The international Geosphere-Biosphere Programme (IGBP): Key aspects of the requirements of the observational data

Abstract

This paper discusses some requirements for studies within the scope of the International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme (IGBP), in particular the requirements of space instrumentation for oceanology, hydrology, geology, forestry and agriculture. When these requirements are compared whit the current satellite instrumentation, it is found that the instrumental characteristics are not optimal. Using information techniques (Balash) one can determine multispectral channels as a function of economic efficiency of the space-derived information, which can be optimally used in these research fields.