19th
International CODATA Conference
Category: Interoperability
Earth Science e-Collaboration Based on a Grid Infrastructure
Luigi Fusco (luigi.fusco@esa.int)
Senior Advisor for Earth Observation Applications, European Space Agency - ESRIN,
Italy
Within the Earth Science (ES) community exists a clearly identified need for
interoperation and e-collaboration to support the use of the huge amounts of
Earth observation (EO) data that are being acquired every day by the various
data providers for ES research and operations (e.g., monitoring the evolution
of environmental and climatic changes). For example, Envisat [1], the advanced
European polar-orbiting Earth observation satellite launched early 2002, carrying
a payload of 10 instruments, is responsible for generating nearly 500 Terabytes
of data products every year (i.e. more than a terabyte per day), providing huge
amounts of measurements of the atmosphere, ocean, land, and ice. Similarly many
other satellites and ground based data sources need to be accessed and shared.
Besides the EO data themselves, also data to correct the EO data (known as auxiliary
data), models (think of weather models, ocean and/or current models, etc.),
scientific algorithms (e.g., for oil-spill detection, CO2 emission, urban areas
monitoring, etc.) and other relevant information that are often stored or located
at different locations in the world are necessary inputs. A solid underlying
supporting infrastructure is of vital importance, in particular considering
the number and types of actors involved (not only human), the amounts of data
and the sizes of data-files that are to be dealt with. An open, distributed,
but solid architecture, high data throughput, on-demand computing, data intensive
computing and collaborative working modes are major infrastructural requirements
for the effective interoperation of metadata and data among the participating
science and institutional/operational actors.
A dedicated set of complementary technologies, such as grid technology, web services, semantic web and ontologies, workflow management and virtual organisation handling, that supports such infrastructure would be a great asset for the ES community. Moreover, such infrastructure would be a major step in the right direction in matching objectives of European initiatives like GMES, Global Monitoring for Environment and Security [2], led by ESA and the European Commission (EC), and ESA' Oxygen [3]. Another initiative worthwhile mentioning in this context is the EC and ESA Collaboration@Work Research [4] that is focussing on next generation Collaborative Working Environments, the characteristics of the middleware required for realizing this vision, and the Research and Technology Development (RTD) challenges that need to be tackled with at European level to meet the objectives defined.
The presentation will highlight some relevant interoperability and e-collaboration initiatives at the European Space Agency in the Earth Science domain.
References
[1] Envisat Web-site http://envisat.esa.int
[2] Global Monitoring for Environment and Security Web-site: http://www.gmes.info
[3] Oxygen, A new strategy for Earth Observation, Earth Observation Quarterly,
June 2003, EOQ - No 71, http://esapub.esrin.esa.it/eoq/eoq71/chap1.pdf
[4] Next Generation Collaborative Working Environments 2005-2010, Report of
the Expert Group on Collaboration@Work, Brussels, 4th May 2004, URL: http://europa.eu.int/information_society/topics/ework/work_paradigms/expert_group/index_en.htm