Free Earth Observation Data on a Global Scale: What is the impact in science and society

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Free Earth Observation Data on a Global Scale
What is the impact in science and society?

• Gilberto Câmara
• Director
• National Institute for Space Research
• Brazil

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Earth as a system
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(No Transcript)
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The fundamental question

• How is the Earths environment changing, and what
  are the consequences for human civilization?
• A society with the ability to gather and
  understand Earth Science information and make
  proactive, timely environmental predictions and
  decisions at all relevant geographical and
  societal levels.

Source NASA, IGBP
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Environmental-related diseases in Brazil

• Chagas disease
• Schitossomiasis
• Yellow fever
• Hantavirosis
• Leishmaniosis
• Leptospirosis
• Malária

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Malaria incidence in Tucurui dam
source Cíntia Vasconcelos and Evlyn Novo
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Land use map from remote sensing image
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Intensity of malaria in Tucurui
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Visceral Leishmaniosis
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Visceral Leishmaniosis in Terezina
Positive correlation between NDVI, urbanization
and visceral leishmaniosis
source Guilherme Werneck, Marilia Carvalho,
Virginia Ragoni
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• A new international organization tasked with
  implementation a Global Earth Observation System
  of Systems (GEOSS).
• GEOSS shall coordinate a wide range of
  space-based, air-based, land-based, and
  ocean-based environmental monitoring platforms,
  resources and networks presently often
  operating independently.
• Membership in GEO currently includes 51 countries
  plus the European Commission, and 29
  participating international organisations.

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Coordinating Earth Observing Systems
Vantage Points
Capabilities
L1/HEO/GEO TDRSS Commercial Satellites
Far-Space
Permanent
LEO/MEO Commercial Satellites and Manned
Spacecraft
Near-Space
Airborne
Aircraft/Balloon Event Tracking and Campaigns
Deployable
Terrestrial
User Community
Forecasts Predictions
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Remote Sensing Increased EO capability
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GeoSensors New technology of earth observations
Spec mote UC Berkeley
Smart Dust (UC Berkeley)
Intel mote
MICA mote
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Group on Earth Observation System of Systems
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The 300 million dollar question

• How do we obtain support for funding Earth
  Observation Missions?
• Our answer Make all sectors of society use
  publically funded EO data...
• ...by providing EO data for free!

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Uncle Scrooge and the Internet

• Uncle Scrooge
• A penny saved is a penny earned
• The anti-Uncle Scrooge principle
• A pixel saved is a penny wasted
• Why is that so?
• Value comes from use

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The Internet paradox

• The Internet has reduced the cost of data
  distribution to very close to zero
• Society responds very quickly to open
  availability of free data and good on the Web

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Brazilian and Chinese Strategy for CBERS

• CBERS images received in Brasil are freely
  available on the Internet for Brazilian and Latin
  American users
• CBERS images received in China are freely
  available on the Internet for Chinese users
• A high-quality image processing software (SPRING)
  is also available free on the Internet in Brazil

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CBERS China-Brazil Earth Resources Satellite

• Brief History
• Initial agreement signed in July 6th, 1988,
  covering CBERS-1 and 2.
• In 2002, both governments decided to expand the
  initial agreement by including CBERS-3 and 4.
• Program objectives
• Build a family of remote sensing satellites to
  support the needs of users in earth resources
  applications
• Improve the industrial capabilities of space
  technology in Brazil and China

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CBERS-2 CCD, Minas Gerais, Brazil
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CBERS-2 CCD Sobradinho Dam, Brazil Dez 2003
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CBERS Image Distribution in Brazil (1st May 2004
to 1st August 2006)
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What do we get from free data?

• With zero cost data access, technology
  dissemination has a much greater impact.
• CBERS brought the freedom to have data
  immediately available when you need it.
• Free EO data and free EO technology create new
  users and new applications
• Increases the need for other types of EO data

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What do the private companies say about free
CBERS data?

• Enables new business development
• Facilitates trial uses for new clients
• Planning new applications becomes easier
• Creates jobs by reducing cost of data buys
• Increases work quality by adding data previously
  unavailable

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What have we learned?

• There is an enormous demand for remote sensing
  data in developing countries
• Free on-line data access can significantly
  increase the number of users of earth observation
  data
• The CBERS data policy has been extremely
  well-received by government and society in Brazil

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Long-term perspective for Remote Sensing
100
Tecnology 2000
PAN CB3
50
Tecnology 2008
CCD CB2
Tecnology 2015
INPE 2015
Mapeamento
Revisita
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Deforestation
Identif
Agricultura
AWFI CB3
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DMC
WFI CB2
Mapeamento
Agricultura
INPE 2015
Detecção
Desmatamento
1
50
5
1
10
100
1000
Resolução
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• One world, one dream...

Free Earth Observation data for all!
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One world, one dream...

• A consortium of Earth Observation satellites for
  global land observation (5m)
• A network of cooperating ground stations
• EO data free on the Internet, with global weekly
  coverage