Dr Hugh MortimerPlanetary Research ScientistHugh.Mortimer@stfc.ac.uk

Contemporary human

interaction with the

environment

Dr Hugh MortimerPI Newton Agritech Programme

Hugh.Mortimer@stfc.ac.uk

RAL Space capabilities

• Research (10%) Solar Physics, I-R Astronomy, Space Weather, Climate, Radio/Atmospheric Propagation

• Design & build Space Instruments (50%)216 instruments in Space, Ground-based telescopes

• Develop key technologies (15%)Electronics/Detectors, Optics/Thermal, MMT,

Robotics

• Data/information Centres (25%)Curation, Analysis, Dissemination

The Influence and role of Science

“[scientists'] warnings went unheeded until two recent Hollywood films, Armageddon and Deep Impact, showed Earth being ravaged by such [asteroid] impacts. The publicity prompted scientists at the British National Space Centre (BNSC) to investigate the risk, and their report is said to have startled the government into action.”

Leake & MacAskill, 1999

“Physics, Chemistry and Biology: Three sciences divided by a common language..” – John von Neumann

The common element that connects all of the sciences is the “Data”.

• Multiplicity

• Interconnectedness

• Pace of change

World EconomicForum Risk Report2016

Perspectives

Food System RisksPest and disease resistanceDegrading soilsUncertain future climateUnacceptable environmental impactsChronic diet-related diseaseEmerging infectious disease

• Multiplicity

• Interconnectedness

• Pace of change

RESILIENCEJOINED-UP SOLUTIONS

ACCELERATED INNOVATION

The resolutions of remote sensing

• Temporal (repeat times 3 to 16 days)• Spatial (20km per image @1 to 5m)• Spectral (Vis/ NIR or IR)•Radiometric (accuracy/calibration)

Driven by technology, requirements of the science, and by the capacity of the platforms (Satellites, UAV’s etc.)

URTHECAST Camera

IRIS (UHD) 1m full-colour video from space

https://www.urthecast.com/live

RAL Space capabilities

Theia

IRIS and Theia

Global Observation

Global Simulation

Local Observation

Local results

Calibration/Validation Activities

STC Calibration

Trolley

FOV Test

Beam

Earthshine

PlatesInstrument

Pre-Launch Calibration Activities

On-Board Calibration Sources traceable to national standards

Theoretical Modelling Radiative Transfer Code

Sustained Post Launch Validation Campaign

Hyperspectral Imaging

Ambrós et al, (2011) MPMI

Climate Environmental Monitoring from Space (CEMS)

Biomass

Precipitation

Land Surface

Temperature

Data Store +

Archive in

Common Format

CEMS: Harwell Satellite

Applications Catapult

Scalable Model

and Hosting

services

User Front End Access

JASMIN is a world leading, unique hybrid of:• 16PB high performance storage (~250GByte/s) • High-performance computing (~4,000 cores)• Coupled with cloud hosting capabilities

To address “one of NERC’s most strategically important

challenges: the improvement of predictive environmental science.” Prof. Duncan Wingham, NERC Chief Exec.

Photos credit: Stephen Kill, STFC

The Newton Agri-Tech Programme

Apply the joint skills of UK and China research in space

technologies and satellite derived data products to

improve agricultural productivity

For the economic development and improvement of

social welfare in China.

Focusing on the both scientific and technological

development of remote sensing and modelling.

Global observations, monitoring and detection technologies and data solutions• Managing connected risks• Integration and modelling of data• Providing knowledge to farmers• Implementing behaviour change

Space enabled technology and data

Precision Farming

Climate SmartAgriculture

Sustainable Intensification

Pest & DiseaseDetection

Global observations, monitoring and detection technologies and data solutions• Managing connected risks• Integration and modelling of data• Providing knowledge to farmers• Implementing behaviour change

Space enabled technology and data

Precision Farming

Climate SmartAgriculture

Sustainable Intensification

Pest & DiseaseDetection

The Global Food and Water Security Challenge - Increase efficiency ofagriculture while maintaining environmental quality and foodsecurity

UAV pixel-scale classification

STFCGFS andAgri-Tech

How does this theme overlay to STFC CapabilityAreas?

HPC

• Internet of

things

• Big data

• Software

Technologies

• ICT

Materials

• Biotech

• Food

Science

Technology

• Robotics

and

automation

• UAV

• Sensors

Remote

Sensing

• UAV

• Sensors

• Satellite

Applications

STFC Food Network Plus

• To build an inclusive, dynamic, interdisciplinary network

of researchers focused on innovative ways to use the

skills and facilities funded by STFC.

• To kickstart inter-disciplinary collaborations and research

projects working towards safe sustainable food systems

both in the UK and developing countries.

• To enhance the impact of STFC/food multidisciplinary

collaborations by encouraging codesign with the non

academic sector.

Example areas of overlap

Hyperspectral camera technology STFC

Target- Red band needle blight (Dothistroma septosporum)

Application Area’s

Land/ GIS Atmospheric

Technology Emergency Response

Application Area’s – Science Earth Systems

Reference: Yuhas. C “Earth Observations and the

role of UAVs: A Capabilities Assessment”, NASA

Science Mission Directorate Report 2006

Repeat Pass Interferometry for Surface Monitoring, Cloud Properties, Stratospheric Ozone Chemistry,

Tropospheric Pollution and Air Quality, Snow – Liquid Water Equivalents, Water vapour and total Water

Measurements, Soil Moisture and Freeze/Thaw States, Coastal Ocean Observations, Cloud

Microphysics/Properties, Active Fire, Emissions, and Plume Assess, CO2 Flux Measurements, Vegetation

Structure, Composition, Evolution, and Landfall, Aerosol, Cloud, and Precipitation Dist. Physical Oceanography,

Glacier and Ice Sheet Dynamics, Tracking Transport and Evolution of Pollution, Clouds/ Aerosol/ Gas/, Ice

Sheet Thickness and Surface Measurements,, Global 3D Continuous Measurement , Topographic Mapping and

Topograpic measurements, Transport and Chemical Evolution in the boundary layer, Wildlife Management

Population Count, Identification and Tracking of Marine wildlife, Shallow Water Benthic Ecosystem, Wildlife

Habitat Change, Precision Agriculture, Wildfire / Disaster: Real-time monitoring, Coastal Water Quality, Carbon

Dioxide Flux, ………………..

Autonomous systems group

The RAL UAV Research Facility