http://oceansar2006.com/ 

Adequate, accurate and timely information in support of marine monitoring, surveillance, safety and security is critical for maritime decision makers and stakeholders to effectively deliver their services. Spaceborne radar presents a technology that allows vast spatial areas to be monitored in a cost effective manner, providing information both day and night in all weather conditions complementary to ground, air and sea-based resources.

OceanSAR 2006 is the third in the series of Coastal and Marine Applications of SAR workshops. The previous events have been successful in gathering SAR and Ocean experts and scientists together to assess the capabilities of the technology in support of operational information needs, and identified the need for a set of robust tools that can be made available for systematic marine monitoring and operational applications. OceanSAR 2006 will build on these prior recommendations and offer a venue both for scientists to present the findings of their current research and for operational maritime end-users to present their information needs. Hence, OceanSAR 2006 will provide a unique opportunity for researchers and practitioners to gain knowledge of new processing methodologies, technological advances in SAR, and current and future needs and requirements of operational service centres. Objectives: To bring marine and SAR scientists together with end-users to understand what is scientifically possible and operationally practical; To provide a forum for end-users to discuss operational needs; To provide a forum for scientists to discuss the latest advancements in marine SAR applications; To identify gaps between science capability and operational needs and to outline the requirements to close the gaps; To formulate demonstration projects that integrate science and operations; and To identify the components of observation systems that will meet operational requirements. Themes: Bridging the Gap between Science and Operations Maritime information needs and requirements are cross-sectorial (transport, ocean resources, security, MetOc, etc.), cross-disciplinary (security, meteorology, oceanography, biology, and economy), and cross-functional (monitoring, surveillance, science). To build on the science activities in support of the operational mandates and to address topics in an integrated fashion (from data to information and knowledge), the workshop is organized into five Thematic Sessions addressing key maritime issues. Suggested paper topics have been provided under each theme below. Stewardship of Coastal and Marine Environments illegal fisheries monitoring oil pollution detection of coastal features (e.g. aquaculture pens) mapping of input sources to the ocean (e.g. rivers) coastline mapping wind fields, currents, ocean features integration with non-EO data sources, (e.g. models, buoys, etc.) likely entails a single SAR application Monitoring and Surveillance for Security and Domain Awareness ship detection and classification wind fields, currents, ocean features similar to the above session, but with a security focus likely entails a single SAR application Operational Ocean management organizations that use SAR to meet their operational requirements, (e.g. national ice centres, NOAA, DMI, PEMEX, PETROBRAS, ASF, KSAT) focus should be on the use of SAR within an organization could entail many applications with overlap from themes (1) and (2) above National and International Collaborations and Programs Programs that facilitate collaboration on furthering satellite applications development, research and operational service provision Example programs include GEOSS, GMES, EOADP, EOMD, IICWG, etc. Advances in SAR Information Extraction Science focus, with or without a definitive end-user application new sensors with enhanced capability new and innovative methods and techniques speculative and emerging applications Paper and poster submissions will be organized under these five themes. Authors and presenters are encouraged to focus their paper on one of the five themes and topics. For each thematic session, there will be two invited presentations summarizing: a) Needs and Requirements and b) Scientific State-of-the-Art, followed by selected presentations, demonstrating the latest SAR applications work. Each session will close with a discussion to identify remaining issues and gaps to be addressed in the future. The "Advances in SAR Information Extraction" session will be devoted entirely to the latest developments and advances in SAR algorithm work and will include a summary discussion which, in conjunction with the summaries from the other Thematic Sessions, will identify needs and opportunities for future work. Posters will be presented and discussed in parallel.