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M.Drinkwater, K.Jezek, T.Mohr, E.Sarukhanian

International Polar Year 2007-2008STG Progress/Activity report

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IPY STG Activities (Nov. 2007- Feb. 2009)

The Space Task Group (STG) of the Sub-committee on Observations of the Joint Committee of IPY is the body tasked with addressing how to meet the space observation requirements of IPY.

It is comprised of nominated representatives of 14 Space Agencies with secretarial support provided by WMO. The main work concentrated on achieving the observational requirements as defined through

- Space Agencies Announcements of Opportunities,

- IGOS-P Cryosphere Theme,

- WCRP CliC

- GIIPSY IPY Project

and other institutional requirements obtained via the IPY survey.

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IPY STG Meetings• STG1 in Geneva, Switzerland, 17-19 Jan. 2007• STG2 in Darmstadt, Germany, 26-27 Nov. 2007 • STG3 in Frascati, Italy, 5-6 May 2008 All participating Space Agencies were represented (at least once) at both

meetings. Invited attendees included representatives from the IPY JC, IOC/WMO JCOMM, WMO Space Programme and WCRP.

• IPY SAR/InSAR Workshop in St. Hubert, Quebec, Canada, 5-6 March 2008 Goal: to try to develop an acquisition strategy for SAR/InSAR data that achieves the maximum number of IPY science objectives in such a way as to equitably distribute the acquisition and downlink load across the different agencies.

• IPY SAR Workshop DLR, Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany, 30 Sept-1 Oct 2008  Goal: to develop acquisition plans for SAR/InSAR data to address gaps and to address GIIPSY science goals.

• STG4 in Geneva Switzerland, 3-4 Feb. 2009 

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Outcomes of STG meetings (1)

• IPY Satellite Data Portfolios STG1 and STG2 meetings provided opportunities for the Space

Agencies to document details of the contents of their respective IPY Data Portfolios. Existing Agency portfolio contents are documented and now hosted on-line on the GIIPSY web site linked to the IPY web site.

• Progress

STG 3 reviewed and summarized the progress achieved during the last 6 months by all participating Space Agencies including substantial results presented (for the first time) by ASI (Italy) and JAXA (Japan).

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Recovery Glacier – and planned TerraSAR-X (white boxes) – overlaid onto Radarsat-1 Antarctic mosaic (courtesy K. Jezek – OSU)

TerraSAR-X image of Beardmore Glacier – (courtesy D. Floriciou, DLR)

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Outcomes of STG meetings (2)

STG 3 focussed on the extent to which the multi-Agency Portfoliocontents meet the challenge of the identified high-level scientific“firsts” documented at the STG1 meeting and reviewed IPY objectives (goals) progress centred on:• Fine-resolution SAR mapping of the entire Southern Ocean sea-

ice cover - for sea ice motion;• Pole to coast InSAR multi-frequency SAR - for ice sheet

dynamics;• One complete high resolution visible and thermal IR (Vis/IR)

snapshot - for circumpolar permafrost; • Pan-Arctic high and moderate resolution Vis/IR snapshots - for

lake and river freeze-up and break-up);• Atmospheric Dynamics and Composition.

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Outcomes of STG meetings (3)

The Review noted:• significant progress during the first year of IPY in

response to acquiring comprehensive Arctic and Antarctic snapshots;

• an impressive array of new data products has been planned, acquired and archived with which to address some of the key scientific goals;

• significant progress achieved in building a space component of the IPY data legacy;

• the progress and recent achievements in engaging partners in the high eliptic orbit „Arktika“ project (Russian Federation).

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Outcomes of STG meetings (3) – cont’d

• STG3 also determined gaps that should be covered and has identified proper actions and recommendations to this effect.

• In connection with commissioning of Radarsat-2 (April 2008), and cease of Radarsat-1 agreement for the Alaska Satellite Facility (ASF) data reception that provided regular synoptic coverage STG requested JC to address Agencies concerned requesting them to continue to order, receive, process and archive RADARSAT-1 data for science purposes in a routine or background mode for the duration of IPY (done).

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2007 Arctic Sea Ice Extent Record Minimum Captured by CSA RADARSAT-1

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'Webcam’ from Space : Keeping an eye on Wilkins Ice Shelf

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STG3 Actions• STG3-A1 – for YC, HL, MG, FB, MS to establish plan (when/where/who) for a follow on

meeting for SAR Mission Planners in early July timeframe. CLOSED• STG3-A2 – for KJ and MD to identify GIIPSY supersites (by end May), and transmit to SAR

Agencies to focus high bandwidth X-band SAR acquisition plans (e.g. bipolar supersites). CLOSED

• STG3-A3 – on KJ to send FB information (by mid-May) about science requirements and planning files. CLOSED

• STG3-A4 – ASI and JAXA to formulate contents of their respective IPY Data Portfolios by end June. CLOSED by Action (JAXA) - ASI outstanding

• STG3-A5 – to MG, KJ and DF to resolve open questions regarding mission planning for LL pole hole, and pole to coast coverage from TSAR-X. CLOSED (MG to report)

• STG3-A6 – on DH, OG, and MD to formulate pilot project concept (including WIS data focus) and partnerships to exploit IPY observing system data as part of the IPY legacy and in consideration of SAON. OG to report on Status of Norwegian pilot

• STG3-A7 – on YC to circulate abstract for oral presentation at SCAR/IPY workshop by end May and to request information from Agencies for inclusion in presentation. CLOSED

• STG3-A8 – on KJ to send SAR requirements to JAXA and ASI for InSAR and other issues by end May. CLOSED

• STG3-A9 – on ESA to report on status of progress in sea ice drift processing from Arctic and Antarctic. ESA to Report

• STG3-A10 – for ET, MS, HL and USGS to consider organizing, a meeting of optical satellite agencies for purpose of showcasing existing IPY results and to evaluate extent to which some of key science objectives (e.g. permafrost) can be met. ET to report on situation

• STG3-A11 – for MG (DLR), KH (Eumetsat), JK (NOAA), HL (ESA), and CD (NASA) to present status of data and higher level products for polar Atmospheric Composition (including clouds and aerosols) at next STG meeting. Requested Agencies to present status as per Action

• STG3-A12 – on WMO Secretariat to complete interaction with ISRO and KARI to establish nominees to STG. Action on ES to report

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STG3 Recommendations

• STG3-R1 – for NESDIS and NASA to consider feasibility of development and production of cloud-free MODIS bipolar Snapshots at 500m res. as part of IPY portfolio.

• STG3-R2 – for NESDIS to follow up on STG2-A2 to contact Antarctic HRPT stations – to investigate availability of direct broadcast archives for reconstructing historical retrospective composite 1km AVHRR products.

• STG3-R3 – for Space Agencies to report on progress regarding use of IPY portfolio data to address high level science goals, and to report at STG4.

• STG3-R4 – co-Chairs to nominate potential representatives to Global Cryosphere Watch Ad-hoc group.

• STG3-R5 – for SAR agencies to consider informal follow up meetings to build on the success of the first SAR Coordination meeting.

• STG2-R5 – IPY JC to adopt permanent membership of Mr Oystein Godoy (IPY operational data coordinator) on STG.

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STG SAR Coordination Mtg 2 - Actions• Action STG-C2 A1: CSA(R. St. Jean) -MDA-ASF (N. L.H.) to release description of RADARSAT-1 ordering mechanism

for west Arctic sea ice acquisitions (TBD).• Action STG-C2 A2: R. Hall (KSAT) to unofficially contact Norwegian IPY Committee and Norwegian Space Centre

(Guru Dahle Strom) and ask them to consider contributing funding support for processing of RADARSAT-1 archived data for IPY. Y. Crevier to specify details of specific dataset of interest. The official draft letter will be sent to the STG for transmission to NSC (TBD).

• Action STG-C2 A3: GIIPSY and ASF to prepare consolidated ALOS PALSAR data needs for Greenland and Antarctica – and for K.J and N.L.H. to present them to M. Shimada (JAXA) (ongoing with recent, additional discussion to include NASA regarding use of TDRSS link to satisfy science requirements.

• Action STG-C2 A4: GIIPSY should provide feedback on which IPY related applications absolutely require tandem interferometry – i.e due to decorrelation timescale limitations, or others requiring e.g. bistatic operation. These should be ones that can’t be fulfilled by repeat-pass interferometry or single satellite (TBD).

• Action STG-C2 A5: K.J. and M.D. to provide locations of focus for SPOT DEMS – via Presentation material from the previous STG meeting (TBD – recommend closure because of extensive CNES plans already in place).

• Action STG-C2 A6: M. Braun to coordinate acquisition planning for Antarctic ice shelf supersites. To provide information to STG on currently planned ice shelf and Antarctic Peninsula supersites. Contact other AO investigators to identify other potential additional supersites for the TerraSAR-X background mission (in conjunction with O’Higgins reception). (TBD)

• Action STG-C2 A7: GIIPSY to develop a management plan for how to approach supersites and report to STG (TBD). • Action STG-C2 A8: Action on GIIPSY to request that PI’s submit proposals for acquisition plans in context of supersites

(PALSAR) (in PALSAR context, NASA is compiling information from Pis about data collection sites).• ACTION STG-C2 A9: ESA (J.D.R) and CSA (R.St.J) to define optimal background missions and adjust priorities to

ensure better coordinated ASAR and R2 coverage in the Arctic Basin (TBD).• ACTION STG-C2 A10: GIIPSY to craft a supersite requirement for TerraSAR-X based on specific priorities (see list

below) including two cycles of Greenland interferometry (TerraSAR-X) over user-specified sites (DONE).• Action STG-C2 A11: All Coordination meeting participants to confirm commitments in the content of the planning

table/matrix by October 15 (TBD).• Action STG-C2 A12: Distribute Planning Table and meeting summary (after 15 Oct) to STG after Coordination meeting

for comment and information on activities using other complementary mission/sensors (DONE).• Action STG-C2 A13: K.J. +M.D. + Y.C. + D.B. to produce strawman document regarding future directions for high level

products from the IPY Legacy Data (DONE).

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STG SAR Coordination Mtg 2 - Recommendations

• Recommendation STG-C2 R1: ASF should consider participation in the Optical Coordination Workshop under preparation by E. Thouvenot (CNES). (DONE).

• Recommendation STG-C2 R2: Contact STG reps to see who would be able to participate in the Fall AGU meeting (DONE).