Transcript The PolarView GMES project (H. Tangen)

Earth Observation
for Polar Monitoring
A unique view of
the environment,
the economy,
and safety
Helge Tangen, Regional Director, met.no Tromso
EuroArctic node manager in Polar View
Who We Are
 An international consortium,1
 Of government, academic, and private sector
organizations,
 With a mandate to make earth observation more
accessible,
 To stakeholders interested in the Polar Regions,
 Supported by the European Space Agency and the
European Commission, with participation by the
Canadian Space Agency.
1. Canada, Denmark, France, Finland, Germany, Norway, Sweden, and the United Kingdom
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Our Clients
 Currently, Polar View works with over 30 user groups,
 Including government departments, scientific institutions,
northern residents, and private sector clients,
 To deliver services that address their operational and
scientific needs,
 For better information that improves decision making and
planning.
 Many clients contribute to the continuing development of
services by participating in trials and defining
requirements.
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Polar Issues
 The Polar Regions are having a growing ecological,
economic, and political impact on world affairs.
 Polar View services contribute to monitoring and analysis
of Polar issues regarding:
 The Environment
– Monitoring polar fresh water
cycles
– Tracking sources of pollution
– Helping to understand and
manage animal habitats and
populations
– Increasing global awareness
of climate change impacts
and adaptation
 Sustainable Economic
Development
– Helping to manage
hydropower generation
– Optimizing transportation
routes
– Assisting in resource
exploitation
– Maintaining traditional
ways of life
 Safety
– Guiding fishing and
hunting expeditions
– Providing safe
transportation routes
– Protecting off-shore
drilling operations
– Improving flood protection
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Our Services
 Services are offered in the Arctic, Antarctic, and midlatitude areas with significant snow and ice across
Europe, Russia, Canada, and the North Atlantic
 Polar View services:
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Provide accurate, real-time information
Can be customized to meet users’ needs
Offer cost savings over alternatives
Are provided by an experienced team of experts
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Our Services
 Sea Ice
 Icebergs
 Ice Edge
 Coastal Erosion
 Ice Drift Trajectory
 River Ice
 Lake Ice
 Glaciers
 Snow Cover
 Climate Change
Adaptation Indicators
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Earth Observation
 Satellite-borne Earth Observation (EO) systems have
been providing imagery for more than two decades
 Some sensors can penetrate clouds and ‘see’ in the dark;
conditions that are prevalent at the poles
 Polar View uses primarily Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR)
sensors that are excellent for observing snow and ice
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EO in the Polar Regions
 Polar regions have:
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Large and remote areas with limited accessibility
Low population densities
Sensitive ecosystems of global importance
Rich non-renewable and renewable resources
Increasing industrial activity
 Effective monitoring strategies are vital to understanding
conditions, identifying impacts, and guiding responses
 EO is often the only cost effective and technically feasible
means of obtaining information
 EO sensors can supply types of information that are not
available from any other source
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Polar View and GMES
 Global Monitoring of Environment and Security (GMES) is
a joint initiative of the European Space Agency and the
European Commission
 GMES is the main European contribution to the Global
Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOS)
 The Earthwatch GMES Service Element (GSE) is a
programme within GMES to raise the profile of EO among
policy makers and non-traditional users
 Polar View is a project under GSE
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For More Information
 General Information:
 Web site:
 Telephone:
 Email:
www.polarview.org
+01.709.737.3735
[email protected]
 Regional Contacts:
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International:
North America:
Baltic Sea:
Europe:
Antarctica:
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
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