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Symposium on Remote Sensing for Resources Development and Environmental Management / Enschede / August 1986
EARTHSCAN - A range of remote sensing systems
D.R.Sloggett & C.McGeachy
Environmental and Space Systems Group, Software Sciences Limited, Famborough, Hampshire, UK
ABSTRACT: Todays users of remote sensing systems require a capability to easily enhance and develop those
systems to incorporate the results of state-of-the-art research, new applications and the launch of new
satellites.
The EARTHSCAN range of remote sensing systems has been designed around a core set of image processing and
image manipulation routines to provide a basic building block on which to carry out both operational remote
sensing and research work. The systems are designed in a modular way, for expansion, and to be portable
between different host computer systems. A user friendly MMI enables the operator to use the system, and
images are displayed on an associated workstation. The systems incorporate an advanced Geographic
Information System (GIS) capability.
The paper describes the architecture of the systems and their associated baseline image processing
functions. Adaption of the system to generate new products, enhance the catalogue, add new image processing
routines is illustrated. The range of systems are unique and cater for future developments, applications and
new satellites.
1 INTRODUCTION
The planned programme of remote sensing satellites
due to be launched over the next 15 years has given
a strong impetus to the development of remote
sensing applications. The prospects for continued
coverage and the long term availability of data
across a wide geographic area have increased the
interest of a number of user groups. In particular
the prospects for the polar platform, to provide a
long term facility, has been the focus of attention
for a number of studies within the UK.
Currently there is one main source of operational
remote sensing data for land applications, the
American polar orbiting satellite LANDSAT, operated
by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA). To date there have been four
LANDSAT satellites and plans are advanced for the
replacement of these satellites to provide a
continuing service into the 21st century. A
significant European contribution to satellite
remote sensing is the deployment of the independent
French remote sensing satellite, SPOT and the
planned launch of ERS-1 in 1989.
During the last ten years the capabilities and
accuracy of the satellite sensors has increased
offering a more useful stream of data to a wider
range of users. Techniques for processing satellite
data have also been rapidly developing over the past
few years, due to intensive research, rather than in
operational systems.
The United Kingdom has recognised the benefits to
be gained by playing a leading role in the remote
sensing area and has invested considerable sums of
money and effort into a national remote sensing
programme.
The United Kingdom is currently playing a leading
role in the ERS-1 project and this is paving the way
for the development of a national remote sensing
infrastructure of archiving, processing and
dissemination facilities. Under development in the
UK, and in collaboration with ESA, the ERS Data
Centre is currently at the Phase B stage of project
definition. The consortium carrying out the design
is led by Software Sciences with Huntings, Marconi
Research Centre, Smith Associates and GEMS of
Cambridge all collaborating in the project work.
Resulting from this and other remote sensing
projects, plus the investment of considerable
private venture funds, a range of systems called the
EARTHSCAN range have been developed by Software
Sciences to cover a wide range of remote sensing
applications. Growth is built into the systems to
cater for the development of new techniques and
application areas.
Input data can be from one of a number of primary
sources, live data, or from secondary sources, via
magnetic tape input.
The EARTHSCAN range is modular with a series of
facilities from the 200 to the 5000 series system.
The product range is divided, according to the
primary sources processed, into three systems:
CLOUDSCAN (TIROS-N, GOES, METEOSAT)
LANDSCAN (LANDSAT, SPOT, IRS-1)
SEASCAN (SEASAT, ERS-1, RADARSAT, NROSS)
The LANDSCAN system is one of this range of
computer systems developed in the United Kingdom by
Software Sciences Limited in collaboration with the
UK National Remote Sensing Centre. These systems
cover Land, Sea and Meteorological applications and
are amongst the most advanced systems of their type
in the world. The systems support the following
satellites:
LANDSAT (MSS, TM)
TIROS-N
SEASAT
ERS-1 (simulated data)
SPOT 1
Growth exists in all systems for the introduction
of imagery from a wide range of new satellite
systems including:
MOSS
ERS-1
