From Ocean Teacher Library

Remote Sensing Observational Requirements

Contents 1 Background 2 Requirements Submitted by Various Agencies and Programs 3 Additional Resources 4 Subsections of this Article 5 Information about this article 6 Contact

Background

Because the global community of remote sensing agencies cooperates with and is actively involved in many earth surface environment programs, the types of data they collect and its quality are subjects of wide discussion. This open dialogue has taken the aspect of formal "requirements" requests from the major entities involved. "Requirements are expressed for geophysical variables in terms of 5 criteria: horizontal resolution, vertical resolution, observing cycle, timeliness and accuracy. For each of these criteria the table indicates 3 values determined by experts:

• The 'threshold' is the minimum requirement to be met to ensure that data are useful
• The 'goal' is an ideal requirement above which further improvements are not necessary
• The 'breakthrough' is an intermediate level between 'threshold' and 'goal' which, if achieved, would result in a significant improvement for the targeted application. The breakthrough level may be considered as an optimum, from a cost-benefit point of view, when planning or designing observing systems."

[From CEOS Earth Observation Handbook ]

Requirements Submitted by Various Agencies and Programs

• GCOS - Global Climate Observing System
• GOOS - Global Ocean Observing System
• ICSU - International Union for Science
• IGBP - International Geosphere-Biosphere Program
• IOCCG - International Ocean Colour Coordinating Group
• UNEP - United National Environment Program
• UNOOSA - United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs
• WCRP - World Climate Research Program
• WMO - World Meteorological Organization

Additional Resources

• CEOS Observational Requirements - Source site of the above links

Subsections of this Article

No subsections available

Information about this article

Short title: Observational Requirements

Description: none

Expertise level: beginner

Author: Murray.Brown

Approval status: approved

Approved by: Murray.Brown

Last change: 2008-9-24

Subsection of: Remote Sensing Data Concepts

Contact

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