Collection Of Satellite Images Research Articles

Remote Sensing and GIS as Counterterrorism Tools in the Afghanistan War: A Case Study of the Zhawar Kili Region*

Rocks forming the backdrop of video footage of an admitted September 11 terrorist appeared to the author to belong to the Kurram Group of eastern Afghanistan. The cultural geography and military history of the area suggested that the terrorist was in or near the Zhawar Kili cave complex. Band-ratio satellite image mapping combined with public National Imagery and Mapping Agency and United Nations databases confirmed that Zhawar Kili is on Kurram Group rocks. This information was forwarded to the U.S. government in October 2001. Military and news media reports indicate the subsequent successful elimination of a large number of terrorists and munitions at Zhawar Kili in November 2001 and January, February, and April of 2002. *The author thanks the USGS's EROS Data Center for assistance with satellite image collection and travel support to key facilities, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio for the provision of secure processing facilities, the NASA Stennis Space Center's Science Data Purchase for high-resolution data, and TRW, Raytheon, Lockheed-Martin, Space Imaging, Kodak, and Research Systems for technical support. Howard Stafford, Robert South, Truman Hartshorn, and two unidentified reviewers provided valuable suggestions that improved this manuscript significantly. This work was supported by grants from NASA and the USGS.

Block Adjustment of High-Resolution Satellite Images Described by Rational Polynomials

model provides a rigorous, accurate method to block adjust This paper describes how to block adjust high-resolution Ikonos data outside of the ground stations. satellite imagery described by Rational Polynomial Coefficient This publication of a technique for block adjusting Ikonos (RPC) camera models and illustrates the method with an Ikonos images described by RPC data is motivated by a desire to satisfy example. By incorporating a priori constraints into the the needs of those users who would like to perform their own adjustment model, multiple independent images can be block adjustment, and to ensure that Ikonos images are proadjusted with or without ground control. The RPC block cessed in such way as to consistently achieve the highest possiadjustment model presented in this paper is directly related ble accuracy. In developing the adjustment model described to geometric properties of the physical camera model. Multiple here, the authors had access to the complete description of physical camera model parameters having the same net effect Ikonos imaging geometry, familiarity with all of the satellite on the object-image relationship are replaced by a single maneuvering modes, the resources of extensive test ranges and adjustment parameter. Consequently, the proposed method is imagery with which to test and validate, and the experience numerically more stable than the traditional adjustment of gained calibrating, testing, and troubleshooting Ikonos metric exterior and interior orientation parameters. This method is projects. generally applicable to any photogrammetric camera with a narrow field of view, calibrated, stable interior orientation, and Physical Camera Models accurate a priori exterior orientation data. As demonstrated Owing to the dynamic nature of satellite image collection, phoin the paper, for Ikonos satellite imagery, the RPC block togrammetric processing of satellite imagery is more compliadjustment achieves the same accuracy as the ground station cated than is aerial frame camera processing. Aerial cameras block adjustment with the full physical camera model. acquire the entire image at an instant of time with a unique exposure station and orientation. High-resolution pushbroom Background satellite cameras, including Ikonos, use linear sensor arrays

Satellite image collection optimization

Imaging satellite systems represent a high capital cost. Optimizing the collection of images is critical for both satisfying customer orders and building a sustainable satellite operations business. We describe the functions of an operational, multivariable, time dynamic optimization system that maximizes the daily collection of satellite images. A graphical user interface allows the operator to quickly see the results of what if adjustments to an image collection plan. Used for both long range planning and daily collection scheduling of Space Imaging's IKONOS satellite, the satellite control and tasking (SCT) software allows collection commands to be altered up to 10 min before upload to the satellite.

Spatio-Temporal Data Mining for Typhoon Image Collection

Our research aims at discovering useful knowledge from the large collection of satellite images of typhoons using data mining approaches. We first introduce the creation of the typhoon image collection that consists of around 34,000 typhoon images for the northern and southern hemisphere, providing the medium-sized, richly-variational and quality-controlled data collection suitable for spatio-temporal data mining research. Next we apply several data mining approaches for this image collection. We start with spatial data mining, where principal component analysis is used for extracting basic components and reducing dimensionality, and it revealed that the major principal components describe latitudinal structures and spiral bands. Moreover, clustering procedures give the “birds-eye-view” visualization of typhoon cloud patterns. We then turn to temporal data mining, including state transition rules, but we demonstrate that it involves intrinsic difficulty associated with the nonlinear dynamics of the atmosphere, or chaos. Finally we briefly introduce our system IMET (Image Mining Environment for Typhoon analysis and prediction), which is designed for the intelligent and efficient searching and browsing of the typhoon image collection.

Evolution of the Alboran Sea hydrographic structures during July 1993

During the ICTIOALBORAN-0793 multidisciplinary oceanographic survey carried out in July 1993 by the Instituto Español de Oceanografı́a (IEO) in the Alboran Sea, some anomalous features were detected. One was the presence of a small cyclonic eddy in the western Alboran Basin, close to the African coast. The upper layer of the eddy consisted of Mediterranean Surface Water and was separated from its supposed source (the northern Alboran Sea) by the Atlantic Jet. Another feature was the probable temporary interruption of the flow of fresh Atlantic Water (S≈36.5) into the eastern Alboran Basin and its replacement by a modified (saltier) Atlantic Water. These features can be explained assuming a time evolution of the surface circulation in the Alboran Sea forced by speed variations in the inflowing Atlantic Water through the Strait of Gibraltar. A collection of satellite images covering the survey period and across-strait sea level difference data, indicative of the geostrophic velocity of the inflow through the Strait, were used to check this assumption. Both sets of data supplied independent but compatible information in the sense that they complemented each other and gave support to the proposed evolving model. Finally, some speculative ideas attempting to correlate the inferred variability in the Alboran Sea with the state of the baroclinic water exchange through the Strait of Gibraltar (maximal or submaximal) are discussed.