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Low-Frequency SAR systems. Anthony Freeman (NASA
JPL).
The Need for a Spaceborne LF SAR - User Pull or Tech-
nology Push? Bob Harriss (Texas A&M University).
A selection of the major findings can be summarised very
briefly as follows:
- Out of the six greenhouse gases covered by the Kyoto
Protocol, it is recognised that the information Earth
Observation can provide focuses on CO2 and CHA.
- EO contributions can be made to provide systematic
observations and data archives in order to reduce
uncertainties in the global terrestrial carbon budget;
supporting national and international networks and
observation programmes - especially for above-ground
biomass and trends and shifts in land cover; as well as
help support national accounting of Afforestation,
Reforestation and Deforestation (A.R.D.).
- The review of state-of-the-art EO technology in the con-
text of the Kyoto Protocol revealed the capabilities - but
also the limitations - of each of today’s operational opti-
cal and microwave sensors.
- Although direct measurements of biomass is possible by
contemporary spaceborne microwave platforms, the lim-
itation to shorter wavelength radars (C- and L-band)
restricts the sensitivity to biomass levels of less than 100
tons/ha. The usefulness of orbital lower frequency
microwave sensors (P-band, VHF) was acknowledged,
however more research in this field was recommended.
A detailed workshop report is available on the Internet at
http://www.hegyi.com/isprsc7/wgroup 5.html .
Relevant to the WG activities is the 4th Global Rain Forest
Mapping (GRFM) Science Meeting that was organised by
the Institute for Space Research of Brazil (INPE) and the
National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA) in
Sáo Jose dos Campos (Brazil) from November 8th-12th
1999. The meeting demonstrated the usefulness of
medium resolution (100 m) semi-continental scale (JERS-
1) SAR mosaics for regional scale thematic analysis. It also
showed how SAR data can constitute easy-to-use infor-
mation, also for users not usually accustomed to
microwave data, if presented in a user-friendly way. More
information about the meeting and GRFM mosaics (dis-
tributed free of charge for scientific use) is available at
http://www.eorc.nasda.go.jp/JERS-1/ and at http://south-
port.jpl.nasa.gov/GRFM/ .
Working Group Programme for 2000
Maintaining the thematic focus, WG VII-5 will be organis-
ing two sessions related to the Kyoto Protocol at the
ISPRS Congress in Amsterdam, between 16th-23rd July
2000. "Global Remote Sensing and GIS in the service of
the Kyoto protocol” (jointly with ISPRS WG IV-6 Global
databases supporting environmental monitoring). It will
provide an opportunity for a larger number of EO scientists
to participate and discuss the importance of EO technol-
ogy in the context of global treaties. The session “Space-
borne Low Frequency Microwave sensors - assessing user
needs and technical limitations for global biomass estima-
tions” (jointly with ISPRS WG VII-6 Radar Applications) will
address particular issues related to a new generation of
microwave systems for assessment of global terrestrial
carbon stocks.
Recent publications and lectures by Chairperson Ake
Rosenqvist well represent the areas where significant
International Archives of Photogrammerty and Remote Sensing. Vol. XXXIII, Part.A. Amsterdam 2000.
ISPRS
2000
achievements are expected using remote sensing technol-
ogy:
Rosenqvist A. Temporal and Spatial Characteristics of Irri-
gated Rice in JERS-1 L-band SAR Data. International
Journal of Remote Sensing, 1999, Vol., 20, No. 8, pp.
1567-1587.
Rosenqvist A., Birkett C., Bartholomé E. and De Grandi G.
Using Satellite Altimetry and Historical Gauge Data for Val-
idation of the Hydrological significance of the JERS-1 SAR
(GRFM) Mosaics in Central Africa. International Geo-
Science and Remote Sensing Symposium (IGARSS'99).
Hamburg, Germany, 28th June - 2nd July, 1999. Proceed-
ings. IEEE Catalogue No. 99CH36293C.
Rosenqvist A., Forsberg B.R., Pimentel T. and Richey J.E.
GRFM Activities in the Jau River Floodplain - Modelling of
Methane Emissions and Flooding Dynamics. JERS-1 Sci-
ence Program ‘99 - PI Reports, pp 118-122. National
Space Development Agency of Japan, Earth Observation
Research Center, March 1999.
Working Group VII/6 - Radar Applications
Chair: Prof.Dr. Tony Milne UNSW, AUSTRALIA
(Since August 1996)
Dr.Jürg Lichtenegger, European Space
Agency ESRIN, ITALY (Since August 1996)
Co-Chair:
Terms of Reference
To extend the use of multiwavelength and multipolarimet-
ric radar data in investigations in earth surface characteri-
sation and environmental analysis.
Accomplishments of WG VII/6
In October/November 1996 a number of countries in the
Asia-Pacific Region collaborated in the NASA-Australia-
Asean Pacific Rim AIRSAR Radar Mission. Data, both
POLSAR and TOPSAR, was collected from nine partici-
pating countries in the region.
The usefulness of radar in mapping land use land cover
and in assessing environmental conditions depends on the
optimisation of wavelength, polarisation and incidence of
angle combinations available within each of the sensor
systems. Much of the research involving single band satel-
lite data has been reported in recent conferences (Cana-
dian Space Agency GER, Ottawa, May 1997, ERS-1 Flo-
rence Symposium April 1997) and is the result of the work
of Principal Investigators associated with these particular
assessment programmes. The evaluation of multi-wave-
length, multi-polarised radar imagery acquired from the
SIR-C has also recently been published. Much of the work
of this Working Group in Radar Applications has been
involved with promoting radar technology and applications
within the ASEAN region, thereby complementing the
activities of ESA, (ERS 1/2), the Canadian Space Agency
(GLOBESAR and RADARSAT) and NASDA CJERS-1 pro-
grammes, and has involved the Pacific Rim Deployment
NASA airborne radar system (AIRSAR).
A Science and Applications Workshop was held in
Pasadena, 24th-28th March 1997, which brought together
more than sixty participants from the USA, Australia, New
Zealand and several southeast Asian countries. The focus
of the workshop was the evaluation of AIRSAR data
acquired during the Pacific Rim (PACRIM) Mission, Octo-
ber-December 1996, when some 126 sites throughout the
Asia-Australia region were flown. The first two days of the
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