Roads, railways, inland waterways and maritime areas of Russia, air transport, all this form the basis of the country’s infrastructure and economy. At the same time they require constant care and attention in terms of operational control, environmental legislation, etc. This issue of “Earth from Space” magazine is dedicated to construction and its satellite monitoring being inseparable from infrastructure building and operation. Other areas of interest are the complex approach to traffic optimization and security with the use of auxiliary satellite assets; outcome of monitoring experiments utilizing precision instruments like TerraSAR-X and currently available unique capabilities of similar technologies (ambitious enough as to produce in the near future a global digital elevation model with 2 m accuracy and geolocation up to 1 m).
Cover story
Satellite Monitoring of Federal Highways.By A.A. Kucheiko and N.V. Rogova
In the recent years satellite data have become an important component of the road transportation. The article illustrates examples of applying remote sensing techniques to solve issues related to road facilities: monitoring of the “Amur” highway (Chita – Khabarovsk) construction and emergencies occurring within corridors of federal highways.
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A Geoportal to Provide Specialists of “Russian Railways” with Access to Space Remote Sensing Data.By A.I. Karelov, O.N. Gershenzon
In 2008 ScanEx RDC together with OAO “NIIAS” completed the project for developing an experimental system of presenting geospatial information (“Russian Railways Geoportal”). Complex utilization of remote sensing data within the framework of the established system will enable solving issues of security, traffic management, infrastructure design and construction, property management, etc.
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Monitoring of Illegal Construction in Irkutsk.By Y.A. Novitsky, S.I. Mikhailov
The change detection analysis of the territory of Irkutsk was completed by yearend 2008. The combined study of multi-temporal mosaics of space images enabled to detect new construction sites, changes in the state of urban and adjacent territories, coastline changes of water bodies, etc. In the entire area of survey the project detected 1262 objects with changes occurred during the summer of 2008.
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Monitoring of Common Minerals Development by Experience of the Komi Republic.By A.V. Terentyev, A.N. Vshivtsev, V.V. Afanasyev, E.B. Akhmatova and S.I. Isayenko
Common minerals are an essential component of the resource potential of the Komi Republic. As part of establishing automated cadastral GIS of the Komi Republic (AGIKS), a system was built to monitor common minerals in the territory of the Republic. This study used data received from IRS-1C/1D, IRS-P6, and SPOT 2/4 satellites with a spatial resolution from 5.8 to 20 m.
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Russian Technologies for Operational Satellite Maritime Monitoring.By A.A. Kucheiko, V.V. Zatyagalova and N.A. Filimonova
Earth remote sensing data opened new opportunities for operational monitoring of marine oil pollution, slick drift dynamics, identification of origin and mitigation of risks of emergency. The technology of operational radar monitoring of ship traffic and oil spills was mastered in the framework of the 2008 operational monitoring of the Black Sea as well as of a number of projects for simultaneous monitoring of the Russian seas that took place in 2008–2009.
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Comprehensive Approach to Satellite Data Usage.By A.L. Salman
The article reviews examples of applying oceanographic information and Argos satellite system data to marine activity management: determination of optimal cargo ships routes, use of oceanographic data on behalf of oil and gas production companies and supervision over fishing fleet activities, as well as efficiency of ship-borne security alert systems.
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Space Monitoring of Floods on Russian Rivers.By N.V. Evtushenko and N.A. Filimonova, E.N. Skripnik
In the period from April through May 2009 in behalf of Emercom and Roshydromet ScanEx Research and Development Center implemented the pilot project “Flood-2009” aimed at spring ice drift monitoring on Russian rivers. Satellite data are often the only source of information concerning ice situation and flooded areas made available both for Roshydromet operational service and local administrative authorities.
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Thematic Tasks Classifier to Assess Natural Resources and Environment Based on Remote Sensing Data
The Thematic Tasks Classifier for natural resources and environment assessment on the basis of remote sensing data is designed for use in preparation of RS data requests, planning and coordination of actions aimed at launching and developing departmental, regional and municipal RS programs. Pursuant to the main theme of the second issue, the “Earth from Space — the Most Effective Solutions” magazine contains sections of the Classifier in its last (7th) edition concerning “Man-Made Features” and “Land Use and Development” task areas.
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Trends
TerraSAR-X’s Third Year in Space — Continuous Progress in Commercial Earth Observation.By Robert Lanzl
On June 15, 2009, the TerraSAR-X celebrated the completion of its second year in space. During the first 18 months of TerraSAR-X operations, more than 22,000 scenes have been acquired; over 50 partners in 33 countries use and distribute this satellite’s data. The applications prove to be manifold: largescale topographic and thematic mapping, surface displacements in urban areas, seasonal floods on Russian rivers, tropical forests monitoring etc.
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“Baikal Center” — Operations in Sphere of Earth Remote Sensing from Space.By A.G. Kichigin
Since 2007 Baikal Center has been performing functions of a regional Earth remote sensing center and has been carrying out reception of space imagery data pertaining to territories of the constituents of the Siberian and the Far Eastern Federal Districts of the Russian Federation, as well as territories of neighboring countries — Kazakhstan, China, Mongolia and others.
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Space Technologies: The Samara Region Experience
The Samara region is one of the leaders in introducing space technologies in the everyday life. Andrey Chernov, Director of NP “Povolzhskiy Center of Geoinformatics” tells us about the use of space technologies in the Samara region, and outlined the current issues and plans.
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Legal Relations
Space Data Application in Court Practice.By A.A. Balagurov
In many branches of economy in Russia Earth remote sensing data are not used or have limited application. For example, employment of satellite images in Russian courts as evidence is not frequently encountered while in many developed and developing countries Earth remote sensing data gain ground in legal practice more and more actively. The article illustrates examples of using space images in the legal practice of Russia and worldwide.
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Earth Observation Data from Space — Copyright Subject Matters.By A.V. Zolotukhin
Foreign satellite operators recognize the data of Earth remote sensing from space as subject matters of copyright. Opposite opinions have recently been advanced in Russia due to pressing tax imposition issues. Participants of the ERSD market both foreign and Russian shall be clearly and reliably informed on legal terms for business activities ensuring legality of ERSD distribution in Russia as well as risks and implications related to their inobservance.
