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REMOTE
SENSING IN YOUR WORLD
Nancy Bohac
Protecting Beets from Disease
The Upper Midwest Aerospace Consortium (UMAC), a
program of the University of North Dakota, is exploring
DigitalGlobe’s high-resolution QuickBird satellite
imagery as a method for identifying the impact of
Rhizomania disease on sugar beet crops. Prior research
performed by the consortium shows the potential of high
resolution satellite imagery in protecting the two billion
dollar sugar beet industry of North Dakota’s Red River
Valley by indicating when the disease is present and when
new varieties of the crop should be planted.
Because it is often not visible to the naked eye,
Rhizomania can be easily misdiagnosed as another crop
ailment such as water or nitrogen stress. QuickBird’s 8
foot (2.4m) resolution multispectral images show
sensitivities to chlorophyll content and moisture levels
in plant leaves. Using QuickBird-based digital image maps
and a GPS receiver, farmers with little to no background
in mapping and satellite imaging can locate anomalous crop
conditions that may be due to Rhizomania.
Digital Libraries for Science
What if time intensive jobs processing large
volumes of spatial and temporal data were reduced to mere
hours, minutes, or seconds? A project led by the European
Commission (EC) and recently joined by the European Space
Agency (ESA) named DIgital Library Infrastructure on Grid
ENabled Technology (DILIGENT) may lay the ground work for
such a system.
The idea is to provide access to large amounts of
digital data via the construct of a grid. The grid
concept, named after the electricity grid, involves a
distributed network of computers that provide users with
access to advanced computing services, processing power,
and memory, resulting in capabilities well beyond a single
machine or local network. Rather than having to download
data and process them locally, scientists would have the
ability to directly combine their algorithms with large
amounts of data within the virtual grid and enhance them
based upon outputs made near real-time. While grids are
commonly used in computing and data processing, few have
been designed to serve outside of a single organization
and most have been based around text documents. The
DILIGENT project began in September 2004 and will run for
three years.
Saving Digital Data
The North Carolina State University (NC State)
Libraries and the Library of Congress are pooling their
efforts to save at-risk digital data, including maps. Just
over half of the $1.044 million will be contributed by the
NC State libraries. The project will be conducted through
the National Digital Information Infrastructure and
Preservation Program and will involve a partnership with
the North Carolina Center for Geographic Information and
Analysis. Together, the partners will attempt to collect
and preserve at-risk digital geospatial data resources
(including digitized maps, geographic information systems
data sets, and digital aerial photography) from state and
local government agencies. In addition to simply
collecting the data, the project hopes to secure the
rights to the materials, so they can be made widely
available. The project will provide jobs, including
developing metadata, for students.
Celebrate Sputnik
To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the launch of
the former Soviet Union’s satellite, Sputnik, the first
man-made satellite of the earth, 50 “nanosats” will
achieve orbit in 2007. Each satellite will represent a
different country and perform small scale research during
its two years in orbit. Arianespace, a company that
markets launch services for the European Space Agency,
will send the less than 2.5 pound satellites into low
earth orbit on an Ariane rocket. Sputnik weighed almost
two hundred pounds and was the size of a basketball.
Mini UAV Provides Remote
Sensing on the Go
Proximity
Digital Networks, Inc. will soon release its CyberBug, a 2
lb micro-mini Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV). The UAV will
be available commercially and could be used to monitor
properties and terrorism targets, as well as to assist in
global law enforcement efforts. The CyberBug serves as the
eyes and ears of its remote operator and can be flown into
problem areas while an operator wearing a headset observes
and listens.
The quiet, battery powered vehicle is designed to
keep humans out of harm’s way. CyberBug is small and
agile enough to be perched in trees, on rock formations,
and on buildings to provide surveillance day or night. It
can identify GPS coordinates of problem areas, aid in
communications line-of-site, and monitor remote areas
including pipelines, monuments, bridges, forests, or
facilities needing protection. Target markets include
armed forces, law enforcement, business owners, and state
and local agencies. CyberBug is priced at $5,500.
U.S. Launches Integrated Earth
Observation Effort
A draft of the 10-year Strategic Plan for the U.S.
Integrated Earth Observation System has been released for
public comment and further scientific review before being
finalized by the close of 2004. The draft plan focuses on
nine areas of societal benefit in which work is underway
and progress can be achieved quickly, including better
weather forecasting, reduced loss of life and property
from disasters, protection, management and monitoring of
oceans, water supply, energy and other natural resources.
The U.S. will present the plan at the third global Earth
Observation Summit on Feb 16, 2005 in Brussels.
Counting Red Sox Fans
The celebration that followed the Red Sox victory
in the World Series after 86 years did stir some
controversy. Just how many people attended the “rolling
rally,” essentially a victory parade? News outlets
typically report 3.2 million fans in attendance, the
official estimate of the Mayor’s Office. Farouk El-Baz,
director of the Center for Remote Sensing at Boston
University, who’s estimated crowds for events including
the Million Man March, did his calculations from his home
TV set and came up with 2 million. El-Baz, told the local
paper that the only way to accurately count heads in a
large crowd is to graph areas on an aerial photograph.
Despite the lack of hard facts, most people agree it was
the largest public celebration in Boston history.
Brazil, China Team on Third
Satellite
Brazil and China are to collaborate on construction
of an Earth observation satellite, their third, scheduled
for launch in 2006. The Cbers-2B, will be an exact copy of
the Cbers-2 launched a year ago which is expected to
retire in 2005. Brazil will pick up 30 percent of
construction costs of the new satellite, and China, 70
percent, making Brazil’s share between 35 million and 45
million dollars. The countries plan to sell imagery to
interested parties including European countries and the
United States, though no contracts are yet in place.
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