The 12th Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) Science Team Meeting

--Toru Kawakami (kawakami@ersdac.or.jp), ERSDAC (Earth Remote Sensing Data Analysis Center>

The 12th ASTER Science Team Meeting was held December 3 - 6, 1996, at the Pacifico Yokohama Conference Center in Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan. There were approximately 100 participants representing the ASTER Science Team, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) ASTER Science Project, the Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), the Earth Remote Sensing Data Analysis Center (ERSDAC), the Japan Resources Observation Systems Organization (JAROS), the ASTER Ground Data System (GDS) Project, the instrument vendors, and the Japanese algorithm development contractors. The four-day meeting was composed of two plenary sessions and several individual Working Group meetings.

Plenary Session I, Tuesday Morning, December 3

H. Tsu (ERSDAC), ASTER Science Team Leader, welcomed the participants and opened the Plenary Session. Tsu reported that the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was concluded between MITI (Japan) and NASA (USA) on November 7, 1996. He discussed the ASTER Science Team current status and the Future Tasks schedule. There were six topics:

• Algorithm and Science Software Development (Standard Data Products)

• Requirements of the ASTER GDS and EOSDIS Designs

• Analysis of Instrument Proto Flight Model (PFM) Test Data

• Calibration/Validation Activities

• Mission Operations

• ASTER Announcement of Opportunity (AO) Plan

• AM-1 is on schedule for a June 1998 launch

• ASTER MOU is signed

• Last instrument accommodation meeting (October 1996)

• Operations Interface Control Document (OICD) is in draft form; target for signature is mid-January 1997

• Mission Operations Review (November 20-21, 1996)

• Master Schedule for the EOS AM-1 spacecraft

H. Watanabe (ERSDAC) presented an update of the ASTER GDS Development Status. He presented the major milestones achieved during FY 1995 and 1996 and talked about major issues and decisions reached: single xAR Data Base, use of the EOSDIS Core System/Instrument Support Terminal (ECS/IST), use of the IWRS (Instrument-stick World Reference System), etc. He reported on delivery of the science software: Atmospheric Correction, Decorrelation Stretch, etc., from the U.S. Science Team; Level 1, Temperature-Emissivity Separation (TES), Digital Elevation Model (DEM), and Level 3 software from the Japanese Science Team. He explained the ASTER gateway architecture overview and the WWW browser service of the Information Management System (IMS). He also explained the Level 1 product status.

M. Pniel presented EOSDIS replanning and its impact on ASTER. The distribution of data products by EOSDIS may start 6 months after the launch in June 1998, because the development schedule of EOSDIS was delayed about 5 months. However, an interface test between EOSDIS and ASTER GDS will be carried out on schedule. He explained that the delivery schedule of Science Software version 2.0 will be postponed to January 1998.

A. Kahle summarized the discussions of the SWAMP Meeting that was held in October 1996 including:

• Lunar Calibration Plan

• Necessity of presenting early results of ASTER products after launch

• Rejection of more-frequent orbit corrections

Y. Yamaguchi (Nagoya University) summarized the Operations and Mission Planning Working Group (OMPWG) ad hoc meeting that was held October 30 - November 1, 1996, at ERSDAC in Tokyo. The main topics of the meeting included:

• xAR allocation and tracking (xAR is generic for any data acquisition request)

• Data Acquisition Request/Science Team Acquisition Request (DAR/STAR) cut-off

• Prioritization function

• Running simulation

• Mission analysis

• Prioritization of Level 1B processing

• Map projection vs. Path oriented

• LTIP (Long-Term Instrument Plan)

• Instrument Support Terminal (IST) development

• Revised AO plan

M. Pniel reported on the action items of the OMP WG ad hoc meeting.

H. Fujisada (Electrotechnical Laboratory [ETL]) reported on the Level 1 ATBD Update (V. 3) at the "EOS ATBD Review" in December 1996, and he presented the ASTER Level 1 algorithm and software development status. His presentation included:

• Delivery of the V. 2 algorithm (document) to the ASTER GDS (end of December 1996)

• Delivery of the V. 2 software to ASTER GDS (end of March 1997)

• ATBD (V.3) status

• Issuance of Level 1 data products specification (V. 2) (September 5, 1996)

S. Tsuchida, Geological Survey of Japan (GSJ) and T. Matsunaga (GSJ) reported on the results of measurements of the EOS Field Campaign, May 28 - June 9, 1996, at the Lunar Lake, Railroad Valley, and Cuprite sites, Nevada, U.S.

Y. Yamaguchi reported on the update of the ASTER Announcement of Opportunity (AO). The first preliminary investigation under the ASTER AO will begin in April 1997, and a full announcement may be made after completion of the preliminary investigation.

Y. Yamaguchi reported on the development and update of the Global Data Set Prioritization Map (Ver. 2). He announced that any Working Group (WG) is permitted to draw its additional requested area on this version of the Global Prioritization Map during this meeting. He reported that the final version of this map will be forwarded to the ASTER GDS by the end of March 1997.

G. Geller (JPL) reported on the Quality Assessment (QA) information for each ASTER Higher-Level Data Product (HLDP). He announced that Working Group co-chairs should present the summary of their discussions at the HLDPWG session, and raise any issues that are of interest to a wider group. He also announced to each WG that unless the WGs provided updated information, only the QA shown here will be coded at JPL, and noted that if there are issues that linger after this meeting (action items, etc.), any resulting changes must be received no later than February 28 to guarantee inclusion in the launch version of the U.S. software.

D. Noss (Arizona State University) reported on his DAR (Data Acquisition Request ) entry tool in detail. He announced that his tool is available now on his web site.

H. Tsu asked each working group to discuss the following issues:

• The process for the map-oriented products

• Requirements for ASTER GDS and EOSDIS designs

• Plan for the updates of Calibration/Validation Plan documents

• Plan for STAR and population of the xAR data base

A. Kahle also announced the following topics:

• QA wrap-up

• Regional monitoring candidates

G. Geller (JPL) presented Quality Assessment (QA) close-out. He told the WGs that a goal of QA activities for this meeting is to close all remaining issues in the QA definition area. The deadline for any changes or additions to the launch version of U.S. software and the definition of metadata is February 28, 1997.

M. Kudoh (JAROS) reported on the Development of the ASTER Instrument Project. He said that the results of the PFM Test for ASTER subsystems showed no problems, and the ASTER System Test is still checking out detail. The ASTER instrument will be delivered to the U.S. by the end of January 1997.

The first plenary session was followed by a short tour to observe the ASTER instrument at the NEC Yokohama Factory on December 3.

On December 4, demonstrations of the ASTER (GDS) scheduler and the IST (Instrument Support Terminal) were given at the Information and Mathematical Science Laboratory, Inc., in Ikebukuro, Tokyo.

Plenary Session II, Friday Afternoon, December 6

K. Arai (Saga University) reported that the Radiometric Calibration Working Group (CAL WG) plans the next vicarious calibration activity at the Lunar Lake/Railroad Valley areas as an EOS Field Campaign, accompanied by airborne data acquisition during June 16-20, 1997.

H. Fujisada (ETL) summarized the Geometric Validation Plan, the Ground Control Point (GCP), and the Level 3 (Ortho image) Product on behalf of the Geometric/Level 1 Working Group. His presentation included:

• Geometric Validation Plan of U.S. and Japan

• GCP Preparation Plan of U.S. and Japan

• Level 3 (Ortho image)

• ATBD update

• Development Status of Level 1 algorithm/software

• Level 1 Data Product specification (V. 2)

• Level 1B parameters (default, constraint)

Y. Yamaguchi reported on the discussions of the OMPWG in the meeting. His presentation included:

• Long-Term Instrument Plan (LTIP) to be finalized in February 1997

• Instrument Support Terminal (IST) and Scheduler demonstration
  • Comments to GDS by December 20, 1996

  • GDS will respond to the comments and questions by January 31,1997

• Global mapping update
  • Concept of Parameter Layer agreed upon

• Resource allocation and tracking
  • DAR/STAR definition discussed (DAR-Local, STAR-Local, STAR-Regional and STAR-Global)

• Alpha Version Priority Function
  • Function form and subfunctions proposed (data collection category, user category, clouds, urgency, etc.)
• File format for Scheduler

• Initial checkout concept

• Scheduler performance

• DAR/STAR database population
  • All ASTER members are encouraged to access Noss's xAR editor and to input DAR/STAR

• Use of cloud simulation by Scheduler

H. Murakami (Geographical Survey Institute) summarized DEM-related activities and Validation Sites.

F. Palluconi (JPL) presented the agenda and a summary of the Atmospheric Correction Working Group meeting. The topics included:

• ATBD Reviews (August 1996 Revision of ATBDs)
  • Surface radiance/reflectance

  • Polar cloud mask

• Algorithm development and schedules
  • V. 2 editions to be delivered in January 1997

  • Refined development of Adjacency Effect is underway

  • Adding Doubling Method to be used in Japan

• Field Campaign results
  • Difference between groups in the top-of- atmosphere radiance greater than 5% at all wavelengths (VNIR/SWIR)

  • Calibration of TIMS on U.S. Department of Energy Cessna Citation is altitude dependent (2 K; 2-8 km) (TIR)

• Alternate method for deriving surface temperature
  • An alternate method of obtaining surface temperature using ASTER data only is being developed. (Method depends on identifying and using gray pixels at different temperatures within a scene)

• Quality Assurance
  • Questions were raised about the handling of "Alerts"(e.g., trigger on bad pixels and failed pixels)

S. Rokugawa (University of Tokyo) presented the agenda and a summary of the Temperature-Emissivity Separation (TES) Working Group meeting. The topics included:

• The result of the ATBD for T/E Separation
  • Available on the home page, August 16, 1996

• The current update of the TES code and the simultaneous estimation of atmospheric correction and TES parameters
  • Updated algorithm will be provided to GDS by the end of December 1996 Action Items (A/I)

  • Prototype TES code (final version) will be provided by the end of March 1997 (A/I)

• TES code status
  • Coding (for QA and spatial cases), complete in June 1997

• The current status of cloud classification algorithm
  • Testing under several conditions and no major change in code

• The clarification of input uncertainties and the visual effects of the uncertainties on TIMS data
  • Further discussion is required for the 2nd QA plane of surface kinetic temperature

  • Comments on visual effects of uncertainty (noise handling, etc.)

• Bit assignments and the definition of each bit were fixed

• Japanese request to U.S. team
  • Transfer "Fine Cloud Classifier" to Japanese team

S. Rokugawa (University of Tokyo) presented the agenda and a summary of the Airborne Working Group meeting. The topics included:

• Summary of an ASTER Airborne Flight in Nevada

• The TIMS flight in 1996, and MASTER update

• The five-year aircraft plan for validation
  • Flight campaign twice a year

• Thermal Emission and Analysis Software Environment (TEASE)

T. Schmugge (USDA Hydrology Laboratory) presented the agenda and a summary of the Ecosystem Working Group meeting. The presentation included:

• Global wetland mapping

• Scaling Vegetation-Soil-Water (VSW) index between ASTER and MODIS

• Arid-land vegetation coverage

• Agricultural land use mapping

• ASTER coral reef data product and remote sensing

• Coral reef database

• Some results of the Jornada Field Experiment

• Regional monitoring sites in U.S., Australia, and Japan

• Need criteria for procedures for evaluating regional monitoring sites

• QA--add flag for water vapor amount to indicate magnitude of atmospheric correction in TIR radiance product

M. Kishino (The Institute of Physical and Chemical Research) presented the agenda and a summary of the Oceanography Working Group meeting. The presentation included:

• The upcoming ERIM talk in March in Florida at the Marine and Coastal Environment Meeting

• Validation and DAR inputs

• Turbidity analysis by Landsat/TM

• 1995/96 sea-truth campaigns in Lake Shinji, Japan

• Present status of Satellite Oceanography in Japan

• QA number of cloud pixels for the Polar Cloud product

M. Urai (GSJ) presented the agenda and a summary of the Geology Working Group meeting. The presentation included:

• Global mapping prioritization update

• Regional mapping plans for volcanoes, glaciers, fluvial effects, and landslides

• Research plan with ASTER (Spectrum)

• xAR input for Scheduler

• Validation plans

• ASTER simulation datasets

• QA-related items

G. Geller (JPL) reported on the agenda and gave a summary of the Higher Level Data Product Working Group (HLDPWG) meeting. The presentation included:

• Generic Header
  • Work needed to complete definition; discussed Generic Header off-line

• Validation and Test Site plans (overview and discussion )
  • By next Team meeting, need to have validation campaign schedule with specific dates for aircraft support

• Quality Assessment Close-out reports
  • TES WG finalized structure of second QA plan; added 4 items of metadata, and defined 3 alerts

  • Atmospheric Correction WG defined 2 types of alerts; user and algorithm developer

  • DEM WG reported no change for QA items

  • Geology WG reported no change for a D-stretch product, and more work planned for Cloud product

• Dummy pixels added to the first QA data plane

• Overview of U.S. HLDP QA processing procedures

Y. Ninomiya (GSJ) reported on the agenda and summarized the Spectral Library Committee meeting. The presentation included:

• Japanese status of Spectral Data Base architecture

• Discussion of the Spectral Library Page in JPL's new ASTER Web Site

• Research activities of the collaborative 1996 Australian Field Campaign by CSIRO and GSJ

M. Pniel invited the attendees to the next ASTER Science Team meeting scheduled to be held May 20-23, 1997, at the EROS Data Center in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, U.S.A.

The meeting was closed by A. Kahle, who called this a significant and productive meeting in which many issues were resolved in off-line splinter meetings as well as in the scheduled on-line meeting.