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A €470 million earth observation mission (BIOMASS) based on research carried out in the University of Sheffield's Centre for Terrestrial Carbon Dynamics was approved by the European Space Agency Programme Board on 7 May 2013, for launch in 2020, to measure the biomass and height of the Earth's forests, globally, at a scale of ~200 m. The twenty European member states have committed contributions to fund the mission, representing a significant reallocation of public budgets. The mission was selected as the most scientifically convincing of the six initially shortlisted in 2005 (further down-selected to three in 2009), and is the only one that will be funded. The project has already led to two European industrial consortia receiving some €5.6 million for studies to demonstrate feasibility. A further €277 million of the €470 million approved funding has been specifically earmarked for industrial spending to prepare for the mission.
Data generated by sensors on-board satellites orbiting the Earth have become extremely important to businesses and public sector organisations. They are the essential ingredient in satellite-enabled consumer services, from GoogleEarth to disaster management, insurance and agriculture. The Earth Observation Science group at Leicester has played a leading role in the transfer of cutting-edge Earth Observation techniques and know-how to the private and public sectors, enabling more businesses to use the technology for commercial gain. Leicester experience in technology translation led to its invited contribution to the UK space industry-led report to government, an Innovation and Growth Strategy for Space.
An entirely new radio location technology developed at the University of Cambridge Cavendish Laboratory underpinned developments within silicon and software company Cambridge Silicon Radio (CSR) of "Enhanced GPS" (eGPS) which has been incorporated into mobile phones, other mobile devices, and server technology. The server technology is now a central strategic element in CSR's "Location as a Service" business and by 2009 was powering 40 per cent of the available market worldwide.
Research carried out at the University of Leeds has been used to develop data sets that are now routinely used in offshore oil exploration to identify prospective areas faster, and with reduced cost. New techniques applied to satellite altimeter data have been used to compute gravity anomalies in marine areas with increased accuracy and reliability relative to earlier products. These anomalies have been developed during the REF period in association with a University of Leeds spin-out company (Getech) into a global data set, which has been sold and licensed extensively within the hydrocarbon exploration industry. The global data set has delivered economic and reputational benefits to Getech, and has been employed by oil companies in more than 50 exploration projects per year. Shell values the improved gravity data at $2.5M per project.
Urban greenspace cools cities and reduces rainfall runoff but these effects have been difficult to quantify. Ennos's research is the first to give realistic figures for the contribution of greenspace and assess its potential to climate-proof cities. Key research findings have furthered the concept of green infrastructure, influenced local and national planning policy [text removed for publication]. Novel mapping tools developed by Ennos have had international impact, including use in the city master plan for Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Community forests have altered their planting practises as a result of Ennos's research findings.
The mapping and monitoring of land cover, habitats and forest structure through satellite-based observation by government and commercial organisations around the world has been enhanced by data analysis techniques and tools developed by the Earth Observation and Ecosystem Dynamics (EOED) Laboratory at Aberystwyth University (AU). This has allowed new commercial services to be provided and has change professional working practices. The key impacts include (i) improved knowledge and information about land cover and environmental change in forest and brigalow ecosystems in Australia, supporting effective management strategies; (ii) the completion of a comprehensive digital map of habitats in Wales to inform policy-making; and (iii) the increased capacity of the global remote sensing community in forest characterisation using open source software developed by AU.
Satellite measurements of sea surface temperature (SST) make a much greater impact on weather forecasting and climate change detection since University of Southampton (UoS) research revolutionised the way SST data are processed. Multiple satellite observations can now be combined into the more complete and detailed SST maps needed by fine resolution meteorological models and used for marine industry operations. Pioneering methodology using a new shipborne radiometer tests the quality of SST maps more rigorously than was previously possible. It provides the first traceable validation of data from the UK's AATSR sensor, confirming their fundamental reliability for observing climate change.
Research by Kings' Department of Geography on the remote sensing of fire radiative power (FRP) has had a transformative impact on assessments of global wildfires and their smoke emissions. The research has been supported by the EU Framework programme and NERC's "Knowledge Exchange" and "National Centre for Earth Observation" Programmes (see list in Section 3.), and has provided new methods for estimating wildfire fuel consumption and smoke emissions to support many applications ('smoke' being a mixture of soot, greenhouse gases, and reactive gases that greatly affects Earth's atmosphere). The impact includes: (1) The delivery of real-time daily maps of global wildfire smoke emissions as part of the EU's Copernicus (formally 'GMES') Global Monitoring programme that supports real-time atmospheric modelling, forecasting and air quality early warning efforts. (2) Development of a series of new and publically available "FRP" products derived from satellite Earth Observation data and delivered direct to users worldwide. (3) Substantial changes to the design of two key 'next generation' European Earth Observation satellites. (4) FRP being included in the 50 `Essential Climate Variables' stated by the Global Climate Observing System (GCOS) as being required to support the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). In recognition of these impacts, Wooster's Research Team and collaborators (Met Office/ECMWF) were awarded the London Development Agency's Knowledge Transfer Award for Environmental Science in 2008 (NERC sponsored), and in 2011 Wooster received the Royal Geographical Society's Cuthbert Peek Award for 'innovation in applying earth observation science to monitor fires in the landscape'.
As research led by Professor Martin Siegert at the University of Bristol between 2001 and 2006 has shown, a complex, dynamic and living world exists beneath the thick ice sheets of Antarctica. These pristine aquatic environments are likely to be subject to international exploration and study for decades to come. Siegert and his team not only furthered scientific understanding of subglacial lake systems but also highlighted the potential damage to these environments during direct exploration and demonstrated the need for a formal code of conduct to protect them from contamination or undue disturbance during such work. The research was instrumental in achieving the adoption by the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting in 2011 of a code of conduct presented by the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research. The code, which is binding on the 50 nations that are signatories to the Treaty, identifies subglacial environments as being of special scientific interest and provides clear guidance to scientists on accessing these fragile ecosystems responsibly. Prior to this agreement, given that traditional deep-ice drilling techniques involve kerosene-based antifreezes, the ecosystems within subglacial lakes and their downstream catchments were in danger of being seriously compromised.
As a consequence of his research on subglacial lakes and in recognition of the impact of his work, Siegert was awarded the 2013 Martha T. Muse Prize by the Tinker Foundation (value $100,000).
Reading research has led to changes in policies and activities of national and international organisations that support the development of smallholder agriculture, particularly those who focus on provision of climate and weather information. Over the 2008-2013 period, the research has resulted in improved understanding of farmers' perceptions and information needs together with the design and implementation of methods for providing climate information services that better reflect smallholders' requirements. The research has to date had impact on the policies and activities of organisations responsible for design and delivery of climate information and services in at least 10 countries in Africa and South Asia and benefited thousands of farmers.