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of cropping system which addresses crop-crop interaction,
the long term effects of various cropping sequences on pro-
ductivity, soil and environmental health is important.
Research needs to be focused to identify indicators of sus-
tainability, effect of green house gases on biomass produc-
tion and carrying capacity. Application of high spatial reso-
lution multi-spectral data for precision farming is another
important area of research. While remotely sensed data has
demonstrated its usefulness in crop monitoring and yield
prediction, there is need for development of national level
integrated systems for crop production forecasting and fur-
ther research in improving yield models. FASAL (Forecasting
Agricultural Output using Space, Agrometeorolgy and Land
based Observation) programme being evolved in India is an
interesting concept.
Advances made in the information and telecommunication
technology have led to conceptualising resource monitoring
systems by integrating remote sensing and in situ observa-
tions in GIS environment. Development of spatial informa-
tion systems to support optimal resource management
models and decision support to help e-governance should
be gaining momentum. Standards for such databases and
their inter-operability need to be identified. Availability of
high spatial resolution optical as well as radar data,
advances in GIS and GPS technology should provide impe-
tus. Major research programmes need to be developed for
environmental impact analysis, risk assessment, integrated
coastal zone management, ecological assessment of recla-
mation, groundwater pollution, etc. Networking between
information provider and end-user, standardisation of data-
exchange format, etc. need to be developed.
A large number of cities all over the world are already using
satellite and aerial data with GIS for preparation of devel-
opment plans, transport network optimisation, utility man-
agement etc. Availability of high spatial resolution remote
sensing data shall enhance one's ability to monitor urban-
isation, study its impact on environment and to help plan-
ning rural infrastructure. Delineation and monitoring of
environmentally sensitive areas would require attention.
Research will also be focused on the use of high resolution
SAR data, and its DEM likely to available from RADARSAT-
Il, ENVISAT, SRTM etc. Recently, there has been emphasis
on the conservation and management of natural heritage
Sites and cultural landscapes. The role of remote sensing
(aerial photographs, high resolution multi-spectral data,
radar data, etc.) in GIS environment for restoration of some
Such sites has been demonstrated. Standard procedures
to routinely monitor such sites and conservation and
preservation practices need to be evolved in close co-
operation with CIPA and other international bodies.
Earthquakes, landslides, volcanic eruption, fires and floods
are natural hazards that kill thousands of people and destroy
billions of dollars of habitat and property each year. Floods
are the most serious disasters followed by earthquakes,
(man-made) accidents and landslides. Disaster manage-
ment comprehends the aspects of risk analysis (assessing
vulnerability or hazard analysis) and preparedness, preven-
tion (disaster warning or early warning), disaster relief (res-
cue), and disaster mitigation and planning. Remote sensing
has made significant contributions in identification of risk
zones. However further efforts are required in providing
warning and alert. Development of systems which integrate
Space observations, modelling and space communication
are important. Post-disaster management comprises res-
cue, relief, and rehabilitation / reconstruction. Remote sens-
ing play its most spectacular role in disaster damage
assessment. The various technologies, which would be of
significant use in disaster management, are rainfall meas-
urement for flood and landslide warning, soil moisture
measurements for flood, landslide and drought warning,
application of high spatial resolution imagery for damage
assessment, SAR data for timely damage assessment (in an
operational phase, by using many satellites to enhance the
repetition cycle), slope analysis for landslide vulnerability,
determination of tectonic motion for earthquake prediction
as a trigger for landslides.
SAR Interferometry technique shows promising results for
topographic mapping and change detection, especially,
where the detection of height differences in terrain is nec-
essary, e.g., in risk analysis with respect to earthquakes,
mass movement and volcanic outbreaks. Through use of
differential SAR Interferometry (DInSAR) it is possible to
monitor minute surface movements which accompany a
range of natural disasters. This technique is in rapid devel-
opment and operational applications are starting to
emerge.
Space observations are an important step toward record-
ing and under standing Earth changes, both natural and
man-made. As remote sensing affords the opportunity to
view the earth synoptically as an entity, it has been possi-
ble to create long-term data sets on various aspects of
global change, such as, radiation budget, atmospheric
chemistry, ocean surface topography and circulation, sea
surface temperature, oceanic biological productivity,
ocean/atmosphere coupling, global vegetation, desertifi-
cation, coastal change, volcanoes, snow cover, human
induced changes. Among the complications in producing
time series of remotely sensed data for large areas are the
problems of storing data and processing them in a consis-
tent and timely fashion. Also, many of the derived data
sets from remote sensing should be checked for consis-
tency using physical principles. Complementing the
advances made in the understanding of the Earth system
from remote sensing has been the advances made from
numerical models. Models of the Earth's atmosphere and
oceans are being used to predict global changes and par-
ticularly the likelihood of global warming and its conse-
quences. Efforts are put into modifying or designing these
models to be able to accept remote sensing data as
inputs. Considering the huge nature of this data and the
analysis methodologies, there is strong need for interna-
tional co-operation among the space technology providing
countries for creating global database and co-operating in
the large scale validation of numerical predictions. Organ-
isations like IGBP and CEOS are a step towards that.
Close co-operation with TC-IV is envisaged.
Working Groups of Technical Commission VII for
2000-2004
WG VII/1 Fundamental Physics and Modelling
Chair: Karl Staenz (Canada)
Co-chair: Marc Leroy (France)
ISPRS
International Archives of Photogrammerty and Remote Sensing. Vol. XXXIII, Part A. Amsterdam 2000. i item OY