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Posted on Posted in MetEOC-4, Updates

Bridging data gaps, so plans may be targeted, context-specific, and impactful – so better serve people at the frontlines of climate change Interviews with experienced practitioners highlighted a shortfall of suitably representative data of reliable quality is limiting effective implementation of adaptation and resilience projects, particularly at local levels and in developing nations. What’s more, as reported today/this week in the paper ‘Examining Adaptation and Resilience Frameworks: Data quality’s role in supporting climate efforts’ published in Sustainability Journal, no common approach or tool is available to help these experts streamline the process of designing, monitoring, and evaluating such plans. The experts interviewed for the paper cited a lack of measurement indicators that might otherwise help assess the effectiveness of adaptation and …

The role of data quality for supporting climate Adaptation and Resilience Frameworks – policy paper published in Sustainability Journal Read more »

Posted on Posted in MetEOC-4, Updates

Marking the culmination of twelve years continuous research under the Metrology for Earth Observation and Climate brand, at the MetEOC-4 Month 36 meeting, on 4 and 5 July 2023 Nigel Fox, the project series coordinator, said, “This is, in a sense, an end of an era and I personally want to thank everybody who’s been with us for the journey and those who have joined part way along, or been In and out for bits of it.”  “And while there may be a MetEOC-5, in some form, that can only be after a gap, so this marks the end of the continuous series of MetEOC projects. I want to thank everybody who’s been with us for the journey.”   “Thank you for your …

Month 36 Meeting at NPL Teddington : MetEOC has come a long way in twelve years, producing impacts significant and ongoing  Read more »

Posted on Posted in Level 1 satellite traceability, MetEOC-4, Updates

A primary objective of MetEOC is to facilitate the take up of the technology and measurement infrastructure developed in the project by the measurement supply chain, an example of which is recounted in the case study, hosted in a new section of this website, ‘Calibration of the CNES and UKSA MicroCarb optical instrument’.  As described, a satellite-based validation method will be essential for ensuring long-term trust in the global emission reporting system used to track progress towards the goals of the 2015 Paris Climate Change Agreement. Indeed, in December of that year, the MicroCarb micro-satellite concept was presented at the Paris Climate Change Conference (COP21) with a mission to map, on a global scale, sources and sinks of carbon dioxide (CO2), …

MetEOC Case study: Calibration of the CNES/UKSA MicroCarb GHG monitoring satellite sensor Read more »

Posted on Posted in Atmospheric ECVs, Biophysical ECVs, Level 1 satellite traceability, MetEOC-4, Radiation ECVs, Updates

The last few months are seen something of a flurry of papers related to MetEOC-4 published in peer-reviewed journals, each featuring innovative and impactful outcomes we encourage you to view and download. Four papers have been published so far this year out of a total of 15 to date. In addition, ahead of publication, the paper Traceability of surface longwave irradiance measurements to SI using the IRIS radiometers is available as a pre-print for rapid dissemination. Accessible papers freely viewable online are tabulated below. Dive in!   Lead author Title Journal Publication date Veronica Escober Ruiz A novel C-band radar-drone for forest canopy profile characterization International Journal of Remote Sensing 21 April 2023 Ilaria Cazzaniga AERONET-OC LWN uncertainties: revisited Journal of Atmospheric and …

Round-up of recently published papers authored by MetEOC-4 participants Read more »

Posted on Posted in Level 1 satellite traceability, MetEOC-4, Updates

A year on from its initial public release, the NPL-developed CoMet toolkit has been used in several earth observation projects, including MetEOC, and recognised for the value it offers to the earth observation community. Environmental observations made by satellites and in-situ measurement networks provide data that forms the basis of scientific understanding of the state of the climate. Such datasets need to contain information about the associated uncertainties to be accepted as credible and reliable — the handling of which can be a complex and, potentially, error-prone process. Moreover, as multiple measurements are typically combined through processing chains, reliably handling this information can seem overly time-consuming for non-specialists.   A simpler way to store and propagate uncertainty and error-correlation information Metrological …

Reliable and user-friendly handling of earth observation uncertainty data with CoMet Toolkit Read more »

Posted on Posted in Biophysical ECVs, MetEOC-4, Updates

Long term operation of network supporting the validation of satellite ocean colour observations contributing to the quantification of these natural ‘sinks’ of carbon. Marking the twentieth anniversary of the Ocean Colour component of the Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET-OC), Frédéric Mélin, of MetEOC-4 External Funded Partner JRC, summarises ‘fruitful encounters’ between the AERONET-OC ocean colour network and MetEOC projects. But first, some background. An objective of the MetEOC series of projects is to develop satellite derived SI-traceable measurement methods to measure greenhouse gases emissions and carbon sinks. The context for that requirement is that knowledge of the amounts of greenhouse gases absorbed by such sinks will be a critical part of the equation for any workable net zero strategy. Currently, the earth’s oceans …

Guest post: Twenty years of AERONET-OC provision of ocean colour calibration and validation data Read more »

Posted on Posted in meteoc-3, MetEOC-4, Radiation ECVs, Updates

Following a successful review by the European Space Agency, on 30 November 2022 the SHIPAS temperature measuring instrument developed by Research Centre Jülich and Wuppertal University, Germany was given the go-ahead to be included onboard a satellite scheduled to be launched into earth orbit in 2025. The high-resolution imaging instrument is capable of accurately measuring the temperature of the mesosphere and lower thermosphere, which are layers of the atmosphere sensitive to greenhouse gas concentrations and early indicators of global heating trends. Support for the mission is provided by the EU Horizon 2020 In-Orbit Demonstration and Validation (IOD/IOV) initiative, set up to test new technologies in orbit.  Approval means the SHIPAS instrument, which stands for Spatial Heterodyne Interferometer Performance Assessment in Space, …

SHIPAS satellite-based climate sensor developed with support from MetEOC projects approved for in-orbit testing Read more »

Posted on Posted in MetEOC-4, Updates

Three quarters through EMPIR MetEOC-4, the first in-person meeting during the project on 15 & 16 December at PTB, Berlin, proved a valuable and timely opportunity for the whole project team to share progress face-to-face. As well as presenting updates on developing metrological tools and likely uptake, the team also got the chance to view, up close, impressive new hardware in PTB’s historic basement labs. This fourth in the series of Metrology for Earth Observation and Climate (MetEOC) EMPIR projects — that supports climate observation communities by improving understanding of the drivers of climate change — was hosted at the birthplace of quantised thermal radiation physics. Indeed, PTB showed off hardware developed in the project, including a new type of lightweight …

MetEOC-4 month 27 progress meeting: a warm welcome from PTB over two cold days in Berlin Read more »

Posted on Posted in meteoc-3, Updates

Remote Sensing Laboratories (RSL), a unit made up of several departments of MetEOC partner University of Zurich, conducted a training workshop as part of MetEOC-3; in traceability chains, uncertainty propagation, and calibration/validation. The event was hosted by the Romanian National Institute for Laser, Plasma & Radiation (INFLPR). The Intensive, week long, workshop promoted the application of principles of data quality, uncertainty propagation, and metrologically rigorous data quality analysis, by experts and young scientists. As such, it was a potentially highly impactful example of the added value of MetEOC projects for inspiring useful benefits for wider research communities. Fostering best practices for harmonising and standardising approaches to data quality and uncertainty in the remote sensing community was one of the overarching objectives …

University of Zurich promotes metrologically-rigorous data quality analysis at training workshop at INFLPR Read more »

Posted on Posted in Biophysical ECVs, MetEOC-4, Updates

New evidence suggests assumptions of tree size-to-mass scale-invariance is not well-justified for this kind of forest, which has wider implications for climate mitigation actions. UK forests could store almost double the amount of carbon than previous calculations suggest, with consequences for the understanding of carbon stocks and climate actions, according to a paper published today based on data produced in MetEOC. The paper, Laser scanning reveals potential underestimation of biomass carbon in temperate forest, published in the journal Ecological Solutions and Evidence presents new empirical evidence showing that the fundamental assumption of tree size-to-mass scale-invariance is not well-justified for this kind of forest. The article goes on to suggest that testing the underlying assumptions of allometric models more generally is an urgent priority …

Laser scanning reveals underestimation of above-ground biomass in Wytham Woods test site Read more »

Posted on Posted in Atmospheric ECVs, MetEOC-4, Updates

Implementing policies designed to fulfil Paris Agreement commitments will likely involve conspicuous demands for clear accountability for how decisions will be made. Such accountability will, in turn, demand a high bar for trustworthiness of data used as the basis of decisions. So, how can we be sure trusted climate data will be available in time to make a difference? In his opening address at COP27 in Sharm el-Sheikh on 6 November, UN Climate Change Executive Secretary Simon Stiell asked governments to focus on a transformational shift to implementing the Paris Agreement and putting negotiations into concrete actions. With a call to action for principles of transparency and accountability to apply throughout the process, Mr Stiell added, “COP27 sets out a new …

Software to harmonise fundamental climate data records Read more »

Posted on Posted in MetEOC-4, Updates

Task 3.1 within Theme 3 ‘Validating Carbon stocktake: GHG emissions and biosphere’ of MetEOC-4 is applying robust metrological methods developed in previous studies to address satellite-derived measures of atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations. In this update, we outline details of some of the groundwork involved in validating gas monitoring capabilities and sensor interoperability for coming earth observation missions. While the main driver of changes in atmospheric greenhouse gases (GHGs) over the past 200 years relate to direct emissions, the accumulation of these gases in the atmosphere has also been influenced by natural biological and chemical processes that cause ecosystems to act as net carbon sources or sinks. A carbon sink is anything, natural or otherwise, that accumulates and stores carbon-containing chemical compounds …

Validating greenhouse gas monitoring capabilities and satellite sensor interoperability Read more »

Posted on Posted in Atmospheric ECVs, MetEOC-4, Updates

The Eradiate radiative transfer model, designed during the MetEOC-3 project, was subsequently funded for development by the European Space Agency, and a first public release issued in the Spring of 2022. This calibration/validation-oriented model, aiming at high accuracy, is a European contribution towards bringing metrology to space applications. MetEOC-3 supported the design of a new radiative transfer model to enable calibration/validation activities in remote sensing. This activity, described in a January 2019 update, produced input for developing the Eradiate radiative transfer model, which since March 2019 has been funded by the European Commission through the Copernicus programme, under the supervision of the European Space Agency. Accurate radiative transfer simulation, without the headaches The first development phase of Eradiate concluded in April …

Rayference helps bring metrology to Earth observation applications with its Eradiate 3D radiative transfer simulation software Read more »

Posted on Posted in Atmospheric ECVs, Biophysical ECVs, Level 1 satellite traceability, MetEOC-4, Radiation ECVs, TRUTHS, Updates

Marking a halfway reporting milestone, on 14 September 2022 EURAMET published its MetEOC-4 Publishable Summary that highlights significant recent progress made toward the long-term objective of the MetEOC series: development of an SI-traceable climate observation system. As with preceding projects in this series, MetEOC-4 encompasses a diverse range of research activities, structured according to four themes matching a set of predefined objectives. It continues existing, and initiates new, lines of research, developing tools, methods, and infrastructure capable of assigning metrologically (SI) traceable uncertainties to data products derived from Earth Observations, with a focus on climate change. More than half of the 54 atmosphere, land, and ocean Essential Climate Variables (ECVs) rely on measurements from space. These are physical, chemical, biological, or …

Roundup of progress in first eighteen months of MetEOC-4 Read more »

Posted on Posted in Level 1 satellite traceability, MetEOC-4, Radiation ECVs, Updates

Very good agreement shown for irradiance measurements made by novel lightweight Hemispherical Blackbody infrared reference developed in MetEOC projects when compared to reference Tilted Bottom Cavity BB2007 instrument of PMOD/WRC.  Presented as an ePoster on Thursday 25 November 2021 at the the European Space Agency ATMOS-2021 conference, Blackbody Comparison Measurements for Improved Traceability of Longwave Downward Radiation Measurements (ID: 174), by Moritz Feierabend1, Julian Gröbner2, Max Reiniger1, Christian Monte1. —- Understanding climate change starts with understanding the greenhouse effect. This in turn requires knowledge about the infrared radiation that reaches the ground from the atmosphere – the so-called longwave downward radiation. Data on longwave downward radiation is being constantly collected by means of specific infrared detectors found at multiple stations around the globe. To …

Blackbody Comparison Makes Infrared Radiation Measurements of the Atmosphere More Reliable Read more »

Posted on Posted in Biophysical ECVs, meteoc-3, Updates

The European Union’s Earth Observation program, Copernicus, provides accurate, timely and easily accessible information regarding our planet and its environment. A key component of the program is the Sentinel family of satellites, developed by the European Space Agency (ESA). There are currently five missions in orbit comprising of 8 Sentinel satellites, which have objectives ranging from measuring sea levels to monitoring air pollution. One of these missions is Sentinel-3, (see figure 1), which has a primary focus to monitor the ocean and coastal areas. Currently, there are two Sentinel-3 satellites in orbit, with the first, Sentinel-3A, launched in February 2016 followed by Sentinel-3B in April 2018. A key payload carried by Sentinel-3 is the Ocean and Land Colour Instrument (OLCI), an …

MetEOC-3 provides Metrological uncertainty analysis of OLCI sensor onboard Sentinel-3 satellite Read more »

Posted on Posted in Atmospheric ECVs, Updates

A travelling reference spectrometer (TRSP) implemented in the traceability concept developed for the Network for Detection of Mesospheric Change (NDMC) within the EMRP project ENV53 MetEOC2 (D2.2.1 to D2.2.13) has reached one year of simultaneously successful operation. It continues operation alongside another Ground-based infrared P-branch spectrometer (GRIPS) at the Oberpfaffenhofen NDMC, for determining Mesosphere’s temperature traceable to the SI. Also, several GRIPS instruments from DLR were improved according to the concept developed in MetEOC2 for the TRSP to minimise thermal drifts and straylight.

Posted on Posted in Biophysical ECVs, meteoc-3, Updates

One of the goals of MetEOC-3 is to provide  traceability for estimating terrestrial biophysical Essential Climate Variable (ECV) products through in situ, airborne and satellite measurements. Satellite-derived ECV products and the algorithms they use depend on empirical in situ measurements collected on the ground, which requires long term monitoring at field sites. However, ground data collection can be highly laborious and time consuming and thus more efficient methods to produce in situ measurements are required. Drones offer a convenient measurement platform between those done on foot and from manned aircrafts. They also have the potential to provide autonomous test site monitoring and reduce laborious ground measurements requiring humans. MetEOC-3 continues the work started in the previous MetEOC projects in developing traceable …

Drone-based laser scanning and hyperspectral imaging conducted at Wytham Woods test site Read more »

Posted on Posted in Atmospheric ECVs, meteoc-3, Updates

The European reference radiative transfer model was renamed as Eradiate. Information and news about the model are available at www.eradiate.eu. In this post, we summarise the requirements elicitation process and give a brief overview of ongoing activities. A part of the activities taking place in the framework of MetEOC-3 consists in laying foundations for the development of a next-generation radiative transfer model to support calibration/validation activities. Initially simply named ER2TM, as in European reference radiative transfer model, this software package is meant to provide a reliable, extendable and comprehensive framework for radiative transfer simulation.   A new name, a new website In June 2018, the ER2TM was renamed Eradiate. This uncommon word, which has the same meaning at ‘radiate’, brings a more distinctive …

A Radiative Transfer Model For The Earth Observation Community Read more »

Posted on Posted in Updates

On Friday 13 October 2017, the Sentinel-5P satellite bearing the Dutch TROPOMI space instrument was successfully launched from Plesetsk, in Siberia. From space, TROPOMI will monitor the air quality and distribution of greenhouse gases worldwide. This groundbreaking instrument will strengthen the position of the Netherlands as a supplier of high-end aerospace instruments.   TROPOMI, which stands for TROPOspheric Monitoring Instrument, is a satellite instrument that will carry out measurements on the troposphere, the lowest layer of our atmosphere. It is capable of measuring air quality to an unprecedented degree of accuracy, and of identifying carbon monoxide, methane, nitrogen oxide, and ozone, among other things. “The launch of TROPOMI means a new standard is being set in the field of atmospheric research,” …

Tropomi measuring air quality, carbon monoxide, methane, nitrogen oxide, and ozone with unprecedented accuracy Read more »