ITU Activities in Remote Sensing

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International Telecommunication Union
ITU Activities in Remote Sensing
Alexandre VASSILIEV Study Group Counsellor
Radiocommunication Bureau Phone [phone]
24 E-mail alexandre.vassiliev_at_itu.int
Wind Scatterometer (active sensor)
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Why the ITU?
ITU related parts (ICT)
spectrumradio techn.
World Weather Watch System(World Meteorological
Organization (WMO))
radiocommunicationstelecommunications
information technogies
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Tsunami Detection and Prediction System

• Deep-ocean Assessment and Report of Tsunami
  (DART) system

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ITU Overview 192 Member States 700 Sector
Members
Plenipotentiary Conference
World Telecommunication Development Conference
ITU
World Standardization Assembly
Helping the World Communicate
Radiocommunication Assembly World
Radiocommunication Conference
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ITU and Remote Sensing

• Plenipotentiary Conference 2006 (PP-06) -
  Resolution 136 The use of telecommunications/info
  rmation and communication technologies for
  monitoring and management in emergency and
  disaster situations for early warning,
  prevention, mitigation and relief to support
  .. the use of telecommunications/ICTs (e.g.
  remote sensing)

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Development Sector and Remote Sensing (1)

• World Telecommunication Development Conference
  2006 (WTDC-06) - Resolution 34 The role of
  telecommunications /information and communication
  technology in early warning and mitigation of
  disasters and humanitarian assistanceRelated
  Study Question ITU-D 22/2 Utilization of ICT for
  disaster management, resources, and active and
  passive space-based sensing systems as they apply
  to disaster and emergency relief situations

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Development Sector and Remote Sensing (2)

• ITU-D
• assists developing countries in the use of remote
  sensing information for disaster prediction,
  detection and mitigation
• represents ITU at different forums related to
  disaster management and the use of ICT
• organizes seminars and workshops on the use of
  ICT in general and remote sensing in particular
• ITU-D Study Group 2 carries out studies and
  develops report on the use of remote sensing for
  disaster prediction, detection and mitigation
  (see at http//www.itu.int/ITU-D/study_groups/SGP
  _2006-2010/SG2/SG2-index.html)
• etc.

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Telecommunication Standardization Sector and
Remote Sensing

• Telecommunication Standardization Sector
• Developing Recommendations related to the use of
  telecommunicaiton networks for disseminating
  information including remote sensing data. ITU-T
  developed Recommendation ITU-T X.1303 (see at
  http//www.itu.int/rec/T-REC-X.1303/en) on the
  Common Alerting Protocol (CAP). CAP was agreed in
  2004 as an international standard.

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Bandwidth and Remote Sensing Precision
Sri Lanka East Coast after tsunami 26 December
2004 Envisat Advanced Synthetic Aperture Radar
(SAR) image
SARs provide Earths images (through clouds
too). SAR resolution (as well as precision of
many sensors) depends on bandwidth. For example
- 1 meter resolution at 30? incidence angle
requires 300 MHz.
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XV World Meteorological Congress, 2007

• In Resolution 3
• Re-affirmed the crucial importance of RF bands
  for meteorological and related environmental
  operations and research, and for disaster risk
  reduction
• Stressed that some RF bands are a unique natural
  resource for passive sensing that deserve
  absolute protection
• Urged all Members to do their utmost at national,
  regional and international levels to ensure the
  availability and protection of suitable RF bands
• Appealed to ITU and its Administrations to ensure
  the absolute protection of the passive sensing RF
  bands, and to give due consideration to the WMO
  requirements for RF allocations and regulatory
  provisions

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Radiocommunication Sector and Remote Sensing (1)

• Recognizing that the radio frequency spectrum is
  a critical resource for remote sensing the World
  Radiocommunication Conference 2007 (WRC-07)
• considered (with positive results) 4 main issues
  directly related to remote sensing (including
  extension of bands for some active sensors)
• approved 5 new Resolutions concerning new studies
  relevant to remote sensing
• included 4 items in the draft of WRC-11 Agenda on
  the use and further development of remote sensing
  systems.

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Radiocommunication Sector and Remote Sensing (2)

• ITU-R
• allocates (through WRC) necessary radio-frequency
  spectrum and provides regulatory protection to
  remote sensing systems
• carries out studies and develops ITU-R
  Recommendations, Reports and Handbooks (together
  with WMO) on remote sensing (ITU-R SG 7 see at
  http//www.itu.int/ITU-R/index.asp?categorystudy-
  groupslinkrsg7langen)
• participates in different conferences, seminars
  and workshops on remote sensing
• cooperates with other UN organizations
  (especially with WMO), international and national
  space and meteorological agencies
• etc.

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Cooperation with Other Organizations

• World Meteorological Organization (WMO)
• United Nations Office for Humanitarian Affairs
  (OCHA) and other UN offices
• Group on Earth Observation (GEO)
• International Amateur Radio Union (IARU)
• Space Frequency Coordination Group (SFCG)
  international and national space agency group
• International and national space and
  meteorological agencies/organizations
• Partnerships with international and national
  satellite organizations/operators/companies
  (INMARSAT, ICO, Thuraya, etc.)..
• etc.

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Conclusion

• Remote sensing is the essential tool for
  prediction, detection and relief from natural and
  man-made disasters
• Remote sensing systems are key global assets that
  serve the world as a whole
• It is very important to provide and protect
  necessary spectrum, as well as radio and
  telecommunication infrastructure, for obtaining
  and disseminating remote sensing data
• ITU plays a major role in developing technical
  and regulatory background for further evolution
  of remote sensing systems, as well as promoting
  their use for the interests of all countries