1. National REMOTE SENSING Validation Workshop
Albrecht von Bargen, German Aerospace Center
Space Administration, Earth Observation
CEOS WGCV Plenary # 44 | EUMETSAT, Darmstadt | August 28 – 31, 2018

2. Workshop Overall Motivation
Remote Sensing from space
Validation Infrastructure
To contrast the demands and needs of remote sensing from space with the existing German validation infrastructures to derive the
Opportunities
Needs & Gaps
Future perspectives offered by the validation infrastructures

3. Space Agencies‘ perspective
Satellite sensors
Increasing number of sensors
Long-term continuous & sustainable data products
New (operational) objectives (e.g. climate monitoring, etc.)
Data products
Increasing number of applications and data products
Higher demands on data quality (accuracy)
Coverage (time and space)
Validation
Validation and long-term monitoring
High demand on data quality

4. Validation Community perspective
Instrumentation
Sophisticated instruments measuring a variety of data products
Partial long-term operation
Partly well characterized
Scientific evaluation
Process studies to answer scientific questions
Long-term monitoring of specific processes or trends
Data management
Date are partly used only by specific groups
Sometimes distribution via (measurement) networks

5. How to set-up the workshop?
Atmosphere
Trace gases
Clouds
Aerosol
Temperature
Wind
...
Land surface
Soil
Vegetation
Surface character
Waters
Content
Surface
Solid Earth
Magnetic field
Gravitation
Topography
Climate
Long-term observations
Changes
NO!
Room 1
Room 2
Room 3
Room 4
Room 5
Synthesis

6. talks
Presentations
Validation needs – a space agency‘s view (B. Bojkov, EUMETSAT)
Why is validation so difficult? (K. Thome, NASA)
The German validation infrastructure – a survey (C. Rolf, FZ Jülich)
Introduction of TCCON network and validation activities (J. Notholt, Universität Bremen)
Introduction of TERENO network and validation activities (C. Montzka, FZ Jülich)
ENVRI Plus activities (A. Petzold, FZ Jülich)
Discussions blocks
Statements (1 slide) during discussion blocks

7. Discussion on & along cross-cutting topics
Aims & Need for Satellite Validation
Benchmark Definition
Requirements for satellite and validation measurement mapping
Requirements for measurement availability
Long-term data records for satellite validation
Characterization of measurement sites
Validation means: Measurements & Models
Methodologies
Instrument Characterization
Temporal and spatial coverage
Cross sensitivity
Homogeneity Model
Representativeness
Fiducial reference measurements
Traceability of data products
Quality assurance
Comparability
Fiducial Reference Measurements
Uncertainty determination
Linking Satellite and measurement communities
Need, formation, and benefit of networks for community building
Requirements for networks
Data accessibility and availability
Awareness: Promotion of validation measurements and results
M. Bachmann, DLR
J. Fischer, FU Berlin
A. Petzold, FZ Jülich
C. Brockmann (Brockmann)

8. Discussion on & along cross-cutting topics
Aims & Need for Satellite Validation
Benchmark Definition
Requirements for satellite and validation measurement mapping
Requirements for measurement availability
Long-term data records for satellite validation
Take away message
M. Bachmann, DLR
Dualism in benchmark definition
Instrument provider – verification vs. requirements
Scientists – validation of data products
Transparency in validation requirements and methods
Standardized processes
Well-characterized validation sites
Sustainability/availability of validation is in many cases difficult to include in science research plans (inclusion in research infrastructures?)
M. Bachmann, DLR
A. Petzold, FZ Jülich

9. Discussion on & along cross-cutting topics
Characterization of measurement sites
Validation means: Measurements & Models
Methodologies
Instrument Characterization
Temporal and spatial coverage
Cross sensitivity
Homogeneity Model
Representativeness
Take away message
J. Fischer, FU Berlin
Improvement needs
Coverage and methods
Models and literature data
Importance of pre-launch characterization data
Validation sites locally to be fully characterized
Representativeness of models to be further clarified
Different methods of validation
Provision of matching quantities
Models to derive comparable quantities

10. Discussion on & along cross-cutting topics
Fiducial reference measurements
Traceability of data products
Quality assurance
Comparability
Fiducial Reference Measurements
Uncertainty determination
Take away message
A. Petzold, FZ Jülich
Fiducial Reference Measurements (FRMs)
Role in satellite product validation to be clarified
Demand on agencies for definition and fund
Specific with respect to satellite sensor
Science networks available but
Standard operational procedures?
Quality assurance?
Need for further development, improvements, extension
Benefit for scientific entities?
Clear definition in uncertainty derivation, comparability, and quality assurance needed

11. Discussion on & along cross-cutting topics
Linking Satellite and measurement communities
Need, formation, and benefit of networks for community building
Requirements for networks
Data accessibility and availability
Awareness: Promotion of validation measurements and results
Take away message
Why is network participation beneficial?
Different subjects of networks (e.g. Sensor calibration, Algorithm verification, Non-space-based measurements)
Different types of networks (e.g. Voluntary cooperation, Research infrastructure (with strong commitments) Network of networks)
Strength of validation networks is differing in different communities
Some network with mid/long-term commitments (e.g. ACTRIS, ICOS-D)
Lack of funding in general
Long-term availability of data and continuity of data acquisition not secured
C. Brockmann (Brockmann Consult)

12. Take away messages
Transparent communication of validation requirements
Validation in Germany based on scientific entities: how to include in research plans?
Long-term availability and continuity in data acquisition is not secured
Characterization and methods are point of discussion in many details
Challenge in SOPs and Quality assurance
Discussion on Research Infrastructures
Continuous platform in DE to discuss and agree common procedures / processes / standards …..