DUE Permafrost - Implementation of an operational satellite data based permafrost monitoring service

01.06.2009 - 31.03.2012
Assigned research project
The DUE PERMAFROST project is funded by the European Space Agency (ESA) Data User Element (DUE) program, which is a component of the Earth Observation Envelope Program (EOEP). Permafrost is a by GCOS identified Essential Climate Variable (ECV). The objective of this project to identify and assess permafrost relevant Earth Observation (EO) products and to establish a permafrost monitoring system based on satellite data. Latest EO technology will be integrated and the service demonstrated and validated in close cooperation with user organizations. Mid to long term scenarios for pan-boreal/arctic permafrost monitoring will be developed. The Permafrost Information System of the DUE Permafrost will comprise tools for integration of existing EO products. It will allow the derivation of value added products which are relevant to Permafrost distribution and active layer dynamics by synergistic use of the different datasets. This information system will have an interface with a spatially distributed model of permafrost dynamics (GIPL) and will be also tested with e.g. MATSIRO (as part of coupled atmosphere-ocean global climate models) and the ecosystem model LPJ. The consortium is led by the contractor I.P.F, Vienna University of Technology and is supported by four partners (Gamma Remote Sensing - Switzerland, University of Waterloo - Canada, Jena University - Germany, Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research - Germany) in order to meet the requirements set forward in the ESA Statement of Work. www.ipf.tuwien.ac.at/permafrost

People

Project leader

Project personnel

Institute

Contract/collaboration

  • European Space Agency

Research focus

  • Environmental Monitoring and Climate Adaptation: 100%

Keywords

GermanEnglish
ErdbeobachtungEarth Observation
KlimawandelClimate Change
PolargebietePolar Regions

External partner

  • University of Waterloo
  • Alfred Wegener Institut für Polar- und Meeresforschung
  • Gamma Remote Sensing Research and Consulting AG
  • Friedrich Schiller Universität Jena

Publications