Brazil to Develop Satellite to Monitor Deforestation, Urban Expansion
by Matthew McDermott, Brooklyn, NY on 07.22.08
photo by Leonardo F. Freitas
It may do nothing directly to halt the increasing rates of deforestation around the world, but a new satellite to be developed by Brazil and the UK will allow us to better judge just how bad things are getting and take steps against it. The Science and Development Network brings us the details:
Brazil-United Kingdom Collaborate on Satellite
Though it won’t be launched until 2011, Amazônia-1 is the product of a Brazil-UK collaboration. The satellite will orbit the Earth at a distance of 400 miles, 14 times per day. It will carry three cameras in total, to collect images of a variety of countries. One of the cameras, made in the UK, will have be able to produce images with a resolution of each pixel showing ten meters of terrain.
According to the Brazilian Space Agency, the data collected will be made available freely to Brazilian research centers, as well as those in countries around the world. It is hoped that by having greater access to the sort of information collected by Amazônia-1, nations will be able to better fight their environmental problems.
via :: SciDev.net
Deforestation
New Google Earth Layer Shows Global Deforestation
Satellite Images Show Papua New Guinea’s Rapid Deforestation
Amazon Deforestation Speeds Up Once More
Thirsty for more? Check out these related articles:
- Photo Essay: Bees and Beekeepers In Crisis
- Wealthy Countries Should Pay ‘Rainforest Utility Bills’ for Ecosystem Services Rendered: Prince Charles
- Greenpeace Activists Detain Palm Oil Tanker: Where Do Readers Stand on Direct Action?
- "I Have Seen Things" - Japan Car At London's Science Museum
Honda Teases Us With Supposedly Green OSM Roadster Concept
|
Big LED Breakthrough at Purdue University Could Change the World
|
Sorry, but such data already exists !
This brings nothing new !
have a look at these :
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Library/Deforestation/
http://gcmd.nasa.gov/records/GCMD_SAI_JRC-TREES.html
http://ies.jrc.ec.europa.eu/?id=535
------
author replies: While the data may already exist for other sources, I think what's new is that Brazil is launching the satelite.
Brazil already has 2 satellites spying on deforestation in Amazon. They are CBERS 1 and CBERS 2 and were developed by a joint venture between Brazilian Space Agency and Chinese Space Agency, long time partners.
Recently, because of a polemic between the Space Agency and the Agriculture Ministry on the deforestation monthly index released by the Space Agency, they also started to use other commercial satellites imagery to enrich the research of deforestation.
It is probably less expensive to develop this new satellite with UK than to continue buying imagery from other sources.
Regards,
Flavio - Brazil