1. FOR DECISION
Committee on Earth Observation Satellites
Working Group and Ocean Virtual Constellation Merger Study Teams Final Assessment Reports
Steve Volz, CEOS SIT Chair
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
CEOS Plenary 2019
Agenda Item #5.8
Ha Noi, Viet Nam
14 – 16 October 2019

2. SIT-34 Proposals

3. Propose a VC leadership rotation cycle.
Concept Paper for Restructuring CEOS Virtual Constellations and Creation of New Working Group – March 2019
Propose for discussion and consideration: a restructure of the CEOS Virtual Constellations:
Merge the four current ocean-related VCs into a single Ocean VC focused on creating an integrated and coordinated multi-variable picture of oceans.
Merge AC-VC and P-VC into an Atmosphere VC.
LSI-VC already follows this model, looking at a “family” of variables for integrated picture of the land, and is proposed to become the Land VC.
Propose a VC leadership rotation cycle.
Propose a two-year initiation cycle for standing up new AHTs. The two- year initial cycle will allow for defining the objective, evaluating the merit and value of the objectives, and determining the appropriate path forward for continued support within CEOS. All other aspects of the AHT reporting process will remain, including annual reporting at Plenary.
Propose for discussion and consideration: Establish a new Working Group focused on Information Provision, to coordinate all activities related to user outreach and applications (e.g., forests, agriculture, freshwater, land degradation, urban, biodiversity, and more in the future).
Discussed in 5.7
To be discussed in 5.9

4. Presented at SIT-34 New Working Group A Proposal – SIT-34
Establish a new Working Group focused on Information Provision, to coordinate all activities related to user outreach and applications (e.g., forests, agriculture, freshwater, land degradation, urban, biodiversity, and more in the future).
Context:
All three existing AHTs focus on external user information and service delivery, in a class with the existing Working Groups on Disasters and Climate.
Expansion of such focused groups reflects the growing demand by the global community for specific, refined information products from CEOS and CEOS Agencies for operational decision-making.
The SDCG for GFOI and GEOGLAM activities are mature, externally focused activities relying on sustained delivery of CEOS data and information to meet user needs.
Presented at SIT-34

5. Presented at SIT-34 SIT-34 Concept Paper Discussion
Proposed a new CEOS Working Group on “Information Provision” to coordinate all activities related to user outreach and applications
This new WG would provide a “filtering” function by work closely with user communities to understand requirements and assessing how CEOS can provide the needed data and support.
The “revised” concept presented at the end of SIT-34 suggested separation of GFOI and GEOGLAM Ad Hoc teams ... they are expected to join LSI-VC as “subgroups” due to their shared focus on land surface imaging and related data requirements. Also, the existing SDG Ad Hoc team was proposed as a part of the new Working Group.
Presented at SIT-34

6. Working Group on Information Provision (TBC)
WG Concept Presented to SIT-34
Working Group on Information Provision (TBC)
Chair and Vice Chair – 2 yrs
Secretariat
GEOS4M
Lead(s) – no term
GEO Wetlands
Biodiversity
SDG Indicator 1
SDG Indicator 3
SDG Indicator 2 …
Presented at SIT-34
Forests (GFOI)
Lead(s) – no term
Agriculture (GEOGLAM)
Lead(s) – no term
“Mature Activities,” enjoying continuing support from CEOS through established data partnerships

7. Presented at SIT-34 Virtual Constellations: A Proposal – SIT-34
Propose for discussion and consideration a restructure of the CEOS Virtual Constellations:
Merge the four current ocean-related VCs into a single Ocean VC focused on creating an integrated and coordinated multi-variable picture of oceans.
Merge AC-VC and P-VC into an Atmosphere VC.
LSI-VC already follows this model, looking at a “family” of variables for integrated picture of the land, and is poised to become the “Land VC.”
Context:
This approach could better enable CEOS to support the community and user needs that draw on products and information from across different existing VCs.
The global satellite observing system has expanded significantly over the past 10+ years, and the selection of satellites has been informed in part by CEOS VC reports and assessments.
Proliferation of satellite systems have significantly lowered the risk of gaps in major satellite measurements, and increases the resiliency of the integrated global observing system to address measurement continuity risks.
VCs will continue to coordinate closely with thematic international science teams.
Demands by users for ready-to-use information drawing on multiple measurements and observations continues to increase.
Presented at SIT-34

8. A New Concept for VCs and WGs
Working Group on Information Provision to cover these and future efforts
Presented at SIT-34
WGISS
WGCalVal
WGCapD

9. Conclusions from SIT-34
Formation of a SIT Chair Team-led Study Team to bring a recommended way forward to the SIT Technical Workshop on the concept of a new Working Group on Information Provision (WGIP, or similar name)
Formation of a SIT Chair Team-led Study Team to bring a recommended way forward to the SIT Technical Workshop on the concept of a CEOS reorganization into piloting thematically blended Virtual Constellations (VCs), starting with the oceans VCs.

10. Actions from SIT-34 and 2019 SIT TW
SIT Chair Team
Draft a one-page Charter for the proposed new Working Group study team.
1 May CLOSED
SIT-34-15
SIT Chair Team
SIT Chair Team to lead a study team to look at the proposed concept for a new Working Group and draft a recommended way forward.
2019 SIT Technical Workshop CLOSED
SIT-34-16
SIT Chair Team
Draft a Charter for the pilot of oceans VC merger study team.
1 May CLOSED
SIT-34-17
SIT Chair Team
SIT Chair Team to lead a study team to look at the proposed pilot of oceans VC merger and draft a recommended way forward for the VC based on the study team Charter.
2019 SIT Technical Workshop CLOSED
SIT-TW
WGST
Integrate feedback from SIT TW and finalize the Study Team report for SIT Chair presentation to the 2019 CEOS Plenary.
30 September CLOSED
SIT-TW
OVCMST
Integrate feedback from the SIT TW and finalize the Study Team Report for SIT Chair presentation to the 2019 CEOS Plenary.
30 September CLOSED

11. Working Group Study Team (WGST) Results
Refer to WGST_Assessment_Final_Oct_2019
FOR DECISION

12. WGST Background
At the SIT-34 Meeting (April 2019 in Miami, Florida) the CEOS SIT Chair (NOAA) presented a Concept Paper that proposed a new CEOS Working Group to address multiple interests from external stakeholders in accessing CEOS Agency data.
A Working Group Study Team (WGST) was convened. The group has had several telecons since the SIT meeting and its findings are presented here.
Members of the WGST include 19 people:
CEO – Steven Hosford
SIT Chair Team/NOAA – Kerry Sawyer
SDG AHT/ESA – Marc Paganini
WGISS/ESA – Mirko Albani
CAST – Yufu Cui
CONAE – Laura Frulla, Homero Lozza
CSIRO – Flora Kerblat, Jono Ross
EC – Mark Dowell
ESA – Ivan Petiteville
JAXA – Osamu Ochiai
NASA – Brian Killough, Christine Bognar, Paula Bontempi, Brad Doorn, Lawrence Friedl, Argie Kavvada
USGS – Jenn Lacey

13. WGST Charter Working Group Study Team (WGST) objective:
to assess the interest and feasibility of CEOS Agencies in the creation of a new Working Group to address multiple interests from external stakeholders in accessing CEOS Agency data.
As awareness of the value of Earth Observation (EO) information has grown, CEOS has received increasing requests from different user communities for data and information products to address their specific mission needs.
While the output information products vary by the user community, the requests share common expectations on CEOS and its agencies to provide these information products efficiently, drawing on the best sources of EO data.
The proposed new Working Group would:
Work closely with GEO to perform the common discipline of user engagement and needs assessment, requirements development, and the filtering, definition, and data product sub-setting by working with the user communities to understand their needs and by pulling appropriate data to support the communities.
In its execution, the proposed new Working Group could be the interface for interpretation of emerging user needs for satellite observations to CEOS external partners.

14. WGST Expectations
Compare the CEOS status quo engagement approach with external users with the proposed new Working Group. The suggested evaluation criteria focused on four primary features:
Responsivity
Productivity
Feasibility
Agency Satisfaction
Prepare a report on the results of the evaluation, including:
Assessment of how the new organization would affect (if at all) the currently chartered activities of the existing ad hoc entities.
Results of the assessment of the scope and scale of user community requests for CEOS support for potential future areas and for known expansion of existing engagement areas.
Identification of possible options for restructuring CEOS entities, and the benefits and drawbacks of each.
Conclusion and recommendations for consideration and discussion at the SIT TW.

15. WGST Output: User Community Requests
Users are bringing increasing numbers of requests to CEOS for data and information products to address their specific project needs.
This represents positive growth and new opportunities for CEOS, yet adds challenges our work priorities as a “best efforts”” organization.
The WGST evaluated the types of external requests to assess their volume and frequency.
It was determined there are 3 basic categories of external requests:
GEO Work Programme (Flagships, Initiatives, Community Activities)
Global Policy Frameworks – climate (UNFCCC/SBSTA/GCOS) and disasters (Sendai Framework)
Global Development Groups – finance (World Bank, ADB) and capacity building (GPSDD)
The WGST document included a section on “Requirements Definition” that suggests the process is iterative and can often take many years to refine details

16. External Requests
Many GEO initiatives and activities are already addressed or have synergies with activities in CEOS entities (e.g. Working Groups, Virtual Constellations, Ad Hoc Teams). For example ...
GEOGLAM, GFOI  AHT, AHWG, LSI-VC
GEO-DARMA, EO4SENDAI, Global Flood Risk  WGDisasters
EO4SDG  SDG AHT
SBSTA, GCOS  WGClimate
There are also several initiatives and activities that may become future requests of CEOS but which currently do not have formal links
Aquawatch, GEO BON, GEO-EV, GEOGLOWS, GEO Wetlands, GWIS, Arctic GEOSS, Global Land Cover, GLOBAL MANGROVE
Half of these fall in the category of "water" which is not currently accommodated by a direct CEOS group, but has been actively discussed in past CEOS meetings.

17. Virtual Constellations
CEOS Entities Engage at Many Places in the Earth Observations Value Chain
Observations
Data Value Enhancement
User-facing
Virtual Constellations
LSI-VC
AC-VC
P-VC
OSVW-VC
OCR-VC
OST-VC
SST-VC
Credit: Open Data Watch; Data2X
WG Cal/Val
WGISS
WGCapD
WGClimate
WGDisasters
GEOGLAM AHWG
SDCG for GFOI
SDG AHT

18. Observations from WGST
CEOS will need to address future requests from external groups for data and information products, though the exact number, timing and extent of those requests is unknown.
These requests will require dedicated resources from CEOS to understand and assess the user requirements and develop a plan of action for response.
To date, these requests have been addressed in an "ad hoc" manner through CEOS Agencies, existing CEOS groups, and the establishment of temporary Ad Hoc Teams.
Support from GEO has been limited to the development of the work plan but we can proactively improve the GEO support thru ... the annual CEOS Statement to the GEO Plenary and meetings with the GEO Secretariat Director.
To remain responsive to Earth observation users’ needs globally, the CEOS organization must proactively develop plans for handling the growing number of external requests.

19. Verbatim from the WGST Final Report
What are the Options?
Option #1: Create a new Working Group
Resources – Requires four-year agency commitments to leadership and sustained CEOS Agency support.
Advantages – Provides a single, identifiable CEOS entity to address new external requests. Such focus would provide external groups a clear path for discussion and resolution.
Disadvantages – There may be insufficient work for a new Working Group if the number of external requests is low. This may not justify the need for long-term leadership and dedicated financial support. In addition, such a group may require broad representation of competencies within CEOS (e.g., SEO, VC, WG). Participation may be limited as many people are already committed to other CEOS entities on an ongoing basis and through leadership rotations, especially in the case of the CEOS working groups.
Option #2: Use existing CEOS leadership and technical group channels (e.g., CEOS Chair, SIT Chair, SEC, CEO, SEO, VC, WG) to address new external requests.
Resources – Existing levels plus some additional effort, depending on the scope of the request
Advantages – There is no need for additional CEOS infrastructure as existing entities would bear the burden to assess external requests. If selected, CEOS should consider formalizing, and possibly codifying, the process to streamline and improve the CEOS response to such external requests.
Disadvantages – Assuming an increase in the number of external requests, there may not be sufficient resources (people, time, funding) to adequately respond. In addition, external organizations would not have a single focal point for interaction, as they might contact CEOS Agencies, SEC, CEO, SIT Chair or CEOS Chair leaders.
Verbatim from the WGST Final Report

20. WGST Recommendation
After several telecons and group discussions, the WGST selected Option #2. The WGST believes that existing CEOS leadership and technical groups can adequately respond to future external requests.
If approved by CEOS leadership at the 2019 CEOS Plenary, it is recommended that the CEOS organization formalize the process to streamline and improve the CEOS response to such external requests.

21. Next Steps
The WGST shall terminate its work with the delivery of the report to the 2019 CEOS Plenary
Propose that a new task be added to the CEOS Work Plan (led by the SEO) to establish a Task Team to develop an "External Request Process Paper"
First draft will be released by the CEOS SIT-35 meeting in April 2020
Second draft at CEOS SIT Technical Workshop in September 2020
Final version (for endorsement) at the 2020 CEOS Plenary in October 2020
Recommended Task Team members from the SEO (Brian Killough), CEO, SIT Chair Team (CSIRO/GA - Jonathan Ross), SIT Vice Chair Team (ESA - Ivan Petiteville), EC (Mark Dowell), and a representative of the 2020 CEOS Chair Team (ISRO - TBD)
SIT-TW
SEO
Develop a “CEOS External Request Process Paper.”
SIT-35
Rationale: The External Request Process Paper is expected to streamline and guide requests from external partners.

22. Next Steps
Propose the creation of a separate Task Team for consideration by 2019 CEOS Plenary to conduct an assessment of the potential user community needs and external demand for CEOS observations to help CEOS understand the potential workload to CEOS from these external requests (a “market analysis”)
NOAA and ESA have already indicated interest in participating in this Task Team, if decided to proceed
Identify other interested Agencies
SIT-TW
SIT Chair Team
Propose the creation of a Task Team to conduct an assessment of the potential user community needs and external demand for CEOS observations (a “market analysis”). NOAA and ESA have already indicated interest.
For CEOS Plenary
Rationale: The market analysis will help CEOS understand the potential workload. SEO to support the Task Team in these analyses.

23. Requests of Plenary
Decision by Plenary on Results of the WGST Assessment Report, particularly to proceed with Option 2 as recommended by WGST
Decision by Plenary to proceed with Task Team, led by SEO, to develop CEOS External Request Process Paper
Decision by Plenary for the creation of a Task Team to conduct a “market analysis” assessment and identify other participants

24. Ocean Virtual Constellation Merger Study Team (OVCMST) Results
Refer to OVCMST_Assessment_Final_
FOR DECISION

25. Ocean Virtual Constellation Merger Study Team (OVCMST) Charter
The coordination and collaboration between agencies operating satellites flying similar sensors has become routine “best practices.”
In addition, the ocean VCs coordinate closely with their international science teams. However, our sponsors and our community have become increasingly interested in a holistic understanding of environmental phenomena, integrating the process understanding provided by individual observation types.
For the oceans, such a perspective indicates the great value of a more integrated approach for the suite of satellite ocean observations.
Ocean Virtual Constellation Merger Study Team (OVCMST) objective:
to assess the feasibility in merging the current four oceans Virtual Constellations – Ocean Colour Radiometry (OCR-VC), Ocean Surface Topography (OST-VC), Ocean Surface Vector Wind (OSVW-VC), and Sea Surface Temperature (SST-VC) – into one Ocean Virtual Constellation and to identify any issues and opportunities that may arise from the merger.

26. OVCMST Expectations
Review the SIT-34 discussion points, presentations, and Concept Paper for Restructuring CEOS Virtual Constellations and Creation of New Working Group.
Determine what user communities would best be served with a new Ocean VC, considering as well how such a reorganization would maintain the important connections between CEOS and the observation-based international science teams.
Determine if the VCs are currently addressing their CEOS charter – do the VCs provide the opportunity to convene and address problems that individually agencies cannot address?
Assess what CEOS Agencies are looking to achieve, in the current context, from their cooperation on coordinated ocean observations from space.
Identify how CEOS existing Ocean VCs and proposed merged Ocean VC could provide a coordinated response to the Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS) Essential Ocean Variables (EOVs).
Identify appropriate governance model(s) for the proposed merged ocean Virtual Constellation, along with any issues associated with it, including resourcing feasibility.
Prepare a report comparing the expected performance of the proposed merged Ocean VC with the status quo including conclusion and recommendations first for consideration and discussion at the SIT TW.

27. The Work of the OVCMST
The following individuals and agencies participated in the OVCMST, with the SIT Chair Team leading the OVCMST and taking care of all logistics:
NOAA – Kenneth Casey, Paul DiGiacomo
EUMETSAT – Robert Husband
JAXA – Misako Kachi
CEO – Steven Hosford
SIT Chair Team/NOAA – Kerry Sawyer
WMO/IOC – David Halpern
CONAE – Carolina Tauro, Mario Camuyrano
NASA – Paula Bontempi, Eric Lindstrom, Christine Bognar
Commission – Mark Dowell (observer)
The OVCMST approached its tasking through a series of telecons, taking place between June and August, Four telecons were held, each featuring discussions and exchange of ideas among the participants on the identified topics. The results of the discussions and analyses are summarized in this report.

28. Two Outcomes from OVCMST
Assessment of proposed Ocean VC merger (next pages)
Comments on Oceans VCs connectivity to CEOS
(Primary) Need to increase the sense of engagement through a more active tasking and structured dialogue with CEOS leadership, including Principals (and other parts of CEOS)
Lack of top-down direction from CEOS leadership
Need for better two-way communication between CEOS leadership and VC Co-Leads and more rigorous tasking interactions, including better representation of the oceans VCs at the two SIT meetings each year.
Simple, one-way, upwards reporting alone is insufficient to fully engage and leverage the capabilities of the Ocean VCs and their constituent communities.
(Secondary) Lack of opportunities for consistent reporting to CEOS leadership
This concern has been raised in the past and likely contributes to the lack of engagement of the VCs in CEOS.
While the SIT Chair does provides a report of VC activities to CEOS Agency Principals, the perception is that this level of reporting is insufficient and can result in substantial community efforts being condensed down to essentially a single bullet point in a broader report.

29. Results: Benefits of a Merged Constellation
Merging the Ocean VCs could result in a reduction in the workforce to be supplied by each Agency to staff four Ocean VCs.  A merged VC might make it possible for an Agency to provide fewer than four representatives, perhaps limiting the need to one or two persons with broad expertise in all areas. However, that person would still have to coordinate with internal Agency experts in other oceans disciplines.
A merged Ocean VC could possibly provide a mechanism to facilitate the harmonization of multivariate observations into consolidated products.
Blending the Ocean VCs into one could reduce the administrative burden for CEOS by eliminating the need for eight to ten Co-Leads down to no more than three Co-Leads.
A merged Ocean VC could facilitate progress toward cross-domain harmonized data management practices and support integrated product development.

30. Results: Concerns with Merged Constellation (1 of 2)
If Ocean VCs are merged, the feedback received was that some Agencies would send fewer reps to meetings, who would not represent full subject matter expertise.
A blended, singular Ocean VC could disrupt current strong connections between VCs and their international science teams. Each Ocean VC has close connections to its external science team (IOCCG, OSTST, IOVWST, and GHRSST) that provide expertise and feedback to support VC activities in specific area. The concentration of expertise in the forum that a specialized VC offers was considered a strength that would be greatly diminished if the four CEOS Ocean VCs were merged into one VC.
A merged Ocean VC could possibly risk weakening the different ocean community voices in CEOS while each community is pertinent to many CEOS Work Plan priorities, like Carbon, Water Quality, Climate, etc.
The current, domain-oriented separate VCs have achieved several important successes over the years, on topics like system vicarious calibration and passive microwave radiometer continuity. There is concern that such achievements, gained through the current CEOS coordination mechanisms, could be more difficult under a merged Ocean VC.

31. Results: Concerns with Merged Constellation (2 of 2)
Some issues still require dedicated, domain-specific CEOS level exposure to support proper coordination and advancement. For example, remote sensing of ocean color (OC) is evolving, with a range of passive radiometric approaches across the VC, and new approaches like polarimetry and lidar.  Topics such as this would be challenging to represent well in a more general, merged Ocean VC.
Similarly, from a user engagement perspective, some Ocean VCs like SST- VC and OCR-VC have broad and diverse ranges of data users and applications that requires specific OC expertise that would be diffused in a merged constellation.
The effort of maintaining a merged Ocean VC is seen as a potential burden on the already-active SST community and VC. Energy spent trying to raise up the activity level and coordinate across the other ocean domains could result in less energy being available to focus on critical SST issues.

32. Potential Alternative Approaches
Alternative ideas to address the concerns of engagement/integrated ocean products were discussed:
Since linkage between VCs and CEOS Working Groups, which engage with stakeholders to respond to their requests, is currently not strong and visible, efforts to strengthen interactions between them is highly recommended. 
Study team discussions focused on the idea of a new “Working Group on Observations” or a distinct role or objective in the proposed new Working Group on Information Provision (WGIP). 
That new group could foster the collaboration of experts that do work on integrating EO data products to address the need for cross-domain, secondary user products. 
Experts from each of the ocean domain could be brought together by a WGIP to help CEOS respond to requests for specific integrated products/applications
A functioning WGIP could create a manageable flow of requests to the Ocean VCs for specific integrated products, helping to address one of the root causes for the lack of participation currently being exhibited by some Ocean VCs

33. OVCMST Recommendations
The OVCMST did not recommend the merger of the four CEOS Ocean VCs into one Ocean VC.  
In the end, the team believed the potential negatives outweighed the potential positives
The proposed merger did not appear to directly address the fundamental concern of lack of engagement or improve on the delivery of cross-domain, integrated products. 

34. Cross-VC Collaboration
Reinforce and Reinvigorate VC Collaborations with CEOS Entities and Leadership
SIT-TW
SIT Chair Team
Develop a set of recommendations and observations regarding communication and engagement by Virtual Constellations with CEOS leadership and other elements. To be presented at Plenary.
For CEOS Plenary
Rationale: Poor interactions between some VCs and other elements of CEOS was identified as a recurring theme at the SIT TW.
Cross-VC Collaboration
Plan joint Oceans Meetings (separate from external science team meetings)
Engage in cross-cutting activities (e.g., coastal focus)
VC + WG Coordination
Hold joint VC/WG meetings periodically
Add WG subject matter to annual VC/ST meetings (e.g., cross-cutting validation, WGISS data systems)
Ocean VC Communication with CEOS Overall
VC Co-Lead representation in-person at each SIT Meeting and Technical Workshop to encourage cross-flow of information and identify opportunities to interact
Recommend VC reporting at every third SEC Meeting (2 VCs report at each SEC with a reporting rotation)

35. Requests of Plenary
Decision by Plenary on Results of the OVCMST Assessment Report, specifically the recommendation to not merge the four Oceans VCs into one Ocean VC.
Decision by Plenary to consider three recommendations to reinforce and reinvigorate VC activity within CEOS.