Remedy 1: Provision of mapping tools to match satellite and non-satellite observations
Several independent tools to enable discovery-metadata visualisation and exploitation have been implemented for specific networks of the global observing system. However, their design is often driven on the basis of very specific and particular needs, using different criteria / tools, and typically including just one ECV and only one or a small subset of the available networks. Users therefore have limited access to user-friendly tools, which can be used to explore the full and comprehensive view of all the sub-orbital observing capabilities. Users thus currently have a cumbersome and time-consuming search process to complete, if they wish to understand and exploit non-satellite data to its full potential. What is required is a unified tool that provides access to all relevant discovery metadata and appropriate search functionalities to enable users to discover and access the appropriate subset of data for their needs.
One of the most apposite examples of such a tool is represented by the OSCAR (Observing Systems Capability Analysis and Review Tool) system of CEOS and WMO and in particular for the surface based capabilities, which is still under development. At its present state, this tool is focused on national operational services and does not include all the ECVs and all the existing networks. For example, many of the high quality observational facilities are not run by National Meteorological or Hydrological Services and thus are not currently catalogued via OSCAR. Moreover, satellite-observing capabilities are collected separately from in-situ under WMO. This inhibits co-exploration of satellite and non-satellite capabilities. An integrated tool able to show simultaneously all the existing non-satellite capabilities, along with the field of view of the satellite-based instruments would greatly help end-users in the design of new validation strategies and in the full exploitation of both satellite and non-satellite data. This would in turn help inform users on the available ECV measurements within different domains (atmosphere, land, and ocean) through a facilitated analysis of the geographical distribution of the full suite of networks at the global scale.
The GAIA-CLIM Virtual Observatory allows users to jointly explore data and metadata from available non-satellite and satellite observing capabilities, providing information on in-situ surface, in-situ sounding, columnar and profiling observations.
There is an interdependency between G1.03 and G1.04, and consequently with this gap, whereby the resolution of the former will aid resolution of G1.04 by providing an assessable basis with broad buy-in to classify individual contributing measurement systems
In order to allow EO providers and users to maximize the value of existing observations and implement a user-friendly mapping facility, a comprehensive review of the current observing capabilities, at both European and global scales, is needed for all the ECVs.
The availability of user tools able to jointly visualize the current satellite and non-satellite observing capabilities for measuring ECVs at the global scale has never been provided in the past. Several tools have been implemented for specific instruments or networks of the global observing system, but all of them have been designed on the basis of very specific needs, using different criteria/functionalities, and typically including just one or a few ECVs and only one or a small subset of the available networks at the global scale. They have often been designed without user consultation. This lack of integrated user tools serves to inhibit the uptake of non-satellite measurements to characterize satellite observations.