RSWG Mission Statement
A forum bringing together users and producers of ground-, satellite-, airborne- and underwater-based remote sensing resources to facilitate the usage, sharing, and calibration & validation of Arctic observations.
The RSWG directive is to
- Assess the status of the SIOS community’s satellite data and information requirements for Svalbard and the Arctic Ocean, and keep track of any relevant developments within the European Union's Copernicus programme and ESA activities;
- Assess the SIOS community’s needs for producing specific remotely-sensed data sets and decide which SIOS partners will be generating these data products;
- Work in step with the SIOS Data Management Service regarding the integration of the remotely-sensed data products in the SIOS web portal;
- Work with the appropriate agencies to promote Svalbard as a Cal/Val site;
- Serve as a forum where future research directions in Arctic satellite remote sensing are discussed.
The RSWG work programme for 2024
- Develop an execution plan for RSWG activities in 2024
- Further development of the EO and RS researcher forum on the SIOS web portal
- Develop a citizen science project for supporting cal/val activities in Svalbard
- Airborne remote sensing activities
- Training course on remote sensing for SIOS community (Permafrost)
- Contribution to international initiatives such as Copernicus, GEO etc., crossworking group activities, contribution to SIOS activities such as optimization call, facilitating outreach, social media and training activities
- SIOS webinar series and online conference on EO and RS
- Projects led by ECR Observers
- SIOS-Planet joint call – wrap-up
- Better establish Svalbard as Cal/Val site for ESA/European RS community
- Launch User requirement and Product inventory surveys
Key achievements in 2023
- Training course on Uncrewed Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) in Svalbard
- "SIOS-Planet cooperation project proposal call to demonstrate the usability of high-resolution Planet data in the Arctic" provided access to Planet satellite imagery to 11 projects
- Development of Svalbard Earth Observation and Remote Sensing Forum (to be operational in 2024)
- Served as the world's northernmost Copernicus Relay, providing a bridge between Copernicus data producers and users
- Webinars on "InSAR Svalbard Ground motion service for Svalbard" and "Citizen science in Svalbard"
