Evolution of Earth Observation Online Data Access

With the Heterogeneous Missions Accessibility (HMA) initiative, the OGC standard “Web Coverage Service (WCS) Earth Observation Application Profile” has been developed to harmonize online access to very large primary Earth Observation data holdings. Although its use in web mapping servers has proven valuable capabilities, this standard is not yet widely adopted. Its acceptance for data download by end users is hampered by the lack of interpretation guidelines and its complexity requiring considerable server and client implementation efforts. In this context, the project “Evolution of EO Online Data Access Services” funded by the European Space Agency (ESA) and presented in this paper analyses relevant scenarios and technologies for data publication and access, identifies potential for improvements of standards and their implementations, prototypes and evaluates selected improvements and proposes standard extensions for future releases. We hope hereby to considerably improve the acceptance of online EO data access services and standards and to promote their evolution and diffusion

Innovative Sentinel 5P Level 3 Atmosphere Products: Will Become Accessible Through Innovative Technologies and Interfaces at DLR's Geoservice

The EOC Geoservice (https://geoservice.dlr.de) operationally provides access to innovative Level-3 Products from Copernicus Sentinel 5P, a variety of atmosphere-related Level-3-products from GOME-2/MetOp-A/B/C and a variety of land-surface products such as the world settlement footprint (WSF) and other specific Sentinel-2-products. For more than 10 years, the EOC Geroservice is operational and provides access to all its hosted data collections and products via the OGC compliant interfaces WMS and WCS (data cube). ISO metadata on data collections and products are exposed via compliant catalogue services. In order to better support the currently arising needs for interoperability and for the analysis of long EO timeseries (big data analytics), innovative technologies and interfaces for data discovery, access and analysis are investigated. To facilitate improved metadata discovery, the OpenSearch API and the Spatio Temporal Asset Catalogue (STAC) are both integrated. Globally unique Digital object identifiers (DOIs) for collection metadata are routinely assigned and registered at the responsible DOI Registration Agencies. To enable fast server-based EO big data analytics, OGC’s data analysis and processing API (DAPA) will be integrated into the EOC Geoservice. DAPA brings the algorithms to the data: Algorithms can partly be executed (e. g. on time-slices at the data’s storage location), reducing data transfers. Prerequisite for the efficient combination of different thematic layers in a data cube is the capability to make them accessible on an identical grid: An implementation of OGC’s Discrete Global Grid System (DGGS) is used for this purpose. For all technologies, the GeoServer is the technical backbone. Throughout the above mentioned 10-years-period, DLR has significantly supported its further-development as open-source software. Its most recent improvements (integration of STAC and DAPA interface) have been funded in the framework of the ESA GSTP-project “Technologies for the Management of Long EO Data Time Series” (LOOSE). Integration of all innovative interfaces into an operational data discovery, access and analysis service (EOC Geoservice and DataCube) is supported by the DLR programmatic project "Innovative Produktentwicklung zur Analyse der Atmosphärenzusammensetzung" (INPULS)

Research products across space missions: a prototype for central storage, visualization and usability

For planetary sciences, the main archives to archived access to mission data are ESA's Planetary Science Archive (PSA) and the Planetary Data System (PSA) nodes in the USA. Along with recent and upcoming planetary missions the amount of different data (remote sensing/in-situ data, derived products) increases constantly and serves as basis for scientific research resulting in derived scientific data and information. Within missions to Mercury (BepiColombo), the Outer Solar System moons (JUICE), and asteroids (NASA`s DAWN), one way of scientific analysis, the systematic mapping of surfaces, has received new impulses, also in Europe. These systematic surface analyses are based on the numeric and visual comparison and combination of different remote sensing data sets, such as optical image data, spectral-/hyperspectral sensor data, radar images, and/or derived products like digital terrain models. The analyses mainly results in map figures, data, and profiles/diagrams, and serves for describing research investigations within scientific publications

Approach towards a holistic management of research data in planetary science – Use case study based on remote sensing data

In the planetary sciences, the volume of remote sensing data and derived research products has been continuously increasing over the last five decades. The amount and complexity of data require growing sophistication in data analysis, data management, and data provision targeted at a growing research community. In order to efficiently manage and facilitate the reuse of research data and to provide stable and long-term access, sustainable research data solutions are needed. We here present a prototype for structured storage, management, and visualisation of planetary research data and discuss the particular benefits, as well as challenges of such an information system for data management, for establishing data references by cross-linking information, and for improving the visibility of data products. The prototype is a co-development of two research institutes of the German Aerospace Center (DLR) and is based on two components: the Earth Observation Center (EOC) Geoservice, which constitutes an infrastructure providing data storage and management capabilities, as well as an interface compliant with collaborative and web-based data access services, and the Environmental and Crisis Information Systems (UKIS), a framework for the implementation of geoscientific web applications

Forschungsdaten fernab der Erde: ein Prototyp für die planetare Anwendung

In den Planetenwissenschaften ist die Menge der Fernerkundungsdaten und der daraus abgeleiteten Forschungsprodukte in den letzten Jahrzehnten kontinuierlich gestiegen. Die Menge und Komplexität der Daten erforderten eine immer komplexere Datenanalyse, Datenverwaltung und Datenbereitstellung für eine breitere Forschungsgemeinschaft. In diesem Beitrag stellen wir einen Prototyp für die strukturierte Speicherung, Verwaltung und Visualisierung planetarer, raumbezogener Forschungsdaten vor, um eine transparente, langfristige und somit nachhaltige Wiederverwendung zu ermöglichen. Die Entwicklung basiert auf Technologien, die ursprünglich für erdbezogene Anwendungen entwickelt wurden

Prevalence and prognostic value of neurological affections in hospitalized patients with moderate to severe COVID-19 based on objective assessments.

Neurological manifestations of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have been frequently described. In this prospective study of hospitalized COVID-19 patients without a history of neurological conditions, we aimed to analyze their prevalence and prognostic value based on established, standardized and objective methods. Patients were investigated using a multimodal electrophysiological approach, accompanied by neuropsychological and neurological examinations. Prevalence rates of central (CNS) and peripheral (PNS) nervous system affections were calculated and the relationship between neurological affections and mortality was analyzed using Firth logistic regression models. 184 patients without a history of neurological diseases could be enrolled. High rates of PNS affections were observed (66% of 138 patients receiving electrophysiological PNS examination). CNS affections were less common but still highly prevalent (33% of 139 examined patients). 63% of patients who underwent neuropsychological testing (n = 155) presented cognitive impairment. Logistic regression models revealed pathology in somatosensory evoked potentials as an independent risk factor of mortality (Odds Ratio: 6.10 [1.01-65.13], p = 0.049). We conclude that hospitalized patients with moderate to severe COVID-19 display high rates of PNS and CNS affection, which can be objectively assessed by electrophysiological examination. Electrophysiological assessment may have a prognostic value and could thus be helpful to identify patients at risk for deterioration

Mechanical design of the optical modules intended for IceCube-Gen2

IceCube-Gen2 is an expansion of the IceCube neutrino observatory at the South Pole that aims to increase the sensitivity to high-energy neutrinos by an order of magnitude. To this end, about 10,000 new optical modules will be installed, instrumenting a fiducial volume of about 8 km3. Two newly developed optical module types increase IceCube’s current sensitivity per module by a factor of three by integrating 16 and 18 newly developed four-inch PMTs in specially designed 12.5-inch diameter pressure vessels. Both designs use conical silicone gel pads to optically couple the PMTs to the pressure vessel to increase photon collection efficiency. The outside portion of gel pads are pre-cast onto each PMT prior to integration, while the interiors are filled and cast after the PMT assemblies are installed in the pressure vessel via a pushing mechanism. This paper presents both the mechanical design, as well as the performance of prototype modules at high pressure (70 MPa) and low temperature (−40∘C), characteristic of the environment inside the South Pole ice