International Archives of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences, Vol XXXV, Part B6. Istanbul 2004
environmental risks related to mining sites and aid the decision
processes. Such tools will give the sound basis for effective
environmental management through a dialogue between
industrialists and decision-makers, ensuring a sustainable
development of the mineral industry, which faces increasing
environmental pressure and regulatory controls. MINEO was
funded and carried out within EU FPS IST-Program by
Geological Surveys of Finland, France, Denmark, Austria,
Germany, Portugal and UK, Deutsche Steinkohle,
Environmental Agencies of Denmark and France during years
2000-2003 (for reports see: http://www.brgm.fr/mineo/).
In near future, the emphasis of the activities at the Remote
Sensing Laboratory will be on assessment of (geo-)
environmental impact of mining and other industries and remote
identification of mineral materials.
5.2.5 Helsinki University of Technology (HUT)
Institute of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing
The emphasis of research has been analytical photogrammetry
ever since the foundation of the Institute in 1960. In the 1960s
and 1970s its methods were under strong development, and
their practical applications have provided us favorable feedback
indeed. The research in photogrammetric and measuring
instruments was obligatory for the development of analytical
photogrammetry.
In early 80ies the research concentrated on digital image
processing, the objective being the automatization of
photogrammetric processes. Moving from analytical methods
into digital ones required, among other things, acquaintance
with the geometric properties of digital images. Also the means
to 3-D pattern recognition in photogrammetry needed, and still
need, to be found.
During the last half of the 80ies, the research activities within
the Institute have moved onto the extensive use of digital
images in order to automatically derive 3-D geometric
information of generally any kind of objects. Traditionally, the
discipline of photogrammetry and remote sensing has become
known as the mathematical and technical part of producing 3-D
information, or topographic and thematic maps, from land. The
images used for this information extraction have varied from
airborne analog images to spaceborne digital images.
Currently photogrammetric procedures are utilized in the same
manner for non-topographic applications, as well. The digital
images are acquired by solid-state video cameras and these
'living' images, if processed in real-time, are used for the variety
of both scientific and practical tasks, like geometric scene-
analysis and manufacturing control measurement. Recursive
methods of estimation, use of satellite images in the inventory
of natural resources, and stability of analytical plotters have also
been within the field of our research in the last years. The work
commissioned to us has been applications of acrial as well as of
terrestrial ~~ photogrammetry to both 3-D coordinate
determination and mapping.
Laboratory of Space Technology
The main research areas in remote sensing at the Laboratory of
Space Technology (LST), Helsinki University of Technology
(http://Wwww.space.hut.fi), are development of methods to
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retrieve geophysical parameters from the data of spaceborne
sensors for various applications, operation of the LST research
aircraft and construction of active and passive sensors. LST
participates in several international research projects funded by
the European Space Agency and European Union. The annual
research output includes from 10 to 20 international journal
articles and dozens of international conference reports. The total
amount of person-years is around 30.
The main applications are forest (development of forest
monitoring and management systems), snow and hydrology
(operational optical/microwave snow extent and melt
monitoring; retrieval of snow water equivalent; flood
monitoring; soil moisture), sea ice ( ice extent and deformation)
and water quality (monitoring techniques for lakes and the
Baltic Sea).
In sensor technology resarch the emphasis is on the
development of interferometric microwave radiometry. This
includes the construction and operation of airborne 2-
dimensional interferometric (synthetic aperture) radiometer and
design of on-board calibration systems, noise injection
radiometers and ground support systems for the ESA SMOS
satellite mission (1.4 GHz radiometer system that will produce
global data on soil moisture and sea surface salinity). The
airborne HUTRAD system (6.8 to 94 GHz) of LST has been in
operation since 1998.
5.2.6 Tampere University of Technology, Department of
Civil Engineering
The research in the field of photogrammetry is mainly focused
to the general needs of civil and construction engincering.
5.2.7 University of Joensuu, Faculty of Forestry
The research at the University of Joensuu, Faculty of Forestry
has concentrated on forestry applications of remote sensing, and
GIS. These applications include forest inventory and monitoring
of forest resources as well as detailed forest information. During
recent years especially high resolution remote sensing data
including satellites, digital photographs, video and laser
scanning images has been utilised. The most important projects
during recent years are described below.
e Forest Information Assessment and Updating’ (1999-2002),
funded by Finnish Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, was
a project where methods based on remote sensing were
sought for stand-level inventories in private forests. The
project participants were University of Joensuu, Finnish
Forest Research Institute, Forestry Centre Pohjois-Savo and
Forestry Development Centre Tapio.
e Earth Observation for Natura 2000+ (EON2000+)" is an
RTD project co-funded by the European Commission as
part of the 5th Framework Programme. The project is a
partnership of 14 members from seven European countries
working for a duration of three years (2001-2004). The
other Finnish partner is the Finnish Environment Institute as
an end-user. The aim of the EON2000- project is to
develop and demonstrate integrated indicators of
environmental state and socio-economic pressures for
environmental protection purposes in support of the
conventions on Biodiversity and European Biodiversity
Strategy. The suitability of the Very High Resolution
satellite data for the environmental monitoring was tested in
Joensuu.
