CARTOGRAPHIC POTENTIAL OF IRS-1C DATA PRODUCTS
PK Srivastava, R Ramakrishnan, R Nandkumar, N Padmanabhan, B Gopala Krishna, KL Majumder
Image processing and Data Products Group
Remote Sensing Area
Space Applications Centre (ISRO)
Ahmedabad 380053, INDIA
ISPRS Commision IV, Working Group IV/3
KEY WORDS: IRS-1C, Mapping standards, Geocoded products, Orthoimage, LISS 3 Camera,
Panchromatic Camera
ABSTRACT Indian Remote Sensing Satellite IRS-1C launched in December 1995 carries onboard
pushbroom linear CCD scanner cameras capable of providing high resolution imagery of Earth's surface .
This raises the issue of usefulness of this data for topographic mapping purposes. This paper provides a
theoretical assessment of cartographic potential of IRS-1C imagery and describes planned experiments to
assess the cartographic potential of IRS-1C imagery with actual data.
The following Data Products planned for IRS-1C mission can be used for Cartographic applications:
1. Radiometrically corrected raw geometry Basic stereo Pair of PAN data.
2. Geocoded Data Products. These products are provided in 1:250,000 and 1:50,000 scales for
LISS-3 and additionally 1:25,000 scale for PAN.
3. Merged Products. These products are expected to allow better visual interpretation capability for
linear features of interest in Cartographic applications.
Early results from first set of IRS-1C imagery show that the theoretical expectations are met.
1.0 Introduction
Indian Remote Sensing Satellite IRS-1C launched in
December 1995 carries onboard pushbroom linear
CCD scanner cameras capable of providing high
resolution imagery of Earth's surface . It is expected
that updating of topographic maps will be one of the
major Remote Sensing applications to receive boost
from IRS-1C imagery. The issue of usefulness of
IRS-1C data for topographic mapping purposes is
discussed in this paper from two angles viz.
1. a theoretical assessment of cartographic
potential of IRS-1C imagery and
2. early results with available IRS-1C imagery .
Based on both theoretical possibilities and first cut
assessment conclusions related to cartographic
potential of IRS-1C imagery are drawn.
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2.0 IRS-1C specifications related to Terrain
Mapping
IRS-1C carries three cameras viz. multispectral
LISS-3 camera, high resolution steerable
Panchromatic Camera and Wide Field Sensor. Of
these the first two provide such resolutions as to
make them probable candidates for cartographic
applications. Basic characteristics of these two
sensors are as given in table 1.
The Panchromatic camera can be steered
upto +/-26 degrees. Thus by acquiring imagery
over the same ground area from multiple orbits a
stereoscopic coverage can be obtained.
Consequently by applying appropriate models a
terrain height profile can be determined. The IRS-
1C mission is thus capable of providing both
planimetric and elevation information.
International Archives of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing. Vol. XXXI, Part B4. Vienna 1996
