighter in the Alps

20. Meteorological records over the centuries

21. The greater alpine region (GAR) has warmed stronger than the global mean
+2°
+1°

22. Using GEO for Early Warning and Food Security in East Africa
GEOSAF
Using GEO for Early Warning and Food Security in East Africa
Using GEO for Early Warning and Food Security in East Africa
Investigate the influence of high impact weather (flood, drought) on African agriculture and water management.
Improve monitoring and long range forecasting of soil moisture
Use of space-borne sensors for monitoring and validation
Seasonal, ensemble based weather forecasts and crop modeling
Set up an early warning system for local farmers and international organisations

23. GEOSAF - Use of satellite data
Soil moisture data are derived from different space-borne microwave sensors:
Advanced Scatterometer (ASCAT) on METOP
Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (SMOS) mission
Advanced Synthetic Aperture Radar (ASAR) on ENVISAT

24. Earth Observation Data Centre for Water Resources Monitoring
EODC Water
Earth Observation Data Centre for Water Resources Monitoring
a cooperation of

25. Proposal for an Earth Observation Data Centre
Following the example of other countries
e.g. CEMS in the UK
Thematic focus on water resources (instead of an “Austrian EODC”)
Strategic goals
Establish Austria as a key player in the operational EO ground segment and service market
Strengthen its academic, institutional and commercial organisations by coordinating, focusing, and reinforcing their expertise and capabilities
Be a focal point for water-related programmes
Overall aims
Provide unique EO products for improved monitoring of water resources
Operate Collaborative Ground Segment components for the Sentinel satellites
Apply service standards as commonly employed by NWP centres
Focus on fully automatic and continental to global scale products
Establish the logistics and seamless ITC infrastructure system

26. Product Portfolio
Water resources management requires an integrated view of the complete water cycle
Potential product portfolio is relatively broad
Room for diversification

27. CONRAD Observatory

28. Space Weather

29. ZAMG contributions

30. Thank you for your attention! Please visit us in the exhibition area.
Thank you for your attention!
Please visit us in the exhibition area.