GEOWOW: GEOSS Interoperability for Weather, Ocean and Water

EarthzineApplied Sciences Theme, Earth Observation, Feature, Featured Article, Original, Themed Articles

GEOWOW logo The GEOWOW project aims to improve data discovery, access and usage and evolve GEOSS in terms of interoperability, standardization and functionality while specifically addressing three key application areas: weather, water and, ocean-ecosystems. The project includes 15 international partners and is coordinated by the European Space Agency.

A GEOSS perspective on Air Quality and Health in Europe: the EGIDA Methodology

EarthzineArticles, Earth Observation, GEO/GEOSS News, Health, Original, Sections

Photo of traffic in Europe with visible fumes escaping the cars. Credit" Sergiy Serdyuk

Photo of traffic in Europe with visible fumes escaping the cars. Credit" Sergiy SerdyukThe air quality issue is a multinational concern and GEOSS seems an ideal approach for connecting existing observing systems and for sharing data globally. Experiences from previous involvements in GEOSS by the air quality communities are discussed in this article and approaches for improving their sustainable contributions are suggested.

Inquiry-to-Insight (I2I): An International Digital Environmental Education Project

EarthzineArticles, Education, Original, Sections, Technology

Cropped image of voicethreadThe Inquiry-to-Insight (I2I) project, a collaboration between Gothenburg University in Sweden and Stanford University in California, offers an educational program combining information and communication technologies (ICT), social networking Internet communities, and pedagogy directed at learning about and envisioning solutions to global environmental issues.

From Ocean Sensors to Traceable Knowledge by Harmonizing Ocean Observing Systems

EarthzineArticles, Earth Observation, Oceans, Original, Sections, Technology

Cropped image of a map of Slovenia

image showing two scuba divers performing maintenance tasks on OBSEA, located next to an artificial reef.This article provides a review of some initiatives of global and local focus and application of the Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS) guidelines to ocean observatories. The authors address scenarios in real ocean observing facilities–the European Seas Observatory Network, the European Multidisciplinary Seafloor Observation (ESONET-EMSO), the Oceanic Platform of the Canary Islands (PLOCAN) infrastructure and deep sea observatory in the Canary Islands, and the Expandable Seafloor Observatory (OBSEA) shallow water Western-Mediterranean observatory of the Technical University of Catalonia.

EuroSITES Open Ocean Observatory Network: Monitoring Europe’s Open Ocean

kate Larkin and Richard Lampitt et alArticles, Climate, Earth Observation, Ecosystems, GEO/GEOSS News, Oceans, Original, Water

EuroSITES Observatory InfrastructureThe recent oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, hurricane and tsunami disasters and ocean ‘health’ issues including ocean acidification highlight the importance of ocean observing systems. The authors provide overview current European (EuroSITES) and international (OceanSITES) initiatives and the growing need for high quality, high resolution ocean datasets to feed models and produce products and services to society.