Invitation to GEOSS AIP, AQ Scenario

Dear Colleagues,

Under the GEO Architecture and Data Committee, the next Architecture Implementation Pilot (AIP) is preparing for a new call for participation (CFP). U.S. EPA working with NASA, NOAA, and others in the U.S. air quality community through the ESIP Air Quality Cluster are recommending an "air quality scenario" be included in this CFP. I'm writing to invite your participation in the definition of this scenario and in the cooperative activities that we hope will follow.

The scenarios for the CFP are intended to be written from an end-user perspective (related to the GEO societal benefit areas) and is supposed to guide the development of an architecture demonstration. This air quality scenario started as an extension of the 2006 AIP scenario on African Fires to air quality and smoke impacts. It has been expanded and refocused such that air quality impacts of smoke and fire are still a component, but not the sole focus.

You can read about the air quality scenario that has been put forward to date here http://www.ogcnetwork.net/node/349. You can contribute to the development of the scenario through a wiki at http://wiki.esipfed.org/index.php/AIP_AQ_Unified_Scenario. The CFP is expected to be finalized in late April or later, depending on other activities in the GEO ADC.

The real objective of this effort is to begin the process of developing an interoperable air quality information system, in the context of GEOSS. There are a variety of related efforts going on in related fora (e.g. IGACO implementation, CEOS Atmospheric Composition Constellation, TF HTAP) and regionally in North America, Europe (e.g. GMES, GEMS, GEOMON), and elsewhere. The AIP exercise may be a way of bringing some of these efforts together, or more closely connecting some of them with other efforts contributing to the broader GEOSS.

Within the U.S., we have begun a serious dialogue about how to improve the interoperability of our air quality information systems and what concepts such as service oriented architecture mean for future investments in data systems and applications (e.g., http://wiki.esipfed.org/index.php/Data_Summit_Workspace). In addition, the U.S. EPA has launched an effort to redesign our national AIRNow system for near real-time air quality information and forecasts to make the software and tools available for implementation in other countries. We are planning to implement the new international version of AIRNow in Shanghai in 2009. We expect to have a design document available soon. We invite feedback and suggestions as we design this system so that it can be as interoperable as possible. NASA and NOAA are also working on a variety of products and services that have global or international applications.

Thanks for your comments, suggestions, and participation in this effort.

Terry ___________________________________________ Terry J. Keating, Ph.D.

Office of Air & Radiation (OAR/OPAR), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW (Mail Code 6103A, Room 5442) Washington DC 20460 USA Phone: +1-202-564-1174 Fax: +1-202-564-1554 Email: keating.terry@epa.gov