Satellite Eye for Galathea 3 Annual Report 2006

Abstract

The Satellite Eye for Galathea 3 project is collecting satellite images from many satellites and, in particular, from the European ENVISAT satellite along the Galathea 3 global route. The expedition takes place from 11 August 2006 to 27 April 2007. Prior to the expedition several satellite images were collected from locations along the planned route. During the expedition large amounts of satellite images are collected and stored in a database. Most images can be viewed online through Google Earth along with the ship observations in near-real-time. This means that researchers onboard the ship Vædderen, pupils in the classrooms and the public at any moment can take a look at the conditions seen from the eyes of the Earth observing satellites.

Environmental monitoring from satellite is among the most important and outstanding technical developments since the last Galathea expedition in the years 1950-52. At the same time the internet has made it possible to publish the satellite images in near-real-time. Furthermore, all Danish schools and most Danish pupils have good access to computers and web connection, such that they can make use of the information in daily school life. The ESA Eduspace education is supporting Satellite Eye with the expertise and a large quantum of satellite images from Envisat ASAR and MERIS, PROBA and SPOT.

The access to satellite images form the background for the development of internet-based educational material in satellite remote sensing. The satellite images reveal conditions and dynamical processes in the oceans, the atmosphere, the land surface soils and vegetation, urban development as well as snow and ice. A series of 9 running projects (Sea surface temperature, Algae concentration, Radar images of the surface, Atmospheric pollution, Ocean wind, Weather, Ocean sea level, Harbours en route and Earthquakes and gravity) for education are prepared in Danish and English during the first year. Furthermore, 24 case studies along the Galathea route are planned, several of them in cooperation with researchers in the various Galathea 3 projects with whom we cooperate. A few case studies have been finished in year 2006 (Ocean features and oil spill, Sea and ice, Wind power in Cape Verde, Cities seen from radar). The educational material is available at the EMU. At www.satelliteeye.dk there are links to the educational material. Furthermore, the image of the week is published here.

Satellite Eye has contributed with satellite sea ice maps near Antarctica to the Navy for a safe route planning.

Satellite Eye for Galathea 3 is funded by the Egmont Fonden and the participating institutes.