Earth observation data management
The Commission's Joint Research has published an invitation to tender for services in the field of earth observation data management for the Centre for Earth Observation (CEO). The CEO programme of the European Commission aims at enhancing European-wide communication in the exchange of information and data between earth observation service providers and users. The following five services are required: - RGC 1/96: Earth observation data management - review of current practices and recommendations for CEO standards: Within the user support component of the programme, guidelines and standards are required for data quality labelling and management procedures. A study is required to review current practices in both Europe and internationally, and to then determine CEO recommended standards and procedures to be provided as a series of user guides; - RGC 2/96: Data and information modelling for the CEO Enabling Services: The CEO Enabling Services will handle quantities of data and information, in various formats, including various interactions. A study is required to analyse the data and information that the CEO will need to handle. Data and information design methodologies shall be used; - RGC 3/96: Catalogue Interoperability Protocol (CIP) - "Release A" demonstrator: Within its Enabling Services, the CEO has identified the need for interoperability between established and future earth observation catalogues. This interoperability shall be achieved through a Catalogue Interoperability Protocol (CIP), developed under the framework of the international Committee on Earth Observation Satellites (CEOS). The European Space Agency has recently issued the "Release A" of the CIP specification. Based on this specification, the proposed study shall generate a functional demonstrator of this CIP "Release A"; - RGC 4/96: Rationale for, and implications of, a long-term European Digital Data Archive (EDDA) for earth observation: One of the main preoccupations of users is the provision of long-term archives of data and information, especially for the environmental and climate research disciplines. A study is required of the scientific, technical and financial issues involved in the provision of a long-term archive of earth observation data. An inventory of candidate data for archiving shall be made. The final report of the study shall contain sufficient technical and financial elements to support an informed debate on the subject; - RGC 5/96: Earth observation data utilization - inventory of current algorithms, models and software: Within the user support component of the programme, data utilization is hindered by poor knowledge of, and access to, appropriate tools. A study is required to provide an inventory of current algorithms, models and software related to earth observation data usage. On an applications basis, pointers and links shall be established to assist the communications between service providers and users, and gaps in meeting user requirements shall be identified. Proposals can be made for either one or more of the studies mentioned above but proposals and costs must be kept separately. Requests for tender documents should be sent to: European Commission Mr. P. Churchill Joint Research Centre TP 441 I-21020 Ispra Tel. +332-785425; Fax +332-785461 E-mail: ceo-wwwadm@jrc.it Completed proposals should be sent to the same address.