scholarly journals Multi-Sensor Satellite Data Processing for Marine Traffic Understanding

Electronics ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 152 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marco Reggiannini ◽  
Luigi Bedini
Keyword(s):  
Optical Sensors ◽  
European Space Agency ◽  
Observation System ◽  
Surveillance Systems ◽  
Space Agency ◽  
Novel Approach ◽  
Imaging Results ◽  
Early Processing ◽  
Wake Detection ◽  
Italian Space Agency

The work described in this document concerns the estimation of the kinematics of a navigating vessel. This task can be accomplished through the exploitation of satellite-borne systems for Earth observation. Indeed, Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) and optical sensors installed aboard satellites (European Space Agency Sentinel, ImageSat International Earth Remote Observation System, Italian Space Agency Constellation of Small Satellites for Mediterranean basin Observation) return multi-resolution maps providing information about the marine surface. A moving ship represented through satellite imaging results in a bright oblong object, with a peculiar wake pattern generated by the ship’s passage throughout the water. By employing specifically tailored computer vision methods, these vessel features can be identified and individually analyzed for what concerns geometrical and radiometric properties, backscatterers spatial distribution and the spectral content of the wake components. This paper proposes a method for the automatic detection of the vessel’s motion-related features and their exploitation to provide an estimation of the vessel velocity vector. In particular, the ship’s related wake pattern is considered as a crucial target of interest for the purposes mentioned. The corresponding wake detection module has been implemented adopting a novel approach, i.e., by introducing a specifically tailored gradient estimator in the early processing stages. This results in the enhancement of the turbulent wake detection performance. The resulting overall procedure may also be included in marine surveillance systems in charge of detecting illegal maritime traffic, combating unauthorized fishing, irregular migration and related smuggling activities.

scholarly journals The Infrared Space Observatory

1990 ◽  
Vol 123 ◽  
pp. 205-214 ◽  
Author(s):  
C.J. Cesarsky ◽  
M.F. Kessler
Keyword(s):  
Optical Sensors ◽  
European Space Agency ◽  
Space Observatory ◽  
Infrared Space Observatory ◽  
Long Wavelength ◽  
Space Agency ◽  
Pointing Accuracy ◽  
Funded Project ◽  
Astronomical Satellite ◽  
The Universe

AbstractThe Infrared Space Observatory (ISO), a fully approved and funded project of the European Space Agency (ESA), is an astronomical satellite, which will operate at wavelengths from 3–200 μm. ISO will provide astronomers with a unique facility of unprecedented sensitivity for a detailed exploration of the universe ranging from objects in the solar system right out to distant extragalactic sources. The satellite essentially consists of a large cryostat containing at launch about 2300 litres of superfluid helium to maintain the Ritchey-Chrétien telescope, the scientific instruments and the optical baffles at temperatures between 2K and 8K. The telescope has a 60-cm diameter primary mirror and is diffraction-limited at a wavelength of 5μm. A pointing accuracy of a few arc seconds is provided by a three-axis-stabilisation system consisting of reaction wheels, gyros and optical sensors. ISO’s instrument complement consists of four instruments, namely: a photo-polarimeter (3–200μm), a camera (3–17μm), a short wavelength spectrometer (3–45μm) and a long wavelength spectrometer (45–180μm). These instruments are being built by international consortia of scientific institutes and will be delivered to ESA for in-orbit operations. ISO will be launched in 1993 by an Ariane 4 into an elliptical orbit (apogee 70000km and perigee 1000km) and will be operational for at least 18 months. In keeping with ISO’s role as an observatory, two-thirds of its observing time will be made available to the european and american astronomical community.

scholarly journals Observations of the downwelling far-infrared atmospheric emission at the Zugspitze observatory

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (9) ◽  
pp. 4303-4312
Author(s):  
Luca Palchetti ◽  
Marco Barucci ◽  
Claudio Belotti ◽  
Giovanni Bianchini ◽  
Bertrand Cluzet ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
European Space Agency ◽  
Far Infrared ◽  
Ground Level ◽  
Observation System ◽  
Infrared Range ◽  
Atmospheric Emission ◽  
Surface Emission ◽  
Microphysical Properties ◽  
Space Agency ◽  
Preparatory Activity

Abstract. Measurements of the spectrum of the atmospheric emission in the far-infrared (FIR) range, between 100 and 667 cm−1 (100–15 µm) are scarce because of the detection complexity and of the strong absorption of air at ground level preventing the sounding of the FIR from low altitude. Consequently, FIR measurements need to be made from high-altitude sites or on board airborne platforms or satellites. This paper describes the dataset of FIR spectral radiances of the atmosphere and snow surface emission measured in the 100–1000 cm−1 range by the Far-Infrared Radiation Mobile Observation System (FIRMOS) instrument during a 2-month campaign carried out from the ground at about 3000 m of altitude on the top of Mt. Zugspitze in the German Alps in 2018–2019. This campaign is part of the preparatory activity of a new space FIR mission, named Far-infrared Outgoing Radiation Understanding and Monitoring (FORUM), which is under development by the European Space Agency (ESA). The dataset acquired during the campaign also includes all the additional measurements needed to provide a full characterisation of the observed atmospheric state and the local atmospheric and surface conditions. It includes co-located spectral measurements in the infrared range from 400 to 1800 cm−1; lidar backscatter profiles; radio soundings of temperature, humidity and aerosol backscatter profiles; local weather parameters; and snow/ice microphysical properties. These measurements provide a unique dataset that can be used to perform radiative closure experiments to improve modelling parameters in the FIR that are not well-characterised, such as water vapour spectroscopy, scattering properties of cirrus clouds, and the FIR emissivity of the surface covered by snow. The consolidated dataset is freely available via the ESA campaign dataset website at https://doi.org/10.5270/ESA-38034ee (Palchetti et al., 2020a).

A Novel Approach for Satellite Attitude Control by Using Solar Sailing

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ni Li ◽  
Paolo Arguelles ◽  
Kevin Chaput ◽  
Stephen L. Kenan ◽  
Salla Kim ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Attitude Control ◽  
European Space Agency ◽  
Solar Sail ◽  
Attitude Control System ◽  
Solar Sailing ◽  
Satellite Attitude ◽  
Space Agency ◽  
Novel Approach ◽  
Satellite Attitude Control ◽  
Orientation System

Solar sailing is a new satellite propulsion technology using radiation pressure exerted by sunlight on a large mirrored surface. Since it does not need propellants, it is increasingly being considered by both the European Space Agency and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration for future science missions. An attitude control system is essential for a sail craft to maintain a desired orientation. IKAROS, launched in 2010, practically proved the possibility of using a solar sail as a propulsion system. However, it also showed the current sail orientation system could change the attitude very slowly, about 1 degree per day. In contrast to the existing single solar sail design, a new distributed four-sail configuration is proposed in this paper and the coordinated motion of the four sails is used to control the attitude pointing of a satellite. The feasibility and efficiency of this proposed design were assessed and concluded that it is possible to steer a CubeSat up to 1 degree in 60 seconds for either the roll or pitch axes.

Novel Approach to Anticipate Emerging Infectious Diseases Spreading and Epidemics

2018 ◽  
pp. 156-190
Keyword(s):  
Infectious Diseases ◽  
Optical Sensors ◽  
Ad Hoc ◽  
Wearable Sensors ◽  
Emerging Infectious Diseases ◽  
Monitoring Systems ◽  
Surveillance Systems ◽  
Novel Approach ◽  
Monitoring And Surveillance ◽  
Infection Monitoring

In recent years, especially in 2014, Africa, as well as the whole world, has faced an Ebola epidemic. The facts have demonstrated the weakness of the global crisis management and limitation of existing diseases prediction, prevention, monitoring, and surveillance systems and policies. From 2015 until today, many studies have been carried out and systems have been implemented to improve the global infectious diseases monitoring. Most proposed monitoring systems consist of using wearable sensors for the remote sensing vital parameter in an individual. These monitoring systems are, however, limited. This chapter proposes a novel infection monitoring and prevention system using a hybrid crowdsensing paradigm to overcome the limitation of existing systems. The proposed system uses large-distance optical sensors (e.g., fiber Bragg grating sensors) for sensing bio-signals in individuals within (ad-hoc) crowds to anticipate any risks of emerging infectious diseases spreading or epidemics.

scholarly journals RADIOMETRIC QUALITY ASSESSMENT FOR MAXAR HD IMAGERY

2021 ◽  
Vol XLIII-B3-2021 ◽  
pp. 797-804
Author(s):  
I. Yalcin ◽  
S. Kocaman ◽  
S. Saunier ◽  
C. Albinet
Keyword(s):  
Image Quality ◽  
Spatial Resolution ◽  
Optical Sensors ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
European Space Agency ◽  
Third Party ◽  
High Definition ◽  
Space Agency ◽  
Image Production ◽  
High Resolution Satellite Imagery

Abstract. The requirement for very high-resolution satellite imagery by different applications has been increasing continuously. Several commercial and government-supported missions provide sub-meter spatial resolutions from optical sensors aboard Earth Observation (EO) satellites. The MAXAR satellite constellation acquires images with up to 30 cm Ground Sampling Distances (GSDs); and the High-Definition (HD) image production technology developed by MAXAR doubles the resolution by using artificial intelligence methods. Although the spatial resolution is one of the most important image quality metrics, several other factors indicated by diverse radiometric and geometric characteristics may circumscribe the usability of data in different projects. As part of mandatory activities of European Space Agency (ESA), Earthnet Programme provides a framework for integrating Third-Party Missions into the overall EO strategy and promotes the international use of the data. The Earthnet Data Assessment Pilot (EDAP) project aims at assessing the quality and the suitability of TPMs, and provides a communication platform between mission providers to ensure the coherence of the systems. In this study, the radiometric quality of the MAXAR HD products was evaluated within the EDAP project framework by using several General Image-Quality Equation (GIQE) metrics, visual inspections, and comparative assessments with orthophotos obtained from an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) platform and with the original (non-HD) orthophotos with 30 cm resolutions. The results show that the spatial resolution improvements are observable in urban areas, where sharp edges are present. However, blurring and color noise patterns also occured in the HD images.

scholarly journals Radio Wave Satellite Propagation in Ka/Q Band

2018 ◽  
Vol 62 (2) ◽  
pp. 38-46 ◽  
Author(s):  
László Csurgai-Horváth ◽  
Bernard Adjei-Frimpong ◽  
Carlo Riva ◽  
Lorenzo Luini
Keyword(s):  
European Space Agency ◽  
Atmospheric Effects ◽  
Radio Communication ◽  
Scientific Experiment ◽  
Ground Station ◽  
Atmospheric Propagation ◽  
Space Agency ◽  
University Of Technology ◽  
Communication Experiment ◽  
Italian Space Agency

In 2013 the European Space Agency, in cooperation with Inmarsat, launched the Alphasat communication satellite hosting four Technology Demonstration Payloads (TDPs). One of them is the Aldo Paraboni payload, supported by the Italian Space Agency (ASI) and executed by ESA in the framework of the Advanced Research in Telecommunications Systems (ARTES) 8 Telecom program. In addition to the Communication experiment, it includes the Alphasat Scientific Experiment transmitting coherent beacon signals at Ka-band (19.701 GHz) and Q-band (39.402 GHz). The satellite supports a Europe-wide experiment to investigate the atmospheric propagation effects occurring in Ka and Q bands. The demand for increasing bandwidth in the satellite radio communication domain is moving the communication channels to the higher frequency bands. Hence for both research and commercial purposes is especially important to effectively explore the Q band that is affected by attenuation, depolarization and scintillation due to different atmospheric effects. In 2014 the Department of Broadband Infocommunications and Electromagnetic Theory at Budapest University of Technology and Economics joined the ASAPE (AlphaSat Aldo Paraboni Experimenters) group and developed a ground station to be installed in Budapest. This work was supported by the European Space Agency under its Plan for European Cooperating States program. Our paper gives the background of the Alphasat Scientific Experiment and overviews the design phases of the receiver station in Budapest. We present also the processing and validation of data recorded so far and our future experimenting plans.

scholarly journals A Monte Carlo Analysis for Collision Risk Assessment on Vega Launcher Payloads and LARES Satellite

2016 ◽  
Vol 51 (1) ◽  
pp. 45-54 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Sindoni ◽  
I. Ciufolini ◽  
F. Battie
Keyword(s):  
European Space Agency ◽  
Monte Carlo Analysis ◽  
Mitigation Measures ◽  
Additional Contribution ◽  
Collision Risk ◽  
Frame Dragging ◽  
Space Agency ◽  
Last Stage ◽  
Italian Space Agency ◽  
Debris Mitigation

Abstract This work has been developed in the framework of the LARES mission of the Italian Space Agency (ASI). The LARES satellite has been built to test, with high accuracy, the frame–dragging effect predicted by the theory of General Relativity, specifically the Lense–Thirring drag of its node. LARES was the main payload in the qualification flight of the European Space Agency launcher VEGA. A concern arose about the possibility of an impact between the eight secondary payloads among themselves, with LARES and with the last stage of the launcher (AVUM). An impact would have caused failure on the payloads and the production of debris in violation of the space debris mitigation measures established internationally. As an additional contribution, this study allowed the effect of the payload release on the final manoeuvers of the AVUM to be understood.

scholarly journals Observations of the downwelling far-infrared atmospheric emission at the Zugspitze observatory

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luca Palchetti ◽  
Marco Barucci ◽  
Claudio Belotti ◽  
Giovanni Bianchini ◽  
Bertrand Cluzet ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
European Space Agency ◽  
Far Infrared ◽  
Ground Level ◽  
Observation System ◽  
Infrared Range ◽  
Atmospheric Emission ◽  
Surface Emission ◽  
Microphysical Properties ◽  
Space Agency ◽  
Preparatory Activity

Abstract. Measurements of the spectrum of the atmospheric emission in the far-infrared (FIR) range, between 100 and 667 cm−1 (100–15 micron), are scarce because of the detection complexity and of the strong absorption of air at ground level, preventing the sounding of the FIR from low altitude. Consequently, FIR measurements need to be made from high-altitude sites or on board airborne platforms or satellites. This paper describes the dataset of FIR spectral radiances of the atmosphere and snow surface emission, measured in the 100–1000 cm−1 range by the Far-Infrared Radiation Mobile Observation System (FIRMOS) instrument, during a 2-month campaign carried out from ground at 3000 m of altitude, on the top of Mount Zugspitze in the German Alps, in 2018–2019. This campaign is part of the preparatory activity of a new space FIR mission, named Far-infrared-Outgoing-Radiation Understanding and Monitoring (FORUM), which is under development by the European Space Agency (ESA). The dataset acquired during the campaign also includes all the additional measurements needed to provide a full characterisation of the observed atmospheric state and the local atmospheric and surface conditions. It includes co-located spectral measurements in the infrared range from 400 to 1800 cm−1; lidar backscatter profiles; radiosoundings of temperature, humidity and aerosol backscatter profiles; local weather parameters; and snow/ice microphysical properties. These measurements provide a unique dataset that can be used to perform radiative closure experiments to improve modelling parameters that in the FIR are not well characterised, such as water vapour spectroscopy, scattering properties of cirrus clouds and the FIR emissivity of the surface covered by snow. The consolidated dataset is freely available via the ESA campaign dataset website at https://doi.org/10.5270/ESA-38034ee.

scholarly journals Analysis of the Quality of SLR Station Coordinates Determined from Laser Ranging to the LARES Satellite

Sensors ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
pp. 737
Author(s):  
Stanisław Schillak ◽  
Paweł Lejba ◽  
Piotr Michałek
Keyword(s):  
Data Center ◽  
European Space Agency ◽  
Laser Ranging ◽  
Space Agency ◽  
Station Coordinates ◽  
Italian Space Agency ◽  
The Stability ◽  
Better Than ◽  
Observation Results

The LARES (LAser RElativity Satellite) was built by the Italian Space Agency (ASI) and launched on 13 February 2012 by the European Space Agency. It is intended for studying the Lense–Thirring effect resulting from general relativity as well as for geodynamic studies and satellite geodesy. The satellite is observed by most ground laser stations. The task of this work is to determine the station coordinates and to assess the quality of their determination by comparison with the results from the LAGEOS-1 and LAGEOS-2 satellites. Observation results in the form of normal points (396,105 normal points in total) were downloaded from the EUROLAS Data Center for the period from 29 February 2012 to 31 December 2015. Seven-day orbital arcs were computed by the NASA GSFC GEODYN-II software, determining the coordinates of seventeen selected measuring stations. The average Root Mean Square (RMS) (15.1 mm) of the determined orbits is nearly the same as for LAGEOS (15.2 mm). The stability of the coordinates of each station (3DRMS) is from 9 mm to 46 mm (for LAGEOS, from 5 mm to 15 mm) with the uncertainty of determining the coordinates of 3–11 mm (LAGEOS 2–7 mm). The combined positioning for the LARES + LAGEOS-1 + LAGEOS-2 satellites allows for the stability of 5–18 mm with an uncertainty of 2–6 mm. For most stations, this solution is slightly better than the LAGEOS-only one.

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