The Eratosthenes Centre of Excellence as a world-class Digital Innovation Hub (DIH) for EO and Geospatial Information in the Eastern Mediterranean, Middle East and North Africa (EMMENA): Joining forces in the Mediterranean

Abstract

The EXCELSIOR project (www.excelsior2020.eu) has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under Grant Agreement No 857510 and from the Government of the Republic of Cyprus through the Directorate General for the European Programmes, Coordination and Development. The EXCELSIOR project aims to upgrade the existing Remote Sensing and Geo-Environment Lab established within the Cyprus University of Technology into a sustainable, viable and autonomous ERATOSTHENES Centre of Excellence (ECoE) for Earth Surveillance and Space-Based Monitoring of the Environment. The ECoE for Earth Surveillance and Space-Based Monitoring of the Environment will provide the highest quality of related services both on the National, European and International levels through the ‘EXCELSIOR’ Project under H2020 WIDESPREAD TEAMING. The vision of the ECoE is to become a world-class Digital Innovation Hub (DIH) for Earth observation and Geospatial Information becoming the reference Centre in the Eastern Mediterranean, Middle East and North Africa (EMMENA) within the next 7 years. There are some distinct needs and opportunities that motivate the establishment of an Earth Observation Centre of Excellence in Cyprus. These are primarily related to the geostrategic location of Cyprus to solve complex scientific problems and address concrete user needs in the Eastern Mediterranean, Middle East and Northern Africa (EMMENA) as well as South-East Europe. The ECoE has the potential to become a catalyst for facilitating and enabling International cooperation in EMMENA. The starting point for fostering regional scientific collaboration and exploiting untapped market opportunities in EMMENA are several EO and RS networks, which include GEO, MEDRIN NASA, NEREUS, , GEO-CRADLE, as well as the network chains from the ECoE partners of TROPOS NOA and DLR.

The ECoE will have the following flagship equipment:
• Satellite data direct receiving station: The ECoE, in cooperation with DLR, will establish an EO Satellite Data Acquisition Station (DAS) to be able to directly receive data from EO satellite missions, which will allow Near Real Time (NRL) monitoring and thereby provide time-critical information for science and products within the receiving cone of the station, namely, over the EMMENA region. The ECoE will acquire and process data in direct pass-through mode over the Eastern Mediterranean area. Cyprus comprises a unique location for this antenna, as it will be located in the farthest South-Eastern location within the European Union, thus providing an extended coverage compared to other European antenna locations, including a wide range of data from Eastern Europe, Northern Africa and the Middle East. This includes critical real time maritime surveillance areas such as the Eastern Mediterranean, the Black Sea, the Caspian Sea, the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea.
• Ground-based atmospheric remote sensing station (supersite for aerosol and cloud monitoring): The ECoE, in cooperation with TROPOS, will establish a ground-based atmospheric remote sensing station (GBS) by consolidating all necessary infrastructure to set up a supersite for calibration/ validation, aerosol and cloud monitoring. The instruments to be installed within the GBS include a Cloudnet Station with SLDR-Cloud Radar, Microwave Radiometer, Doppler lidar and Laser Disdrometer, a PollyXT lidar provided by TROPOS, as well as auxiliary instruments for the Cloudnet station, including Ceilometer, SAEMS/DOAS and Cloud scanner.

The ERATOSTHENES CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE stakeholders hub can be used to engage in the EMMENA region more collaborations for the benefit of the citizens and the region. Indeed, this presentation shows how the EXCELSIOR TEAMING PROJECT & ECoE strategy can strengthening cooperation on earth observation in the EMMENA region. in different areas such as Climate changes, disaster risk reduction, water resources management, data analytics, energy etc.

Full text

The Eratosthenes Centre of Excellence as a world-class Digital Innovation Hub (DIH) for EO
and Geospatial Information in the Eastern Mediterranean, Middle East and North Africa
(EMMENA): Joining forces in the Mediterranean
D. Hadjimitsis ¹, G. Leventis ¹, K. Themistocleous ¹, C. Papoutsa ¹, E. Loulli ¹, M. Prodromou ¹, A. Nisantzi ¹, K. Neocleous ¹, S. Michaelides ¹, R.
Mamouri ¹, C. Danezis ¹, N. Kyriakides ¹, E. Akylas ¹, A. Anayiotos ¹, D. Makri ¹, A. Christofe ¹,M. Tzouvaras ¹, E. Evagorou ¹, C. Mettas ¹, S.
Neophytides ¹, G. Schreier ², A. Ansmann ³, G. Komodromos ⁴
¹ Cyprus University of Technology / ERATOSTHENES Centre of Excellence
² DLR - German Aerospace Center
³ Leibniz Institute for Tropospheric Research (TROPOS)
⁴ Department of Electronic Communications
Vision
The vision of the ECoE is to become a world-
class Digital Innovation Hub (DIH) for Earth
observation and Geospatial Information
becoming the reference Centre in the Eastern
Mediterranean, Middle East and North Africa
(EMMENA) within the next 7 years. There are
some distinct needs and opportunities that
motivate the establishment of an Earth
Observation Centre of Excellence in Cyprus.
These are primarily related to the geostrategic
location of Cyprus to solve complex scientific
problems and address concrete user needs in the
Eastern Mediterranean, Middle East and
Northern Africa (EMMENA) as well as South-
East Europe.
The EXCELSIOR project aims to upgrade the
existing Remote Sensing and Geo-Environment
Lab established within the Cyprus University of
Technology into a sustainable, viable and
autonomous ERATOSTHENES Centre of
Excellence (ECoE) for Earth Surveillance and
Space-Based Monitoring of the Environment.
The ECoE for Earth Surveillance and Space-
Based Monitoring of the Environment will
provide the highest quality of related services both
on the National, European and International levels
through the ‘EXCELSIOR’ Project under H2020
WIDESPREAD TEAMING.
Identity
Cyprus’s unique geostrategic position can support
Earth Observation from satellites programmes in
three continents and provide valuable services in the
satellite calibration and validation processes.
ECoE stakeholders’hub can be used to engage in the EMMENA region more collaborations
for the benefit of the citizens and the region, hence strengthening cooperation on Earth
Observation within the region. Important topics in areas like climate change, disaster risk
reduction, water resources management, data analytics, energy etc will be addressed in the
DIH.
In order to be a dynamic and innovative DIH, it will be based on two major infrastructures,
which are:
- a Satellite data direct receiving station
- a Ground-based atmospheric remote sensing station as well as additional infrastructure.
Eratosthenes Center of Excellence will create an
ecosystem which combines state-of-the-art sensing and
data management/processing technologies, cutting -
edge research opportunities, targeted education services
and promotion for entrepreneurship.
The EXCELSIOR project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under Grant Agreement No 857510.
The EXCELSIOR project has received funding from the Government of the Republic of Cyprus through the Directorate General for the European Programmes,
Coordination and Development.
Needs
▪Supersite for aerosol and cloud monitoring in the EMMENA.
▪Droughts and water shortages in the EMMENA region.
▪Rehabilitation programmes in EMMENA
▪Disaster Risk Reduction.
▪Regional Digital Innovation Hub for Earth Observation in Cyprus.
Opportunities
▪The ECoE has the potential to become a catalyst for facilitating and enabling Regional, European
and International cooperation.
▪Capitalise on the favourable environmental, weather and climatic conditions of Cyprus to conduct
cutting-edge research with impact in various sectors.
▪The development of the Government of the Cyprus space strategy can be exploited for further EO
research and applications.
▪Create a unique European capacity in Cyprus by mobilizing internal national assets and
consolidating European EO capabilities in Cyprus to serve EMMENA.
▪Availability of funding instruments for EO national and European Level.
▪Big Data management and analytics.