1、 Report ITU-R RS.2178(10/2010)The essential role and global importance of radio spectrum use for Earth observations and for related applicationsRS SeriesRemote sensing systemsii Rep. ITU-R RS.2178 Foreword The role of the Radiocommunication Sector is to ensure the rational, equitable, efficient and
2、economical use of the radio-frequency spectrum by all radiocommunication services, including satellite services, and carry out studies without limit of frequency range on the basis of which Recommendations are adopted. The regulatory and policy functions of the Radiocommunication Sector are performe
3、d by World and Regional Radiocommunication Conferences and Radiocommunication Assemblies supported by Study Groups. Policy on Intellectual Property Right (IPR) ITU-R policy on IPR is described in the Common Patent Policy for ITU-T/ITU-R/ISO/IEC referenced in Annex 1 of Resolution ITU-R 1. Forms to b
4、e used for the submission of patent statements and licensing declarations by patent holders are available from http:/www.itu.int/ITU-R/go/patents/en where the Guidelines for Implementation of the Common Patent Policy for ITU-T/ITU-R/ISO/IEC and the ITU-R patent information database can also be found
5、. Series of ITU-R Reports (Also available online at http:/www.itu.int/publ/R-REP/en) Series Title BO Satellite delivery BR Recording for production, archival and play-out; film for television BS Broadcasting service (sound) BT Broadcasting service (television) F Fixed service M Mobile, radiodetermin
6、ation, amateur and related satellite services P Radiowave propagation RA Radio astronomy RS Remote sensing systems S Fixed-satellite service SA Space applications and meteorology SF Frequency sharing and coordination between fixed-satellite and fixed service systems SM Spectrum management Note: This
7、 ITU-R Report was approved in English by the Study Group under the procedure detailed in Resolution ITU-R 1. Electronic Publication Geneva, 2010 ITU 2010 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, by any means whatsoever, without written permission of ITU. Rep. ITU-R RS.2178
8、 1 REPORT ITU-R RS.2178 The essential role and global importance of radio spectrum use for Earth observations and for related applications (2010) TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Summary 5 PART A Earth observation . 7 A.1 Introduction 7 A.2 Earth observation radio applications and techniques . 9 A.2.1 Overvie
9、w . 9 A.2.2 Passive techniques 11 A.2.2.1 Satellite remote passive sensors . 11 A.2.2.2 Ground-based passive sensors . 13 A.2.3 Active techniques 14 A.2.4 Data transmission 15 A.2.5 Space operations . 15 A.3 Application domains . 15 A.3.1 Meteorology and climatology . 15 A.3.2 Disaster management 20
10、 A.3.3 Other satellite imaging applications . 23 A.4 Essential benefits of Earth observation 26 A.4.1 The Group on Earth Observation (GEO) 26 A.4.2 Economic and societal value 28 A.4.3 Economic and societal impact of disasters . 29 A.4.3.1 Summary 29 A.4.3.2 Some detailed examples . 30 A.4.4 Public
11、investments in Earth observation . 31 2 Rep. ITU-R RS.2178 Page A.4.5 Benefits of spectrum use for Earth observation 32 A.4.5.1 Disaster management . 32 A.4.5.2 Monitoring climate change 33 A.4.5.3 Benefits of Earth observation systems . 33 A.5 Status of radio spectrum used by Earth observation syst
12、ems . 35 A.5.1 Frequency bands used in GEOSS and specific protection requirements 35 A.5.2 Harmonisation through the ITU Radio Regulations . 36 A.5.3 Compatibility conditions 37 A.5.3.1 Sharing in space based passive sensor bands . 37 A.5.3.2 Sharing in space based active sensors bands . 38 A.5.3.3
13、Sharing in space based data transmission bands (Earth-to-space, space-to-Earth) . 38 A.5.3.4 Sharing in the meteorological aids and Earth observation services bands 38 A.5.4 Impact of RFI on products 39 A.6 Conclusions 41 Annex 1 to Part A References . 42 Annex 2 to Part A: WMO Resolution World Mete
14、orological Organisation. 43 Annex 3 to Part A: Cape Town Declaration Cape Town Declaration of the Earth Observation Ministerial Summit 45 PART B Solar radio monitoring . 47 B.1 Introduction 47 B.1.1 The Sun . 47 B.1.2 Space weather . 48 B.1.3 Objectives of solar monitoring . 50 B.2 Overview of solar
15、 radio monitoring . 51 B.3 Solar radio flux data applications . 54 B.3.1 Environmental applications 54 Rep. ITU-R RS.2178 3 Page B.3.2 Technical/Infrastructural applications 54 B.3.2.1 Solar-driven effects on satellites 54 B.3.2.2 Ionospheric effects . 55 B.3.2.3 Geomagnetic effects on ground system
16、s 56 B.3.2.4 Air transportation systems . 57 B.4 Impact and societal value . 57 B.5 Status of radio spectrum use for solar radio monitoring 58 B.5.1 Spectrum usage for solar radio monitoring 58 B.5.2 Harmonisation through the ITU Radio Regulations . 58 B.5.3 Compatibility conditions 58 B.5.4 Impact
17、of RFI on data . 58 B.6 Conclusions 58 PART C Radio astronomy and space research services . 60 C.1 Introduction to astronomy 60 C.2 The radio astronomy service. 61 C.2.1 Spectrum and atmosphere . 61 C.2.2 Need for multiple frequency bands . 63 C.2.3 Radio astronomy sites . 65 C.3 Space research serv
18、ice 65 C.4 Radar astronomy . 66 C.5 Space operation service 67 C.6 Passive techniques 67 C.7 Economic and societal value 68 C.7.1 Introduction . 68 C.7.2 Investment in radio astronomy . 69 C.7.3 Economic and societal value of radio astronomy research . 70 C.7.3.1 Telecommunication technology . 71 C.
19、7.3.2 Interferometric technology . 71 4 Rep. ITU-R RS.2178 Page C.7.3.3 Computing technology . 72 C.7.3.4 Medical technology 73 C.7.3.5 Time and frequency standards . 74 C.7.3.6 Earth observation . 74 C.7.3.7 Geodesy 74 C.7.3.8 Mining technology . 74 C.8 Trends in radio astronomy 75 C.9 Conclusions
20、75 Attachment List of acronyms and abbreviations. 76 Rep. ITU-R RS.2178 5 Summary In a World with a growing population, more pressure on resources and increasing dependence upon global trade, communication and transportation infrastructures, together with our need to accommodate environmental change
21、s comprising both natural and anthropogenic elements, information on changes and events likely to disrupt our access to resources or our environment is becoming even more critical. Some of these disruptions can be direct dangers to life and property over scales ranging from local to global. Many of
22、the systems for monitoring the phenomena causing the disruptions and the means to communicate information and warnings depend upon passive and active sensors operating at radio frequencies, and use the radio spectrum for data communications and warning distribution. With the continuing pressure upon
23、 administrations to find spectrum to accommodate new radio services and to incorporate additional operations in existing services, it is appropriate to present the value and benefits of monitoring the environment and the phenomena driving it, and its protection needs. This Report comprises three Par
24、ts. Part A of this Report is developed in response to Resolution 673 (WRC-07) which invites ITU-R to carry out studies on possible means to improve the recognition of the essential role and global importance of Earth observation radiocommunication applications and the knowledge and understanding of
25、administrations regarding the utilization and benefits of these applications. It includes an extensive overview of the use of spectrum by Earth observation radiocommunication applications. Additionally it provides a background of other related science services that play a key role related to Earth o
26、bservation, noting that information or data from various science services are necessary in order to carry out and enhance studies of the Earth and its environment. The Report describes the considerable societal weight and economic benefits of spectrum use for Earth observation and other relevant act
27、ivities and, where possible, references previous studies and reports that have evaluated these impacts and benefits for the global community. The use of spectrum by the various Earth exploration and relevant Solar radio monitoring applications has considerable societal weight and economic value. It
28、is however still difficult to quantify these benefits to society as a whole because there are no figures for human grief and there are no simple methods to translate damage to environment into economic values; moreover, some benefits can only be evaluated or realised over very long periods of time.
29、Between 1980 and 2005, more than 7 000 natural disasters worldwide took the lives of over 2 million*people and produced economic losses estimated at over 1.2 trillion*US dollars. 90% of these natural disasters, 72% of casualties and 75% of economic losses were caused by weather, climate and water-re
30、lated hazards, such as droughts, floods, severe storms and tropical cyclones. At present, radio based applications such as remote sensors provide the main source of information about the Earths atmosphere and surface. In turn, this information is used for climate, weather and water monitoring, predi
31、ction and warnings, natural disasters risk reduction, support of disaster-relief operations and for planning preventive measures for adapting to and mitigating the negative effects of climate change. In addition to the information relevant to Resolution 673 (WRC-07), this Report provides information
32、 on other observation applications. *Throughout this text the units million, billion and trillion have the following meaning: 1 million = 1 000 000 = 1x 106 (1 Mega-). 1 billion = 1 000 000 000 = 1 x 109 (1 Giga-). 1 trillion = 1 000 000 000 000 = 1 x 1012 (1 Tera-). 6 Rep. ITU-R RS.2178 Part B is a
33、n overview of solar radio monitoring applications that complements the material provided in Part A. In some cases knowledge of the solar influence upon terrestrial phenomena being studied is a key element in understanding those phenomena and their environmental and societal impacts. In other cases t
34、he programs monitor solar behaviour that can have significant impact on human activities, communications infrastructure and safety of life. In Part C a description is given of benefits from spectrum use by the radio astronomy and space research. These services work in the frontline of innovation in
35、radio technology and are as such an enabler of many technologies not only used by other radio services, including those described in Part A, but also by many non-radio applications. Attachment 1 contains an overview of acronyms used in this Report. Rep. ITU-R RS.2178 7 PART A Earth observation A.1 I
36、ntroduction Information about climate, climate change, weather, precipitation, pollution or disasters is a critically important everyday issue for the global community. Earth observation activities allow to provide this information, which is required for the daily weather forecast and prediction, st
37、udies of climate change, for the protection of the environment, for economic development (transport, energy, agriculture, building construction, .) and for safety of life and property. One gets so used to this that one is inclined to forget that this information is either based on measurements, or g
38、athered and distributed via radio frequency applications. However, one does consider the continuous delivery of information about the atmosphere or weather to be a routine, although a very complex one, and not “just science”, like no one does consider the operation of a mobile telecommunication syst
39、em as a science. Satellites provide the most cost-efficient, if not the only, way to monitor the environment of the entire Earth, both land, sea, and air. Unique capabilities of Earth exploration-satellite service (EESS) satellites include observing wide-areas non-intrusively and uniformly (by using
40、 the same instrument) with the ability to rapidly target any point on Earth, including remote and inhospitable places, and to continue with a series of observations over a long period of time. Through these capabilities, the EESS brings many benefits to society in both the non-profit and commercial
41、sectors. Radio frequencies represent scarce and key resources used by Earth observation systems to measure and collect data upon which analyses and predictions, including warnings, are based or processed. This information is disseminated to governments, policy makers, disaster management organisatio
42、ns, commercial interests and the general public. On a more general basis, the utmost importance of radio spectrum for all Earth observation activities, either ground or space based, is to be stressed, in particular with regards to the global warming and climate change activities, but also for applic
43、ations that are nowadays taken for granted such as the daily weather forecast and prediction. Mankinds influence on the atmosphere of the planet Earth has expanded in recent decades from the local scale of urban pollution to global scale effects such as the ozone hole. This is also indicated by more
44、 and more comprehensive evidence of the enhanced greenhouse effect. Monitoring terrestrial chemical constituents is essential in the middle atmosphere corresponding to the stratosphere and the mesosphere. At altitudes higher than the tropopause (10 to 18 km from the pole to the tropics), ozone molec
45、ules play an important role by absorbing the ultraviolet (UV) radiation of the Sun, which is harmful to mankind, flora and fauna, and in general to any terrestrial life if the amplitude of the radiation reaching the ground is strong. For more than 50 years, man has imprudently used chlorofluorocarbo
46、ns (Freons) going up into the stratosphere where they are destroyed by UV radiation, freeing large quantities of chlorine monoxide, the most dangerous destroyer of ozone molecules. 8 Rep. ITU-R RS.2178 Committee on Earth science and applications from space of the U.S. National Research Council, conc
47、luded in 2007 in its publication “Earth science and applications from space: National imperatives for the next decade and beyond,” as follows: “The world faces significant environmental challenges: shortages of clean and accessible freshwater, degradation of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, incre
48、ases in soil erosion, changes in chemistry of the atmosphere, declines in fisheries, and the likelihood of substantial changes in climate. These changes are not isolated; they interact with each other and with natural variability in complex ways that cascade through the environment across local, reg
49、ional, and global scales. Addressing these societal challenges requires that we confront key scientific questions related to ice sheets and sea-level change, large-scale and persistent shifts in precipitation and water availability, transcontinental air pollution, shifts in ecosystem structure and function in response to climate change, impacts of climate change on human health, and the occurrence of extreme events, such as severe storms, heat waves, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions.” To this respect, the worldwide effort to build a
