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Working on the eternal ice: DLR's GARS O'Higgins Antarctic station turns 25
21 December 2016
14,205 kilometres from Berlin, storms rage across the Antarctic Peninsula at speeds of up to 250 kilometres per hour. Perched on the northern tip, the German Antarctic Receiving Station GARS O'Higgins, operated by the German Aerospace Center (Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt; DLR) has defied these conditions for 25 years, operating a nine-metre antenna and staffed by a small team 365 days of the year.
EOC Participates in Chilean Antarctic Measurement Campaign
21 December 2016
The landing of two C-130 Hercules transport aircraft on a blue ice runway launched the “hot” phase of a Chilean campaign on Union Glacier end of November 2016. The team was joined by a scientist from the German Remote Sensing Data Center (DFD) “Antarctic junior scientists group”.
TIDEx Blog: Epilogue
December 12, 2016
The return flight on December 7 from Christchurch to Munich via Dubai was only normal business. The curious tension I felt 6 weeks ago when I travelled in the opposite direction towards Antarctica was gone. Now I’m sitting for already more than a week in my cosy office and have to deal only with my computer – no more ice-cold temperatures, strong winds and working with the instruments out in the field while managing the everydays life huddled together in two small tents.
TIDEx Blog: Tidy up, Relax and Travel back
November 29 – December 5, 2016
Scott Base welcomed us with all goodies of civilization: the first shower after 3 ½ weeks, proper meals and comfortable beds. It was lovely. But then duty called. We had to clean up our equipment, dispose our waste, dry the tents and store everything in the appropriate places.
DLR Science Award 2016 for IMF Scientists
01 December 2016
At the DLR annual general meeting in Bonn, Prof. Xiaoxiang Zhu and Sina Montazeri of the DLR Remote Sensing Technology Institute were honoured with the DLR Science Award 2016 for their publication, “Geodetic SAR Tomography”.
DLR and I.S.A.R. - Joint Rapid Rescue
18 November 2016
After many years of successful collaboration with the Center for Satellite Based Crisis Information (ZKI) at EOC, the aid organisation International Search and Rescue Germany (I.S.A.R.) and DLR signed an agreement on 18 November 2016, to intensify their future cooperation.
TIDEx Blog: On Darwin
05 - 28 November 2016
An EOC scientist and her New Zealand partners are presently on Darwin Glacier in the Transantarctic Mountains. The measurements they collect there will facilitate the interpretation of satellite measurements and improve understanding of the behavior of outlet glaciers. In this blog she reports about the six-week campaign on the ice.
Copernicus –Masters 2016: Beetles, Cranes and Containers
27 October 2016
The winners of the "Copernicus Masters" competition for ideas were chosen on 25 October in Madrid. Hartmut Runge of the Earth Observation Center (EOC) was again successful, this time winning two awards. The competition has the goal of promoting new applications for satellite navigation and earth observation.
“Eagle” now Launched: A New Course of Study in Applied Remote Sensing
21 October 2016
Developed and carried out under the leadership of the head of the remote sensing unit at Würzburg University and in collaboration with EOC, a new international Master of Science curriculum began this week at the Institute of Geography and Geology. EAGLE – Applied Earth Observation and Geoanalysis of the Living Environment – provides students from various disciplines with a detailed look at current research initiatives in earth observation.
Remotely Sensing the Past
18 October 2016
On 13 October 2016 archaeologists from the German Archaeological Institute (DAI) and other scientists involved in archaeological excavations learned about the work of EOC and the potential of remote sensing. This is already the second workshop on this topic in Oberpfaffenhofen.
Radar Future: Scientific Use and Potential of TerraSAR-X and TanDEM-X
17 October 2016
Since 2007 and 2010, the German TerraSAR-X and TanDEM-X satellite missions have been leaving their mark on the international research scene in the form of unique earth observation data. Scientists from all over the world gathered at the German Aerospace Center (DLR) in Oberpfaffenhofen to attend one of the periodic "TerraSAR-X and TanDEM-X Science Meetings" in order to share the results the obtained by using these data and to formulate specifications for future remote sensing technologies.
High-Tech for Humanitarian Aid Workers: Service tools for SOS Children’s Villages International
14 October 2016
Over 1.5 million children and their families are currently being supported in over 130 countries worldwide by the humanitarian aid organisation SOS Children’s Villages International. So that this organisation can offer more effective support also in areas affected by natural disasters like floods, earthquakes and forest fires, the Center for Satellite Based Crisis Information (ZKI) of the German Aerospace Center (DLR) in Oberpfaffenhofen is helping SOS Children’s Villages International to develop concepts for emergency and disaster response.
Open House 2016
10 October 2016
On 09 October 2016, DLR Oberpfaffenhofen again opened its doors to allow enthusiastic fans of aeronautics and space activities a look behind the scenes.
In Visual Contact with the Wiesn
05 October 2016
Year after year the world’s largest festival throws Munich into an exceptional state. At such mass events, on-the-spot organisers, security staff and rescue teams rely on having quick access to situational information, also from the air. The German Aerospace Center (DLR) shows how this can be done using an airborne approach, flying over the Oktoberfest with DLR’s Dornier DO 228-212 research aircraft and photographing it with a DLR camera system.
New 3D world map – TanDEM-X global elevation model completed
05 October 2016
The new three-dimensional map of Earth has been completed. Mountain peaks and valley floors across the globe can now be seen with an accuracy of just one metre. The global elevation model was created as part of the TanDEM-X satellite mission; it offers unprecedented accuracy compared with other global datasets and is based on a uniform database. The approximately 150 million square kilometres of land surface were scanned from space by radar sensors. "TanDEM-X has opened up a whole new chapter in the field of remote sensing.
Extension of an 'earthly' Earth from space - Sept. 20, 2016
20 September 2016
With a diameter of 20 metres, Earth appears to float above visitors to the Gasometer Oberhausen, while banks of clouds, days and nights – and even rain showers – flow across its surface. Over half a million people have already visited the 'Wonders of Nature' exhibition, making this display in the old industrial monument one of this year's most popular exhibitions. "People are fascinated by the opportunity to gaze at the Earth," says Nils Sparwasser from EOC.
"m4 Mountains – The Fourth Dimension": DLR publishes new book together with Reinhold Messner
15 September 2016
With a new Malik publication, "m4 Mountains – Die vierte Dimension" (“m4 Mountains – The Fourth Dimension”), the German Aerospace Center (DLR) presents another of its showcase book from the world of satellite-supported earth observation. On more than 200 pages Stefan Dech and Nils Sparwasser together with mountaineer-legend Reinhold Messner show some of our planet’s fascinating mountains in an absolutely innovative way.
HGF President visits Oberpfaffenhofen
24 August 2016
Just one year ago Prof. Otmar Wiestler was appointed new president of the Helmholtz Association of German Research Centres (HGF).
In order to become better acquainted with the members of the association he is now visiting the German Aerospace Center (DLR). He is accompanied by members of the DLR executive board and John Lewis, a member of the HGF Senate Commission.
DLR FireBIRD mission provides data of recent fires in Portugal
19 August 2016
On the night from August 7 to August 8 an emergency has been declared in the Porto region of Portugal, where wildfires spread. Over several days fires burned before it was possible to get them under control.
A 3D Model in 2 Seconds
05 August 2016
Earthquakes, landslides, tsunami and other natural disasters can abruptly change the shape of the earth’s surface. Disaster relief teams and public authorities require up to date and precise situational information as soon as possible when responding to such events. By employing an optical camera system, the German Aerospace Center (DLR) can provide timely, high-resolution 3D terrain models within seconds directly from the airplane or helicopter.
DFD-PAC Operational for Sentinel-3A and Sentinel-1A/1B
26 July 2016
Since 25 July a Processing and Archiving Centre (PAC) at DFD has been operating for three of the four orbiting Sentinel satellites. The PAC is being run on behalf of ESA for the European Commission. This is where raw data are turned into satellite image products, stored in the German Satellite Data Archive (D-SDA), and made available from there to users worldwide.
Fifteen years of disaster relief from space – global patterns and trends
15 July 2016
Today, the analysis and use of satellite images is commonplace. Just 15 years ago, however, only a handful of specialists worked with these valuable data. Since then, a particular niche expertise has rapidly developed – the use of satellite data for disaster management. An international team of experts led by the German Aerospace Center (DLR) has analysed the historical development of satellite-based emergency mapping. In the current special issue of the journal Science, the researchers are presenting global patterns alongside historic and emerging trends in this field.
Focusing on the Baltic Sea Coast
14 July 2016
The official launch of the CoastMap project took place on 5 July at EOC. CoastMap will investigate the potential of hyperspectral remote sensing for analysing water bodies and coastal regions. Using sensors with high spectral resolution makes it possible to map water depths (bathymetry) and classify ground cover.
Big Data for the Environment
13 July 2016
A new era in global environmental monitoring has begun. One of the propellers is the European earth observation programme, whose Sentinel satellite fleet is supplying an unprecedented wealth of measurements: continuously, comprehensively and free of charge. By the end of 2017, Sentinel-1, Sentinel-2 and Sentinel-3 alone will be recording a daily data volume of some 20 terabytes — 20,000 gigabytes. This massive flow of data requires new approaches to data access, processing and analysis. On behalf of the Bavarian Ministry of Economic Affairs and Media, Energy and Technology, EOC has developed and tested the required technologies together with industrial partners.
Technologies for humanitarian assistance
11 July 2016
DLR has been actively involved in humanitarian aid for many years. Alongside government partners, the private sector and scientific institutions, DLR is supporting the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) work towards a world with zero hunger. The WFP Innovation Accelerator launch event on 11 July 2016 featured top level discussions with prominent international figures to discuss the increasing importance of technology and innovation in the fight against hunger.
The Shifting Ground Beneath Our Feet – Ground Displacement Map for Germany
6 July 2016
Satellite-aided detection of ground displacement at the millimetre level is highly important for monitoring the safety of infrastructure and buildings as well as for the early identification of georisiks (landslides, earthquakes, etc.). For that reason, scientists at the German Aerospace Center (DLR), Munich Technical University (TUM) and the Federal Institute of Geosciences and Natural Resources (BGR) are closely collaborating to develop a “Ground Displacement Map for Germany”. For this innovative Idea IMF was selected as one of 100 “Outstanding Locations 2016” in the “Landmarks in the Land of Ideas” competition.
EOC Supports EU Antipiracy Project for the African East Coast
1 July 2016
Automatic Identification Systems (AIS) are already in use aboard many ships. An initiative of the European Union is now assessing the reliability of AIS information. EOC supports the project through its activities at the Maritime Safety Research Department in Neustrelitz.
50,000 Times TerraSAR-X
24 June 2016
A special kind of anniversary took place on 20 June, some 14,000 kilometres south of Germany in the Antarctic. There, at DFD’s German Antarctic Receiving Station GARS O’Higgins, the DFD crew celebrated the 50,000st TerraSAR-X orbit.
Earth observation for humanitarian aid
24 June 2016
DFD participates in the bilateral Austrian-German EO4HumEn+ project. In close collaboration with humanitarian aid organisations like Médecins Sans Frontières, SOS-Kinderdorf International, the Red Cross, and Austrian research partners, satellite-based information products will be developed and tested over the course of the next two years.
BIROS fire detection satellite successfully launched into space
22 June 2016
On 22 June 2016 at 5:55 Central European Summer Time the microsatellite BIROS was successfully launched from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in India. The satellite of the German Aerospace Center (DLR) will detect high-temperature events on Earth from an altitude of 515 kilometres. As part of the “Launch and Early Orbit Phase”, immediately after launch contact was established with the satellite from DFD’s two polar ground stations, GARS O’Higgins in the Antarctic and Inuvik in Canada’s high north.
It’s turning green and greener… EOC at Bellevue Palace Park
17 June 2016
Green roofs make cities more livable—for animals and people. Ecological niches come into being on rooftops where they filter the air, retain water, and exert a positive effect on the climate.
How many green roofs are there in German cities now? What is their distribution and where else can existing roofs be landscaped? EOC scientists considered these questions and found answers that were presented during the “2016 Week of the Environment” in the park of Bellevue palace in Berlin.
New DFD Land Use and Land Cover Map for Germany
10 June 2016
The physical and biological surface cover of the ground and the way people use the land are important for many other land surface related parameters. Scientists at the DFD work on methods for the automated derivation of land use and land cover information from multispectral satellite image time series. A detailed depiction of the land use and land cover distribution in Germany has now been created. In future this kind of information should be derived at regular intervals to answer important questions about long-term land use trend in the context of global environmental change.
PHAROS – successful demonstration of a system solution for catastrophe management
12 May 2016
The Earth trembles, rivers burst their banks and tsunamis destroy coastal regions. Natural and man-made disasters make our high technology society ever more sensitive. The current disaster management systems have the drawback that they cannot be flexibly adapted to the respective situation. Hazards and disasters have a similar course but are nevertheless different. DLR has developed a system that takes this into account. PHAROS supports crisis managers, operations managers and relief workers in every phase of disaster response.
Official Opening of the Tri-band Ground Station at DLR in Neustrelitz
09 Mai 2016
The German Aerospace Center (DLR) has initiated a new chapter in earth observation. The premier of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Erwin Sellering, and the chair of the DLR executive board, Prof. Pascale Ehrenfreund, inaugurated the operation of a tri-band ground station in Neustrelitz on 4 May 2016.
Handing Over the DELIGHT Environmental Information System to Chinese Authorities
26 April 2016
On 12 April DFD officially handed over the environmental information system DELIGHT to Chinese authorities. The transfer took place in the Dongying administrative district of Shandong Province. The district is located between Peking and Shanghai on Lake Bohai in the Yellow River estuary.
Compendium of Radar Images
25 April 2016
Although the icy landscapes of the Earth’s polar regions may seem distant to most of us, the scientific community has grown increasingly concerned about the significant warming that is occurring at the poles and has recognized the urgent need to gain a better understanding of current and potential impacts. In fact, it has been observed that the Earth’s poles are experiencing a warming effect at twice the rate of the rest of the world. Such a global issue can only be addressed through scientific leadership, research and collaboration.
A Better Life with Earth Observation
14 April 2016
From 15 April to 18 July 2016 DLR is on the lookout for creative and intriguing ideas based on the Copernicus Sentinels services, their products, or on other earth observation satellites.
For the special Copernicus Masters prize, DLR is above all looking for ideas in the category of "Environmental, Energy and Health Challenge" leading to better and safer life on Earth.
A Record: 100,000 people visit what is possibly the world’s largest globe
08 April 2016
In less than a month, 100,000 people have already viewed the earth sculpture created together with EOC at Gasometer Oberhausen. The current exhibition, “Nature‘s Wonders”, has thus broken all attendance records to date and was launched with more success than any previous Gasometer exhibition.
Bündnis 90/Die Grünen Group Visits EOC
06 April 2016
On 5 April 2016 Bundestag members Anja Hajduk and Dieter Janecek of the Bündnis 90/Die Grünen parliamentary group and Ms Sabine Nallinger, member of the board of "Stiftung 2° - Deutsche Unternehmer für Klimaschutz", a foundation of entrepreneurs for climate protection, visited EOC in Oberpfaffenhofen.
From 0 to 8000 in Five Weeks: Sentinel-3 OLCI
24 March 2016
Just five weeks after the launch of the ESA satellite Sentinel-3A on 16 February 2016, over 8000 data sets from the Sentinel-3A Ocean and Land Colour Instrument have been stored in a long-term archive at DLR’s Earth Observation Center. This data quantity exceeds 6000 gigabytes or six terabytes.
“Live” from an Earth Observation Satellite – Worldwide
18 March 2016
In only 13 minutes from satellite to image, in only 18 minutes to a ready-to-use earth observation product. For the first time, the transmission of remote sensing data using a laser beam and subsequent processing in near-real-time was demonstrated at EOC.
Possibly the world’s largest globe - March 16, 2016
16 March 2016
What is probably the world’s largest projection of Planet Earth can be seen at the Oberhausen Gasometer since 11 March. A globe with a diameter of 20 metres is suspended in the 100 metre high tower of this industrial monument as the highlight of a new exhiblt, "Nature Wonders". The animations projected on the globe were provided by EOC. In the platforms underneath, an exhibition curated by Peter Pachnicke features 150 large-format photos of animals and plants produced by leading photographers, including Frans Lanting, Rob Kesseler, Tim Flach and Anup Shah.
German Minister of the Interior Learns About ZKI
15 March 2016
Minister of the Interior Thomas de de Maizière informed himself at CeBIT about EOC’s Center for Satellite Based Crisis Information (ZKI). ZKI staff introduced their service for German federal authorities (ZKI-DE) and demonstrated how earth observation can support the work of government offices and rescue teams.
Aerial view – live from the forest fire with EOC
08 March 2016
In cases of wide-area fires it is essential to precisely locate the source of fires and the directions in which they are spreading. In a joint forest fire drill in Spain together with firefighters and forest fire experts it could be demonstrated under realistic operating conditions how airborne sensors from the VABENE++ project combined with the disaster management system of the PHAROS project can aid the firefighting effort. EOC contributed significantly to the new technology being tested.
EOC Cooperation with Costa Rica
07 March 2016
EOC and Costa Rica’s national technology centre (Centro Nacional de Alta Tecnología, CeNAT) intend close cooperation in the field of earth observation. A corresponding agreement has now been signed in Costa Rica in the presence of Germany’s Minister of Education and Research, Dr. Johanna Wanka.
Forest Fire Exercise in Catalonia – New Crisis Management System PHAROS Successfully Tested
04 March 2016
The new Crisis Management System PHAROS was successfully tested under realistic conditions during a wildfire exercise conducted from the 2nd to the 4th of March 2016 jointly with Catalan firefighters and wildfire experts. During the exercise multiple prescribed fires were set and then detected and managed using the PHAROS system.
Korean Earth Observation Data in Neustrelitz
29 February 2016
DLR and the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) signed an "Implementing Arrangement" on 23 February. In addition to scientific exchange, it also provides for Korean earth observation satellite data to be acquired by the EOC ground station in Neustrelitz and used by DLR scientists.
Sahara Dust over Southern Germany
25 February 2016
On 22 February 2016 skies in some locations of southern Germany had a cloudy yellow hue and vehicle windshields bore a fine, dusty deposit. The cause was desert sand brought by high-altitude winds from the Sahara to Europe. EOC scientists are monitoring the transport of Sahara dust with the help of satellite data and identifying the source.
Winter Without Snow – DLR analyses snow cover
23 February 2016
So far, this winter season has disappointed both skiers and winter sports localities. In many places the first snowfall was relatively late, and a mild January caused the thin white layer of snow to melt even at high altitudes. An analysis of satellite images undertaken by the EOC shows the scale of the lack of snow for all of Europe.
Waves at the Edge of Space - Measurement Campaign Successfully Completed
19 February 2016
As part of a now concluded measurement campaign in the GW-LCYCLE project, EOC scientists were able for the first time to record from an aircraft atmospheric gravity waves at an altitude of some 87 kilometres.
Safer seafaring with satellites
18 February 2016
Sailing in the regions that polar researcher Arved Fuchs is currently navigating in his ship 'Dagmar Aaen' is a not an easy task. The 'Ocean Change' expedition is travelling around the Antarctic Peninsula, stopping off at a number of research stations to investigate how climate change is impacting the local environment. The expedition receives support from the Earth Observation Center and the ship has now reached Deception Island.
High-tech Ocean Guardian Launched into Space: Sentinel-3A Keeps a Close Watch on Our Oceans
17 February 2016
The world’s oceans are the motor of Ecosystem Earth, and yet we know relatively little about them. The European earth observation satellite Sentinel-3A is supposed to change that. Yesterday, on 16 February 2016, Sentinel-3A was successfully launched at 18.57 Central European Time from the Russian space centre in Plesetsk. Some of the data collected by this satellite will be processed and archived at EOC. On behalf of ESA, DFD operates a Sentinel-3 Processing and Archiving Centre (PAC).
1 Million Gigabyte Sentinel-1
12 February 2016
In only 14 months, one million gigabytes or one petabyte of data from the European radar satellite Sentinel-1 were acquired, processed and archived at DLR’s Earth Observation Center. Sentinel-1 is the first of a whole fleet of European earth observation satellites with various sensors and specializations. On behalf of ESA, EOC manages the Sentinel-1 / Sentinel-3 OLCI Processing and Archiving Centre.
Coordinated Measuring Flights for Climate Research: Gravity Waves and Airglow
28 January 2016
Gravity waves affect the climate and our weather. For the first time, scientists at the German Aerospace Center (DLR) together with their colleagues at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Forschungszentrum Jülich, and other national and international partners were able to measure almost the entire life cycle of atmospheric gravity waves. The atmosphere researchers flew coordinated measuring flights from Kiruna in northern Sweden on two research aircraft, HALO (High Altitude LOng Range Research Aircraft) and Falcon.
Piloting from Space - EOC supports the Polarstern in the Antarctic
25 January 2016
The German research icebreaker ‘Polarstern’ is currently in the Antarctic. Expedition PS 96 is on a route through areas with huge layers of sea ice that could make trouble even for an icebreaker like the Polarstern. EOC is assisting the Polarstern to find a way through the ice by providing information products derived from radar data. This data is being received at DLR’s German Antarctic Receiving Station GARS O’Higgins, processed in near-real-time (NRT), and then delivered to users.
Satellite Remote Sensing of the Ocean Floor
22 January 2016
On 20 and 21 January 2016 the EU project “BASE Platform” (Bathymetry Service Platform) was launched at the EOC Maritime Safety Research Department in Bremen.
The project has the goal to provide online access to up-to-date, high resolution information on the topography of the ocean floor (bathymetry). Seven European companies and institutions are participating in the Horizon 2020 project, which is being supported with some two million euro. EOC is in charge of the coordination.
EOC Participates in Chilean Antarctic Measurement Campaign
21 December 2016
The landing of two C-130 Hercules transport aircraft on a blue ice runway launched the “hot” phase of a Chilean campaign on Union Glacier end of November 2016. A scientist from the EOC was involved.
Full article
DLR Science Award 2016 for IMF Scientists
01 Dezember 2016
At the DLR annual general meeting in Bonn, Prof. Xiaoxiang Zhu and Sina Montazeri of the DLR Remote Sensing Technology Institute were honoured with the DLR Science Award 2016 for their publication, “Geodetic SAR Tomography”.
Full article
“Eagle” now Launched: A New Course of Study in Applied Remote Sensing
21 October 2016
Developed and carried out under the leadership of the head of the remote sensing unit at Würzburg University and in collaboration with EOC, a new international Master of Science curriculum began this week at the Institute of Geography and Geology. EAGLE – Applied Earth Observation and Geoanalysis of the Living Environment – provides students from various disciplines with a detailed look at current research initiatives in earth observation.
Full article
Remotely Sensing the Past
18 October 2016
On 13 October 2016 archaeologists from the German Archaeological Institute (DAI) and other scientists involved in archaeological excavations learned about the work of EOC and the potential of remote sensing. This is already the second workshop on this topic in Oberpfaffenhofen.
Full article
High-Tech for Humanitarian Aid Workers: DLR develops service tools for SOS Children’s Villages International
14 October 2016
Over 1.5 million children and their families are currently being supported in over 130 countries worldwide by the humanitarian aid organisation SOS Children’s Villages International. So that this organisation can offer more effective support also in areas affected by natural disasters like floods, earthquakes and forest fires, the Center for Satellite Based Crisis Information (ZKI) of the German Aerospace Center (DLR) in Oberpfaffenhofen is helping SOS Children’s Villages International to develop concepts for emergency and disaster response.
Full article
In Visual Contact with the Wiesn
5 October 2016
Year after year the world’s largest festival throws Munich into an exceptional state. At such mass events, on-the-spot organisers, security staff and rescue teams rely on having quick access to situational information, also from the air. The German Aerospace Center (DLR) shows how this can be done using an airborne approach, flying over the Oktoberfest with DLR’s Dornier DO 228-212 research aircraft and photographing it with a DLR camera system.
Full article
A 3D Model in 2 Seconds
05 August 2016
Earthquakes, landslides, tsunami and other natural disasters can abruptly change the shape of the earth’s surface. Disaster relief teams and public authorities require up to date and precise situational information as soon as possible when responding to such events. By employing an optical camera system, the German Aerospace Center (DLR) can provide timely, high-resolution 3D terrain models within seconds directly from the airplane or helicopter.
Full article
DFD-PAC Operational for Sentinel-3A and Sentinel-1A/1B
26 July 2016
Since 25 July a Processing and Archiving Centre (PAC) at DFD has been operating for three of the four orbiting Sentinel satellites. The PAC is being run on behalf of ESA for the European Commission. This is where raw data are turned into satellite image products, stored in the German Satellite Data Archive (D-SDA), and made available from there to users worldwide.
Full article
Focusing on the Baltic Sea Coast
14 July 2016
The official launch of the CoastMap project took place on 5 July at EOC. CoastMap will investigate the potential of hyperspectral remote sensing for analysing water bodies and coastal regions. Using sensors with high spectral resolution makes it possible to map water depths (bathymetry) and classify ground cover.
Full article
Big Data for the Environment
13 July 2016
A new era in global environmental monitoring has begun. One of the propellers is the European earth observation programme, whose Sentinel satellite fleet is supplying an unprecedented wealth of measurements: continuously, comprehensively and free of charge. By the end of 2017, Sentinel-1, Sentinel-2 and Sentinel-3 alone will be recording a daily data volume of some 20 terabytes — 20,000 gigabytes. This massive flow of data requires new approaches to data access, processing and analysis. On behalf of the Bavarian Ministry of Economic Affairs and Media, Energy and Technology, EOC has developed and tested the required technologies together with industrial partners.
Full article
The Shifting Ground Beneath Our Feet – Ground Displacement Map for Germany
6 July 2016
Satellite-aided detection of ground displacement at the millimetre level is highly important for monitoring the safety of infrastructure and buildings as well as for the early identification of georisiks (landslides, earthquakes, etc.). For that reason, scientists at the German Aerospace Center (DLR), Munich Technical University (TUM) and the Federal Institute of Geosciences and Natural Resources (BGR) are closely collaborating to develop a “Ground Displacement Map for Germany”. For this innovative Idea IMF was selected as one of 100 “Outstanding Locations 2016” in the “Landmarks in the Land of Ideas” competition.
Full article
50,000 Times TerraSAR-X
27 June 2016
A special kind of anniversary took place on 20 June, some 14,000 kilometres south of Germany in the Antarctic. There, at DFD’s German Antarctic Receiving Station GARS O’Higgins, the DFD crew celebrated the 50,000st TerraSAR-X orbit.
Full article
It’s turning green and greener… EOC at Bellevue Palace Park
17 June 2016
Green roofs make cities more livable—for animals and people. Ecological niches come into being on rooftops where they filter the air, retain water, and exert a positive effect on the climate. How many green roofs are there in German cities now? What is their distribution and where else can existing roofs be landscaped? EOC scientists considered these questions and found answers that were presented during the “2016 Week of the Environment” in the park of Bellevue palace in Berlin.
Full article
New DFD Land Use and Land Cover Map for Germany
10 June 2016
The physical and biological surface cover of the ground and the way people use the land are important for many other land surface related parameters. Scientists at the DFD work on methods for the automated derivation of land use and land cover information from multispectral satellite image time series. A detailed depiction of the land use and land cover distribution in Germany has now been created. In future this kind of information should be derived at regular intervals to answer important questions about long-term land use trend in the context of global environmental change.
Full article
Handing Over the DELIGHT Environmental Information System to Chinese Authorities
26. April 2016
On 12 April DFD officially handed over the environmental information system DELIGHT to Chinese authorities. The transfer took place in the Dongying administrative district of Shandong Province. The district is located between Peking and Shanghai on Lake Bohai in the Yellow River estuary.
Full article
Compendium of Radar Images
25 April 2016
Although the icy landscapes of the Earth’s polar regions may seem distant to most of us, the scientific community has grown increasingly concerned about the significant warming that is occurring at the poles and has recognized the urgent need to gain a better understanding of current and potential impacts. In fact, it has been observed that the Earth’s poles are experiencing a warming effect at twice the rate of the rest of the world. Such a global issue can only be addressed through scientific leadership, research and collaboration.
Full article
A Record: 100,000 people visit what is possibly the world’s largest globe
8 April 2016
08 April 2016
In less than a month, 100,000 people have already viewed the earth sculpture created together with EOC at Gasometer Oberhausen. The current exhibition, “Nature‘s Wonders”, has thus broken all attendance records to date and was launched with more success than any previous Gasometer exhibition.
Full article
Bündnis 90/Die Grünen Group Visits EOC
06 April 2016
On 5 April 2016 Bundestag members Anja Hajduk and Dieter Janecek of the Bündnis 90/Die Grünen parliamentary group and Ms Sabine Nallinger, member of the board of "Stiftung 2° - Deutsche Unternehmer für Klimaschutz", a foundation of entrepreneurs for climate protection, visited EOC in Oberpfaffenhofen.
Full article
From 0 to 8000 in Five Weeks: Sentinel-3 OLCI
24 March 2016
Just five weeks after the launch of the ESA satellite Sentinel-3A on 16 February 2016, over 8000 data sets from the Sentinel-3A Ocean and Land Colour Instrument have been stored in a long-term archive at DLR’s Earth Observation Center. This data quantity exceeds 6000 gigabytes or six terabytes.
Full article
“Live” from an Earth Observation Satellite – Worldwide
18 March 2016
In only 13 minutes from satellite to image, in only 18 minutes to a ready-to-use earth observation product. For the first time, the transmission of remote sensing data using a laser beam and subsequent processing in near-real-time was demonstrated at EOC.
Full article
Possibly the world’s largest globe
16 March 2016
16 March 2016
is probably the world’s largest projection of Planet Earth can be seen at the Oberhausen Gasometer since 11 March. A globe with a diameter of 20 metres is suspended in the 100 metre high tower of this industrial monument as the highlight of a new exhibit, "Nature Wonders". The animations projected on the globe were provided by EOC. In the platforms underneath, an exhibition curated by Peter Pachnicke features 150 large-format photos of animals and plants produced by leading photographers, including Frans Lanting, Rob Kesseler, Tim Flach and Anup Shah.
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German Minister of the Interior Learns About ZKI
15 March 2016
Minister of the Interior Thomas de de Maizière informed himself at CeBIT about EOC’s Center for Satellite Based Crisis Information (ZKI). ZKI staff introduced their service for German federal authorities (ZKI-DE) and demonstrated how earth observation can support the work of government offices and rescue teams.
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EOC Cooperation with Costa Rica
07 March 2016
EOC and Costa Rica’s national technology centre (Centro Nacional de Alta Tecnología, CeNAT) intend close cooperation in the field of earth observation. A corresponding agreement has now been signed in Costa Rica in the presence of Germany’s Minister of Education and Research, Dr. Johanna Wanka.
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Forest Fire Exercise in Catalonia – New Crisis Management System PHAROS Successfully Tested
04 March 2016
The new Crisis Management System PHAROS was successfully tested under realistic conditions during a wildfire exercise conducted from the 2nd to the 4th of March 2016 jointly with Catalan firefighters and wildfire experts. During the exercise multiple prescribed fires were set and then detected and managed using the PHAROS system.
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Korean Earth Observation Data in Neustrelitz
29 February 2016
DLR and the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) signed an "Implementing Arrangement" on 23 February. In addition to scientific exchange, it also provides for Korean earth observation satellite data to be acquired by the EOC ground station in Neustrelitz and used by DLR scientists.
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Sahara Dust over Southern Germany
25 February 2016
On 22 February 2016 skies in some locations of southern Germany had a cloudy yellow hue and vehicle windshields bore a fine, dusty deposit. The cause was desert sand brought by high-altitude winds from the Sahara to Europe. EOC scientists are monitoring the transport of Sahara dust with the help of satellite data and identifying the source.
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Winter Without Snow – DLR analyses snow cover
23 February 2016
So far, this winter season has disappointed both skiers and winter sports localities. In many places the first snowfall was relatively late, and a mild January caused the thin white layer of snow to melt even at high altitudes. An analysis of satellite images undertaken by the EOC shows the scale of the lack of snow for all of Europe
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Waves at the Edge of Space - Measurement Campaign Successfully Completed
19 February 2016
As part of a now concluded measurement campaign in the GW-LCYCLE project, EOC scientists were able for the first time to record from an aircraft atmospheric gravity waves at an altitude of some 87 kilometres.
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Safer seafaring with satellites
18 February 2016
Sailing in the regions that polar researcher Arved Fuchs is currently navigating in his ship 'Dagmar Aaen' is a not an easy task. The 'Ocean Change' expedition is travelling around the Antarctic Peninsula, stopping off at a number of research stations to investigate how climate change is impacting the local environment. The expedition receives support from the Earth Observation Center.
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High-tech Ocean Guardian Launched into Space: Sentinel-3A Keeps a Close Watch on Our Oceans
17 February 2016
The world’s oceans are the motor of Ecosystem Earth, and yet we know relatively little about them. The European earth observation satellite Sentinel-3A is supposed to change that. Yesterday, on 16 February 2016, Sentinel-3A was successfully launched at 18.57 Central European Time from the Russian space centre in Plesetsk. Some of the data collected by this satellite will be processed and archived at EOC. On behalf of ESA, DFD operates a Sentinel-3 Processing and Archiving Centre (PAC).
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1 Million Gigabytes Sentinel-1
12 February 2016
In only 14 months, one million gigabytes or one petabyte of data from the European radar satellite Sentinel-1 were acquired, processed and archived at DLR’s Earth Observation Center. Sentinel-1 is the first of a whole fleet of European earth observation satellites with various sensors and specializations. On behalf of ESA, EOC manages the Sentinel-1 / Sentinel-3 OLCI Processing and Archiving Centre.
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Aerial view – live from the forest fire with EOC
08 March 2016
In cases of wide-area fires it is essential to precisely locate the source of fires and the directions in which they are spreading. In a joint forest fire drill in Spain together with firefighters and forest fire experts it could be demonstrated under realistic operating conditions how airborne sensors from the VABENE++ project combined with the disaster management system of the PHAROS project can aid the firefighting effort. EOC contributed significantly to the new technology being tested.
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Piloting from Space
EOC supports the Polarstern in the Antarctic
25 January 2016
The German research icebreaker ‘Polarstern’ is currently in the Antarctic. Expedition PS 96 is on a route through areas with huge layers of sea ice that could make trouble even for an icebreaker like the Polarstern. EOC is assisting the Polarstern to find a way through the ice by providing information products derived from radar data. This data is being received at DLR’s German Antarctic Receiving Station GARS O’Higgins, processed in near-real-time (NRT), and then delivered to users.
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Satellite Remote Sensing of the Ocean Floor
22 January 2016
On 20 and 21 January 2016 the EU project “BASE Platform” (Bathymetry Service Platform) was launched at the EOC Maritime Safety and Security Lab in Bremen. The project has the goal to provide online access to up-to-date, high resolution information on the topography of the ocean floor (bathymetry). Seven European companies and institutions are participating in the Horizon 2020 project, which is being supported with some two million euro. EOC is in charge of the coordination.
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