The aim of this study was to explore and consolidate the possible sources of methane (CH₄) biases in retrievals from thermal infrared (TIR) sensors, to establish necessary actions and perform the related work for mitigating biases. The study distinguisged three types of error sources: spectroscopic knowledge and input data to radiative transfer models (RTM), forward model errors, and instrument biases.

For achieving this goal, the study addresses three main objectives, corresponding to three identified tasks:

Over the last decades, the spaceborne remote sensing community has been focused on the development of imaging radars at RF frequencies such as S-band, L-band, C-band and X-band.

ITU regulations currently permit the use of Ka-band for active spaceborne microwave remote sensing but only few missions are considering applying this frequency band such as the SARAL mission with the ALtiKa instrument (launched 2013).

The use of analytics functions with EO and non-EO data will bring the following benefits:

• Capacity to characterize the vulnerability of assets/population using selected available models (TBD: GEM-like)
• Capacity to produce risk maps using multi hazard (floods and landslides), exposure and vulnerability information
• Capacity to generate loss mapping (e.g. estimation of monetary losses from potential affected building in an area) integrating selected available financial risk model

Features:

Hybrid infrared detector arrays combing a sensitive diode layer bonded to a CMOS readout circuit are baselined for many current and upcoming Earth Observation missions. This activity aims to develop a breadboard, using a custom ASIC, capable of providing the necessary clocks and bias voltages to operate the detector as well as providing 4-channel video processing and digitisation, leading to a two-chip (Control ASIC + hyrbid detector) detection system. The design will be split to allow separate or combined use of bias and clock generation and video processing and digitization functions.

Developing a high-performance, but low cost satellite with very high resolution products would open the Earth Observation market to a new audience, creating a path for new applications and ultimately encouraging competitiveness.

These products are currently not often covered by the space industry and access is very limited. As such a new low cost satellite, with turnkey technology could open the market considerably. A new activity, with GSTP Element 2 and Spain, has developed a spacecraft to do just that. 

The objective of this study was to use experimental observations of the ionosphere collected in the past years to assess the performance of climatological ionosphere models, with the focus on scintillation models. This analysis has been performed in order to evaluate the ability of these climatological models to properly support ESA's future needs, to identify weak areas, to propose recommendations for improvements and to implement these improvements whenever possible in existing models.