Indian earth observation programme towards societal benefits: GEOSS perspective

Indian Earth Observation (EO) Programme, since its inception has been applications driven and national development has been its main motivation. In order to meet the observational requirements of many societal benefit areas, a series of EO systems have been launched in both polar and geo synchronous orbits. Starting from Bhaskara, the first experimental EO satellite in 1979 to Cartosat-1 successfully launched in May 2005, a large number of sensors operating in optical and microwave spectral regions, providing data at resolutions ranging from 1 km to a meter have been built and flown. Data reception and processing facilities have been established not only in the country but also at various international ground stations. Remotely sensed data and its derived information have become an integral component of the National Natural Resources Management System (NNRMS), a unique concept evolved and established in the country. The paper discusses the evolution of IRS satellite systems, application programmes in different societal benefit areas and the road ahead. How it complements and supplements the international efforts in the context of Global Earth Observation System of Systems has also been indicated

Remote sensing applications: an overview

Remote Sensing (RS) refers to the science of identification of earth surface features and estimation of their geo-biophysical properties using electromagnetic radiation as a medium of interaction. Spectral, spatial, temporal and polarization signatures are major characteristics of the sensor/target, which facilitate target discrimination. Earth surface data as seen by the sensors in different wavelengths (reflected, scattered and/or emitted) is radiometrically and geometrically corrected before extraction of spectral information. RS data, with its ability for a synoptic view, repetitive coverage with calibrated sensors to detect changes, observations at different resolutions, provides a better alternative for natural resources management as compared to traditional methods. Indian Earth Observation (EO) programme has been applications-driven and national development has been its prime motivation. From Bhaskara to Cartosat, India's EO capability has increased manifold. Improvements are not only in spatial, spectral, temporal and radiometric resolutions, but also in their coverage and value-added products. Some of the major operational application themes, in which India has extensively used remote sensing data are agriculture, forestry, water resources, land use, urban sprawl, geology, environment, coastal zone, marine resources, snow and glacier, disaster monitoring and mitigation, infrastructure development, etc. The paper reviews RS techniques and applications carried out using both optical and microwave sensors. It also analyses the gap areas and discusses the future perspectives

Role of earth observations for sustainable development: emerging trends

Sustainable development aims at optimal use of natural resources, protection and conservation of ecological systems, and improving economic efficiency. It tries to provide food, fuel, fiber and shelter for the ever increasing world population on sustainable basis. Ecosystems like agro, coastal, forest, freshwater and grasslands, and natural disasters are some of the ideal facets for examining the magnitude of the problems and the plausible solutions that need to be generated. Decision-making for sustainable development is a complex process and involves studying trade-offs that need to be made among conflicting goals of different sectors. The present paper examines the scope for Earth Observation (EO) contributions towards the above, and tries to profile the EO capabilities vis-a-vis the systems' information needs. It further identifies the gaps, which EO needs to fulfill towards meeting either the imaging or processing needs of various applications. Considering these, in the next 6-7 years, a host of spacecraft systems carrying different sensors have been planned across the globe including India. Endeavours of NASA, ESA, India, JAXA etc. and complementary data sharing initiatives by International Charter on Space and Major Disasters and the UN agencies are expected to enlarge the scope for increased role of EO data towards the cause of sustainable development

Development of decadal (1985–1995–2005) land use and land cover database for India

India has experienced significant Land-Use and Land-Cover Change (LULCC) over the past few decades. In this context, careful observation and mapping of LULCC using satellite data of high to medium spatial resolution is crucial for understanding the long-term usage patterns of natural resources and facilitating sustainable management to plan, monitor and evaluate development. The present study utilizes the satellite images to generate national level LULC maps at decadal intervals for 1985, 1995 and 2005 using onscreen visual interpretation techniques with minimum mapping unit of 2.5 hectares. These maps follow the classification scheme of the International Geosphere Biosphere Programme (IGBP) to ensure compatibility with other global/regional LULC datasets for comparison and integration. Our LULC maps with more than 90% overall accuracy highlight the changes prominent at regional level, i.e., loss of forest cover in central and northeast India, increase of cropland area in Western India, growth of peri-urban area, and relative increase in plantations. We also found spatial correlation between the cropping area and precipitation, which in turn confirms the monsoon dependent agriculture system in the country. On comparison with the existing global LULC products (GlobCover and MODIS), it can be concluded that our dataset has captured the maximum cumulative patch diversity frequency indicating the detailed representation that can be attributed to the on-screen visual interpretation technique. Comparisons with global LULC products (GlobCover and MODIS) show that our dataset captures maximum landscape diversity, which is partly attributable to the on-screen visual interpretation techniques. We advocate the utility of this database for national and regional studies on land dynamics and climate change research. The database would be updated to 2015 as a continuing effort of this study

OPTIMIZING THE MONITORING OF NATURAL PHENOMENA THROUGH THE COUPLING OF ORBITAL MULTI-SENSORS

High frequency of images and high spatial resolution are necessary characteristics in studies with high temporal and spatial dynamics, which are difficult to find in a single orbital sensor. Therefore, the possibility of using multiple satellites to overcome this obstacle in monitoring is of fundamental importance. The aim of the study was to evaluate the multi-sensor coupling for the monitoring of phenomena that require a greater frequency of spatial detail and high-temporal observations by intercalibrating the reflectance images of the LISS III sensor, which is on board the satellite ResourceSat-II, and the MSI sensor onboard the Sentinel-2A, utilizing the Landsat-8 OLI sensor as standard. To perform the methodology, prior the intercalibration, it was necessary to convert the digital numbers of the bands into reflectance at the top of the atmosphere, so that intercalibration of data with simple linear regression could be subsequently performed. The results demonstrate that, with the intercalibrations of the reflectance images of the LISS III and MSI sensors, it is possible to couple the information of these sensors with those coming from OLI, enabling the increase of the frequency and availability of information in studies that require more observations, as in agricultural monitoring, natural disasters, and deforestation among others

Indian Earth Observation Programme towards Societal Benefits: GEOSS Perspective

ABSTRACT Indian Earth Observation (EO) programme, since its inception has been applications driven and national development has been its main motivation. In order to meet the observational requirements of many societal benefit areas, a series of EO systems have been launched in both polar and geo synchronous orbits. Starting from Bhaskara, the first experimental EO satellite in 1979 to Cartosat-1 successfully launched in May 2005, a large number of sensors operating in optical and microwave spectral regions, providing data at resolutions ranging from 1 km to a meter have been built and flown. Data reception and processing facilities have been established not only in the country but also at various international ground stations. Remotely sensed data and its derived information have become an integral component of the National Natural Resources Management System (NNRMS), a unique concept evolved and established in the country. The paper discusses the evolution of IRS satellite systems, application programmes in different societal benefit areas and the road ahead. How it complements and supplements the international efforts in the context of Global Earth Observation System of Systems has also been indicated

Flood Prediction and Mitigation in Data-Sparse Environments

In the last three decades many sophisticated tools have been developed that can accurately predict the dynamics of flooding. However, due to the paucity of adequate infrastructure, this technological advancement did not benefit ungauged flood-prone regions in the developing countries in a major way. The overall research theme of this dissertation is to explore the improvement in methodology that is essential for utilising recently developed flood prediction and management tools in the developing world, where ideal model inputs and validation datasets do not exist. This research addresses important issues related to undertaking inundation modelling at different scales, particularly in data-sparse environments. The results indicate that in order to predict dynamics of high magnitude stream flow in data-sparse regions, special attention is required on the choice of the model in relation to the available data and hydraulic characteristics of the event. Adaptations are necessary to create inputs for the models that have been primarily designed for areas with better availability of data. Freely available geospatial information of moderate resolution can often meet the minimum data requirements of hydrological and hydrodynamic models if they are supplemented carefully with limited surveyed/measured information. This thesis also explores the issue of flood mitigation through rainfall-runoff modelling. The purpose of this investigation is to assess the impact of land-use changes at the sub-catchment scale on the overall downstream flood risk. A key component of this study is also quantifying predictive uncertainty in hydrodynamic models based on the Generalised Likelihood Uncertainty Estimation (GLUE) framework. Detailed uncertainty assessment of the model outputs indicates that, in spite of using sparse inputs, the model outputs perform at reasonably low levels of uncertainty both spatially and temporally. These findings have the potential to encourage the flood managers and hydrologists in the developing world to use similar data sets for flood management

RS & GIS Applications in Planning and Conservation of Resources in Rainfed Watersheds

Not AvailableSpace technology in India, has come a long way in providing valuable information, in spatiotemporal domains, for the development of various sectors like agriculture, forestry, water resources, ocean resources, etc. that have direct relevance to the economic development of the nation. The achievements in the applications of space technology towards societal benefits are numerous and impressive. The major applications of this technology towards agricultural development in rainfed areas include timely assessment of crop condition and production, surface and ground water potentials, status of soil productivity and land degradation, monitoring of land use, road connectivity in rural areas and inputs for development of action plans for sustainable agriculture. About 70% of Indian agriculture is rainfed where soil and water play a significant role in crop production. Spatial and temporal variations of resources, coupled with mismanagement, result in inefficient utilization of these resources for production purposes. Management of these resources on watershed basis has long been identified as more scientific, sustainable and is the only viable alternative to prevent the food shortage and check environmental degradation. Watershed management Programme in India is about 5 decade old. Various guidelines for watershed development programmes have been framed from time to time which have dealt in detail the objectives, criteria for selection of priority watersheds, ensuring the participation of the beneficiaries, implementation methodology and monitoring strategies. Space technology has now reached a stage, where natural resources can be continuously monitored either at nation, state, district or at watershed basis. Thus, various facets of sustainable development ranging from global processes to watershed development, remote sensing can play a vital role in generating information at various scales. Integration of the research information for solving the resources problems and providing specific action plans for land and water resources development using space inputs enables better management of agricultural resources to meet the current and future basic requirements, besides improving the quality of life in rural areas.Not Availabl

Regional Planning Framework for Addressing Flood Vulnerability of a Metropolitan Region: The Case of Malappuram, Kerala, India

Flood susceptibility is becoming increasingly important among the various natural disasters in terms of environmental, economic, and social consequences. The eco-regional planning approach, which incorporates the ecological boundary as a layer in the spatial planning process of settlements, is one of the most innovative concepts in recent research to address these problems. Hence, this research interrogated flood susceptibility mapping tools using an appropriate model for better settlement planning and management. A frequency ratio model was applied to a case region, Malappuram (in  the State of Kerala, India), one of the world’s fastest urbanizing metropolitan regions, using a three-tier assessment framework. A frequency ratio database for flood susceptibility mapping was created by combining historic flood locations with independent factors. The study region was divided into five flood-risk zones based on the computed flood susceptibility index, which varied from 0 to 18.38, i.e., very high, high, moderate, low, and very low. The results showed that the high and very high susceptibility classes accounted for 8.82% and 17.17% of the land, respectively. This paper highlights the requirement for a multi-level assessment of an ecologically oriented regional planning regime in India and estimates the success rate of flood prediction at 79.33%. The proposed regional planning framework is therefore essential for local government planners, researchers, and administrators when creating flood mitigation measures, and has the potential to become a substantial and essential instrument