The document discusses the challenges of integrating big data in the Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS), highlighting the importance of data sharing principles for societal benefits. It presents economic benefits from open data policies and outlines plans for future activities related to space and security, including stakeholder engagement and technical assessments. The document emphasizes the need for coordinated earth observations to inform decision-making for disaster resilience and critical infrastructure protection.

1. Big Data Challenges in Building a Global
Earth Observation System of Systems
(GEOSS)
Big Data in Secure Societies Workshop
Brussels, Belgium
18 October 2016
Barbara J. Ryan
Director, GEO Secretariat

2. We came all this way to explore
the moon, and the most important
thing we discovered was the
Earth.
— William Anders (1968)
Apollo 8 Astronaut

3. Observations – In, On, and Around the Earth

4. To realize a future
wherein decisions and actions,
for the benefit of humankind,
are informed by
coordinated, comprehensive & sustained
Earth observations & information.
GEO Vision

5. Integrating Earth Observations across Many
Platforms and Domains to Benefit Society

6. 8 Societal Benefit Areas

7. 103 GEO Members

8. 103 Participating Organizations

9. Providers
Application
Developers
Users
GEOSS Common Infrast.
GEOSS Applications
GEOSS ApplicationsGEOSS Applications
GEOSS Applications
… .
Domain A
Domain B
Domain K
… .System i
System
3
System
4System
1
System
2
System
j
… .
System
1
System
4System
3
System
2 … .System
z
System
1
System
4System
2
System
3

11. Yearly Queries of the GCI
410.967
2.556.138
4.293.124
0
500.000
1.000.000
1.500.000
2.000.000
2.500.000
3.000.000
3.500.000
4.000.000
4.500.000
5.000.000

12. Brokering Organizations

13. GEOSS Implementation Requires:
Data Sharing Principles
• Full and Open Exchange of Data -- Open by Default
• Data and Products at Minimum Time Delay
and at Minimum Cost
• Free of Charge or Cost of Reproduction

14. .
Before Open-Data Policy: 53 scenes/day
After Open-Data Policy: 5,700 scenes/day

15. .
Annual Economic Benefit
USA $1.70 B
International $400 M
Global Total $2.1 B

16. Source: Geoscience Australia
Australian Data Cube
‘Cubing’ Landsat Images

17. Source: Geoscience Australia
Data Cube Application
National Flood Risk Information Portal Australia

18. • Water detection
• 15 Years of data from LS5
& LS7(1998-2012)
• 25m Nominal Pixel
Resolution
• Approx. 133,000 individual
scenes in ~12,400 passes
• Entire archive of 1,312,087
tiles => 21x1012 pixels
visited
• 3 hrs at NCI (elapsed time)
to compute
Source: Geoscience Australia
Data Access and Analysis
Continental Surface Water

19. Development of capabilities and solutions to enhance:
– The resilience of society against natural and human-
induced disasters;
– The protection of critical infrastructures; and
– The efficiency in tasks related to border and maritime
surveillance as well as to civil protection and
humanitarian aid.
GEO Space and Security Community Activity

20. Progress in 2016
• Announced the Space and Security Community Activity (CA):
– ESA-SatCen-JRC Big Data from Space Conference;
– ESA Living Planet Symposium;
– ESA EO Open Science Conference;
– SatCen Big Data in Secure Societies Workshop); and
– A number of other events (e.g. the SatCen Expert User
Forum).
• Explored synergies with H2020 projects (e.g. BigDataEurope
and EVER-EST) and ensured SatCen participation in the
H2020 NextGEOSS project (which will start at the end of
2016).

21. Plans for 2017
• Early 2017 - Organisation of a limited event with participation from EU
Member States and other key entities;
• Early-mid 2017 - Identification of preliminary user requirements and
needs in the Space and Security domain;
• Mid-late 2017 – Assessment of technical solutions in the framework
of relevant H2020 projects; and
• Late 2017 - Organisation of an open event with the participation of key
stakeholders in the Space and Security domain.

22. Countries have borders;
Earth observations don’t.
Barbara J. Ryan
Director, GEO Secretariat
Adapted from NY Times
September 2015

23. GEO-XIII Plenary
St. Petersburg, Russia
9-10 November 2016
http://www.earthobservations.org
Twitter: @geosec2025 @barbararyangeo
Facebook: Group on Earth Observations