Copernicus European Union Programme aiming at developing European information services based on satellite Earth Observation and in situ (non-space) data, is coordinated and managed by the European Commission. Several Copernicus services are currently provided from the Sentinel satellites and other supporting missions. Sentinel-1 and Sentinel-2 can provide systematic radar and optical data worldwide with a high temporal resolution. This paper focuses on the potential use of these sensors for Cultural Heritage applications, providing in this way valuable information to stakeholders and other end-users as well as the archaeological community. Examples include the exploitation of the satellite products for the detection of damaged archaeological sites in the cities of Palmyra and Nimrud. CH sites in Syria and Iraq, as well as to examine potential soil marks in the UNESCO World Heritage Site of' Nea Paphos" in Cyprus. Looting marks have been based on supporting WorldView-2 products, are also presented. The overall results, expose the potentialities of Earth Observation data and the promising use of the Copernicus Programme as a European service for World Heritage applications. This study was carried out under the H2020 ATHENA project.
The aim of this paper is to present our strategy and vision to upgrade the existing ERATOSTHENES Research Centre (ERC), established within Cyprus University of Technology (CUT), into a sustainable, viable and autonomous Centre of Excellence (CoE) for Earth Surveillance and Space-Based Monitoring of the Environment (EXCELSIOR), which will provide the highest quality of related services both on the National, European and International levels. The 'EXCELSIOR' project is a Horizon 2020 Teaming project, addressing the reduction of substantial disparities in the European Union by supporting research and innovation activities and systems in low performing countries. It also aims at establishing long-term and strategic partnerships between the Teaming partners, thus reducing internal research and innovation disparities within European Research and Innovation landscape. The ERCis already an established player in the local community and has excellent active collaboration with actors from various sectors in (a) the government, (b) industry, (c) local organisations, and (d) society. In order to further engage users and citizens and to become more attractive to international research and education community, the Centre aims to be fully involved in strategic positioning on the national level, but also in Europe, the Middle East region and internationally. Some examples of how space technologies are integrated with other tools or techniques such as UAV, field spectroscopy, micro-sensors, EO space/in-situ sensors etc. for the systematic monitoring of the environment is shown. Indeed such examples fulfills the objectives of the COPERNICUS academy network (in which ERC is a member) for empowering the next generation of researchers, scientists, and entrepreneurs with suitable skill sets to use Copernicus data and information services to their full potential. Finally, opportunities for future collaboration and investments with the ERC in the Eastern Mediterranean Region are stated. Five partners have united to upgrade the existing ...
