The Chairman invited four participants (Drs Croom, Cihlar, Ryder and Aschbacher) to prepare supplementary recommendations which were accepted by the panel (see Annex VII).
Based on the discussion and findings of the panel, the Chairman prepared a consolidated list of recommendations. The following recommendations were agreed by the panel:
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Recommendation 1: |
The panel advocated that its name become the Global Observing Systems Space Panel (GOSSP). |
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Recommendation 2: |
The steering committees of the three global observing systems (GCOS, GOOS, GTOS) should be invited to concur in the evolution of the space panel's role. |
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Recommendation 3: |
The space panel should focus on long-term monitoring for climate and other priority areas proposed by the three observing systems. |
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Recommendation 4: |
The panel should coordinate an analysis of user requirements based on demonstrated methodology, with meticulous quality control by experts from the data user community. |
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Recommendation 5: |
The panel should revisit the extended requirements resulting from its new remit and, in cooperation with the relevant science panels, group requirements according to the seven global observing systems space 'missions'. |
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Recommendation 6: |
The panel should define priorities in a structured way, with a balanced set of 'core' requirements, established in conjunction with the science panels for each of the seven global observing system space 'missions'. These 'core' requirements should be the main focus for comparison with the capability and availability of space assets, and should be published in the Space Plan. |
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Recommendation 7: |
A sublist of 'core' parameters (about three for each 'mission') should be established for internal use by the panel. |
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Recommendation 8: |
Agencies planning operational systems in polar orbit should be asked to move as quickly as possible towards establishing firm, fully-funded, long-term plans. In particular, space agencies should be asked to find a way to provide routine geostationary data over the Indian Ocean to match that in the rest of world. |
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Recommendation 9: |
The steering committees of the three global observing systems should make strong representations to the space agencies noting that, in the interests of the health of the planet, there is an urgent need for coordinated and coherent data policies which will facilitate the efficient use by scientists of the entire global satellite observing system. |
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Recommendation 10: |
The panel should review previous recommendations and to seek to make future recommendations more specific. |
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Recommendation 11: |
The Space Plan should be developed according to a selected set of critical 'themes' as a basis for presenting requirements. |
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Recommendation 12: |
An objective compliance analysis should be included in the revised Space Plan. |
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Recommendation 13: |
The Space Plan should outline a strategy based on an end-to-end process from the collection and production of basic data by the space agencies from earth observation satellites through the provision of data products and their subsequent dissemination. |
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Recommendation 14: |
The panel should revise and update the Space Plan, with a draft available by the middle of 1997. |
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Recommendation 15: |
The CEOS WGCV be invited to co-operate with the GOSSP to select and address significant issues. For example, Leaf Area Index, a parameter of importance to both GCOS and GTOS should be considered by the WGCV as a future project in calibration/validation. Additional parameters should be presented to the WGCV as they arise from discussions among the global observing systems and their panels. |
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Recommendation 16: |
The steering committees of the global observing systems should establish and agree to a strategy for a continuing update of their requirements, which should involve all of the science and cross-cutting panels. It is proposed that this may involve a general update every five years after 1997. |
