ESA - Data User Element

	Permafrost Information System on Permafrost The PERMAFROST project is funded by the European Space Agency (ESA) Data User Element (DUE) program, which is a component of the Earth Observation Envelope Program (EOEP). Permafrost is one of 50 Essential Climate Variables (ECV) defined by the Global Climate Observating System (GCOS). The objective of this project is to establish systematic monitoring of permafrost based on satellite data.
	Project References
Name	Permafrost
Title	Information System on Permafrost
Programme	DUE (Data User Element)
Theme	Cryosphere Glob-series Land
Cost	€1,000k
Type	Service Demonstration
Status	In progress (01/06/2009 - In progress)
Sensors	ENVISAT : AATSR EOS-Aqua : MODIS MetOp : ASCAT
	Project Description
Web site	http://www.ipf.tuwien.ac.at/permafrost
Objectives	The main purpose of the ESA DUE Permafrost project is to define, demonstrate and validate, permafrost monitoring information service from local to large scale, mainly towards climate change studies and addressing the pan-boreal/arctic zone. The service is supposed to support the GCOS implementation plan with systematic satellite-based Earth Observations of global permafrost extent, change and related products. It should further support permafrost monitoring activities of national and intergovernmental bodies and scientific groups involved in climate change research. The goal of the Permafrost project is to demonstrate EO integrated services in the field of permafrost monitoring of the boreal zone with active participation of user organisations, mainly from the scientific world. The project shall act as a platform to users and service providers in order to harmonise information needs and develop a set of key tools to address them. The Permafrost project objectives are to: Define EO based services for permafrost monitoring based on user requirements Integrate the latest EO technology with state of the art ground based measurements Demonstrate and validate the services with the user organisations Develop mid to long term scenarios for boreal permafrost monitoring Contribute to new scientific results in the domain of climate change detection, climate modelling and hydrological modelling

Results

	Project Consortium
Prime contractor	TU Wien : Vienna University of Technology
Subcontractors	AWI : Alfred Wegener Institute GAMMA : GAMMA REMOTE SENSING A.G. University of Jena : Department of Geoinformatics and Remote Sensing, Jena University University of Waterloo : University of Waterloo, Department of Geography and Environmental Management
	User Partnership
Users	AWI : Alfred Wegener Institute Geological Survey of Canada : Geological Survey of Canada GIPL : Geophysical Institute, Permafrost Laboratory, University of Alaska Fairbanks HU-GSES : Hokkaido University - Graduate School of Environmental Science, Overseas Research and Student Exchange Promotion Office IARC : International Arctic Research Center, Univeristy of Alaska Fairbanks IPA : International Permafrost Association Lomonosov Moscow State Univesity : Faculty of Geography, Lomonosov Moscow State University Melnikov Permafrost Institute : Melnikov Permafrost Institute, Siberian Branch Academy of Sciences MPI - MDI - BGC : Biogeochemical Model Data Integration Group, Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry SHI : State Hydrological Institute St. Petersburg
	Contact Points
Project Manager	Annett Bartsch Vienna University of Technology Institute of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing Gusshaustrasse 27 - 29 1040 Vienna Austria Tel: +43-(0)1-58801-12221 Fax: +43-(0)1-58801-12299 Email: ab@aipf.tuwien.ac.at
Technical Officer	Frank Martin Seifert European Space Agency ESRIN D/EOP-SEP Via Galileo Galilei I-00044 Frascati (RM) Tel.: +39 06-941.80560 Fax: +39 06-941.80552 Email: frank.martin.seifert@esa.int

Permafrost

Information System on Permafrost