EROS Land Cover USGS-EU Transatlantic Applied Research – The Way Forward

EU Science Counselor Meeting, Washington DC

Dr. Ingrid Maria Verstraeten U.S. Geological Survey

March 1, 2012

U.S. Department of the InteriorU.S. Geological Survey

The Role of Government-Sponsored Science

Linking science to decision making to ensure trade offs among multiple goals are fully considered.

133 Years of USGS Science

USGS established by the Organic Act of March 3, 1879, which mandated "the classification of the public lands and examination of the geological structure, mineral resources, and products of the national domain."

Clarence KingFirst USGS Director, 1879 -1881

~9000 Employees340 Locations $1.4 Billion Annual Funding

Ecosystems

Climate and Land-Use Change

Energy and Minerals, and Environmental Health

Natural Hazards

Water

Core Science Systems

Science Quality and Integrity

USGS Structural Organization Follows our Science Strategy

The Earth behaves as a system in which oceans, atmosphere and land, and the living and non-living parts therein, are all connected.

Informatics – Core SciencesInformatics – Core Sciences

Informatics underpins all phases of the scientific processInformatics underpins all phases of the scientific process

Create a more integrated and accessible environment for Create a more integrated and accessible environment for vast USGS data resources.vast USGS data resources.

International activities includeInternational activities include Global Biodiversity Information Facility and Ocean Biogeographic

Information System provides data, vocabularies, and standards. Global Earth Observations System of Systems (GEOSS) Charter member of OneGeology Partner in the development of the Global Map, 1: 1mil resolution. Cooperation with EEA. Cooperation with EEA.

Fish and Wildlife Disease Studies

Migratory Bird Distribution Mapping

Real-time Earthquake DataAerial

PhotographyLand Cover Characterization

Climate and Land Use (CLU) Change Mission Arearesearch, adaptation, mitigation

USGS Climate and Land Use Change programs help understand these global changes and their impacts on society, resource availability, and economic development.

•Research & Development•Geographic Analysis and Monitoring•Dept. of Interior Climate Science Centers•Carbon Sequestration•Land Remote Sensing

Earth Resources Observation and Science Center (EROS)

http://www.usgs.gov/climate_landuse

Research & Development International Activities in

Polar RegionsArctic Paleoclimatology and Sea-Ice History

Glacier Maps of Antarctica

Satellite Glacier Atlases of the World

WAIS Divide Project- West Antarctic Ice Sheet Divide deep ice core

Arctic Spatial Data Information (SDI) System

Research & Development International Paleoclimate Activities

Sea Level Studies: Impacts of Climate Change on CoastsHolocene Climate: Pacific Coasts, Arctic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, and the CaribbeanClimate Modeling and Model Verification:

• Dynamically downscaled climate models• Exploring Future Flora, Environments, and

Climates Through Simulations (EFFECTS)

• PRISM3: Global Warming Analysis

Geologic and Biologic Carbon Sequestration

http://rmgsc.cr.usgs.gov/carbon_seq/

Evaluation of the potential to store carbon dioxide (CO2) in underground rock formations and vegetation, soils and sediments.

Stations in Norway, Sweden , & Yukon River Basin Alaska: collaborations to study small watershed carbon balance, carbon cycling, and greenhouse gasses - comparison of field data, information exchange on measurement instrumentation

8 Climate Science Centers (CSCs)To provide scientific information, tools and techniques that land, water, wildlife and cultural resource managers can apply to anticipate, monitor and adapt to climate and ecologically-driven responses at regional-to-local scales.

They will work closely with a network of “Landscape Conservation Cooperatives” (LCCs) to inform adaptation and mitigation strategies

Landsat Earth Observations

•Free and open public access – over 4 million scenes

downloaded

•Continuous Earth Observation data since 1972

•Landsat Global Archive Consolidation Initiative

•Bilateral Civil Space & GPS Dialogs

Landsat Downloads - EU Countries and Candidate Countries 2011

12295

8410

7760

6895

5533

3545

2747

2104

1799

1665

1567

1440

1306

1144

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0 2000 4000 6000 8000 10000 12000 14000

GERMANY

UNITED KINGDOM

ITALY

FRANCE

SPAIN

NETHERLANDS

TURKEY

POLAND

GREECE

DENMARK

BELGIUM

PORTUGAL

AUSTRIA

SWEDEN

ROMANIA

CZECH REPUBLIC

FINLAND

HUNGARY

ESTONIA

CYPRUS

IRELAND

LITHUANIA

LATVIA

SLOVENIA

BULGARIA

SLOVAKIA

LUXEMBOURG

ICELAND

MONTENEGRO

CROATIA

MACEDONIA

MALTA

Standard L1 Product Downloads by Country(European Union Member and Candidate Countries)

Close working relationship with the Norwegian Space Agency as they are part of our Landsat Ground Network (LGN) and there is an agreement for downlinking our Landsat data to one of the ground stations in Sylbard. We do Landsat 7 (L7) downlinks with them to Svalbard and NSA is part of our Landsat 8 (L8) LGN configuration.

USGS - European Space Agency (ESA) Earth Observation

• Landsat Global Archive Consolidation – Successful video conference with ESA – Sept 6, 2011– Agreed to repatriate all Landsat 7 data and Landsat 5

data older than 3 year.– No need for formal Letter of Agreement

• Multi – mission Landsat MOU negotiations– Landsat 8 annex final wording

• Sentinel 2 and LDCM Collaboration• User products – processes used, product specifications, formats,

cloud cover assessment• Data access and availability• Calibration between Sentinel 2 and Landsat 8 (planned for Spring 2012)• Ground segment capacities and ingest

Collaboration with German Space Agency (DLR)

The USGS has developed a draft MOU with DLR focusing on possible collaborations in the following areas:

– Partnership between the World Data Center for Atmospheric Observations (DLR responsibility) and the World Data Center for Land Data (EROS responsibility).

– Increased access for the USGS to the TanDEM-X and TerraSAR-X

satellite data for our volcanic and seismic hazards scientists.

– Joint collaboration on remote sensing applications for emergency response, including the access to satellite data for International Charter for Space and Major Disasters.

Multi- Lateral Partnerships

• Ongoing collaboration within international coordination groups:– Group on Earth Observation

• Forest Carbon Tracking• Global Land Cover Change• Geo Hazards Monitoring

– Committee on Earth Observation Satellites• CEOS Working Group (WG) on Climate• CEOS WG on Calibration and Validation • CEOS Land Surface Imaging Virtual Constellation • CEOS support to GEO's GeoHazards Supersites Initiative • CEOS support to GEOSS Common Infrastructure and GEOPortal

– International Charter on Space and Major Disasters

GEO Global 30m Land Cover Initiative

Annual land cover continuous variablesMid-decadal year land cover types

GEO Global Terrestrial Ecosystem Mapping Efforts

USGS-EU Collaborationin Land Use and Climate Change

• Development of Terrestrial Essential Climate Variable Standards, Calibration and Validation for Climate Observations

• Collaboration on Global Land-Cover Data Initiative • Collaboration in Famine Early Warning System and • Collaboration on Crop and Rangeland Monitoring, • Coordinated engagement in multilateral initiatives.

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Next StepsLand Use/Land Cover Change in Response to Climate

• Negotiate an Implementing Arrangement between the USGS and JRC• Global Land Cover Initiative – 30 meter resolution

– Multilateral Collaboration through new GEO Workplan task (2012-2015) on Global Land Cover

– Bilateral Collaboration • Coordinate technical exchange meeting at Sentinel-2 Preparatory Symposium

(April 2012) to define GLC specifications• Invite US participation in 6th GEO European Project workshop (Spring 2012 –

Rome)• Plan Environment and Earth Observation workshop in conjunction with next JCG

in 2012• Essential Climate Variables –

– Continue multilateral collaboration through the Committee on Earth Observations (CEOS) working group on Climate

– Move forward on the priorities and recommendations documented at the EU-US Space and Climate technical workshop held March 2011.

Terrestrial, Freshwater, & Marine Ecosystems

• Fire Ecology – Western non-forested• Wetlands and Coastal Ecosystems• Energy Development – Biofuels, Wind, Solar• High Altitude Systems• Landscape, System Modeling

Understand factors influencing ecosystem structure, function & condition to improve land management and restore

degraded landscapes

Fisheries & Invasive Species

• Emerging Diseases • Imperiled Species – Vulnerability Assessments & Climate Change,

Water Use• Science & National Assessments • Fish Passage Research & Technology • Water Availability & Ecological Use

• Improving forecasting and predictive modelingImproving forecasting and predictive modeling

• Early Detection and Rapid Assessment Early Detection and Rapid Assessment

• Understanding Effects Understanding Effects

• Developing effective restoration techniques Developing effective restoration techniques

• Developing innovative control & management techniquesDeveloping innovative control & management techniques

Ecosystems Projects in Europe - Examples

Fisheries, environmental quality, biodiversity, infectious diseases

Institute for the Biology of Inland Waters, Russia

Wildlife: Terrestrial & Endangered Resources

• Emerging Diseases – WNS, Avian Influenza, PlagueEmerging Diseases – WNS, Avian Influenza, Plague• Arctic ecosystems – Terrestrial, marineArctic ecosystems – Terrestrial, marine• Amphibians & ecosystem health, population declinesAmphibians & ecosystem health, population declines• Environmental Change and imperiled speciesEnvironmental Change and imperiled species• Genetics and Comparative Genomics Genetics and Comparative Genomics – distributions, – distributions,

populations, conservation, health, rapid diagnosticspopulations, conservation, health, rapid diagnostics

Focus on factors that determine the distribution, abundance, and condition of wildlife populations and

their habitats

Real-Time Flood Inundation Mapping

Change views & see:

Satellite imagery

Impacted houses and streets

Zoom to street level

New Flood Preparedness Tools

USGS-Norway collaboration on hydro-acoustics

Flood Frequency Analysis - New Statistical Procedures

A) Paleoflood and Historical Information B) Improved Uncertainty Estimates

C) Detection of Multiple Low Outliers D) More Accurate Regional Information

Groundwater and Climate

More emphasis on unsaturated zone and shallow groundwaterMore emphasis on unsaturated zone and shallow groundwater Monitoring potential impacts on groundwater resourcesMonitoring potential impacts on groundwater resources Distinguishing climate from pumpingDistinguishing climate from pumping New version of groundwater-flow simulator, SUTRA, simulates New version of groundwater-flow simulator, SUTRA, simulates

groundwater freeze/thaw. groundwater freeze/thaw.

Physics Today, April 2008

PrecipitationPrecipitation

EvapotranspirationEvapotranspiration

Storage in Reservoirs, Storage in Reservoirs, Lakes, Snow and IceLakes, Snow and Ice

River FlowRiver Flow

GroundwaterGroundwater

Recharge rates

Water level in aquifers

Ecological NeedsEcological Needs

Water WithdrawalsWater Withdrawals

Return FlowsReturn Flows

Consumptive UsesConsumptive Uses

Run-of-the-Run-of-the-River UsesRiver Uses

Water Census - Nationwide System to deliver water availability informationWater Census - Nationwide System to deliver water availability information

Focused Water Availability Assessments

State, Local, RegionalStakeholder Involvement

Surface Water Trends, Precipitation, etc

Defined Technical Questions tobe Answered

Eco Flows

Water Use

Water Quality GroundwaterResources

Global Change

Water Use

IrrigationMining Self-Supplied Industrial

Aquaculture

31 percent1 percent

Less than 1 percent

Livestock

11 percent

Public Supply

49 percent

Thermoelectric Power

4 percent2 percent

1 percent

Self-Supplied Domestic

USGS Real-Time Water Quality MonitoringP

rec

ip (

in/d

)

0

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4

10/1 11/1 12/1 1/1 2/1 3/1 4/1 5/1 6/1 7/1 8/1 9/1 10/1 11/1 12/1 1/1 2/1

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2010 2011

In Situ FDOM (ppb QSE)

20 30 40 50 60

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y = 0.0862x + 0.616

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• Expanding the use of real-time sensors for rapid and reliable water quality data in rivers and streams throughout the US

• Optical and wet chemical sensors for nutrients, organic matter, sediment, CO2, etc.

• Applications from improving nutrient load estimates to coastal waters to real-time management of drinking water quality

Continuous measurements of dissolved organic matter fluorescence (FDOM) – most strongly linked to DOC concentrations, mercury transport and drinking water concerns – showed that the magnitude of DOC response to changes in runoff can vary significantly within and between storm in large coastal basins like the Connecticut River.

Circum-Arctic Resource AppraisalCircum-Arctic Resource Appraisal

Domestic and Global Petroleum Resources Domestic and Global Petroleum Resources

USGS Energy Resources Program

Update of global conventional oil and gas resource assessmentsNew global shale gas, tight gas, coalbed methane, tight oil resource assessmentReleased Circum-Arctic oil and gas resource assessmentGas hydrate research - Alaska North Slope and Gulf of Mexico gas hydrate resource assessmentCooperative projects with many countries including Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Netherlands, Germany, Poland, and many more…..

USGS Methodology & U.S. Analogs Can Be Used to Assess European Shale Gas

Collaboration with Poland, Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, Ukraine, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, Armenia, and EuroGeoSurveys in general.

Arctic Gas Hydrate Stability Conditions

•USGS & Norway are interested in studying the Svalbard Margin

USGS Mineral Resources Program

North American Soil Geochemistry ProjectTri-national sampling and analytical protocol

Providing unprecedented continental-scale baseline data

Sampling in U.S complete; analyses underway

Global Mineral Resource Assessment ProjectAssess global resources of copper, potash, and platinum-group elementsGlobal inventory of known resourcesDelineate permissive tracts for deposit types of interestProbabilistically estimate undiscovered resources in delineated tracts, where data permitsEngaged numerous international cooperators

International Minerals InformationStatistics and information on the worldwide supply of, demand for, and flow of minerals and materials essential to the U.S. economy, the national security, and protection of the environment.Collect, analyze, and disseminate mineral production, consumption, and resource information for 180 countriesProduce annual Minerals Yearbook and Mineral Commodity Summaries

• Bundesanstalt für Geowissenschaften und Rohstoffe (BGR), Germany

• Bureau de Recherches Geologiques et Minieres (BRGM), France

• The Natural History Museum, London Center for Russian and Central Asian Mineral Studies (CERCAMS)

• Charles University, Czech Republic• Geological Institute of Romania• Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS)• Geological Survey of Finland (GTK)• Geological Survey of Ireland• Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Germany• Polish Geological Institute

European Collaborators

Zechstein Sediment-hosted Cu Tracts with deposits and occurrences

Danish and North German Tract

Methods Development for Critical Mineral Designation

Inventory and Characterization of Global and Domestic Rare Earth Element Mineral Resources

Inventory and Characterization of Domestic and Global Lithium Resources

Inventory and Characterization of Domestic and Global Byproduct Critical Mineral Resources (Co, Ga, Nb, Re, Te, Ta…)

Investigations of Unconventional and Emerging Critical Mineral Resources

Pathways and Biogeochemical Behavior of Critical and Associated Metals

4 6 8 10 120

20

40

60

80

100

Pe

rce

nt

sorb

ed

pH

tellurite tellurate

Critical Mineral Resources for the 21st CenturyA New USGS Effort as of October 2011A New USGS Effort as of October 2011

Collaborative Opportunities with the International CommunityCollaborative Opportunities with the International Community

Areas of Potential USGS-EU Cooperation on Critical Mineral Resources and Supply Chains

Improved inventory of identified resources

Improved modeling of critical mineral-bearing deposit types and assessment of undiscovered critical mineral resources

Improved data on mineral supply chains concentrating on the initial stages of production including mining, processing through the production of a salable product, and initial fabrication

Improved mineral end use data in order to better understand mineral supply chains and potential sources of recycled materials

Link data analyses with future technologies

Encourage networking activities that leverage existing investments

Next Steps Identified during the US-EU meeting, Brussels 2011

Transatlantic workshop bringing together expertise on collection, classification and analysis of materials end-use data . Lead US side: US Geological Survey. Lead EU side: to be identified

Support for networks linking EU and US researchers for exchange of information and coordination of research in this area

39

Human Health Wildlife Health

Environmental Health

U.S. Geological Survey Health Activities

Airborne and waterborne pathogensNaturally occurring harmful minerals Zoonotic diseases Animal sentinels Contaminants

Emerging Infectious Diseases• White Nose Syndrome in Bats• Avian Influenza• West Nile fever• Chronic Wasting Disease• Monkeypox• Plague• Tularemia

Ecological context of diseaseDisease mappingGroundwater contaminationRecreational water monitoring

White-nose syndrome in bats may have been introduced to USA from Europe If emerging disease not stopped, potential billions of dollars damage to

agriculture

Leibniz-Institut für Zoo- und WildtierforschungLeibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research

Ecosystems Projects - Example

USGS National Wildlife Health Center

Human Health Projects - Example

Avian influenza virus: investigating genetic exchange between Avian influenza virus: investigating genetic exchange between North America and EuropeNorth America and Europe

Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam

USGS Natural Hazards Mission Area• Has direct responsibility for these six programs:

• Coastal & Marine Geology

• Earthquake Hazards

• Geomagnetism

• Global Seismographic Network

• Landslide Hazards

• Volcano Hazards

• Coordinates and supports the broader hazards vision of the USGS including floods, hurricanes and severe storms, tsunamis, and wildfires.

• Coordinates USGS response activities following disasters.

USGS works with European and other countries to provide rapid information on earthquakes worldwide

USGS National Earthquake Information Center, Golden, Colorado

National Geomagnetism Program

• As a member of Intermagnet:

– Operates 14 geomagnetic observatories

– Collects and distributes data in “real-time” on status of Earth’s magnetic field.

– Develop models for the Earth’s secular field for navigation and mapping.

USGS response to Eyjafjallajokull eruption

During the eruption• Provided advice to Iceland on

interpreting radar imagery.

Dordis Hogndottir, Nordic Volcanological Institute

Sigrun Hreinsdottir, Nordic Volcanological Institute

Post eruption• Provided scientists for ICAO’s

International Volcanic Ash Task Force

• Working with UK Met Office and European colleagues on improved ash cloud forecasting.

• Participated in EU ash eruption exercise in Brussels in 2011.

Volcano Observatory Best PracticesWorkshop: Eruption Forecasting

• Co-convened with Italy (INGV) to bring volcano observatories of 27 countries together to identify best practices

• British Geological Survey, France’s IPGP, UNESCO, and the GEO Secretariat also participated

US-Russia Geo-Hazards Initiative• Under the aegis of the Science and Technology and Emergency

Situations Bi-Presidential Commissions

• Identify mutually beneficial activities in disaster risk reduction and resilience for Russian and American communities of the northern Pacific

Comparative work and personnel exchange on “twin” volcanoes

Two “world class” laboratory volcanoes: Kilauea, Hawaii and Piton de la Fournaise, Reunion

CIRCA 1980

2004

2005

USGS and European agencies together in international geo-hazard risk reduction

• Global Earthquake Model (GEM) for seismic hazard assessment and management (Secretariat in Pavia, Italy).

• Global Volcano Model (GVM) for volcano hazard assessment and management (now forming with headquarters in UK).

Where does the U.S. have an ECS?

6 Areas LikelyArcticAtlanticBering SeaMarianas (west)East GoMexWest GoMex

9 Areas MaybeNeed more workAleutiansGulf of AKPacific (3)Marianas (east)Kingman/PalmyraHawaii (south)Johnston Atoll

USGS Engagement with UNESCO - Example

USGS chairs the U.S. National Committee for the UNESCO IHP.

USGS works with UNESCO IOC through OBIS-USA; we also serve as the US Node to OBIS.

USGS collaborates with UNESCO to assess conditions and USGS collaborates with UNESCO to assess conditions and threats at World Heritage sites around the world.threats at World Heritage sites around the world.

USGS together with UNESCO, DIVERSITAS, UNEP, and country USGS together with UNESCO, DIVERSITAS, UNEP, and country reps aids participates in the Intergovernmental Science Policy reps aids participates in the Intergovernmental Science Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES).Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES).

Other Int. Organizations include WMO, WHO, IAEA, FAO, GBIF, Other Int. Organizations include WMO, WHO, IAEA, FAO, GBIF, UNEP, World Bank,……UNEP, World Bank,……

Overall Options for USGS – EU Collaboration

• Exchanges of scientists with access to USGS research laboratories – PhDs & Post-Docs.

• Leveraging of Scientific Programs

• Mechanisms: – Letter of Agreements -12-18 month programs– MOUs – long-term programs– No international grant process in place

Summary

USGS is a applied science natural resource agency engaged on a global, multilateral and bilateral level

This often involves complementary work with European colleagues.

Focus: Earth observations and climate, hazards, natural resources including water, energy, minerals, fish, birds, …., informatics

USGS’s global involvement in selected mission areas will increase.

International organizations (e.g., UNESCO, GEO), the European Union, national organizations, and individual scientists are driving globalization of monitoring, analysis, and mitigation practices.

Multilateral Cooperation is key