Με επιτυχία ολοκληρώθηκε άσκηση της Περιφέρειας Αττικής για την αντιμετώπιση των κινδύνων λόγω πλημμυρικών φαινομένων
στον Δυτικό Τομέα Αθηνών με τη συμμετοχή της Επιχειρησιακής Μονάδας BEYOND

Η Επιχειρησιακή Μονάδα BEYOND του ΙΑΑΔΕΤ/ΕΑΑ συμμετείχε στην Άσκηση επί χάρτου για την αντιμετώπιση των κινδύνων λόγω πλημμυρικών φαινομένων "Σκάμανδρος 2024 – Δ.Τ.Α." που διοργάνωσε στις 30 Σεπτεμβρίου 2024 η Αυτοτελής Διεύθυνση Πολιτικής Προστασίας της Περιφέρειας Αττικής για τον Δυτικό Τομέα Αθηνών / Κηφισός ποταμός.

Η Επιστημονική Συνεργάτιδα της Επιχειρησιακής Μονάδας BEYOND του ΙΑΑΔΕΤ/ΕΑΑ Αλεξία Τσούνη, μέλος της ομάδας σχεδιασμού της άσκησης, παρουσίασε για την υδρολογική λεκάνη του Κηφισού ποταμού, τα αποτελέσματα του έργου "Εκτίμηση Κινδύνου Πλημμύρας στην Περιφέρεια Αττικής" στο πλαίσιο της σχετικής Προγραμματικής Σύμβασης, ενώ ο Επιστημονικός Συνεργάτης της Επιχειρησιακής Μονάδας BEYOND του ΙΑΑΔΕΤ/ΕΑΑ Δρ. Νίκος Σταθόπουλος ήταν μέλος της ομάδας αξιολόγησης της άσκησης.

Την άσκηση συντόνισε ο Δρ. Νίκος Πασσάς, Αναπληρωτής Προϊστάμενος της Αυτοτελούς Διεύθυνσης Πολιτικής Προστασίας Περιφέρειας Αττικής. Μεταξύ άλλων συμμετείχαν ο Αντιπεριφερειαρχής Πολιτικής Προστασίας Λεωνίδας Μανωλάκος, ο Αντιπεριφερειάρχης Δυτικού Τομέα Αθηνών Βασίλης Λώλος, η Αντιπεριφερειάρχης Βορείου Τομέα Αθηνών Λουκία Κεφαλογιαννη και η Αντιπεριφερειάρχης Ανατολικής Αττικής Βίκυ Καβαλάρη.

Στο πάνελ συμμετείχαν η Αντιπεριφερειάρχης Ανατολικής Αττικής Βίκυ Καβαλάρη, η Αντιπεριφερειάρχης Βορείου Τομέα Αθηνών Λουκία Κεφαλογιάννη, ο Αντιπεριφερειάρχης Πολιτικής Προστασίας Λεωνίδας Μανωλάκος, ο Αναπληρωτής Προϊστάμενος Αυτοτελούς Δ/νσης Πολιτικής Προστασίας Περιφέρειας Αττικής Νίκος Πασσάς και ο Αντιπεριφερειάρχης Δυτικού Τομέα Αθηνών Βασίλης Λώλος. 

BEYOND Leads Discussions on EUROGEO’s contribution to GEO in the support of OneHealth and sustainable Agriculture and Food
and Fosters GRSS-GEO Collaboration at the GEO Symposium and ODOK Workshop, Hangzhou 2024

Overwhelmed with ideas to transform Research2Operations (R2O) for the benefit of humanity, we were enthusiastic to close the GEO Symposium and ODOK Workshop 2024, in Hang Zhou (China), 23-26 Sep 2024

Speaking on the role of the EuroGEO Action Groups, Dr.  Charalampos (Haris) Kontoes Research Director of NOA and Scientific Director of the BEYOND Centre of Earth Observation Research and Satellite Remote Sensing, IAASARS/NOA, was honoured to present the EUROGEO’s contribution to GEO in the support of hashtag#OneHealth and sustainable Agriculture and Food.

Dr. Haris Kontoes was delighted to interact with the large interdisciplinary GEO community for an inclusive and transformative GEO WP heading to EarthIntelligenceForAll.

He was also pleased to introduce the IEEE GRSS community in the 30th GEO Program Board with the participation of the Vice President of GRSS Prof. Saibun Tjuatja.

Throughout the week, discussions cantered on the potential of widening the collaboration of GRSS and GEO in the framework of mutually beneficial actions, leveraging GRSS academia and research and engaging with regional GEOs and indigenous communities.

BEYOND EO Centre NOA looks forward to continuing these productive dialogues at the upcoming EuroGEO Workshop in Krakow, Poland, from October 8-10, 2024, to further refine an effective implementation plan.

Operational Unit BEYOND of IAASARS/NOA takes center stage at the 2024 GEO Symposium, in Hangzhou, China, 24/9/2024

Today,(24/9/2024) during the 2024 GEO Symposium in Hangzhou, China, Haris Kontoes, Research Director of NOA and Scientific Director of the BEYOND Centre of Earth Observation Research and Satellite Remote Sensing, IAASARS/NOA, participated as a panellist speaker in the "One Health" session presenting EuroGEO - European contribution to GEO and the role of the EuroGEO Action Group on Disasters Resilience and Health .

In particular Charalampos (Haris) Kontoes highlighted the European contribution to One Health and the GEO Work Programme, focusing on the EU-supported flagships for systematic surveillance and early warning of climate change-induced infectious diseases across large territories.

His presentation emphasized on Europe's contribution to monitoring climate-induced infectious diseases, stressing the importance of accessing comprehensive datasets—spanning health, demographic, landscape, air, and water quality data. He also underscored the need for enhanced data collection, standardization, and user engagement, as well as the development of educational curricula in support of One Health initiatives.

More about the event: https://earthobservations.org/events/session/parallel-session-one-health

CEMS Activations: Wildfire delineation and grading in East Macedonia and Thrace, Greece

We are delighted to announce that the dedicated efforts of BEYOND/NOA team and its partners (NTUA, IDCOM) under the supervision of JRC CEMS Risk and Recovery team have led to the delivery of reliable and comprehensive fire damage delineation and grading towards the recovery and restoration planning of the affected area at Falakro Mountain in the support of the Hellenic General Secretariat for Civil Protection.

What happened?

In East Macedonia and Thrace, a lightning-induced forest fire at Falakro Mountain sparked an urgent crisis on July 17, 2024. The blaze, which raged until it was fully extinguished on July 27, caused severe damages and had devastating impacts on the local ecosystem including protected natural areas located in the affected areas.

After the official request of the Hellenic Civil Protection Authority our consortium was awarded by the Copernicus Emergency Management Service (#CEMS) - Risk and Recovery Mapping (#RRM) and delivered in time detailed maps and statistics regarding the level of the damage, as input in the decision making process for anticipating restoration actions inside the affected burned areas.

According to the study, the area being damaged is as wide as 1308 ha corresponding to 359.4 ha high/very high severity burned , 687.9 ha medium severity burned and 260 ha low severity burned areas. The damages in regard to the natural landscape refer to approx. 97% forest,  3% agriculture crops and settlements.

Read more about our efforts here:

https://riskandrecovery.emergency.copernicus.eu/EMSN200/

Map 1 depicts the extent of the wildfire at Falakro, Greece and the damage grade of the burned area

Map 2 depicts the extent of the wildfire at Falakro, Greece and the affected Land Use & Land Cover of the burned area (red boundary) according to CLMS data base

The Greek National Operations Center for Space Surveillance and Tracking (SST), part of the National Observatory of Athens and its Operational Unit BEYOND, is seeking a highly motivated Space Surveillance Operations Support Engineerto join its team.

Copernicus Emergency Management Service (CEMS) Activations:Flood hazard assessment in Bujumbura, Burundi

We are proud to share that our hard work has resulted in the delivery of reliable high-resolution flood hazard assessment information and exposure assessments for all critical infrastructures at risk. This includes the REGIDESO's only water catchment point, the port, and the airport.

What happened? 

In Africa, Lake Tanganyika's water level was rising at an alarming rate, reaching levels not seen in 60 years. This caused tragic loss of life, displacement of populations, loss of agricultural production, and closure of businesses.

Our BEYONDteam was activated by the Copernicus Emergency Management Service (CEMS) Risk and Recovery Mapping (RRM) for Bujumbura, Burundi's economic capital.

With our scientific expertise and state-of-the-art Earth Observation (EO) services, we are pleased to have contributed to monitoring and managing this crisis more effectively.

Read more about our efforts here: https://riskandrecovery.emergency.copernicus.eu/EMSN190/reporting/

Operational Unit BEYOND of IAASARS/NOA supports the 7th CASSINI Hackathon as a Partner, September 13-15, in Thessaloniki

The 7th CASSINI Hackathon, took place from September 13-15 in Thessaloniki, Greece. The event brought together innovators, technologists, and environmental advocates to delve into the transformative world of space data and create groundbreaking solutions aimed at addressing critical environmental challenges and fostering a sustainable green transition.

As a proud partner of this hackathon, Operational Unit BEYOND Center of Earth Observation Research and Satellite Remote Sensing of IAASARS/NOA was excited to support and contribute to this dynamic initiative. Participants had the unique opportunity to collaborate with leading experts, network with like-minded individuals, and explore innovative approaches to solving some of the most pressing issues facing our planet.

In particular, Jason Tsardanidis, our Research Associate joined the event as a mentor. Jason inspired and guided participants throughout the hackathon, by bringing with him a wealth of experience and a deep passion for space data applications. His involvement underscored BEYOND's commitment to fostering innovation and supporting the next generation of problem solvers towards a greener and sustainable future.

For more details about the event and to meet our mentor, Jason Tsardanidis, visit this link.

Let’s join forces and innovate for a greener, more sustainable future! 

IGARSS 2024 record numbers
3.847 Submitted papers
2.978 Accepted Papers
252 Oral Sessions
160 Poster Sessions

Under this year’s theme “Acting for Sustainability and Resilience”, IGARSS 2024 in Athens hosted enlightening science debates towards the creation of innovative solutions for the benefit of societies. Delegates had the opportunity to get involved with the latest scientific achievements and delve into the latest research and technological advancements in the field of EO and its applications.

We would like to thank all for participating and presenting their work!

For BEYOND Centre, the hosting institution of the IGARSS 2024 this congress was more than record numbers! It was a high standard challenge which successfully proved that for BEYOND team "Sky is the limit". It actually meant a 4 year journey of full preparations and collaborations. We keep all the unforgettable moments and we pass the reins to the next IGARSS hosting country, Brisbane, Australia.

Congratulations to all the members of the IGARSS 2024 Local Organizing Committee.

The IGARSS 2024 was hosted by the Institute for Astronomy, Astrophysics, Space Applications & Remote Sensing of the National Observatory of Athens, National Technical University of Athens and the Foundation for Research and Technology – Hellas.

We wish IGARSS 2025  a successful and memorable Congress!
See you all again next year in Brisbane!

Μεγάλη πτώση της στάθμης του νερού σε σχέση με το 2022 σε δύο σημαντικούς ταμιευτήρες νερού στη χώρα μας: στην τεχνητή λίμνη Μόρνου, στη Στερεά Ελλάδα και στο φράγμα Αποσελέμης, στη Κρήτη, σύμφωνα με την ανάλυση που εφαρμόσαμε με δορυφορικές εικόνες Sentinel-2.

Καθώς οι επιπτώσεις της κλιματικής αλλαγής πλήττουν τον πλανήτη και γίνονται ολοένα και πιο μακροχρόνιες, η έλλειψη νερού αναμένεται να αποτελέσει μεγαλύτερη απειλή στο εγγύς μέλλον. Ήδη σε πολλούς ταμιευτήρες έχει μειωθεί η στάθμη του νερού και πολλές περιοχές της χώρας όπως η Κρήτη, η Χίος, η Νάξος αντιμετωπίζουν προβλήματα λειψυδρίας με κυριότερο λόγο τις μειωμένες βροχοπτώσεις και την παρατεταμένη ξηρασία.

Στους παρακάτω χάρτες απεικονίζονται δύο παραδείγματα με τη βοήθεια της διαστημικής τεχνολογίας. Στην Εικόνα 1 φαίνεται η τεχνητή λίμνη Μόρνου, στη Στερεά Ελλάδα και στην Εικόνα 2 το φράγμα Αποσελέμης στην Κρήτη. Είναι φανερό ότι και στις δύο περιπτώσεις η στάθμη του νερού έχει μειωθεί και η διαφορά πτώσης μεταξύ του 2022 και του 2024 παρουσιάζεται με διαγράμμιση. Το εμβαδόν της επιφάνειας της διαφοράς τους καλύπτει περίπου 4700 στρέμματα και 600 στρέμματα αντίστοιχα στους 2 χάρτες.

Τα προϊόντα ανάλυσης είναι αποτέλεσμα της ερευνητικής δράσης της Επιχειρησιακής Μονάδας BEYOND του ΙΑΑΔΕΤ/ΕΑΑ.

 Εικόνα 1

 Εικόνα 2