Co-Chairs: Dr. Charles R. McClain NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center Code 614.8, Greenbelt, MD 20771, USA Email: Charles.R.McClain-at-nasa.gov (replace "-at-" with "@") Dr. Gerhard Meister NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center Ocean Biology Processing Group, USA Email: gerhard.meister-at-nasa.gov (replace "-at-" with "@") Dr. Paula Bontempi NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center Code 614.8, Greenbelt, MD 20771, USA Email: paula.bontempi-at-nasa.gov (replace "-at-" with "@") In terms of Level 1 requirements for ocean-colour sensors, perspectives have changed dramatically over the past decade since publication of of the first IOCCG report on "Minimum Requirements for an Operational Ocean Colour Sensor for the Open Ocean" (IOCCG Report 1, 1998). It is now possible to measure more complex ocean variables, as well as physiological features of phytoplankton using ocean-colour radiometry. For ocean biology, the minimum requirements have changed and the new generation of ocean radiometers will require many more bands, and more stringent pre-launch and on-orbit calibration procedures. This working group will develop a consensus for the minimum requirements for ocean-colour sensors that meet a broad range of user needs, and identify options to sustain long-term, global, climate research quality ocean-colour radiometry (OCR) time series from space. The IOCCG monograph on "Ocean Colour Level-1 Requirements" will be published by the IOCCG and will include observational requirements (spectral bands, data quality (cal/val), format, and reprocessing) for future OCR missions based on new research and operational needs, and gap analysis to the current situation. This report will address CEOS-GEO action number AR-09-02a_33 (Area: Architecture, Overarching Task: Interoperable Systems for GEOSS, Sub-task: Virtual Constellations). Terms of Reference The working group will address the following: Survey, delineate, and quantify the minimum current research and operational observational needs regarding ocean-colour product suites, and the associated global ocean-colour sensor and high-level system requirements (e.g., radiance accuracy, signal-to-noise ratio, etc.) for a sustained, systematic capability to estimate ocean-colour radiances and derived products from space; Review the capability, to the extent possible based on available information, of current national and international sensors in meeting sensor requirements; Identify and assess the observational gaps between current and planned sensor capabilities, identifying appropriate timelines to launch for future missions and sensors to ensure a sustained observational capability globally; Survey, delineate, and quantify the desired observational requirements for future ocean-colour sensors based on anticipated future oceanographic research and operational needs (across a spectrum of scales from basin to synoptic to local process studies), including high-level system requirements (e.g., radiance accuracy, signal-to-noise ratio, etc.); Identify and quantify minimum requirements for all aspects of satellite ocean-colour sensors, including on-board calibration options and requirements, vicarious calibration requirements, and field data validation efforts, which incorporate a mix of measurement platforms (e.g., satellites, aircraft, and in situ platforms including but not limited to ships and buoys); Identify minimum requirements for a sustained rigorous on-orbit sensor inter-calibration and data validation; data processing, re-processing, distribution and archiving. Working Group Members       Charles McClain   NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, USA       Gerhard Meister   NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, USA       Paula Bontempi   NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, USA       Steven Delwart   ESA/ESTEC, The Netherlands       Yu-Hwan Ahn   KORDI, South Korea       Hiroshi Murakami   JAXA, Japan       Menghua Wang   NOAA/NESDIS/STAR, USA       Bertrand Fougnie   CNES, France Working Groups | Home

Working Group Documents Minutes - 1st WG Meeting April 2010, Washington Presentations - 1st WG Meeting April 2010 Minutes - 2nd WG Meeting November 2010, London