International Polar Year 2007-2008 Introduction: Space Task Group (STG)

1. International Polar Year 2007-2008Introduction: Space Task Group (STG) Yves Crevier on behalf of STG Co-Chairs

2. OBJECTIVES OF THE INTERNATIONAL POLAR YEAR: 2007-2008 • IPY 2007-2008 is an intensive and internationally coordinated campaign of high quality research activities and observations in the polar regions that would not otherwise be undertaken. • IPY 2007-2008 is intended to lay the foundation for major scientific advances in knowledge and understanding of the nature and behaviour of the polar regions and their role in the functioning of the planet. • Timeframe • 1st March 2007 to 1st March 2009 • Geographic focus • Earth’s high latitude regions • Studies of any region relevant to the understanding of polar processes or phenomena

3. IPY Observational Initiatives • A synoptic set of multidisciplinary observations to establish the status of the polar environment in 2007-2008 • The acquisition of key data sets necessary to understand factors controlling change in the polar environment • The establishment of a legacy of multidisciplinary observational networks • The launch of internationally-coordinated, multidisciplinary investigations into new scientific frontiers • The implementation of polar observatories to study important facets of Planet Earth and beyond • The creation of datasets on the changing conditions of circumpolar human societies Provide guidelines for the coordination exercise

4. Background to Space Task Group In view of great importance of observing component for the success of IPY implementation JC established Sub-committee on Observations (SCOBS) in November 2005. Two important tasks of the SCOBS in space area are: 1) establish a dialog between IPY projects and Space Agencies; this dialog is necessary to assist IPY projects to meet (where they exist) the requirements for satellite data, products and services. 2) to develop recommendations to Space Agencies on data acquisition plans, processing, archiving, and distribution of satellite data, products and services.

5. Background to Space Task Group • In response to the SCOBS requirements: • WMO/ICSU issued a joint letter to Heads of Satellite agencies requesting active involvement of agencies in the IPY • Space Task Group was formed in December 2006

6. IPY Space Task Group Membership 1. Williams David – Co-chair BNSC 2. Drinkwater Mark -Co-chair ESA 3. Zhao Licheng CMA 4. Thouvenot Eric CNES 5. Crevier Yves CSA 6. Gottwald Manfred DLR 7. Holmlund Kenneth EUMETSAT   8. Ishida Chu JAXA   9. Martin Seelye NASA   10. Dobson Craig NASA 11. Asmus Vasilii ROSHYDROMET 12. Colon Clemente Pablo NOAA  IPY JCOMM is currently working with ASI and ISRO for their participation

7. IPY Space Task Group (cont) • The STG is tasked with reviewing the IPY space data requirements and making data acquisition plans, processing, archiving, and distribution recommendations regarding contributions • IN CLOSE CONSULTATION WITH END-USERS • Contributions by Space Agencies shall be consistent with each respective Agency’s own resources and capabilities – and which in total could satisfy IPY satellite data needs.

8. STG Progress • STG meetings offer the opportunity for the Space Agencies to document details of the contents of their respective IPY Data Portfolios. Existing Agency portfolio contents are documented and now hosted on-line on the GIIPSY web site: www.bprc.osu.edu/rsl/GIIPSY • Results from meetings indicated significant progress during the first year of IPY in response to acquiring comprehensive Arctic and Antarctic snapshots. An impressive array of new data products have been planned, acquired and archived with which to address some of the key scientific goals (see next slides).

9. Some examples (1) • Dedicated SPOT-4 VGT 1km weekly summer Arctic mosaics during 2007 (Antarctic to come during austral summer) - from CNES • SPOT-5 HRS derived Digital Elevation Models of specific Arctic outlet glaciers and ice caps - from CNES • TerraSAR-X strip-map mode InSAR of ice streams in Antarctica - from DLR • L-band mosaics of Antarctica from ALOS PALSAR - from JAXA • Envisat ASAR regular bipolar GMM and Wide-swath mosaics and routine Arctic basin wide sea-ice motion, and Ross/Weddell Sea ice motion - from ESA • SAR measurements of fastest moving ice streams in Greenland using Envisat-ERS-2 inter-satellite interferometry • Inter-satellite InSAR of Siberian tundra topography (using ERS-2 - Envisat tandem configuration) - from ESA CNES DLR JAXA ESA

10. Some examples (2) • CSA ASAP activity for distributing R1 sea-ice imagery • CSA RADARSAT-1 InSAR mapping of Antarctic glaciers during late 2007 • The operational agencies reinforced the routine acquisition of: - Operational meteorological and met-ocean products at high latitudes - from Eumetsat and NOAA - Routine atmospheric and atmospheric chemistry observations at high latitudes - from DLR, ESA, Eumetsat, and NASA. • Good progress achieved in the IGEOLAB HEO forum, which has taken up responsibility to further cooperation in the context of geostationary laboratories in highly elliptical orbit (“Arctika” mission from Roscosmos and Roshydromet) CSA NASA, NOAA, EUMETSAT, ETC.

11. Current Situation • SAR acquisition planning and mission planning coordination meeting on 5-6 March 2008 hosted by CSA. The theme of the meeting is to arrange an inter-agency forum for addressing SAR acquisitions, to optimize time-space sampling strategies and to achieve the guarantee of a comprehensive array of SAR-derived geophysical data products. • Next Meeting: STG 3 meeting will be hosted by ESA at ESRIN on 5-6 May, 2008. The focus of this meeting will be the extent to which the multi-Agency Portfolio contents meet the challenge of the identified high-level scientific “firsts” documented at the STG1 meeting.