International Archives of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences, Vol XXXV, Part B6. Istanbul 2004 
4. PUBLICATIONS AND PROMOTION OF RESULTS 
4.1 Publications 
Publications are of course, a major way to transfer technolog 
in a scientific manner. To date, the ITC coal fire projects in 
China have resulted in more than 20 scientific papers in 
internationally refereed journals. The prestigious International 
Journal of Remote Sensing has published ten research papers by 
the ITC Team members. Other international journals where coal 
fire papers have been published by ITC staff include: Asian- 
Pacific Remote Sensing and GIS Journal, Journal of Coal, 
Geologie and Mijnbouw, Terra Nova, etc. 
Over forty conference papers have been presented on ITC's 
earth observation research applied to coal fire research in China 
by the team members. This has helped to disseminate 
knowledge on the seriousness of this problem, stimulate 
discussion on new techniques and methods, and, perhaps most 
importantly, has encouraged many other researchers worldwide 
to become motivated to study this problem more deeply. 
Conferences to disseminate ITC's research approach have been 
attended in Australia, Austria, United Kingdom, China, U.S.A., 
the Netherlands, Iran, India, Canada and Germany. 
Besides scientific publications in refereed journals and in 
conference proceedings, numerous technical reports, 
monographs and manuals have been produced as part of the 
transfer of technology process. These include reports such as: 
1. Environmental Monitoring of Coal Fires in North China 
(BCRS Report 1993) 
Monitoring and Management of Fragile Ecosystems in 
Shanxi, Shaanxi and Inner Mongolia (ADB Report, 1994) 
3. Environmental Monitoring of Spontaneous combustion in 
the North China Coal Fields (EU Report) 
4. Manual of Coal Fire Detection and Monitoring (NITG) 
5. Manual of Coal Fire Fighting and Prevention Plan (NITG) 
6. Coal Fire Interferometry (BCRS Report). 
N 
A further form of publication, which has been very successful 
as part of spreading the results of the coal fire research and 
projects using earth observation has been that of posters. More 
than 20 AO size posters, richly illustrated with imagery, 
schematics, text, diagrams, etc. on many detailed aspects of the 
coal fire problem have been produced. These have been 
awarded “Best Poster” paper at various international 
conferences in North America and Europe. The posters also 
serve as a useful tool to attract the media, and thus further 
promote attention to this serious environmental problem. 
4.2 Promotion 
Giving publicity to achieved research results is becoming 
increasingly important to draw attention to the role of earth 
observation for solving practical, real-world problems. ITC’s 
coal fire research has been very successful in this regard. Table 
2 lists a few of the popular scientific magazines and newsletters 
that have written articles about the coal fires projects in China. 
Mostly they are lavishly illustrated, as still many people have 
never seen a naturally occurring (or man-induced one) coal fire 
and the dramatic landscapes which result. 
Table 2: Popular Scientific Magazines and Newsletters 
featuring articles on ITC's coal fire projects. 
1) World Coal (U.K., 08/2002) 
2) China National Geographic (China, 10/2000) 
3) EARSeL Newsletter (France, 1998) 
4) De Ingenieur (the Netherlands, 07/1997) 
5) The Sciences (USA) 
6) EOS (USA, 11/1997) 
7) KUK Magazine (the Netherlands, 08/1995) 
8) Readers Digest (USA, 02/2004) 
9) GEO Magazine 
10) New Scientist, 02/2003 
11) Geotimes, 11/2002 
12) Der Spiegel (Germany, 10/1999) 
13) Greenpeace Magazine, 02/2002 
The popular press has also shown great interest in this ITC 
research and the newspaper articles have in turn drawn the 
attention of decision makers and funding agencies as well as 
creating private sector interest in this issue. Some examples of 
the (inter)national press that has devoted, often [ront page 
articles to this work include: The Times, Financial Times and 
The Daily Telegraph (United Kingdom), Le Figaro (France), 
China Daily, China Coal News, Science and Technology Daily, 
China Economic Herald, Science Times (all from China). The 
New York Times (USA), Berliner Zeitung, Welt am Sonntag, 
Neue Züricher Zeitung (Germany). In addition to almost all 
Dutch National Newspapers having carried stories about ITC's 
coal fire research (e.g. Trouw, de Volkskrant, NRC 
Handelsblad), many regional and local newspapers have done 
likewise (Twentse Courant Tubantia, Utrecht's Nieuwsblad, 
Haagse Courant, etc.). 
Radio interviews in China and in various European countries 
coupled with TV coverage, have further helped to draw 
attention to the coal fire problem, with the purpose of obtaining 
more political, financial and scientific support. Dutch National 
TV produced an English and Dutch half hour documentary film 
on this topic entitled "The Hidden Fire" (VPRO Het 
Noorderlicht). This has been shown in various countries and on 
National Geographic TV. The Chinese National TV (CCTV) 
has also made several TV programmes and interviews on ITC's 
coal fire project). In addition, radio interviews on BBC News 
and Dutch World Service Radio have been given. 
5. CONCLUSIONS 
For more than 15 years, ITC and its Chinese and other 
(international partners have been carrying out research into the 
problem of detecting, measuring, modelling, monitoring and 
extinguishing coal fires by using Earth observation techniques 
coupled with field and laboratory investigations and using GIS. 
By paying particular attention to the knowledge transfer process 
by means of education and training, publications and 
promotional activities, several benefits have resulted. These 
includes: 
- A critical mass of well-trained Chinese scientists, 
technicians, administrators and managers, ensuring long- 
term sustainability and an indigenous capability to carry on 
with this work. 
- The many scientific and technical publications produced 
by the ITC team members has drawn this problem to the 
attention of the international scientific community. This 
has resulted, amongst others, in German research groups 
under coordination of the DLR now being actively 
involved in a large, multi-year, multi-disciplinary research 
project on coal fires in North China. In the USA, the 
spontaneous combustion of coal is once again a topic 
receiving a considerable attention, as witnessed by the new 
series of conferences and meetings on this topic in the 
USA, such as the GSA Wild Coal Fire Meeting to be held 
178