Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy and the Super Science Initiative.
AusCover
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Sign-up for the AusCover Data Users Workshop, 8 March 2012, Brisbane, Queensland. |
The AusCover Facility is a national expert network providing Australian biophysical map products and remote sensing data time-series, and associated field calibration and validation data at continental scales.
The Facility comprises a portal for data archive and access, and field instrumentation that makes calibrated satellite data and ground-validation information directly available online to the terrestrial ecosystem research community. AusCover is also developing a consolidated repository and meta-database, including standard processing and validation methods for specific biophysical land cover products and basic processed time-series biophysical image maps. This will involve processing of medium resolution satellite data from national archives, as well as data from current and future satellite acquisition, supported by a national system of instrumented field validation sites.
Coordinated by CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research, AusCover supports a nationally consistent approach to delivering and calibrating/validating key current and future core satellite datasets. The primary goal is to assist with producing ecosystem science data products designed specifically for Australian conditions. This is done by connecting relevant remote sensing science groups and their activities, providing infrastructure to make the connection and support data collection, calibration, validation and documentation.
Linking with field activities in other TERN Facilities and the Australian Terrestrial Ecosystem Data Portal, AusCover is providing researchers with data to answer the following questions:
- How do key environmental variables change over space and time?
- What environmental variables drive change in ecosystems, how can they be quantified?
- What are the optimum scales of observation for linking cause-and effect changes in ecosystems?
- How reliable are the AusCover data sets, and what image and ground-based measurements are needed to make them useful for identifying, attributing and quantifying environmental change?
- What are the key drivers of diverse ecosystems, both natural and impacted, and how can we further our understanding of the terrestrial nutrient cycles and the maintenance of biodiversity, water quality and mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions?
The data sets served by AusCover at continental and site scales represent key environmental variables required by the ecosystem science and management communities in Australia.
Biophysical image map data sets produced by the AusCover Facility
Biophysical image map validation data sets: shows how these will be calibrated and validated from field based infrastructure and activities
AusCover's Data Sets
DATA SET |
DATA DESCRIPTION |
| LAND SURFACE CHARACTERISTICS | |
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VEGETATION |
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| Land Cover – Leaf Area Index (LAI) | Vertically integrated measure of the amount of green leaves in a canopy. |
| Land Cover – Fractional Cover (FPAR) | Fraction of photosynthetically active radiation intercepted and absorbed by vegetation. |
| Land Cover – Foliage Projective Cover (FPC) | Horizontal area of ground occupied by vegetation (trees, shrubs, grasses). |
| Land Cover Fractions (Green/Brown/Bare Soil) | Proportion of horizontal area of ground occupied by green vegetation dry/litter and bare ground. |
| Burnt Area | Horizontal area of ground occupied by burnt vegetation and/or soil. |
| Structure | Average vegetation height per pixel. |
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SOIL |
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| % cover of bare ground | Horizontal proportion of ground occupied by exposed soil. |
| Moisture content | Concentration of water in soil surface. |
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SURFACE ENERGY INTERACTIONS |
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| Reflectance | Standard images showing amount of reflected sunlight in specific spectral bands. |
| Albedo | Modified reflectance product to represent the ‘albedo’ of a surface, as used in surface energy and climate models. |
| Bi-Directional Reflectance Distribution Function (BRDF) | Modified reflectance product, showing reflectance as a function of solar illumination geometry and senor viewing geometry. |
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ATMOSPHERE |
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| Selected solar radiation variables | Amount of various forms of solar radiation. |
| Selected atmospheric gas and aerosol properties | Concentrations of selected gases (H2O, CO2) and aerosols in the atmosphere for use in atmospheric correction of image data. |
Facility Director:
Dr Alex Held
CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research
E:
www.auscover.org.au
Workshop Archive
Visible Infrared Imager Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) workshops on new remote-sensing software, 6-8 February 2012, Perth
VIIRS workshop, 13-15 February 2012, Melbourne
If you are in Adelaide on Tuesday 27 March, you might be interested in attending The ACEAS Great Debate as a prelude to the TERN Symposium.
Registration to the 3rd TERN Annual National Symposium is now open. Program and registration information are on the symposium webpage.
TERN's AusCover Facility is holding a Data Users Workshop in Brisbane on 8 March. Visit the web page for links to the program and information on how to register.
TERN's AusPlots Sub-Facility is holding a Field Method Training workshop at the Renmark and Calperum Station Supersite in South Australia, 4-9 March. Limited places available, so get in quick!
In our December newsletter the TERN Director summarises — and celebrates — the huge effort that has gone into creating the TERN network so far. We introduce you to the complex world of the Australian Supersite Network. At workshops in Adelaide and Perth, TERN facilities work with various collaborators; we invite you to get involved in TERN; and there's some wild talk. You'll have to read the newsletter to find out more.
New research supersite will tell woodlands climate story (media release)
What would it take to get you to share (both deposit and use) data in TERN facility portals? If this question interests you join our discussion on LinkedIn.
