Remote Sensing of Disasters from Space
An image from TAU's orbiting Hyperspectral Remote Sensor (HRS)
One small step for mankind is now a leap for averting natural and man-made disasters on earth.
New Tel Aviv University technology combines sophisticated sensors in orbit with sensors on the ground and in the air to create a “Hyperspectral Remote Sensor” (HRS). It can give advance warnings about water contamination after a forest fire, alert authorities of a pollution spill long before a red flag is raised on earth, or tell people in China where a monsoon will strike.
Prof. Eyal Ben-Dor of TAU’s Department of Geography describes his team’s HRS technology as a combination of physical, chemical and optical disciplines. “When a devastating forest fire hits the Hollywood Hills, for example, we can see from space how the mineralogy of the soil has changed,” he explains. “Because of these changes, the next rainstorm may wash out all the buildings or leach contaminants into the soil. With our new tool, we can advise on how to contain the pollutants after the fire, and warn if there is a risk for landslides.” (more…)
Small ‘Gems’ in Space Would Improve Remote Sensing of Earth
A constilation of small satellites can use the signals of the navigation satellite system GPS and Galileo with innovative methods to sigificantly improve the remote sensing of the planet Earth. (© TU Berlin)
A combination of small satellites can, with innovative methods, use the signals of the navigation satellite systems GPS and Galileo to significantly improve remote sensing of the System Earth. On 18.09.2009 the results of a scientific feasibility study on the first MicroGEM satellites, jointly carried out by the Technical University Berlin and the GFZ – German Research Centre for Geosciences, were presented in Berlin. The study was supported by the TSB Technology Foundation Berlin and the Helmholtz Centre GFZ.
MicroGEM (Microsatellites for GNSS Earth Monitoring) represents satellites with a mass of approx.100 kilograms for monitoring of the Earth. Such small satellites represent a relatively cost effective platform for scientific instruments. (more…)
Unmanned Craft Will Enhance Climate Change Research
An innovative unmanned aircraft conceived and built at the University of Kansas recently passed its first flight test, a crucial step on a path to help scientists gather better data at slower speeds and lower altitudes over treacherous icy terrain.
For scientists worldwide, the Center for Remote Sensing of Ice Sheets, a National Science Foundation-funded center based at KU, is a primary source of data on polar ice sheet thickness and other properties. The development of the Meridian UAV will enhance KU’s role at the forefront of global climate change research.
The 1,100-pound Meridian UAV is designed to gather data on the ice sheets of Antarctica and Greenland for CReSIS. The aircraft has been almost five years in the making under the direction of CReSIS autonomous platforms team leader Richard Hale, associate professor of aerospace engineering. (more…)
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