ITC Earth Observation sites for research and education

Introduction

ITC maintains a number of earth observation sites to support education and research. These earth observation sites are part of a global network: the 'Global Earth Observation System of Systems' (GEOSS).

These sites are part of our effort to guarantee ITC's successful and sustained contribution to GEOSS and contribute to two competences to:

1. Offer advanced earth observation courses as requested in the GEOSS social benefit areas,
2. Conduct fundamental research using both space-based and in situ sensors to further relevant ITC expertise and application areas to meet GEOSS needs (e.g. disasters, water cycle, climate change, ecosystems, agriculture and biodiversity, relevant to ITC's expertise).

The general goals of the earth observation sites and related education and research activities are to strengthen the capability of our students and staff, consistent with the objective of GEOSS capacity building initiative, to:

• Use Earth Observation data and products (i.e. process, integrate, model, etc.) in a sustainable, repeatable manner (both space-based and in situ sensors), with results or outputs that are consistent with accepted Earth observing standards.
• To contribute in situ observations to global networks, and access and retrieve relevant data from global data systems useful for in situ applications.
• Analyze and interpret data (both in situ and space-based) to derive nationally, regionally and globally relevant information and provide decision-support systems and tools useful to decision-makers.
• Integrate Earth Observation data and information with data and information from other sources for a comprehensive and holistic view and understanding of problems in order to identify sustainable solutions.

Locations

We are currently involved in five collaborative sites on three continents:

Key activities

The following activities take place at these sites:

• Calibration and validation of satellite sensors by using measurements with sensors in the field.
• Radiative transfer modeling in the atmosphere-vegetation-soil continuum (from visible to microwave region including directional effects).
• Retrieval of geo-biophysical parameters from space borne measurements, using the calibrated sensors, radiometric correction of signals/images, geometric corrections and atmospheric corrections (land surface albedo, temperature, emissivity, biomass, water quality indicators, etc).
• Quantification and understanding of water cycle variables and processes using space borne measurements, modeling and data assimilation (including surface radiation fluxes; precipitation; evaporation and transpiration; soil moisture; soil salinity; water quality; rainfall-runoff processes; groundwater fluxes and storages; and aquifer hydrogeological properties).
• Development of applications in water resources and environmental management and climate change using space borne measurements, modeling and data assimilation and GIS techniques.

Externally funded projects

These Earth Observation sites have been used in a number of research projects:

1. NWO-SRON EcoRTM proejct,
2. EU EAGLE project,
3. ESA DRAGON programme,
4. ESA TIGER programme,
5. ESA campaigns (SPARC2004, SEN2FLEX2005 and AGRISAR2006, EAGLE2006).