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The first thunderstorm of the Pretoria summer season coincided with the start of WGISS 28 - the 28th meeting of the Working Group on Information Systems and Services. WGISS is a working group within the Committee of Earth Observations Satellites (CEOS). CEOS in turn, is the earth observation satellite arm of the Group on Earth Observations.
WGISS 28 was held at the CSIR in Pretoria
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Hosted by two units of the CSIR (the CSIR Satellite Applications Centre
and the CSIR's Meraka Institute), the five-day event drew 35
representatives from nine space agencies worldwide. These experts met
from 28 September to 2 October 2009 to discuss 'work in progress' on
ways to achieve sharing of data, information and technical know-how.
Terence van Zyl of the ICT for earth observation research group has been an active member of WGISS since 2007 and led the CSIR team responsible for organising the event in Pretoria. His responsibilities included liaison with the WGISS chair, Martha Maiden, to ensure that the agenda set for the five days covered the necessary aspects to achieve progress, both on technology and applications.
WGISS Chair Martha Maiden of NASA complimented the CSIR on its
arrangements for the event. She explained, "WGISS meetings are held
twice a year at different locations throughout the world and are
essential in finding ways to manage and distribute standards for
interoperability of data. It's all about finding ways to process data so
that it can be better used by everyone. Our aim is to generate datasets
for multiple uses around the world. In this way, we can work to the
benefit of society at large."
WGISS focuses on technology and applications in response to Group on
Earth Observations (GEO) activities. Data in this context are seen as a
vital contribution to information services and knowledge in support of
the GEO societal benefit areas, notably water, weather, ecosystems,
disasters, biodiversity climate, agriculture, health and energy.
Learning about best practices plays a big role in supporting global efforts such as the Global Earth Observation Systems of Systems (GEOSS). Maiden pointed out that methods employed in Africa for fire fighting, such as the CSIR's Advanced Fire Information System (AFIS), can be shared with other countries.
Different categories of earth observation data can be used to generate information, which in turn, makes planning and execution of human responses far more effective. By studying the colour variations of flood waters, and combining it with health data, it becomes possible to predict outbreaks of malaria and cholera. Data on the soil moisture index can be used to assess the impact of drought.
WGISS participants are committed to data democracy; data, information, technical skills and grid computing capabilities are shared freely. The term, 'data democracy', was coined by the CSIR as the title of its special project during its year as CEOS chair and has since become a mantra among research and development communities in the earth observation domain. The concept promotes collaboration on projects for the common good.
In a telling example of how this principle can be put to great effect, scientists from around the world sent data to peers in charge of disaster relief efforts in China, following the Wenchuan earthquake of 2008, the 19th deadliest earthquake of all times.
Maiden hands over the chair to Dr Pakorn Apaphant of the Thai space agency, GISTDA (Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency) at the next WGISS meeting planned for May 2010 in Bonn. Van Zyl will carry on serving as a member of WGISS. "The CSIR continues to support the WGISS agenda by supporting GEO and find ways of working together to achieve tangible outcomes and deliverables," he confirms.
Raoul Hodges of the CSIR Satellite Applications Centre confirmed this sentiment, "Through applications of space science and technology, we have the potential to find solutions to the many challenges facing our planet. WGISS is one such an undertaking that does just that and I wish all the participants - current and future - all the best."
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