UCL DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL, ENVIRONMENTAL
AND GEOMATIC ENGINEERING
Programme(s): MSc Remote Sensing
Academic Year: 2010/2011
Module Title: Global Monitoring of Environment and Security
Module Code: CEGEG044
Credit Points: 7.5
Term: 1
Brief Description:
To define the objectives of a GMES system within the context of the GEOSS (Global Earth
Observation System of Systems) and its nine societal benefit areas. To describe the scientific
underpinning for many of these societal benefit areas, including improved weather forecasting, the
monitoring of climate change and the monitoring and prediction of natural hazards. To investigate the
needs for EO monitoring of human security concerned with transmigration of people, diseases and
animals and what remote sensing tools and techniques exist to address these needs. To study the
requirements for accurate calibration and validation of instruments to be able to address the needs of
GMES, especially related to long-term monitoring. To describe the fundamental principles of data and
system inter-operability and to explore the role of OGC protocols within GMES. To assess the
progress of the GEOSS 10 year Implementation Plan in the context of international programmes.
Aims & Learning Outcomes:
Students will be introduced into the fast-evolving world of the international GEO and the EU GMES
which will be the future cornerstone of Europe’s role in Earth Observation. As well as background
information on the programmatics and jargon alphabet soup, students will be introduced to a brief
overview of Earth System Science, novel remote sensing techniques, new EO data products from
current and future missions, especially ESA Earth Explorers and the GMES Sentinels.
Module Coordinator:
Module Team:
Professor Jan-Peter Muller
JPM
jpm@mssl.ucl.ac.uk
(UCL Space and Climate Physics, MSSL)
Dr Mathias Disney
MD
mdisney@geog.ucl.ac.uk
(UCL Geography)
Dr Seymour Laxon
SWL
swl@cpom.ucl.ac.uk
(UCL Earth Sciences, CPOM)
Pre- and Co- Requisites:
Pre-requisite(s) for this module:
Co-requisite(s) for this module:
Introductory courses to remote sensing
None
University College London Gower Street London WC1E 6BT
Tel: +44 (0)20 7679 2740 Fax: +44 (0)20 7380 0453
http://www.ge.ucl.ac.uk
Teaching Outlines:
Term 1
Week:
AM/PM: Content:
Earth system science and first order
climate models, Climate change and
the role of anthropogenic cf. natural
sources, global warming and current
unknowns in the system. International
scientific programmes, GEOSS and
GMES.
Climate prediction: methods and
models. Current limits in understanding.
Role of remote sensing in climate
modelling. Current and future EO
systems, especially ESA and NASA.
Physical parameters from EO sensors :
Earth radiation budget and solarterrestrial connections,cloud properties.
Global warming mini-debate. Physical
parameters from EO sensors : Socioeconomics from night-time lights; land
cover, especially urbanisation and
urban heat islands.
Principles of Radar Altimetry
Physical parameters from EO sensors :
Global topography for disaster
management and planning including
volcanic ash and solid earth surface
Physical parameters from EO sensors:
Human security and the role of
automated mapping. SST and LST
from Thermal Infra-Red
9-11
Wk 11
Wed
10/11/10
14-16
Wk 14
Tue
30/11/10
11-13
14-16
9-11
Wk 14
Wed
1/12/10
14-16
Wk 15
Wed
8/12/10
Wk 16
Wed
15/12/10
Wk 16
Thu
16/12/10
Duration: Staff:
Room Type: (i.e.
Lecture/Practical)
2 hours
JPM
Lecture
2 hours
JPM
Lecture
2 hours
JPM
Lecture
2 hours
SWL
Lecture
2 hours
JPM
Lecture
2 hours
JPM
Lecture
9-11
Radar altimetry of ocean, land and
marine ice
2 hours
SWL
Lecture
14-16
Velocity structure of ice-sheets
2 hours
SWL
Lecture
14-16
Biophysical properties of the land
surface
2 hours
MD
Lecture
14-16
Role of calibration/validation and GIS in
GMES
2 hours
MD
Lecture
Coursework Details:
Coursework No.:
Not applicable
Week Set:
Week Due:
Examination Details:
Duration of Exam:
2 hours
No. of Questions
on Paper:
5
No. of Questions
to be Attempted:
3
Value: (%)
Set By:
Reading List / Further References (*** signifies available at UCL Library):
 Gurney, R. J., C. L. Foster, and C. L. Parkinson, Atlas of satellite observations related to
Global Change, pp. 470, Cambridge University Press, 1993.***
 Hansen, J. Dangerous Anthropogenic Interference:* A Discussion of Humanity’s Faustian
Climate Bargain and the Payments Coming Due. Lecture at Iowa University on 26-Oct-04.
http://www.earthinstitute.columbia.edu/news/2004/storyhansen1.html
 IPCC. “Climate Change 2007 - The Physical Science Basis: Working Group I Contribution to
the Fourth Assessment Report of the IPCC (Climate Change 2007)”. Cambridge University
Press, 2007.***
 IPCC. “Climate Change 2007 - Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability: Working Group II
contribution to the Fourth Assessment Report of the IPCC: Working Group II”. Cambridge
University Press, 2007
 IPCC. “Climate Change 2007 - Mitigation of Climate Change: Working Group III contribution to
the Fourth Assessment Report of the IPCC: Working Group III”. Cambridge University Press,
2007
 King, M.D., Parkinson, C.L., Partington, K.C., Williams, R.G. “Our Changing Planet: The View
from Space”. Cambridge University Press, 2007
 Lomborg, B. “The Skeptical Environmentalist: measuring the real state of the world”
Cambridge University Press, 515pp, 2001***
 The Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS). 10-Year Implementation Plan.
Reference Document. February 2003. http://www.earthobservations.org/documents/10-Year
Implementation Plan.pdf
 Stern, N. “The Economics of Climate Change: The Stern Review”. Cambridge University
Press, 712 pages, 2007
 Trenberth, K. E., Climate System Modelling, pp. 788, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge,
UK, 1992.***