International Polar Year (IPY): STG

• The polar regions are symbolic, providing demonstrable evidence of human fingerprint on climate change processes– High-lat. climate change has a broad range of physical, bio-

geochemical, and socio-economic impacts (e.g. IPCC 4th AR; Stern Report etc)

– impacts lie at heart of the scientific basis and justification for polar-orbiting satellites

• IPY provides a unique opportunity to Space Agencies:– already federates over 60 nations in high-latitude research– Comprehensively planned in-situ, airborne and satellite-borne

experiments

• No better opportunity to establish framework for delivering a coordinated satellite legacy dataset– All-time peak in terms of number of relevant polar-orbiters?

                                     

RA2 & ASAR/Envisat C-band

Cryosphere Satellite Missions

Planned/Pending approvalIn orbit Approved

Aster/MODIS/EOS-Terra

PALSAR/ALOS L-band

RADARSAT-3

SAR/COSMO-SKYMED X-band

TERRASAR-X X-band

MODIS & AMSR-E/EOS-Aqua

ICESAT

SMOSWindSat

GMES S-3

GMES S-1RA, SAR & Wind Scat/ERS-2

AMSR/GCOM-W

RADARSAT-2 C-bandRADARSAT-1 C-band

ICESAT-2

OLS & SSMI/DMSP— AVHRR & AMSU/NOAA

CRYOSAT-2GRACE

GOCE

NPOESS C1 VIIRS/NPP

SAR/RISAT C-band

IPY

ASCAT & AVHRR/MetOp

Seawinds/QuikSCAT Ku-band

HY-1BHY-1

00

01

02

03

04

05

06

07

08

09

10

11

12

13

14

SPOT-4/5 & Landsat

Ku-Scat & MSMR/OCEANSAT-2

Aircraft and in-situSounders and GPR

SystemsDMSP

IceSat

ADM-Aeolus

Accomplishing the IPY SnapshotMETOP

GOCE

GRACE

SPOT-4

HRVIR / VGT

SMOS

f

PALSAR PRISM / AVNIR-2

Aqua & Terra

H

ERS-2

ALOS

RADARSAT

Envisat

ASAR MERIS / A-ATSR

MODIS / ASTERAMSR-E ASCAT AVHRRSSMI

IPY Spaceborne Observations of the Polar Regions

• The IPY provides an international framework for understanding high-latitude climate change and predicting global impacts.

• IPY-era satellite capabilities represent a technological leap far beyond the capabilities of the IGY

• Spaceborne technology offers unique capabilities for obtaining essential data for predictive models.

• Coordinated spaceborne observations during IPY can serve as a prototype for coordinated international ventures such as:– IGOS-Partners Cryosphere Observing System (Cry-OS)– Global Climate Observing System (GCOS) – by fulfilling

observations of Essential Climate Variables – GEOSS - IPY Legacy Dataset (Action Item CL-06-05: Ref

GEO Work Plan)

Meeting Goals

• For Flight Agencies to take ownership of IPY Legacy Objectives, and elements of the IPY “Polar Snapshot”

• To allow Agencies to develop insight into how/where they can deliver a unique contribution to IPY legacy

• To establish commitment to IPY-STG planning exercise• For Flight Agencies to take appropriate steps towards

taking commitment to meet specific scientific objectives• For Agencies to actively plan and coordinate IPY

acquisitions to fulfil goal of an IPY data legacy• To schedule future meetings of IPY-STG for review of

acquisition plans and planning• For Agencies to speak with a coordinated single voice

in support of realising the IPY goals and objectives

Proposed Meeting Foci

• Focus on issues governing planning/acquisition of datasets which will otherwise not be accessible without immediate planning (March 2007 IPY kick off!)

• Work on issues that act as roadblocks to the STG in preparation for acquisition of the IPY snapshot dataset– coordinated mission planning– interoperability of data management systems/archives

• Establish Actions and Recommendations that help facilitate a coordinated Interagency “snapshot”

• Establish Actions and Recommendations that feed into the work of existing bodies such as SCOBS & CEOS SIT (or National Agencies) to help with implementation or realisation of the scientific benefits of the data