A Mutual explosion of disciplines

Lawrie Jordan Director Imagery Enterprise Solutions ESRI

The overlap between GIS and imagery technologies seems to have grown rapidly over the last two years. Can you elaborate on this?
Historically, GIS and imagery have occupied separate worlds. For a long time, the tools of digital cartography and imagery had no common framework to merge. We saw early on that GIS could be that framework as other enabling technologies emerged like wider bandwidth, faster CPUs and GPUs, bigger storage capacity, and so forth. And now those technologies are well developed enough to handle today’s imagery demands and also make imagery fit comfortably in a unified environment like a GIS.

Imagery is becoming more prevalent on a very large scale, and that’s largely due to the explosion of sensor technology. As the sensors become better and less expensive, imagery output increases, and that means there’s that much more data that organisations must manage, analyse and serve. That can be scary without a platform specially designed to work with imagery data and extract the information value these datasets have.

And that's really what we are doing at ESRI and what our imagery partners are doing with us. It’s a mutual relationship of two enabling technologies. It’s not only good for science, helping both disciplines grow and expand the field of solutions to a huge extent but it’s also good for the imagery market.

Image processing: Detecting and monitoring change

Brad Skelton
CTO, ERDAS
Brad.Skelton@erdas.com

Technological innovations in image processing can be looked at from both the algorithmic and computational sides. On the algorithm side, automated feature extraction, while still the Holy Grail, is continuing to improve significantly. On the computational side, the availability of inexpensive massive multicore systems is changing the approach to algorithm implementation.

Multicore systems availability
Multisource data fusion, coupled with improved segmentation and objectbased metrics and Bayesian classification can now produce high quality building footprint extraction (for example) with the need for very little update or correction. Traditional high resolution optical sources can be combined with SAR imagery and LIDAR data to provide a much richer set of cues. For example, the addition of LIDAR improves the ability to distinguish between a flat roof and driveway. SAR data provides the ability to detect additional material differences that would not be visible in optical images. Working in object space after segmentation provides cues based on shape, such as roundness or squareness, and enables you to use proximity of different objects as a further cue, for example, as the presence of shadows next to buildings.

Data acquisition: Meeting demand from space

Prof. Ian Dowman
Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering
University College London
London (UK)
idowman@cege.ucl.ac.uk

Images from space-based platforms are now established as a useful and economic source of data for extracting information for mapping and geospatial data bases. The images which can be used for this purpose range from sensors such as MODIS with 250m, 500m and 1000m pixel size and wide global coverage with a short time frame, Landsat with 60m, 30m and 15m pixel size giving regular medium resolution coverage for monitoring, to high resolution images from sensors with 0.5m pixel size, with the ability to access any part of the globe within 24 hours but only giving irregular global coverage.

Another important group of sensors collects stereoscopic images for generation of digital elevation models (DEMs). The data also includes data from microwave sensors using synthetic aperture radar technology, now producing resolution of 1m, and being used interferometrically to give elevation data and to monitor tectonic movement and subsidence at the millimeter level. These imaging sensors are supported by Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) which are vital for providing positional information, both for mapping directly and for giving the position of other platforms. The combination of imaging system and positioning system, together with the use of inertial navigation systems, has been the driving force behind many important developments in recent years; particularly LiDAR, mobile mapping systems and interferometric synthetic aperture radar systems (IfSAR). GNSS is also essential for positioning satellite imaging sensors and has enabled images to be acquired with high georeferenced accuracy.

Israel launches Ofeq-9 satellite

Defense News reported that Ofeq-9 will operate "in a constellation with the two other Ofeqs currently in orbit." It said that while precise imaging capabilities remain classified, all offered resolutions that were "much better than a half-meter."

by Staff Writers Tel Aviv, Israel (UPI) Jul 21, 2010 Israel has launched its newest reconnaissance satellite, in a move that increases the country's intelligence capabilities. The remote-sensing satellite Ofeq-9 was successfully placed in orbit by an Israel Aerospace Industries Shavit vehicle launched from Palmachim Air Base, near the cities of Rishon LeZion and Yavnem, defense ministry officials said.
It has already begun transmitting high-resolution images, officials add.
With the Ofeq-9, Israel now has six operating remote sensing satellites in space.
"From now on, no country in the region will be able to conduct clandestine activities at times when there is no Israeli satellite above it, since there will be no such times," Yitzhak Ben-Israel, chairman of the Israeli Space Agency, said.
The estimated 600-pound Ofeq-9 is billed the twin of the Shavit-launched Ofeq-7 and Ofeq-5, which have been operational for 2 and 5 years, respectively. Ofeq-6 was destroyed in an ill-fated launch in September 2004.
Defense News reported that Ofeq-9 will operate "in a constellation with the two other Ofeqs currently in orbit." It said that while precise imaging capabilities remain classified, all offered resolutions that were "much better than a half-meter."

Satellite giving scientists 'ice' insights

disclaimer: image is for illustration purposes only

by Staff Writers Paris (UPI) Jul 20, 2010 

Scientists have a new satellite tool for studying changes in polar ice and the effect of those changes on the global climate, European space officials say. The European Space Agency's CryoSat-2 orbiting satellite is providing data which should lead to a better understanding of how Earth's ice fields are behaving and what those measurements might mean, an ESA release said Tuesday.
Data from CryoSat-2, launched in April, allow scientists to determine tiny variations in the thickness of ice floating in polar oceans and of the large ice sheets that cover Antarctica and Greenland, the release said.
The data has been made available to around 150 researchers from 40 scientific institutions around the world.
"This is the first release of CryoSat data to users outside our project team, and notably early for a mission of this type," ESA's CryoSat-2 Mission Manager Tommaso Parrinello said.
Mission planners say they're pleased with the satellite's performance.
"We have been very excited by the level of detail we find in the data. We are seeing things beyond what we had expected," Project Manager Richard Francis said.
"I'm pleased that we can share this excitement with the scientists who now have access, and look forward to the added insight they will be able to bring."
earlier related report

Aquatic Dead Zones

For a larger version of this image please go here.

by Staff Writers Washington DC (SPX) Jul 20, 2010

The size and number of marine dead zones-areas where the deep water is so low in dissolved oxygen that sea creatures can't survive-have grown explosively in the past half-century. Red circles on this map show the location and size of many of our planet's dead zones. Black dots show where dead zones have been observed, but their size is unknown. It's no coincidence that dead zones occur downriver of places where human population density is high (darkest brown). Some of the fertilizer we apply to crops is washed into streams and rivers. Fertilizer-laden runoff triggers explosive planktonic algae growth in coastal areas.
The algae die and rain down into deep waters, where their remains are like fertilizer for microbes. The microbes decompose the organic matter, using up the oxygen. Mass killing of fish and other sea life often results.
Satellites can observe changes in the way the ocean surface reflects and absorbs sunlight when the water holds a lot of particles of organic matter. Darker blues in this image show higher concentrations of particulate organic matter, an indication of the overly fertile waters that can culminate in dead zones.
Naturally occurring low-oxygen zones are regular features in some parts of the ocean. These coastal upwelling areas, which include the Bay of Bengal and the Atlantic west of southern Africa, are not the same as dead zones because their bottom-dwelling marine life is adapted to the recurring low-oxygen conditions. However, these zones may grow larger with the additional nutrient inputs from agricultural runoff.

Space Solutions Proposed To Lessen Africa's Vulnerability To Natural Disasters

The burning area shifts from north to south over the course of the year, in step with the coming and going of Africa's rainy and dry seasons Although fires are a part of the natural cycle of the seasonally dry grasslands and savannas of Africa, ecologists, climatologists, and public health officials still have reasons to be concerned about Africa's intense burning. This series of images shows the seasonal fire patterns in Africa throughout 2005. The images are based on fires detected by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA's Terra and Aqua satellites. NASA images courtesy the MODIS Rapid Response Team, Goddard Space Flight Center.

by Staff Writers Tuscoon AZ (SPX) Jul 19, 2010

Africa faces a mounting number of disasters, such as floods, drought, food security and the spread of diseases, but must also deal with the likely impact of global climate change that could intensify these problems. To help tackle these tragic threats to Africa's human and economic well-being, space-based technologies are being identified.
Nearly a 100 decision-makers and senior experts on disaster-risk management from African countries, Europe, the Middle East and America met July 6-9 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
This notable gathering of officials was organized by the United Nations Platform for Space-based Information for Disaster Management and Emergency Response, known as UN-SPIDER together with the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) with support of the Government of Austria and in cooperation with Secure World Foundation.
The UN ECA called for more use of space-based technologies in Africa.
Disasters do not discriminate In addressing the group, Agnieszka Lukaszczyk, space policy consultant for Secure World Foundation (SWF), also actively participated in the four-day meeting titled: "Building upon Regional Space-based Solutions for Disaster Management and Emergency Response for Africa."
This event was held as a regional workshop of the UN-SPIDER.

One Tiny Satellite In Space, Whiz Kids Plan Two More

Though StudSat is orbiting over the earth's twin polar regions (north and south) and crosses Bangalore four-five times a day, emitting the signal at a frequency of 437.05 megahertz (MHz), it is yet to stabilise in sun synchronous orbit to switch on its camera.

by Staff Writers Bangalore, India (PTI) Jul 19, 2010

Driven by their maiden success in placing a tiny satellite in polar orbit early this week, the young pioneers are raring to launch two more satellites. "The successful launch and placing of our first pico-satellite (StudSat) in the earth's lower orbit has inspired us to build two similar satellites for the next launch," the project's core member G Kartik said here.
Riding piggy back on India's advanced remote sensing satellite Cartosat-2B and three other satellites, the 850gm cubical StudSat was launched onboard the polar satellite launch vehicle (PSLV-C15) on Monday by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) from its spaceport Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh, about 80km northeast of Chennai.
"We were thrilled to see the 44m tall rocket soaring into a clear sky with our first experimental satellite as the smallest payload and were excited when we learnt that it was successfully placed in the designated polar sun synchronous orbit 630km away from the earth, 22 minutes after a perfect lift-off," Kartik said.

Common spatial info platform for Army and Air Force

Publish Date: 16 July 2010
US: US Army Central Coalition Forces Land Component Command and US Air Forces Central are pooling data sources to satisfy their individual geospatial mission requirements through the newly formed Geospatial Central Command Collaborative (G3C). The two organisations previously operated on separate information platforms, but with G3C they each have a broader, more complete network of geospatial data. The collaborative activity eliminates overlap of information, saving the time, energy and money previously spent to collect the same data for two separate military branches.

The G3C effort, which began in 2009, exists as a website that is accessible to all military personnel, giving them the most up-to-date geospatial imaging information of areas under US military occupation via the Army or Air Force. It is a single website and map with GIS rivalling the speed of Google Maps even for deployed or remote users, according to Dave Williams, an assistant architect at AECOM, the company providing technical, operational and professional management solutions for the project.

Craig Erlandson, group manager of the technical aspects for the programme at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, explained that the project evolved from the need for a system to support geospatial information collected by personnel at Fort McPherson. However, the project manager and architect at the time, Tammy McCracken, realised there was a better option. Instead of creating the geospatial network from scratch, McCracken saw a complementary advantage to layering the information on top of the US Air Force Air Combat Command’s Installation Geospatial Information and Services network already in use.

The collaboration’s first step was sharing US Air Forces Central’s list of sites, which included 10 years of data collected on the 1,500 Air Force airfields in its Geobase Program. This project not only eliminates redundant data and creates a smoother flow of communications but it also saves USD 4 million in hardware, software, data and staffing costs annually.

Previously, it was difficult for troops on the ground to access unclassified geospatial information seamlessly. They would have to log in to and search multiple sites for maps and raw data. Erlandson relates that now a navigator on a C-17 coming into Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, can access G3C in flight and not only see the information and maps but also quickly download the raw source data into GIS aircraft mission-planning programs, such as FalconView, for measurements and analysis. Williams claims this site is more up-to-date and faster than what could be provided commercially, without the redundancies of two geo-based programmes.

Source: AFCEA

ESRI and NGA form strategic alliance

Publish Date: 13 July 2010
US: ESRI and the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) formed a strategic alliance to strengthen national geospatial intelligence (GEOINT) capabilities. This new strategic alliance is meant to support the strategies and goals US Navy Vice Admiral Robert B. Murrett, NGA director, set last year to ensure the interoperability and reliability and improve the quality of National System for Geospatial Intelligence (NSG) products and services.

Dangermond said, "This new initiative will permit us to continue working together on projects that will use and improve on geospatial technology, thereby strengthening our country's national security."

The mission of the NGA—which combines aspects such as technology, data, people and policies needed to produce GEOINT—is to provide timely, relevant and accurate geospatial intelligence to support national security. The NSG is a unified community of GEOINT experts, producers and users organised around the goal of integrating technology, policies, capabilities and doctrine to produce GEOINT in a multi-intelligence environment.

The NGA, as the functional manager for the NSG, provides strategic thinking, guidance, and direction to the intelligence community concerning all aspects of GEOINT, from acquisition to utilisation. The NGA collaborates with its mission partners to ensure that accurate and timely GEOINT is a part of decision making and operations where and when it is needed.

The agreement underscores the critical role geospatial technology plays in GEOINT within the national security community, which provides GIS products, services, and analysis to intelligence officers and decision makers.

Source: ESRI

An Eye in the Sky for Space Trash

Thursday, July 15, 2010

U.S. military to launch first satellite to snap and relay photos of orbital debris.

By Evan I. Schwartz

A rendering of Boeing's new Space-Based Space Surveillance Satellite. Credit: Boeing

With 20/20 hindsight, catastrophes can appear inevitable. The subprime mortgage meltdown. The BP oil spill. To avert a different kind of catastrophe, the U.S. military is trying to gain 20/20 foresight on the looming space junk crisis, which I wrote about in the June issue of WIRED.
To get an unprecedented view of the space waste cluttering the heavens, the U.S. Air Force is scrambling to reschedule the launch of the first-ever Space-Based Space Surveillance Satellite. Currently, the military monitors space junk through a ground-based network of radar and optical sensors. But this would be the first time that the Pentagon would capture detailed views of the 500,000 pieces of orbiting trash by relaying photos of debris from space itself.
The one-ton spacecraft will also keep watch on other spacecraft that might pose an accidental--or purposeful--menace to any of America's many vital satellites.

ArcGIS 10 Transforms The Way People Use GIS

This release also makes it much easier to see data in 3D and introduces the notion of time in both visualization and analysis. Users can create, manage, and visualize time-aware data. They can also display and animate temporal datasets as well as publish and query temporal map services. The ability to see data over time opens opportunities for more in-depth analysis.

by Staff Writers Redlands CA (SPX) Jul 02, 2010

ArcGIS 10, which is now available from Esri, is transforming the way people use geographic information system

(GIS) technology. With this release, users will be more productive with their work and will be able to take advantage of GIS everywhere: via individual local desktops, across desktops and browsers leveraging central servers, and in the cloud. "ArcGIS is a complete system that enables you to solve your most challenging issues," said Damian Spangrud, ArcGIS product manager. "This release provides greater ease of use, more powerful analysis tools, additional Web GIS applications, and new mobile platforms. It also promotes collaboration via an online system for using, sharing, and organizing geographic content."
Perform GIS Work Faster-ArcGIS 10 dramatically improves and simplifies the user experience, streamlines editing, and integrates productivity tools to support the workflows of GIS professionals. This release makes map creation and production much easier and provides best practice templates to help users get started quickly.
Users can search by keywords or data types to find data and maps. They can also use the search function to quickly and easily find symbols to use in their maps and tools for analysis.

Space Expertise Helps Expo Visitors

The navigation is provided on your standard mobile phone. More details here at ESA

by Staff Writers Paris, France (ESA) Jul 07, 2010

A start-up company supported by ESA's Business Incubation Centre has developed a new mobile phone indoor navigation system, which will soon help the six million annual visitors find their way around at the largest exhibition centre in Paris. This navigation system, developed by Insiteo, is especially effective for large inside spaces such as exhibition grounds, because the vast, complicated layouts of such tradeshows can be confusing Expo Porte de Versailles in Paris, with its 575 000 sq m of total exhibition space, 220 000 sq m of which is indoors, is a prime site for using the system.
"Finding your way at Expo Porte de Versailles is difficult, with its eight large halls, 32 meeting rooms and several auditoriums," explains Arnaud Masson, CEO and founder of Insiteo.
"During trade shows you will have thousands of exhibitors in individual booths. For a visitor to walk around and quickly and easily find the ones that interest them is not that easy."
Insiteo's solution provides a seamless continuation of location services to indoors, where GPS is unavailable.
"We install a synchronised network of low-cost transmitters simulating indoor GPS and Galileo navigation signals with a high level of accuracy," adds Arnaud Masson.

Earth Disasters: A Future Vision Of Response And Recovery Tools

illustration only

by Staff Writers by Dr. Ray Williamson, Executive Director - Secure World Foundation

Washington DC (SPX) Jul 14, 2010 The influence of Earth remote sensing satellites in disaster management can be greatly enhanced over the next decade, becoming a far more powerful tool than today to help mitigate the effects of natural and human-made calamities. A future look into the unrealized potential of remotely sensed data for pre-, during, and post-disaster scenarios was detailed by Dr. Ray Williamson, Executive Director of Secure World Foundation during a Disasters Roundtable, held July 8 by The National Academies in Washington, D.C.
The roundtable - From Reality 2010 to Vision 2020: Translating Remotely Sensed Data to Assets, Exposure, Damage, and Losses - brought together leading experts from academia, the government and private sector to focus on needed improvements in disaster response and recovery.
In his keynote address, Williamson outlined both positive trends and potential impediments regarding use of spaceborne systems and other technologies.

A Revolutionary Breakthrough In Terahertz Remote Sensing

The "all optical" technique for remote THz sensing uses laser induced fluorescence, essentially focusing two laser beams together into the air to remotely create a plasma that interacts with a generated THz wave.

by Staff Writers Troy NY (SPX) Jul 14, 2010

A major breakthrough in remote wave sensing by a team of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute researchers opens the way for detecting hidden explosives, chemical, biological agents and illegal drugs from a distance of 20 meters. The new, all-optical system, using terahertz (THz) wave technology, has great potential for homeland security and military uses because it can "see through" clothing and packaging materials and can identify immediately the unique THz "fingerprints" of any hidden materials.
Terahertz waves occupy a large segment of the electromagnetic spectrum between the infrared and microwave bands which can provide imaging and sensing technologies not available through conventional technologies such as x-ray and microwave.
"The potential of THz wave remote sensing has been recognized for years, but practical application has been blocked by the fact that ambient moisture interferes with wave transmission," says Xi-Cheng Zhang, Ph.D., director of the Center for THz Research at Rensselaer.

Tiny Satellites For Big Science

The insides of a standard nanosatellite. Credit: NASA Ames

by Prachi Patel
for Astrobiology Magazine Moffett Field CA (SPX) Jul 13, 2010

When it comes to laptop computers

and cell phones, bigger isn't better. The same logic applies to satellites: the bulkier the satellite, the more time it takes to design and build, and the more expensive it is to put into orbit. Researchers are now taking advantage of the electronics technologies that have made personal gizmos compact and affordable to make satellites that weigh and cost a fraction of their predecessors. These pocket- and backpack-sized satellites are changing the way astrobiology research is done.
Conventional satellites used for communications, navigation or research can be as large as a school bus and weigh between 100 and 500 kilograms. Universities, companies

and NASA are now building small satellites that weigh less than one kilogram (picosatellites) or up to 10 kilograms (nanosatellites).
These small satellites can be considered miniature versions of full-size counterparts. They contain the same components-battery, orbital control and positioning systems, radio communication systems, and analytical instruments-except everything is smaller, less expensive and sometimes less complicated.
"That's the beauty of this technology," says Orlando Santos, an astrobiologist at NASA Ames Research Center. "We can make these things small and still get meaningful science out of them."

Eyes In The Sky Give India Edge In Space

illustration only

by Staff Writers Chennai, India (PTI) Jul 14, 2010

With the successful launch of Cartosat-2B on Monday, India has reached a `critical constellation' of 10 active remote sensing satellites in space, which gives it a clear edge in the region for monitoring borders and movements across them. While mapping and infrastructure development are seen as primary applications of a remote sensing satellite, its use in spying is often underplayed. A combination of four Cartosats (1,2,2A and 2B) hovering 630 km above earth allows India to keep areas under close and prolonged surveillance. Multiple satellites ensure that a particular geographical area can be `revisited' every 48 hours.
Three of the cartosats now in orbit have a spatial resolution of less than one metre (0.8 m for Cartosat-2B), which means that they can observe and photograph objects smaller than a car. Cartosat-2B's steerability of 26 degrees allows it to stay focused on the object for a longer duration while on the move as compared to the other remote sensing satellites, which have a range of applications.

Britain unveils Google Earth map showing temperature rises

It was created using analysis from the Met Office Hadley Centre, a largely state-funded climate change research unit that advises government, and other leading scientists in the field, according to a Foreign Office statement.

by Staff Writers London (AFP) July 14, 2010

British ministers on Wednesday launched a new Google Earth map designed to show the potential impact of temperature rises of four degrees Celsius. The interactive map lets members of the public see the dramatic changes that could occur if action is not taken to curb greenhouse gas emissions.
Significant alterations include higher temperatures over land compared to the sea, and extreme temperature increases in the Arctic, according to the map.
It was created using analysis from the Met Office Hadley Centre, a largely state-funded climate change research unit that advises government, and other leading scientists in the field, according to a Foreign Office statement.
Unveiling the map, Foreign Office minister Henry Bellingham said it demonstrated the new government's determination to tackle climate change and show a wide audience the dangers or rising temperatures.
"The threat from climate change has not gone away and this government is committed to doing what it can to take action," he said.
"We are committed to being the 'greenest' government ever."
Greg Barker, energy and climate change minister, said: "This map reinforces our determination to act against dangerous man-made climate change."
Vicky Pope, from the Met Office, added: "If greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise, global average temperatures could increase by four degrees Celsius by the end of the century, and possibly as early as 2060."
The map can be viewed at: www.fco.gov.uk/google-earth-4degrees.kml.
Google Earth must already be installed for the application to work.

Satellites Track Two-Stage Interceptor In Missile Defense Test

File image. by Staff Writers Vandenberg Air Force Base CA (SPX) Jul 14, 2010 The Space Tracking and Surveillance System (STSS) Demonstration satellites, built by Northrop Grumman Corporation and Raytheon Company, successfully detected and tracked a two-stage Ground-Based Interceptor (GBI) during a U.S. Missile Defense Agency flight test on June 6, 2010. Tracking data generated by the satellite sensors were transmitted to the Missile Defense Integration and Operation Center in Colorado Springs, Colo., which serves as the ground station for the two demonstration spacecraft. "The STSS satellites operated as expected and the system generated high-quality track data during the boost phase in this first missile test of capabilities," said Gabe Watson, vice president, missile defense and missile warning programs for Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems. "The STSS system is on its way to proving the value of space-based sensors for missile defense by demonstrating the ability to detect and track missiles throughout their entire flight trajectory." The missile tracking capability being demonstrated by the STSS Demonstration program will mature technologies and concepts of operation for an operational constellation. The operational constellation will be designed to enable earlier intercepts of threat missiles in flight and to significantly improve the nation's missile defense capabilities for our homeland, deployed forces, friends and allies.