GeoChronos: A Platform for Earth Observation Scientists

Slide 1: GeoChronos A platform for earth observation scientists Arturo Sánchez-Azofeifa, Ph.D. Centre for Earth Observation Sciences University of Alberta Edmonton, Alberta arturo.sanchez@ualberta.ca

Slide 2: Challenges of the 21st Century to Environmental Research  Our environmental work has global connotations and linkages. Site base observations can no longer be isolated, but must be linked to planetary responses.  We are now confronting high volumes of new satellite and field data at multiple temporal and spatial scales.  Development of new wireless sensing technologies allow for unprecedented monitoring capabilities, without a sufficient cyberinfrastructure in place.  Need for fast, integrated access to information by earth observation scientists interested on quantifying large and local landscape changes.

Slide 3: GeoChronos: Building on Partnerships  Canada:  Latin America  University of Victoria  Inter American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI)  University of Alberta  Universidad Federal de Minas  Cybera Gerais, Brazil  USA:  Universidad de Montes Claros, Minas Gerais, Brazil  SpecNet (Spectral Network)  Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciales (INPE), Brazil  Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico (UNAM)  Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI)

Slide 4: MODIS Land Products • Ecosystem Variables – Vegetation Indices – Leaf Area Index (LAI) and Fractional Photosynthetically Active Radiation (FPAR) – Vegetation Production – Net Primary Productivity (NPP) Challenges: Validating MODIS Products with a multi-scale data system that links to ground/real-time observations.

Slide 5: Near-Real Time Remote Sensing: MODIS

Slide 6: GeoChronos-IAI-Tropi-Dry: Realtime phenology monitoring MODIS Terra A.M. MODIS Aqua P.M. MODIS Realtime: March 19, 2008

Slide 7: TROPI-DRY: Real time Monitoring Real time PAR Strong need to link field observations with remote sensing in real time.

Slide 8: Non Parametric Seasonal Kendall Test for Trend Length of dry season: Statistically significant positive trend. Length of Growing Season: Statistically significant negative trend.

Slide 10: GeoChronos and Cybera Summary  Our join work has helped to reduce processing time from weeks to days.  Faster interaction with partners and real-time monitoring processes without the need of expensive field seasons.  More time on data analysis than on data processing.