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Meet the future of Earth Observation: Super-Resolution Data
SUREDOS24 (Super-Resolution and Downscaling for Earth Observation and Earth Science) - provided a deep dive into how recent SR techniques are leveraging deep learning and artificial intelligence to push the boundaries of remote sensing.
Spotlight on Third Party Mission provider: GEOSAT
GEOSAT is one of ESA’s suppliers of commercial Very High Resolution (VHR) satellite imagery for rapid-response disaster monitoring and mitigation.
GEOSAT-2 Spain Coverage
The GEOSAT-2 Spain Coverage collection consists of two separate coverages of Spain, including the Balearic and Canary islands, acquired by GEOSAT-2 between March and November of 2021 and 2022, respectively. The available imagery have a geolocation accuracy of < 4 m RMSE, a cloud cover percentage of < 10 %, and were acquired at an off-nadir angle from -30° to 30°. Spatial coverage of the 2021 collection. The following product types are available: Pan-sharpened: A four-band image, resulting from adding the information of each multispectral band to the panchromatic band. The fusion does not preserves all spectral features of the multispectral bands, so it should not be used for radiometric purposes. Resolution 1 m; Bands: All. Bundle: Panchromatic (1 m resolution) + Multispectral bands (4 m resolution): five-band image containing the panchromatic and multispectral products packaged together, with band co-registration. The available processing level is L1C orthorectified: a calibrated and radiometrically corrected product, manually orthorectified and resampled to a map grid. Property Spatial Resolution Pan-sharpened 1.0 m Bundle (PAN + MS) 1.0 m (PAN), 4.0 m (MS)
PROBA-V’s companion explores low-cost remote sensing
With the launch of PROBA-V’s Companion CubeSat (PV-CC), ESA supports a future where clusters of cheaper, small satellites could complement full-scale missions for Earth observation.
Meet one of ESA's first Africa Programme Research Fellows
Research Fellow, Dr Gladys Mosomtai, from the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe), works on applying Earth observation data to better understand the spread of infectious disease in livestock, in Kenya.
PROBA-V data improve surface albedo products in Africa
As ESA’s PROBA-V satellite marks its 10-year launch milestone, data tasked during the mission’s lifetime are still being used to assess changes in land cover.
PROBA-V ‘Collection 2’ - Reprocessed Dataset available
The improved PROBA-V data (Collection 2) has been released. Data is available via the PROBA-V MEP and Terrascope platforms so users can freely exploit the data using Virtual machines, Jupyter Notebooks, and the new viewing application.
New data available: GEOSAT-2 Portugal Coverage 2021
A new collection is available to the public through ESA’s Earthnet Third Party Missions Programme: the GEOSAT-2 Portugal Coverage 2021.
Global understanding of Earth's land surfaces greatly boosted by satellite data
ESA perform land surface monitoring with a range of instruments onboard satellites acquiring optical and radar data. Collections of data from these missions are freely available for research purposes.
GEOSAT-1 and 2 ESA archive
GEOSAT-1 and 2 dataset is composed of products acquired by the GEOSAT-1 and GEOSAT-2 Spanish satellites. The dataset regularly grows as ESA collects new products. GEOSAT-1 standard products offered are: SL6_22P: SLIM6, 22m spatial resolution, from bank P SL6_22S: SLIM6, 22m spatial resolution, from bank S SL6_22T: SLIM6, 22m spatial resolution, 2 banks merged together. GEOSAT-1 products are available in two different processing levels: Level 1R: All 3 Spectral channels combined into a band-registered image using L0R data. Geopositioned product based on rigorous sensor model. Coefficients derived from internal and external satellite orientation parameters coming from telemetry and appended to metadata. Level 1T: Data orthorectified to sub-pixel accuracy (10 metres RMS error approximately) with respect to Landsat ETM+ reference data and hole-filled seamless SRTM DEM data V3, 2006 (90 m). The use of the GCPs, it is not automatic, as it is done manually, which gives greater precision. (GCPs by human operators). GEOSAT-2 standard products offered are: Pan-sharpened (HRA_PSH four-band image, HRA_PS3 321 Natural Colours, HRA_PS4 432 False Colours): a four-band image, resulting from adding the information of each multispectral band to the panchromatic band. The fusion does not preserve all spectral features of the multispectral bands, so it should not be used for radiometric purposes. Panchromatic (HRA_PAN): a single-band image acquired by the panchromatic sensor. Multispectral (HRA_MS4): a four-band image acquired by the multispectral sensor, with band co-registration. Bundle (HRA_PM4): a five-band image contains the panchromatic and multispectral products packaged together, with band co-registration. Stereo Pair (HRA_STP): The image products obtained from two acquisitions of the same target performed from different viewpoints in the same pass by using the agility feature of the platform. It can be provided as a pair of pan sharpened or panchromatic images. GEOSAT-2 products are available in two different processing levels: Level 1B: A calibrated and radiometrically corrected product, but not resampled. The product includes the Rational Polynomial Coefficients (RPC), the metadata with gain and bias values for each band, needed to convert the digital numbers into radiances at pixel level, and information about geographic projection (EPGS), corners geolocation, etc. Level 1C: A calibrated and radiometrically corrected product, manually orthorectified and resampled to a map grid. The geometric information is contained in the GeoTIFF tags. Spatial coverage: Check the spatial coverage of the collection on a map available on the Third Party Missions Dissemination Service. As per ESA policy, very high-resolution imagery of conflict areas cannot be provided.
An overview of the GEOSAT-2 high-resolution mission
The GEOSAT series consists of two very high-resolution satellites, capable of acquiring sub-metric multispectral images. The missions are part of ESA's Third Party Missions programme, and GEOSAT-2 is summarised in our latest infographic.
Satellite data boost global understanding of land surface
Understanding our changing land surface is essential in the study of climate change. Satellites are used to monitor changes to the material that covers Earth’s surface, so-called land cover, such as vegetation and water.
GEOSAT-2 full archive and tasking
GEOSAT-2 full archive and new tasking products are available in different bands combinations: Pan-sharpened (4 bands, 321 Natural Colours or 432 False Colours): A four-band image, resulting from adding the information of each multispectral band to the panchromatic band. The fusion does not preserves all spectral features of the multispectral bands, so it should not be used for radiometric purposes. Resolution 1m (L1B), 0.75m (L1C) or 0.40m (L1D); Bands: All, R-G-B or Ni-R-G Panchromatic: Single-band image coming from the panchromatic sensor. Resolution 1m (L1B) or 0.75m (L1C) Multispectral: Four-band image coming for the multispectral sensor, with band co-registration. Resolution 4m (L1B) or 3m (L1C) Bundle: Panchromatic + Multispectral bands: five-band image containing the panchromatic and multispectral products packaged together, with band co-registration. Resolution 1m+4m (L1B), 0.75m+3m (L1C) or 0.40m+1.6m (L1D); And in addition: Stereo Pair: Obtained from two acquisitions of the same target performed from different viewpoints in the same pass by using the agility feature of the platform. It can be provided as a pair of pan-sharpened or panchromatic images. The image products are delivered in GeoTIFF image format by default. JPEG-2000 format is also available on demand. Available processing levels are ortho-ready L1B (not resampled) and ortho L1C (orthorectified and resampled ). In addition, for Pan-sharpened and Bundle, also L1D (enhanced ortho) super-resolution products are available: based on artificial intelligence, this technology increases the original resolution and detail of an image without losing quality with respect to the original product. Product Type Processing Level and Spatial Resolution Spectral Bands L1B (orthoready) L1C (ortho) L1D (Enhanced Ortho) Pan-sharpened 1.0 m 0.75 m 0.4 m All R, G, B NI, R, G Pan 1.0 m 0.75 m Only Pan band MS 4.0 m 3.00 m Only MS band Bundle (PAN+MS) 1.0 m (P), 4.0 m (MS) 0.75 m (P), 3.0 m (MS) 0.4 m (P), 1.6 m (MS) All As per ESA policy, very high-resolution imagery of conflict areas cannot be provided.
An overview of ESA's Third Party Missions programme
ESA’s Third Party Missions programme consists of almost 50 satellite missions, which are owned by organisations around the world. ESA has agreements with these organisations to acquire, process, and distribute data from their missions
1 km resolution aerosol optical thickness retrieved from PROBA-V
The ESA SPAR@MEP project aims to deliver a long-term data record (LTDR) of aerosol optical properties and surface reflectance from SPOT-VGT and PROBA-V observations.
PROBA-V - ESA's vegetation monitoring mission
ESA's vegetation-monitoring mission - Proba-V - will end operations in June 2020 after seven years.
PROBA-V 1 km, 333 m, and 100 m products
The PROBA-V VEGETATION Raw products and Synthesis products provided coverage of all significant landmasses worldwide with, in the case of a 10-day synthesis product, a minimum effect of cloud cover, resulting from selection of cloud-free acquisitions during the 10-day period. It provided a daily coverage between Latitudes 35°N and 75°N, and between 35°S and 56°S, and a full coverage every two days at the equator. The VEGETATION instrument was pre-programmed with an indefinite repeated sequence of acquisitions. This nominal acquisition scenario allowed a continuous series of identical products to be generated, with the goal to map land cover and vegetation growth across the entire planet every two days. Level Synthesis Resolution resolution (m) Reflectance Level-1C n/a TOA Level-2A n/a 100 m TOA 333 m TOA 1 km TOA Level-3 S1 100 m TOA TOC TOC NDVI 333 m TOA TOC 1 km TOA TOC S5 100 m TOA TOC TOC NDVI S10 333 m TOC TOC NDVI 1 km TOC TOC NDVI Raw Products Overview Product Description Level-1C Level-1C segments (P – product): Radiometrically corrected Level-1B data, in raw sensor geometry (unprojected) Contains: - Top Of Atmosphere reflectance in the four spectral bands - Longitude/latitude information for every pixel - Geometric viewing conditions - Information on the status map (indicating missing and interpolated measurements). Format: HDF5 & GeoTiFF Level-2A Level-2A segment: projected Level-1C (P–product) data, radiometrically and geometrically corrected. Contains: - TOA reflectance values in the four spectral bands without atmospheric correction being performed - Information on the status map (containing identification of radiometric quality, snow, ice, shadow, clouds, land/sea for every pixel) - Geometric viewing conditions Plate carrée projection (EPSG:4326) with spatial resolution of 100 m, 333 m and 1 km Format: HDF5 & GeoTiFF Synthesis Products Overview Level-3 S1 = daily, S5 = 5 days, S10 = decade Different spatial resolution: 100 m, 333 m and 1 km Divided into so called granules, each measuring 10 degrees x 10 degrees, each granule being delivered as a single file Plate carrée projection (EPSG:4326) Format: HDF5 & GeoTiFF Products Content TOA - Top Of Atmosphere reflectance in the four spectral bands (no atmospheric correction applied) - Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) -Information on the composite status map (containing identification of snow, ice, shadow, clouds, land/sea for every pixel) - Geometric viewing conditions & date and time of selected measurement TOC Level-2A segment: projected Level-1C (P–product) data, radiometrically and geometrically corrected. Contains: - Top Of Canopy (ground surface) reflectance in the four spectral bands, the atmospheric correction being performed using the SMAC (Simplified Method for Atmospheric Corrections) algorithm - Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) - Information on the composite status map (containing identification of snow, ice, shadow, clouds, land/sea for every pixel) Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) from Top Of Canopy product (SMAC algorithm for atmospheric corrections applied) - Geometric viewing conditions & date and time of selected measurement TOC NDVI Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) from Top Of Canopy product (SMAC algorithm for atmospheric corrections applied)
VH-RODA and CEOS SAR workshop
The workshop provided an open forum for the presentation and discussion of current status and future developments related to the calibration and validation of space borne very high-resolution SAR and optical sensors and data products.
GEOSAT-1 sample data
Download free GEOSAT-1 sample datasets to preview products available for this mission.
PROBA-V Mission Exploitation Platform (MEP)
The MEP PROBA-V addresses a broad vegetation user community with the final aim to ease and increase the use of PROBA-V data by any user.