The CEOS-ARD Oversight Group has been created to provide an overarching coordination and management function for all matters related to CEOS-ARD. It serves as a forum where all of the CEOS entities with a role in CEOS-ARD can assemble to discuss common topics related to CEOS-ARD, including governance, specifications, accessibility and utilisation, outreach, pilot activities, etc.
Terms of Reference v1.0 (15 March 2022)
Scope of Activities
- Provide a coordination and management layer for all CEOS common activities on ARD
- Chart the overall CEOS strategy for ARD
- Provide support and guidance for those seeking to incorporate the provision of CEOS-ARD into their product planning processes
- Coordination of the portfolio of CEOS-ARD Product Family Specifications (PFS), which themselves are sponsored by thematic leads within CEOS (typically the Virtual Constellations)
- This will prevent overlaps and duplication of work, particularly where a geophysical measurement might not fit neatly within the remit of a specific VC.
- The maintenance of a shared template PFS as the basis for all CEOS-ARD PFS
- Discuss technical topics that relate to PFS and CEOS-ARD products, but are not domain specific (these discussions will instead take place in the thematic groups developing the PFS, e.g., VCs)
- Discuss technical topics related to the accessibility and utilisation of CEOS-ARD (e.g., data discovery mechanisms, data and metadata formats, STAC), including exploration of pilots and other efforts to gather feedback on CEOS-ARD
- To provide the coordination needed to ensure CEOS-ARD is coherently represented in the broader (rapidly moving) community, including coordination of outreach activities such as CEOS-ARD webinars, conference representation, and maintenance of related promotion and information resources including the CEOS-ARD website, presentations, flyers/brochures, etc.
- Maintenance of the CEOS-ARD Strategy and CEOS-ARD Governance Framework (available at ceos.org/ard), including biennial updates of both documents for CEOS Principal approval
- Championing the ARD concept and providing guidance for the community
- Act as the primary external focal point for CEOS on matters related to ARD
- Represent CEOS on matters related to the further standardisation of ARD in the wider community
Membership and Leadership
The Oversight Group operates under and reports to the SIT Chair and is led by a representative of the SIT Chair, or at the discretion of the SIT Chair, by another member of the Oversight Group.
The membership of the Oversight Group consists of nominated representatives from each of the CEOS Virtual Constellations, the Working Group on Calibration and Validation (WGCV), the Working Group on Information Systems and Services (WGISS), and the Working Group on Capacity Building & Data Democracy (WGCapD).
Representatives from the CEOS Virtual Constellations are integral to CEOS-ARD, as these are the CEOS entities with the technical expertise to recommend, develop and maintain Product Family Specifications.
Contact
CEOS Analysis Ready Data Oversight Group