International Archives of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing. Vol. XXXII Part 7C2, UNISPACE ID, Vienna, 1999
159
UNISPACE III - ISPRS/NASA Seminar on
I5PR5
v^y
“Environment and Remote Sensing for Sustainable Development”
9:00 am -12:00 pin, 23 July 1999, VIC Room A
Vienna, Austria
infrared MIR, thermal infrared IR) of the electromagnetic
spectrum.
The most recent systems such as ROSIS (from
DLR/MBB/GKSS, Germany) [1,2], HYDICE (from the Naval
Research Lab., USA), WIS (from Hughes SBRC - USA),
TRWIS (TRW - USA) combine the latest achievements in the
fields of microelectronics, optic-electronics, informatics, and
materials technology. They belong to the type of push-broom
scanners and have high spectral and spatial resolutions^].
The advantages of the new systems are: a higher accuracy and
sensitivity; a huger speed; a capacity to be easily adapted and
integrated; a lower weight and size; and a lower energy
consumption and lower costs. This is a serious advantage to
transform the remote sensing of the Earth from a high cost
scientific activity into an efficient and cost-effective technology
for obtaining vital information on the state of the environment.
A prototype of such a modular system for ecological monitoring
is in a process of development in Bulgaria. Some of the modules
are fully developed and field tested, while others are in a
development stage nearing completion and laboratoiy testing.
This project is developed with the support of the general
department of Scientific and Application Studies of the
Bulgarian Ministry of Education and Sciences. The system is
currently available for use in projects to be proposed under the
Fifth Framework Programme of co-operation of the European
Union EU.
The recent events in Yugoslavia firmly demonstrate the necessity
of the availability of an appropriate system for providing
urgently needed information on the environment affected by
calamities and large technological accidents and man-made
hazards. In this context it is suggested that the Bulgarian system
might perhaps be usefully engaged to help solve some of the
environmental problems encountered, taking into consideration
the geographical position of Bulgaria and the absence of any
other such air-borne laboratory for ecological monitoring in the
region. Under these particular circumstances a pilot project on
the assessment of the environmental repercussions of the events
in Yugoslavia might perhaps be taken into consideration. 2
2. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
2.1. Aims
The aims of this project are to develop a modular system for the
acquisition and recording of data within a wide range of the
electromagnetic spectrum with high spatial and spectral
resolution. The idea is to combine observations within a wide
spectral range including the ultraviolet, visible, near and middle
infrared ranges of the electromagnetic spectrum and a high
spatial resolution in order to achieve a high accuracy in
geographical referencing and data location identification. The
air-based version of the system envisages the on-board
implementation of a preliminary data correction and express
analysis of the data in real time followed by a preliminary
assessment and an archiving of the data for a more detailed
analysis and recording data at ground-based monitoring stations.
2.2. Objectives of the study
Within the framework of the current project it is foreseen to use
the system on board of an AN-30 aircraft to implement studies
and analyses of water basins, soils and vegetation over selected
geographical sites in Bulgaria specified in accordance with
technogenic pressures and strongly damaged environments. The
following main components and parameters will be studied.
1. Research on water
- Pigmentation;
- Organic matter content;
- Yellow substance and classes of algae;
- Chlorophyll
2. Research on soils
- Soil salinity estimation
- Dehydration and pH +
- Heavy metals identification (Cd, Cu, Zn, Pb, Fe)
- Determination of organic compound
3. Vegetation monitoring
- Distribution of individual vegetation associations over the earth
surface (mapping)
- Determination and forecast of productivity and yield in forestry
and agriculture
- Determination of the degree of damage over large vegetation
areas caused by anthropogenic or natural factors
- Monitoring the development and change of vegetation both
during the different seasons and over larger periods of time
through regular observations
4. Geo-ecoloeical studies and regions with geological risks
- mapping of waste ponds and depositing sumps from
exploration of non-ferrous metals, uranium, etc.
- digital elevation model (DEM) of the relief and the
determination of regional and local structural characteristics -
faults, folding, bedding;
- Monitoring and solving problems related to geological risks
such as landslides, earth subsidence, floods, etc.
5. Natural calamities and industrial accidents
