The Data Utilisation challenge
GEO-2 meetingData Utilisation Subgroup
Baveno, Italy29 November 2003
Part 1 presented by Pierre Dubreuil - Canada
Part 2 presented by Dominique Marbouty - ECMWF
Group on Earth bservations
Group on Earth bservations
29 November 2003GEO-2 SGDU 2
Group on Earth bservations
Group on Earth bservations
Work and consultation so far …
26 September : GEO-CC/1 (teleconference, SG Co-Chairs) 7 October : SGDU-CC/1 (teleconference, SGDU Co-Chairs);14 October : SGDU-CC/2 (teleconference, SGDU Co-Chairs); 16 October : GEO-CC/2 (teleconference, all SG Co-Chairs) 27 October : SGDU-All/1 (teleconference, SGDU Full Subgroup) 29 October : GEO-CC/3 (teleconference, all SG Co-Chairs) 30 October : SGDU-CC/3 (teleconference, SGDU Co-Chairs) 12 November: GEO-CC/4 (teleconference, all SG Co-Chairs) 28 November: SGDU-All/2 (meeting in person, SGDU Full Subgroup)
Teleconferences and meeting
29 November 2003GEO-2 SGDU 3
Group on Earth bservations
Group on Earth bservations
Work and consultation so far …
Terms of Reference finalised Decision Memorandum, working practice agreed upon; chair and
secretariat rotation between the co-chairs. Immediate Tasks and Work Schedule agreed upon.
Draft framework of SGDU report presented by P. Dubreuil (Canada) Draft Annex on “Potential GEO Information Products for improved
capability to cope with Natural hazards and Environment threats” presented by A. Hollingsworth (ECMWF)
Draft document finalised and sent to SG co-chairs and SGDU members for comments.
Structure of draft framework of SGDU report reviewed and commented.
The need to address some overlaps between subgroups was noted. Draft framework of SGDU finalised and distributed.
Milestones
29 November 2003GEO-2 SGDU 4
Group on Earth bservations
Group on Earth bservations
Chapters of the Data Utilisation report
SCOPE
CURRENT STATUS
ISSUES AND CHALLENGES
DATA UTILISATION STRATEGIES
29 November 2003GEO-2 SGDU 5
Group on Earth bservations
Group on Earth bservations
Policy aspects
Data access, sharing, costing International cooperation
Technical aspects
Standards, codes Metadata, data continuity QC, feedback to data providers
29 November 2003GEO-2 SGDU 6
Group on Earth bservations
Group on Earth bservations
The scope of our activities (1/2)
Data measurement D.U. assumes this is covered elsewhere.
Data quality
Data and metadata exchange Telecommunication infrastructures D.U. assumes this is covered by the architecture subgroup Standards and procedures
Data transformation into usable information
29 November 2003GEO-2 SGDU 7
Group on Earth bservations
Group on Earth bservations
The scope of our activities (2/2)
Application of data and informationGenerally handled by national or local authorities. This seems beyond the scope of GEO.
Archiving and data continuity Shared with other subgroups.
Information exchangeFactors hampering optimal sharing of information will be addressed
The scope of the exchangeData requiring international exchange or collaboration are within GEO scope
(e.g. data about whale migrations are within scope but local deer population displacements are not )
29 November 2003GEO-2 SGDU 8
Group on Earth bservations
Group on Earth bservations
Data transformation into usable information
Measured data are often too voluminous for users to handle The measured variable is normally not the required parameter
Raw measurements frequently of little direct use; complex processing required
Need to combine measured parameters to other data sources
Frequent need to evaluate future states of the earth environment
The Data Utilisation challenge
GEO-2 meetingData Utilisation Subgroup
Baveno, Italy29 November 2003
Part 1 presented by Pierre Dubreuil - Canada
Part 2 presented by Dominique Marbouty - ECMWF
Group on Earth bservations
Group on Earth bservations
29 November 2003GEO-2 SGDU 10
Group on Earth bservations
Group on Earth bservations
The data to information process
Processing:
ModellingData assimilation
Data
In situ,Satellite
Radiances,Pressure
…
Information
Tropical cyclonetrack forecast,
Rainfall,CO2 sources
and sinks…
29 November 2003GEO-2 SGDU 11
Group on Earth bservations
Group on Earth bservations
How long does it take to develop this process?
In the last 10 years meteorology has developed an efficient data utilisation
Benefit of the use of satellite data is shown by the difference between the scores of the northern and southern hemisphere (few in situ data, use of satellite over ocean)
AIRSATOVSERSSSM/I
TOVSVTPR
Improved
forecasts
IASI
29 November 2003GEO-2 SGDU 12
Group on Earth bservations
Group on Earth bservations
Structural features which allowed efficient data utilisation in meteorology
Nationally-funded activity (aviation, defence) Inter-national inter-dependence for observations
and forecasts Internationally organised community (WMO):
codes, telecommunications, data exchange organised, specialised centres
The focus on prediction required:Earth-system models (whose complexity
depends on scope, time-scales, …)Data assimilation systems
29 November 2003GEO-2 SGDU 13
Group on Earth bservations
Group on Earth bservations
Same approach is being implemented in other disciplines
Oceanography Hydrology Climate Environmental monitoring: atmospheric
chemistry, biogeochemical cycles Space weather
A tentative list of possible systems to be developed for improved capability to cope with natural hazards and environmental threats is provided in the annex 8 of the Draft Framework Document
29 November 2003GEO-2 SGDU 14
Group on Earth bservations
Group on Earth bservations
Investing in the data to information process:
a favourable situation A lot of effort has already been put in the
development of the necessary assimilation systems(4DVar: 200 man years)
The use of such systems is extending to new areas The extension from individual components
(atmosphere, ocean, hydrology, chemistry, soil, …) to earth-system assimilation and modelling facility has started, in particular for seasonal forecast
Implementation of a global coupled atmosphere-ocean-land monitoring system for dynamics, thermodynamics, vegetation and composition is achievable in 2004-2008 (GMES goal)
29 November 2003GEO-2 SGDU 15
Group on Earth bservations
Group on Earth bservations
Investing in the data to information process:
an affordable objectivecompared with the cost of observation
systems Overall cost of the various Earth-Observation
space programmes: ~ 5 billions € /year Overall cost of the various Earth-Observation in-
situ programmes: ~ 3 billions € /year Typical cost of 10 large processing facilities
(development and operations): ~ 400 millions € /year
The ratio cost of observations / cost of information generation is ~ 20 / 1
29 November 2003GEO-2 SGDU 16
Group on Earth bservations
Group on Earth bservations
The issue was raised at GEO-1:Last slide of Dr Ghassem Asrar’s
presentation
Turning Observations into Knowledge Products
29 November 2003GEO-2 SGDU 17
Group on Earth bservations
Group on Earth bservations
Summary on data utilisation: (i) the considerations
Systems to transform data into information require multi-year development
The required investment is an order of magnitude less than the cost of observing system, but will be much less if developed from existing systems
Though it is mentioned in all subgroups contributions, this aspect is not emphasised at a high level in the Draft Framework. It is absent from: the Declaration from GEO-1 (DFD para 1.2) the main goals of the GEO initiative (DFD para 1.4)
29 November 2003GEO-2 SGDU 18
Group on Earth bservations
Group on Earth bservations
Summary on data utilisation: (ii) the recommendation
The Data Utilisation Subgroup recommend that:
The Data to information process developments be recognised as a major goal of the GEO initiative (“Toward Comprehensive, Coordinated and Sustained Earth Observations and Information systems”)
The Data Utilisation challenge
GEO-2 meetingData Utilisation Subgroup
Baveno, Italy29 November 2003
Questions
Group on Earth bservations
Group on Earth bservations
