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Introduction
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The 2005 CEOS Earth Observation Handbook explores society’s increasing need for information on our planet, being the essential foundation for sustainable development policies aimed at ensuring our continued health and prosperity in the face of man-made climate change, population growth, and degradation of our natural environment.
It explains the important role of Earth observation satellite programmes in fulfilling those information needs. It presents the current status and plans for future Earth observation satellite programmes of governments world-wide, through their national and regional space agencies, and describes how the data and information which they supply relate to some of society’s most pressing needs for information on Earth System processes and our interaction with them. The role of the Committee on Earth Observation Satellites (CEOS), as the body with responsibility for co-ordination of government-funded satellite programmes world-wide, is explained, including in relation to plans now underway for implementation of a Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS). It is hoped that this report will prove to be a valuable source of information concerning the possible application and value of the data and information from Earth observation satellites. It should be of interest to a wide range of groups: those with responsibility for national/international development policy; those responsible for programmes with requirements for observations to enable understanding of our environment and its processes; and those needing information for decision-making in many socio-economic sectors. It is further hoped that this report will be of educational value, helping to explain some of the techniques and technologies underlying satellite Earth observation and making the subject as accessible as possible to the lay-person who would like to investigate further. As an up-to-date and comprehensive compilation of CEOS agency plans, the report provides a handy reference source of information on current and future civil Earth observation programmes. It also provides details of points of contact within CEOS and lists relevant internet information sources for those requiring more information. Part I of the Handbook discusses the Earth System and highlights current concerns and trends (section 1). It explains the ongoing development of the GEOSS (section 2) and the important role for satellite Earth observations and for CEOS (section 3). Future challenges are discussed in section 4. Part II presents a number of case studies (section 5) to illustrate the use of Earth observation satellites supporting the provision of information for societal benefit in key areas. Part III of the Handbook summarises Earth observation satellite capabilities and plans, including a description of the various types of satellite missions and instruments and their applications (section 6). For those interested in particular measurements (e.g. of ‘ozone’ or ‘ocean temperature’), section 7 provides details of 26 different parameters and the plans for their observation during the coming decades. Sections 8 & 9 contain catalogues of satellite missions and instruments respectively. The annexes include: A Further information on CEOS B CEOS involvement in IGOS C Abbreviations |