Remote Sensing

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Remote Sensing the First Australian Decadal
Plan for Space Science 2007-2016

• National Committee for Space Science
• (Iver H. Cairns, Charlie Barton, David Cole,
  Peter Dyson, Brian Fraser, Alex Held, Andrew
  Parfitt, Malcolm Walter, and Bob Vincent)

• What is Space Science?
• Intentions for the Decadal Plan
• Process
• Science Themes
• Importance to/of Australian Remote Sensing
• Summary Call for Input.

FNRSS Workshop 22/11/06
See www.physics.usyd.edu.au/ncss for Plan
status and documents.
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I. What is Space Science?

• Science of solar system phenomena and objects.
• Science of space science from space

• Everything above the tropopause.

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What is Space Science?

• Space Science includes
• space physics and space weather
• remote sensing of Earth from orbit
• planetary geology
• astrobiology
• space technology

Astronomy ?? extra-solar system, Earth Sciences
?? surface and below.
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II. Intentions for the Decadal Plan

• National Committees of the Australian Academy of
  Science aim to
• Foster their area/field of science (and others)
• Link Australian and international scientists in
  the area.
• NCSS intends the Decadal Plan to
• Present exciting, widely-agreed, visionary
  research themes and projects directed towards
  longterm scientific goals of the Australian space
  science community.
• Link the research and goals with the interests
  and requirements of Australian constituencies
  Government, Industry, wider scientific community,
  and public.
• Build a sustainable world-class community of
  Australian space scientists.
• Develop and optimize the space science community
  for the nations benefit.
• Be the official position of the space science
  community and Academy on major science and
  funding projects.
• Lead to increased Government funding of space
  science.

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Space A Priority for Australia Senator Grant
Chapman SPAG December 2005

• Space technologies are essential to resolve
  vital national interest issues which span
  services used by industry, government citizens
  national security, water .. mining, ..
  transport.
• Currently we are operating in a high-risk
  environment. Even the temporary loss of many key,
  space-based services would damage the nation.
• Of top 26 nations by GDP only 2 have no space
  program Australia (14) and Mexico (11)
• In ASEAN Australia one of few without a space
  program.
• In this environment the Decadal Plan is a huge
  opportunity to advance space science.

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III. Process (see www.physics.usyd.edu.au/ncss)
Remote sensing

• Steering Committee final responsibility for the
  development, writing, approval, and publication
  of the Decadal Plan.
• Working Group researches a specific component of
  the Decadal Plan and then provides
  recommendations (e.g., priority research topics,
  ideas, and projects) and draft text for the
  Plan to the Steering Committee.
• Now writing Draft Plan refining inputs (early
  to mid 2007 release).

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Participants
Auspace Australian Antarctic
Division ANU British Aerospace
Australia Bureau of Meteorology Bureau of Rural
Science Cisco Systems
COSSA CRCSI
DSTO Geoscience
Australia Gravitec IPS Radio and Space
Services La Trobe University Macquarie
University University of Adelaide University
of Newcastle University of NSW University of
Queensland University
of Sydney University of South Australia
University of Southern
Queensland University of Technology,
Sydney University of Western Australia Vipac

WA Department of Land Inform.
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Working Group Names Contacts

• Decadal Plan Steering Committee. Chair Iver
  Cairns, i.cairns_at_physics.usyd.edu.au
• Remote Sensing of Earth from Space Chair Alex
  Held, alex.held_at_csiro.au S. Barrell (BoM), B.
  Carter (USQ), M. Hill (B. Rur. Sci.), A. Lewis
  (GA), A. Milne(UNSW), S. Phinn(UQ), R. Smith (WA
  Dept. LI), P. Woodgate (CRCSI)

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IV. Science Themes

• Global Science Themes Longterm Vision Big
  Picture Questions

Science Projects Facilities
Links and Benefits to Government Industry
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Global Science Themes (draft)

• (i) Sun and Space to Earth (SSE)
• Understand how activity on the Sun and
  in space develops throughout the solar system and
  affects humans and human technology.
• (ii) Plasma to Planets (P2P)
• Understand evolution from plasma dust to the
  present-day Sun, Earth, and other solar system
  bodies and then beyond.
• (iii) Observing Australia, Earth and Planets from
  Space
• Remotely sense and then model the
  atmosphere, climate, oceans, surface, life, and
  geology of Australia, Earth and other planets and
  solar system bodies.
• Life and Technology in Space (LIFTS)
• Understand the effects of spaces harsh
  environment on life and technology, developing
  space technology, and consider how life evolved
  on Earth and perhaps elsewhere?

RS
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Example Connection between Solar Activity
Remote Sensing
Atmosphere, ionosphere, environment, minerals,
space weather ..
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V. Importance to/of the Australian Remote Sensing
Community

• New opportunity to change lack of Australian RS
  instruments missions in space.
• We have advanced instrumentation capability.
• Our scientific strengths interests include
• Quantitative atmospheric measurements
• Climate variability and change (e.g., greenhouse)
• Surface environment (water, bio, mineral)
• Oceans
• Geological aspects
• Life and human influence.
• Related Government industry interests.

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Lightning-1 -2 Concept

• Dynamics of equatorial to high-latitude
  ionosphere atmosphere
• Lightning, sprites global
• electrodynamic circuit.
• Greenhouse gases climate change, local and
  large-scale measurement verification.
• Remote sensing Australia
• Gravimetric magnetic maps of Australia
  (geodesy, minerals..)
• Demonstrate Australian technologies (electric
  propulsion, spacecraft/comms, instruments)
• Beacon for ionospheric radars

L2
L1

• 1 equatorial,
• 1 highly inclined.
• 250-1000 km altitude
• (alterable)
• Upgradable

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What Remote Sensing Do You Want to Do in Space?

• Science? Instruments? Missions?
• What can the Decadal Plan do to help you?
• For now prefer existing or cheap instruments
• (lt 2-10 M so missions lt 20M).
• Talk to or email alex.held_at_csiro.au or
  i.cairns_at_physics.usyd.edu.au

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VI. Overview Call for Input

• NCSS is developing the first Australian Decadal
  Plan for Space Science 2007-2016,
  www.physics.usyd.edu.au/ncss .
• Draft Plan likely early 2007, then a Townhall
  revision community approval meeting.
• Plan must excite, energise, link, and redevelop
  the Australian space science community, as well
  as provide very strong national benefit.
• Remote sensing is a vital part of Space Science
  and the Decadal Plan theme OAEPS is strongly
  remote sensing.
• More input desired from Remote Sensing community
• Do you like the Lightning-1 and -2 concepts?
• Tell us what (i) you want to do and (ii) the Plan
  can do to help you science, instruments .
• Help the Remote Sensing WG be ready for the
  Plan.

Join the circulating email list to keep
informed.
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Flagship Octant

• 1/8 Worlds surface Radar, optical/IR, GPS TEC
  scints,
• magnetometer, digisonde, solar radio, and
  radio comms.
• Study Sun-Earth connections space weather from
  Sun to magsphere
• to ionosphere/ground on a global basis (pole ?
  equator).

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• Connection to FedSat and international
  space/ground networks
• Provide vital ionospheric info for SKA, NTD, MWA
  etc. (justify in Oz).
• Provide ionospheric, atmospheric, and comms info
  (and cover) for
• national security, plus associated high-tech
  training.
• Major industry benefits and high-tech products
  for export.