About CEOS

The Committee on Earth Observation Satellites (CEOS) was created in 1984 in response to a recommendation from a Panel of Experts on Remote Sensing from Space, under the aegis of the Economic Summit of Industrialised Nations Working Group on Growth, Technology and Employment. This Group recognised the multidisciplinary nature of satellite Earth observation and the value of coordinating international mission plans.

The work of CEOS ranges from the development of detailed technical standards for data product exchange, through to the establishment of high-level inter-agency agreements on common data policies for different applications areas.

There are currently two major working groups within CEOS: WGISS (Working Group on Information Systems and Services) and WGCV (Working Group on Calibration and Validation).

WGISS has the goal of coordinating and standardising EO data management and services. It has subgroups tasked with enabling EO data and information services to be more accessible to users worldwide (Access Subgroup); enhancing the complementarity, interoperability and standardisation of EO data and information management (Data Subgroup); fostering easier exchange of EO data and information through networks (Network Subgroup).

The WGCV has the goal of ensuring the quality, accuracy and long-term confidence in EO data products. It provides a focus for co-ordination and co-operation in activities related to calibration and validation (CalVal) of Earth observations, and has the following subgroups:

There is a new Subgroup of WGCV that is being established under the name “Validation of Land Surface Parameters Subgroup”. This aims at end product validation. There is also an Ad Hoc Working Group on education that may develop into a new working group in the future.

A major activity of CEOS is its participation from the satellite and satellite payload side in the Integrated Global Observing System (IGOS). Through the actions of the Strategic Implementation Team (SIT), CEOS has promoted a range of projects and (more recently) participated in the Oceans Theme development providing input on satellite based information and requirements into the future to support the Theme. The IGOS is developing through a partnership of environmental agencies and will provide a major focus for CEOS activities.

More information about CEOS can be found at the CEOS home page

Australian Representation

Dr Graham Harris, Chief of CSIRO Land & Water is the current CEOS Plenary delegate for Australia and Dr David Jupp, Head of COSSA, the Contact. CSIRO scientists play an active role in the CEOS Working Groups with Dr Ian Barton acting as the primary interface with WGCV, and Mike Clarke with WGISS. Active participation in subgroups by a number of scientists has been fully supported by CSIRO. CSIRO is a host to the CEOS developed CILS and IDN, and the JRC World Wide Fire Web, an associated GOFC activity.

CSIRO hosted the tenth CEOS WGISS meeting at CSIRO headquarters in Canberra, 8 – 12 May 2000, as well as a supporting workshop to focus on regional and global activities in Spatial Data Infrastructure (SDI) programs, their relationship to CEOS and earth observation data activities in general.

A number of other scientists participate and contribute to the Subgroups and other Working Group activities. Reports based on their participation since 1997 can be found at http://www.eoc.csiro.au/ceos/reports.htm.

Meeting Reports

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