Ian JarvisJECAM CoordinationEarth Observation Service,

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canadaian.jarvis@agr.gc.ca

GEO-JECAMGEO-JECAMOverview and UpdateOverview and Update

Curitiba Brazil, May 2, 2011

Overview of GEO-JECAM

The GEO Agricultural Community of Practice Established the JECAM JECAM to:to:

• Enhance international collaboration around agricultural monitoring towards the development of a “systems of systems” to address issues associated with food security and a sustainable and a profitable agricultural sector worldwide

JECAM will achieve this objective by:• Facilitating the inter-comparison of monitoring and modeling methods, product accuracy

assessments, data fusion and product integration, for agricultural monitoring

• Network distributed regional experiments on cropland pilot sites around the world representing a range of agricultural systems

• Share time series datasets from a variety of earth observing satellites and in-situ data and assess them for agricultural assessment and monitoring

Overview… 2

Synthesis of the results from JECAM will enable:• Development of international standards for monitoring and reporting protocols• A convergence of the monitoring science approaches to define best practices for

different agricultural systems• Identify requirements for future Earth Observation systems for agriculture monitoringThe Approach:• Collect and share time-series datasets from a variety of Earth observing satellites and

in-situ crop and meteorological measurements for each site. • The Committee on Earth Observing Satellites (CEOS) and member agencies are being

asked to support this activity with the acquisition and timely provision of data for JECAM.

*

Overview… 3• JECAM sites are relatively small, well defined geographic areas • Experiments span 3-5 years (allowing for repeat testing of methods) • JECAM usually leverages existing research initiatives within countries. • Due to ecosystem differences the experiments will test a variety of techniques incorporating

a wide range of optical and radar data sets• In-situ data, satellite data and research methodologies will be shared between experimental

sites• JECAM sites are looking at a common range of monitoring needs over a very diverse range

of landscape conditions and cropping systems. Including:– Crop identification and acreage estimation – Yield prediction– Near Real Time Crop condition \ Crop stress – Land management – Soil moisture

• Radarsat-2: C-Band, 8-50 m• TerraSAR-X: X-Band, 6 M• ALOS PALSAR: L-Band, 20-30 m• Envisat ASAR: C-Band, 30 m• AMSR-E: Passive C-Band X-

Band, 60 km• SMOS: Passive L-Band, 50 km

Optical Systems Microwave Systems

Overview… 4

Satellite Data Requirements

Fairly common list of needs across sites, including but not limited to:

• AWiFS, 56 m, Multi-spectral• SPOT- 4/5, 10-20 m, Multi-

spectral• Landsat- 4/5, 30 m, Multi-spectral• RapidEye, 6.5 m, Multi-spectral• LISS-3, 23.5 m, Multi-spectral• LISS-4, 5.8 m, Multi-spectral• Orthophotos, RGB, Multispectral

Progress, Project Initialization

• November 2009, the first JECAM meeting was held at the SAR for agricultural monitoring workshop, Kananaskis Alberta, Canada

• December 2009, at the request of the GEO Agricultural Community of Practice, Canada took on JECAM coordination

• January 2010, call to international community to provide standardized documentation of research sites, 7 sites initially submitted

• March 2010, a website was launched for the JECAM initiative: http://www.umanitoba.ca/outreach/aesb-jecam/

Website:Website: http://www.umanitoba.ca/outreach/aesb-jecam/http://www.umanitoba.ca/outreach/aesb-jecam/

Progress, continued

• September 2010, JECAM Hong Kong to focus on Asian sites and data sharing issues. In-situ data sharing protocols were developed.

• October 2010, JECAM Brussels, Europe and Africa Focus• May, 2011, Curitiba Brazil South America Meeting tied to XV SBSR Symp. Brazil.

Focus on South America• September 2011, Santiago Chile, GEOSS in the Americas, Agricultural session

including JECAM discussion• September 2011, Nairobi Kenya. Crop and Rangeland Monitoring Meeting, JECAM

focus on AfricaTo date 12 sites have been identified

• JECAM activities are being undertaken at a series of study sitesseries of study sites which represent the world’s main cropping systems and agricultural practices.

• 12 sites currently exist. Additional sites will be added to meet science objectives and ensure all major crop systems are addressed.

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ParaguayParaguay

Progress, Collaboration and Data Sharing

• We can not have a global “system of systems” for agricultural monitoring without the interaction of national and regional monitoring systems

• Collaboration may take many forms, for example:– Around capacity building– Within similar cropping systems/ecosystem types– Within Sensor type (i.e. SAR over a variety of systems)– Comparative studies for the identification of best practices over many crop systems

• Data sharing is a fundamental requirement to the success of JECAM. In particular:– Sharing In-situ data (ground measurement and observations)– Free and open access to earth observation imagery

In-situ Data Sharing• Surface validationSurface validation continues to be time consuming and difficult to obtain

• Sharing of In-Situ data enables scientists to test methodologiesmethodologies on imagery on a range of landscapes, towards developing a set of best practices

• Data sharing issues were addressed during the Hong Kong Meeting in September and set of principles have been drafted, including:

1. During JECAM, free and open sharing of data between collaborators*

2. As a general principle, in most cases data sharing will be between collaborative JECAM research projects

* Data sharing may be limited by third part licensing and/or distribution constraints

In-Situ Data Sharing Principles, continued

3. If there are datasets that need to be protected (i.e. student research), these need to be clearly identified (note: generally this type of work would fall out side of JECAM activities and as such should not be a significant barrier to data sharing).

4. Post JECAM project timeframe: Where ever possible all data will be shared openly

5. In all** cases where capacity exists data access will be closest to source.

**As an exception, some sites will not have the capacity and third party support for data access may be provided by other JECAM participants

Progress, Earth Observation Data Access

Developing the “Virtual Constellation”

• A JECAM user needs document has been drafted by JECAM that outlines the science plan and detailed data needs for the 12 sites.

• The user needs document has been provided to the Committee on Earth Observing Satellites (CEOS)

• A meeting between JECAM coordination, CEOS, Public Space agencies and Commercial satellite providers will be held June 21-22 in Ottawa, Canada

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Developing the “Virtual Constellation”

Objectives of the June CEOS meeting– The meeting will set the stage to ensure common understanding of JECAM, its objectives

and plans;– Present JECAM data requirements;– Allow space agencies and commercial data providers to present their capabilities in

response to the JECAM Charter, Science Plan and User Requirements document;– Coordinate efforts for space agencies to collectively respond to the data requirements; and,– Agree on a documented, coordinated plan for space agencies and commercial providers to

collectively acquire the required EO data.We anticipate the JECAM virtual constellation of Earth Observing satellites will be

operational in September for Southern Hemisphere sites

CEOS Visualization Tool (COVE)

JECAM EO Planning• Tool developed by NASA (Brian Killough)• COVE (www.ceos-cove.org) has two major

objectives ….(1) Satellite sensor groundtrack visualization(2) Single point or multi-satellite coincidence calculations

• Includes forecasts for 30 current missions and notional data for 7 future missions. Numerous instrument modes are accommodated for each mission.

• Output includes solar inclination, solar zenith, day/night viewing. Other features include EXCEL output, collaborative sessions, shapefile conversion, and saving viewing states.

ALOS-AVNIR2 over Tuz Golu

Future Enhancements• Expanded Mission Database – add more missions

for land imaging to support JECAM. • Create a dedicated COVE Website – improved

support for COVE access, general information, videos, sample cases, applications, user feedback and user registration.

• New Features for 2012 – Rapid acquisition planning tool, automated forecasting, sensor viewing angles, IPAD application.

NASA - COVE support for the JECAM Project• With the relevant mission and instrument

combinations in COVE, it is possible to forecast sensor ground tracks over JECAM agricultural regions.

• COVE currently includes 8-optical and 11-radar current missions and 5 future missions relevant to JECAM.

• COVE forecasts will be used to plan potential satellite acquisitions in support of JECAM objectives.

• COVE plans to develop a dedicated JECAM link on its new website to display relevant mission information, shapefiles and KML files of JECAM regions, future data acquisition reports, and other supporting data for JECAM.

How do You Get Involved• JECAM needs representation from all major cropping systems of the world• At this point South America is under represented• Develop a brief description of a monitoring research site and submit this for JECAM

review. (note: can be an new or existing site)• Information should include Location, site leadership, research topics and cropping

system(s) studied.• Once approved you will be asked to complete more detailed information templates

describing your science plan, in situ and detailed satellite data needs

What's next for JECAM• Once the virtual constellation is established the JECAM focus will shift to enhanced

collaboration between sites and the development of comparative studies

ian.jarvis@agr.gc.ca

Questions?Questions?

http://umanitoba.ca/outreach/aesb-jecam/