SIOS-PP: Svalbard Integrated Arctic Earth Observing System
SIOS is a Collaborative Project and Coordination and Support Actions for
Construction of New Infrastructures - Preparatory Phase - funded by EU under INFRA-2010-2.2.3.
Objectives
Understanding ongoing and future environmental and climate related changes requires an integrated - Earth System - approach, in particular in the polar regions. While Earth System Models already have reached far in the integration process, observation systems have not been developed with the same systematic approach so far. SIOS envisages to fill this gap at a regional scale by:
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Establishing an Arctic Earth Observing System in and around Svalbard that integrates and complements existing research and monitoring platforms for geophysical, biological and chemical studies with the aim to match integrated models;
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Utilizing satellite remote sensing data that are available via the Svalbard receiving stations and the space agencies using this station;
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Building up close cooperation with other ESFRI projects that plan activities in the European Arctic, existing regional research networks in the European Arctic and to pan-Arctic initiatives such as the Sustained Arctic Observing Network (SAON).
Project Summary
SIOS will:
- Assess the present infrastructure and activities to identify gaps and weaknesses in the system. Invest in additional infrastructure and activities to close these gaps;
- Organize all infrastructure and all research and monitoring activities into an optimized set of observation platforms promoting integrational approaches;
- Establish a Knowledge Centre in Longyearbyen for data assessment, integration, storage and delivery, education and outreach, cooperative efforts, and input to Earth System modeling;
- common facilities together with other environmental ESFRI initiatives as well as other Earth Observation Systems and related modelling efforts;
- Search to establish SIOS as a central ground validation node for satellite observations in the Arctic.
NERSC particpates in WP6: Data management and Utilization plan and WP7:SIOS Remote sensing strategy, WP8: Internal Integration Strategyand WP9: Intenational cooperation and integration
