An Overview of Coastal Remote Sensing Challenges and the IGOS Coastal Theme Report

1. An Overview of Coastal Remote Sensing Challenges and the IGOS Coastal Theme Report Dr. Paul M. DiGiacomo NOAA/NESDIS Center for Satellite Applications and Research (STAR) Workshop on Regional Needs for Coastal Remote Sensing 4 October 2006, Durham, New Hampshire

2. Notional Observing System Structure C-GTOS Strategic Design Plan, FAO, 2005

3. Coastal Remote Sensing Challenges Data Providers Users

4. Coastal Remote Sensing Challenges 1 Data Providers Users

5. Coastal Remote Sensing Challenges 2 Data Providers Users data => products => information => needs

6. Coastal Remote Sensing Challenges 3 Data Providers Users data => products => information => needs

7. “Language” Barriers Product

8. “Language” Barriers Product Satellite Data Provider Chlorophyll-a

9. Language Barriers Product Satellite Data Provider Chlorophyll-a Harmful Algal Bloom alert/notification Coastal End-User

10. Integrated Global Observing Strategy (IGOS) • A strategic planning process, consisting of 14 members that represent data providers • and users, whose goal is to improve Earth observing capacity for decision-making • http://www.igospartners.org/ IGOS Partnership

11. IGOS Coastal Theme Overview • Goal of Coastal Theme: • Develop a strategy for integrated global observations that will provide improved • understanding of Earth system variability and change in the coastal zone, with a • particular emphasis on the land-sea interface. • Objectives of Coastal Theme: • Specify coastal user information needs and observation requirements • Evaluate existing/planned capabilities and identify gaps & continuity needs • Establish a framework to integrate observations across the land-sea-air • interface in support of coastal research and improved coastal management • Stimulate & facilitatecoordination & collaboration among diverse • groups/organizations

12. Expected Benefits of IGOS Coastal Theme • Identifygaps in observations and reduce unnecessary duplication • Strengthenthe linkage between in situ and space-based observations, • integrated with watershed-ocean models, for coastal research and • management applications • Stimulatebuilding of long-term, accurate coastal data sets • Facilitate the integration and implementation of the coastal components of • GOOS and GTOS, particularly working with space agencies to ensure • development and continuity of necessary observations • Establishpriorities for research & development projects to improve the • operational elements of observing systems and other programmes • Supportuser needs through improved products and services • Cross-cutting links w/other IGOS Themes and the emerging GEO process

13. IGOS Coastal Theme Process/Timeline • The IGOS Coastal Theme was initially established in June 2003 by the IGOS Partners • A Coastal Theme Team was assembled, whose members represented the coastal • components of GOOS and GTOS, the IGBP LOICZ & IMBER Programmes, and CEOS • member agencies (NASA, NOAA, CSA, DLR, ISRO, JAXA), among others. • Five meetings took place during 2003-5, when the team analyzed needs/capabilities • and identified, synthesized and distilled a suite of priority coastal observing requirements, • along with an assessment of existing capabilities, gaps, challenges and priorities. • The Coastal Theme Team findings were presented at the IGOS-P-11bis meeting in • Beijing, China in November 2004, with the theme formally adopted by the IGOS Partners • and the report published in January 2006 by the IOC, available at: • http://www.igospartners.org/Coastal.html • The Coastal Theme is also now leading the development of a Coastal Zone Community • of Practice (CZCP) for the emerging GEO/GEOSS effort.

14. The following priority issues were identified for the Coastal Theme: • Coastal Human Populations, including coastal hazards and coastal • development and urbanization • Coastal Ecosystems, including the hydrological and biogeochemical • cycles, and ecosystem health and productivity. • Targeted User Groups: • Regional & global environmental assessments, agencies, • accords & conventions • Advisory & regulatory agencies • National governments • Research communities • Commercial organizations

15. Coastal Observing Requirements IGOS Coastal Theme Report, 2006

16. Coastal Theme Report - Observing Requirements

17. Coastal Theme Report - Observing Requirements

18. Coastal Theme Report - Observing Requirements

19. Brief Status of Existing/Planned Global Ocean Observing Capabilities Source: CEOS/GCOS Task Team Assessment

20. Coastal Observing Requirements • Common needs & gaps vis-à-vis • existing and planned capabilities: • Existing global observing assets • generally provide inadequate spatial, • temporal and spectral resolution. • Continuity required of some existing • capabilities for context and assessment • of climate variability and change. • Some observations needed for coastal • users not presently made from space; • as such, often sparse/spotty data/info. IGOS Coastal Theme Report, 2006

21. Coastal Observing Challenges IGOS Coastal Theme Report, 2006

22. Coastal Observing Challenges IGOS Coastal Theme Report, 2006

23. Coastal Observing Priorities IGOS Coastal Theme Report, 2006

24. Coastal Observing Priorities IGOS Coastal Theme Report, 2006

25. Proposed Requirements for a Geostationary Hyperspectral Imaging Radiometer • Spectral coverage from ~ 340nm to 1000nm with 1300nm goal on a single 2-D detector array • Spectral sampling of 2 to 4 nm • Complete regional coastal coverage 4 times per day minimum • Regional repeats > 10 times per 6 hours. • Event coverage at 15 minute intervals • Spatial foot print 50 to 200 m NADIR with >1000 element swath • Signal to noise ratio (SNR) 500-1500 minimum. SNR with image summing > 3000 • High dynamic range >14-bit digitization augmented with variable integration time. • Sun glint avoidance; narrow FOV, advanced algorithms and flexible viewing times • Cloud avoidance with flexible viewing times. • Minimal polarization sensitivity/change < 0.2 % • Minimal stray light with narrow FOV optics and low scatter gratings < 0.1% • No image stripping or image latency • Solar and lunar on-orbit calibration • Geostationary orbit maximizes temporal coverage. • Source: NASA Ocean Biology and Biogeochemistry Strategic Plan, 2006 (in revision).

26. Proposed Requirements for a Multi-Spectral High Spatial Resolution Imager • An advanced multi-spectral, high spatial resolution global mission is envisioned that will have • roughly 20 spectral bands from the UV to the NIR, with a few additional bands in the SWIR • (or even the TIR), with ocean color quality SNR levels including resolution of the natural • fluorescence bands • High spatial resolution is needed, better than 100 m for benthic habitat characterization at • the community level, with 10 to 20 m (or better) resolution optimal. • Swath widths would be no less than 100 km allowing regional scale sampling. • An effective approach must be developed as part of this effort to achieve research quality • atmospheric corrections. • This multi-spectral, high resolution global mission would provide global sampling, and ideally • allow rapid repeat coverage of a given site and the capability to follow a coastline (or river), • stare at a given location and adjust its mission in response to clouds. • Source: NASA Ocean Biology and Biogeochemistry Strategic Plan, 2006 (in revision).

27. Coastal Integration Challenges/Strategies IGOS Coastal Theme Report, 2006

28. Specific Approaches to Data Integration IGOS Coastal Theme Report, 2006

29. Upcoming Related Implementation Activities • Supporting planning for the “1st Inland and Near-Coastal Water Quality Remote • Sensing Workshop” to take place late February 2007 in Geneva, Switzerland. This • workshop will specifically address one of the GEO 2006 workplan tasks. • Planning also underway for a “Coastal Urbanization, Development and Inundation” • Workshop, to be held late 2007 and provide an end-to-end forum for data providers • and data users to interact on coastal urbanization et al. issues and ensure information • needs are met – particularly vis-à-vis satellite remote sensing.

30. From the Coastal Theme to IOOS Regional RS Needs • Some comments: • The IGOS Coastal Theme has a very broad, “high-level” international • mandate in the context of IGOS, particularly the key partners of GOOS, • GTOS and CEOS, as well as related to the emerging GEO/GEOSS effort. • It is also focused on user-driven issues related to the land-sea interface • which provides a specific scope and direction and will not necessarily address • all of the issues/requirements important to your regions. • Requirements need to be revisited and refreshed on an ongoing basis… • As such, the information, activities and requirements of the Coastal Theme • represent talking points for the discussions to take place during this workshop, • whose purpose is to identify your own regional perspective/needs: • “Identify and document space-based remote sensing • requirements of the RAs and identify commonalities”.

31. Issues & Challenges for the U.S. GOOS-SC • How “refresh” coastal (satellite) requirements and transmit accordingly? • => this “Workshop on Regional Needs for Coastal Remote • Sensing” will be a valuable source of information…. • How make remote sensing a thoroughly integrated part of the coastal IOOS? • => need to combat the assumption that the satellites will just “be there” • => need to architect an integrated system; break-down barriers between • components • => facilitate adaptive, coordinated remote and in situ sampling • How realize a truly “end-to-end system” to meet coastal user needs? • => effectively linking data providers with data users • => facilitate transfer of multiple data streams (multi-sensor remote and • in situ, along w/model output) to products to information that is • effectively/accurately delivered to users in near-real time.

32. Some Issues & Challenges for Regional IOOS Communities • Satellite data/product suite, quality and consistency • => exactly what is needed by whom, when, where, and for what purpose? • heterogeneity/commonalities: inter vs intra-regional needs/issues? • Delivery of these data/products • => by whom and by what means? roles and responsibilities? • Operations, funding and sustainability • => initial build-out is perhaps the “easy” part, but then how sustain?

33. Continuous-Coastal Awareness Network models After DiGiacomo et al., 2006, white paper for NRC Decadal Survey RFI