|
EUMETSAT has initiated preparatory activities for the definition of the follow-on EUMETSAT Polar System (post-
EPS) needed for the timeframe 2020 onwards as a replacement for the current EUMETSAT Polar System. Based on the
first outputs of the EUMETSAT post-EPS user consultation process initiated in 2005, mission requirements for potential
post-EPS missions have been drafted. Expertise from a variety of communities was drawn upon in order to ascertain user
needs expressed in terms of geophysical variables, for operational meteorology, climate monitoring, atmospheric
chemistry, oceanography, and hydrology. Current trends in the evolution of these applications were considered in order
to derive the necessary satellite products that will be required in the post-EPS era. The increasing complexity of models
with regard to parameterisation and data assimilation, along with the trend towards coupled atmosphere, ocean and land
models, generates new requirements, particularly in the domains of clouds and precipitation, trace gases and ocean/land
surface products. Following the requirements definition, concept studies at instrument and system levels will shortly
commence with the support of the European Space Agency (ESA), together with industry and representatives of the user
and science communities. Such studies, planned for completion by end of 2008, aim at defining and trading off possible
mission and system concepts and will establish preliminary functional requirements for full or partial implementation of
post-EPS mission requirements. Cost drivers and needs for critical research and development will also be identified. The
generation of both the user and mission requirements have been supported substantially by the post-EPS Mission Experts
Team and the Application Expert Groups. Their support is gratefully acknowledged.
|
