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Satellite-based multitemporal-change detection in urban environments Fri Feb 25 2011Improving land management depends critically on the capacity of (near-)real-time monitoring of land-use/cover change, so that solutions to a range of urban/rural-interface development issues can be managed promptly and adequately. From multitemporal to rapid-change detection, both the resolution of satellite sensors and the computational capacity of the classifiers used for image processing must...
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World Bank Seeks Closer Cooperation with the Asian Disaster Reduction Center Fri Feb 25 2011The World Bank and the Asian Disaster Reduction Center (ADRC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to strengthen cooperation and regional partnerships for disaster risk reduction, and to enhance capacity-building and knowledge-sharing in disaster prevention, mitigation and response across East Asia and the Pacific. The signing was followed by a high-level workshop indentifying the main...
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A Most Beneficial and Supportive Look Thu Feb 24 2011The agencies honored the Eagle Vision program with the 2010 William T. Pecora award during a Pentagon ceremony Feb. 15. Eagle Vision was recognized for domestic and international contributions to homeland security, humanitarian aid and natural disaster recovery efforts. The system consists of five deployable satellite downlink stations that collect and process near-real-time optical and synthetic...
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UN Hub for ICT Capacity Development Wed Feb 23 2011The United Nations Asian and Pacific Training Centre for Information and Communication Technology for Development, a regional institute of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UN-APCICT/ESCAP), kicked off the Fourth Regional Training of Trainers Workshop in Seongnam, Republic of Korea. The five-day workshop runs 22-26 February, and will deliver training on...
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The Land, Atmosphere Near-Real-Time Capability For EOS (LANCE) Wed Feb 23 2011The past decade has seen a rapid increase in availability and usage of near-real-time data from satellite sensors. The EOSDIS (Earth Observing System Data and Information System) was not originally designed to provide data with sufficiently low latency to satisfy the requirements for near-real-time users. The EOS (Earth Observing System) instruments aboard the Terra, Aqua and Aura satellites make...
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The INSPIRE State of Play reports for 2009 - 2010 now available Tue Feb 22 2011On 9 February 2011, the European Commission published the 6th edition of the INSPIRE State of Play reports, which covers the period from 2009 to 2010. The study has been conducted by the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven and a group of International Experts. The reports takes into account the first results of the Member States monitoring activities submitted to the European Commission in 2010 in...
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Better mapping of human settlements to support crisis management operations Tue Feb 22 2011When a major disaster strikes in remote parts of the world, knowing if the area is populated, and how densely, is crucial for the effective organisation of humanitarian operations. The Global Human Settlements Layer (GHSL), developed by the European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC), will soon provide this detailed information for the first time on a global scale. The breakthrough is new...
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GSDI: Survey on sharing spatially-referenced data Tue Feb 22 2011Dear Geospatial Professionals, As you know, the sharing of spatially-referenced data is a key concern among all in our geospatial community. Current sharing efforts range from local to national government efforts, sharing internationally within disciplinary and scientific sectors, sharing through global efforts such as the Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS), and sharing through...
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Space Solutions Can Improve the Lives of People Worldwide Mon Feb 21 2011For information only - not an official document UNIS/OS/402 21 February 2011 Space Solutions Can Improve the Lives of People Worldwide VIENNA, 21 February (UN Information Service) - The role of space science and space applications in improving the daily lives of people worldwide was the focus of the 48th session of the Scientific and Technical Subcommittee of the United Nations...
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UN-SPIDER side events during STSC Mon Feb 21 2011During the forty-eighth session of the Scientific and Technical Subcommittee (STSC) of the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS) from 7 to 18 February 2011, UN-SPIDER organized three side events, namely the second UN-SPIDER Regional Support Offices meeting, an expert meeting on space-based technologies and emergency response and a stakeholders meeting. On Tuesday, 8 February 2011...
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Monitoring Killer Mice From Space Mon Feb 21 2011The risk of deadly hantavirus outbreaks in people can be predicted months ahead of time by using satellite images to monitor surges in vegetation that boost mouse populations, a University of Utah study says. The method also might forecast outbreaks of other rodent-borne illnesses worldwide. While the study focused on hantavirus in deer mice, its findings could help health officials fight other...
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Interregional Space Monitoring Center opened in Perm Mon Feb 21 2011Perm State University (PSU) will soon start handling Earth observation images in near real-time mode. Cutting-edge technology is to be applied both in science and education and for socio-economic development of Perm Territory. New possibilities and perspectives of introduction of such technology were discussed on February 14 by representatives of PSU, local administration and science-intensive...
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Transatlantic Research Collaboration Mon Feb 21 2011The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC) have agreed to formally explore strengthening their cooperation in areas of common interest. JRC Director-General, expresses the organisations’ interest to further explore and propose cooperative activities in the following fields: Earth Observation Data Collection...
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UK celebrates a decade of disaster monitoring from space Fri Feb 18 2011A UK-led international consortium that uses satellite imagery to provide disaster mitigation celebrates its ten year anniversary this week as its members meet in London to plan for the coming decade. The Disaster Monitoring Constellation is a unique international partnership formed by national governments and organisations that recognised the need for coordinated satellite imaging campaigns to...
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NASA Award Recognises Air Force Remote-Sensing Programme Fri Feb 18 2011NASA and the US Department of the Interior presented the 2010 William T. Pecora group award to the US Air Force Eagle Vision program Tuesday 15th February 2011 at a Pentagon ceremony. Eagle Vision was recognised for contributions in the United States and abroad to homeland security, humanitarian aid and natural disaster recovery efforts. The programme consists of five ground stations capable of...
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RapidEye Completes Second Coverage of China in Two Years Fri Feb 18 2011RapidEye, the only geospatial solutions provider to own and operate a constellation of five identical Earth Observation satellites, announced today that the second coverage of China for the Ministry of Land and Resources (MLR) in as many years has been delivered. The imagery campaign, which ran from August 1, 2010 through January 11, 2011 was intended to cover almost 5.8 Million square kilometers...
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Southern Africa: Heavy rains and localized flooding raise concerns about the impact on the cereal crop Thu Feb 17 2011Heavy rainfall recorded in December and January (Figure 1) across Southern Africa has caused water-logging and localised crop losses in parts of the sub-region, particularly in Lesotho and across the Zambezi basin. The torrential rains have resulted in elevated river levels, with many regions remaining on alert due to increased possibility of further flooding in downstream areas. However,...
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UN-SPIDER proposed workplan for the biennium 2012-2013 Thu Feb 17 2011This document contains the proposed UN-SPIDER workplan for the biennium 2012-2013 to be considered by the Scientific and Technical Subcommittee at its Forty-eighth session in Vienna, 7-18 February 2011. It includes the use of space-based solutions in disaster management plans and policies and in the implementation of risk reduction activities. Published by: UNOOSA For further information visit:...
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USGS to Focus on Land Observation and Ecosystems Wed Feb 16 2011The US President’s proposed USD1.1 billion budget for the U.S. Geological Survey in 2012 emphasises cost-containment and program savings while investing in research and development programmes to restore and protect the nation’s lands and waters for future generations. The budget for national land imaging increases by USD48 million, coastal and marine spatial planning sees an increase...
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China: Meteorological satellite monitors snow cover in drought-hit areas Wed Feb 16 2011The on-going drought in northern China draws great attention from the public. As an important body for weather monitoring, the National Satellite Meteorological Center of China Meteorological Administration (CMA) found snow cover in North China and Yellow-Huaihe River valley since Feb. 11, the most-hit areas by drought. According to the monitoring of the FY-3B meteorological satellite at 13:25 on...
