Geoservices

Geoservices is VisioTerra's recurring Earth observation monitoring service for areas of interest that users define themselves. Each time a satellite passes over a monitored area, the service computes one or more indicators and presents them in dashboards: a graph of how an indicator evolves over time (spatial aggregation) and a map of its distribution across the area (temporal aggregation). When an indicator exceeds its nominal values, the users attached to the area receive an alert accompanied by a "hyperlook" image so they can judge the relevance and urgency of the event, and a periodic report (monthly, quarterly, half-yearly or as chosen) summarises satellite observations, indicator values and alert frequency.

The references VisioTerra lists for the service include automatic detection of fires and burnt areas from Proba-V, Sentinel-2 and Sentinel-3 imagery (Fire Watch); near-real-time deforestation monitoring from Sentinel-1 radar on user-supplied sites (CAFWS, built for the GMES & Africa programme); oil-slick detection at sea that distinguishes natural seepage from platform or ballast pollution (Oil Watch); crop-growth indicators with automatic detection of growth anomalies and water stress (Agri Watch); and basin-scale hydrological monitoring (Water Watch). With its partner AfEOS, VisioTerra has delivered the GERNAC application to the CICOS commission, including four geoservices that monitor flooding, deforestation, active fires and burned areas.

VisioTerra experts train users in the photo-interpretation of detected events, and a support service can be added to filter the automatic detections.