ALOS satellite imagery
ALOS (Advanced Land Observation Satellite) was launched on January 24, 2006 from Tanegashima Space Center, Japan. JAXA Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency owns the satellite. ALOS was set into sun-synchronous orbit at the height of 691.65 km.
ALOS is fitted with PRISM cartographic stereo camera acquiring imagery with resolution of up to 2.5 m, AVNIR-2 multispectral camera acquiring color imagery with resolution of 10 m, as well as L-diapason radar (PALSAR*) intended for 24-hour all-weather Earth survey and acquiring imagery of resolution from 10 to 100 m.
The PRISM (Panchromatic Remote-sensing Instrument for Stereo Mapping) has three telescopes for forward, nadir and backward view, acquiring both high resolution and broad swath width of 70 km.
The AVNIR (Advanced Visible and Near Infrared Radiometer type 2) is following ADEOS/AVNIR (JAXA, 2004). Updated fellers and electronic systems in AVNIR-2 acquire imagery of 10 m spatial resolution. A cross-track pointing off-nadir angle of +44 and - 44 degree is another AVNIR-2 improvement. More frequent surveying any area, for example every 48 hour (depending on latitude) is available with such scale guidance. Expected orbit life is 5 years at least.
ALOS satellite imagery application
- Creation and refreshing of topographical maps and special plans up to 1:25000 scale.
- DEM creation up to 3-6 meters height accuracy.
- Assessing and estimating of drill site and transportation infrastructure facilities. Survey, mapping and monitoring of the gas flaring sites, cluster sites, sludge pits, open-pit mining, waste piles.
- Environmental survey of the petroleum and other minerals sites, refining and transportation places.
- Topographical background survey for the generation of the perspective urban developing layouts and metropolitan region planning diagrams.
- Realization of forest inventory and organization. Regular forest use control and examination of forest condition.
- Agricultural fields assessing, creation of land use maps monitoring crop condition assessment, yields forecasting.
- Monitoring and forecasting of such impacts as: bogginess and desertification, salinification, karsts, erosion, forest and grass fires, etc.
- Definition of drug crop cultivation areas.
More detailed information on ALOS satellite you may get from www.alos-satellite.ru
