Shinichi Sobue

Mapping rice-planted areas using time-series synthetic aperture radar data for the Asia-RiCE activity

In Asia, rice is a staple cereal crop and the continent accounts for about 90xa0% of the global rice production and consumption. Statistics on the areas planted with rice or production of paddy rice are fundamental to agriculture-related decisions or policy-making. Asia-Rice Crop Estimation & Monitoring (Asia-RiCE) aims to develop rice-related information, such as paddy field maps, rice growing conditions, yield, and production, using remote sensing tools and disseminate the same at the local and global scales. In this paper, we propose a methodology for the identification of rice-planted areas by using multi-temporal SAR images; a software named INternational Asian Harvest mOnitoring system for Rice (INAHOR) was developed to manipulate the proposed algorithm. The INAHOR uses the imagery observed both at the time of planting of rice and grown-up stages. In this study, two thresholds needed for the INAHOR were optimized based on the detailed land cover data collected through a field survey. Rice-planted areas across the study area in Japan were identified by the INAHOR using the RADARSAT-2 Wide Fine beam mode data. The classification results of RADARSAT-2 VV and VH polarizations were compared. The data with VH polarization showed a higher total accuracy of 83xa0% with −20.5xa0dB and 3.0xa0dB for the minimum and range thresholds, respectively. The INAHOR is currently being used with the RADARSAT-2, ALOS, and ALOS-2 SAR data in the Southeast Asian countries to assess the robustness of the thresholds and classification accuracies under the framework of Asia-RiCE.

Japan’s efforts to promote global health using satellite remote sensing data from the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency for prediction of infectious diseases and air quality

In this paper we review the status of new applications research of the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) for global health promotion using information derived from Earth observation data by satellites in cooperation with inter-disciplinary collaborators. Current research effort at JAXA to promote global public health is focused primarily on the use of remote sensing to address two themes: (i) prediction models for malaria and cholera in Kenya, Africa; and (ii) air quality assessment of small, particulate matter (PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and ozone (O3). Respiratory and cardivascular diseases constitute cross-boundary public health risk issues on a global scale. The authors report here on results of current of a collaborative research to call attention to the need to take preventive measures against threats to public health using newly arising remote sensing information from space.

The Result of SELENE (KAGUYA) Development and Operation~!2009-06-28~!2009-08-10~!2009-10-01~!

Japan’s first large lunar explorer was launched by the H-IIA rocket on September 14, 2007 and had been in observation operation from December 21, 2007 to June 11, 2009(JST). This explorer named “KAGUYA (SELENE: SELenological and Engineering Explorer)” has been keenly anticipated by many countries as it represents the largest lunar exploration project of the post-Apollo program. The lunar missions that have been conducted so far have gathered a large amount of information on the Moon, but the mystery surrounding its origin and evolution remains unsolved. KAGUYA investigate the entire moon in order to obtain information on its elemental and mineralogical distribution, its geography, its surface and subsurface structure, the remnants of its magnetic field and its gravity field using the scientific observation instruments. The results are expected to lead to a better overall understanding of the Moon’s origin and evolution. Further, the environment around the Moon including plasma, the electromagnetic field and high-energy particles will also be observed. The data obtained in this way is of great scientific value and is also important information in the possibility of utilizing the Moon in the future. This paper describes the highlight of KAGUYA development and operation with some newly developed engineering achievements including a separation mechanism of sub-satellites from main orbiter as well as the latest scientific accomplishment of KAGUYA. Keyword: SELENE, KAGUYA, H-IIA, JAXA, moon, origin and evolution, ground system, GIS, YouTube, WMS, EPO. KAGUYA SATELLITE SYSTEM OVERVIEW KAGUYA consists of a main orbiter at about 100km altitude and two sub-satellites (Relay Satellite named “OKINA” and VRAD Satellite named “OUNA”) in lunar polar orbit. The main orbiter is also called as KAGUYA. The main orbiter weight at the launch is about 2.9 tons and the size of its main body is 2.1m 2.1m 4.8m. This satellite is 3 axis stabilized and the panel (+Z panel) on which mission *Address correspondence to this author at the SELENE Project, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, Tsukuba, 305-8505, Japan; E-mail: sobue.shinichi@jaxa.jp instruments heads are installed is pointed to the gravity center of the Moon. About 3.5 kilo watt is the maximum power produced by a solar paddle. The surface of the KAGUYA is covered with the black color conductive MLI (multi-layer thermal insulators) for conductivity requirement of plasma observation instrument (PACE). The on-orbit configuration of the Main Orbiter is shown in Fig. (1) [1-3]. KAGUYA MISSION PROFILE The Lunar transfer orbit which contributes to reduction of mission risk via two phasing loops around the Earth was adopted. KAGUYA was inserted into a polar elliptical orbit at a perilune altitude of 100 km of lunar. The two subThe Result of SELENE (KAGUYA) Development and Operation Recent Patents on Space Technology, 2009, Volume 1 13 satellites (OKINA and OUNA) were separated from the main orbiter at an apolune of 2,400 km and 800 km respectively. Finally the main orbiter reached the circular orbit at about 100 km altitude and the inclination of polar circular orbit is 90 deg. The apolune altitude of OKINA is determined to measure the gravity field anomaly on the far side of the Moon through relaying the Main orbiter s-band signal effectively. The apolune altitude of OUNA is selected for the low order gravity model coefficient measurements using radio sources on the OKINA and OUNA by VLBI method. When OKINA and OUNA separating from the main orbiter, the spin rotation power were added. This subsatellite separation mechanism which gives the rotational and the translational force simultaneously was originally developed for JAXA’s micro-lab satellite. To consider power generation, octagonal prism shape was selected for subsatellites. All faces of satellite are covered with the solar cells, and each sell produces about 70 watt powers. KAGUYA mission profile is shown in Fig. (2). OKINA was impacted to the far side of the Moon on February 11, 2009 and gravity anomaly observation at the far side of the Moon was successful completed. Fig. (1). The on-orbit configuration of the main orbiter. Lift off Separation from H -IIA Rate Dumping Solar Array Paddle Deployment Sun/Star Capture, High Gain Antenna Deployment Altitude Control of Perigee Lunar Elliptical Orbit Insertion Altitude of Perilune about 100 km

OverView of Space Applications for Environment (SAFE) initiative

Climate change and human activities have a direc or indirect influence on the acceleration of environmental problems and natural hazards such as forest fires, draughts and floods in the Asia-Pacific countries. Satellite technology has become one of the key information sources in assessment, monitoring and mitigation of these disasters and related phenomenon. However, there are still gaps between science and application of satellite technology in real-world usage. Asia-Pacific Regional Space Agency Forum (APRSAF) recommended to initiate the Space Applications for Environment (SAFE) proposal providing opportunity to potential user agencies in the Asia Pacific region to develop prototype applications of satellite technology for number of key issues including forest resources management, coastal monitoring and management, agriculture and food security, water resource management and development user-friendly tools for application of satellite technology. This paper describes the overview of SAFE initiative and outcomes of two selected prototypes; agricultural drought monitoring in Indonesia and coastal management in Sri Lanka, as well as the current status of on-going prototypes.

An overview of space applications for environment initiatives

Recently, climate change and human activities accelerate hazards, such as deforestations, land slides, draughts, floods in Asian-Pacific countries are increased. To mitigate the hazards due to climate change and human activities, environmental monitoring has become important. Environment change monitoring by using space based technology are very important. Asian Pacific regional forum (APRSAF) agreed to host SAFE (Space Applications For Environment) initiatives. Under APRSAF, there are on-going several SAFE prototyping for water management, agriculture, fishery and coastal monitoring This paper describes SAFE overview and current situation of SAFE prototyping.

An Application of Lunar GIS with Visualized and Auditory Japan’s Lunar Explorer “Kaguya” Data

This paper describes an application of a geographical information system with visualized and sonification lunar remote sensing data provided by Japan’s lunar explorer (SELENE “KAGUYA”). Web based GIS is a very powerful tool which lunar scientists can use to visualize and access remote sensing data with other geospatial information. We discuss enhancement of the pseudo-colored visual map presentation of lunar topographical altimetry data derived from LALT and the map of the data to several sound parameters (Interval, harmony, and tempo). This paper describes an overview of this GIS with a sonification system, called “Moonbell”.

Geometric analysis on stereoscopic images captured by single high-definition television camera on lunar orbiter Kaguya (SELENE)

We present a generating method of stereoscopic images from moving pictures captured by a single high-definition television camera mounted on the Japanese lunar orbiter Kaguya (Selenological and Engineering Explorer, SELENE). Since objects in the moving pictures look as if they are moving vertically, vertical disparity is caused by the time offset of the sequence. This vertical disparity is converted into horizontal disparity by rotating the images by 90 degrees. We can create stereoscopic images using the rotated images as the images for a left and right eyes. However, this causes spatial distortion resulting from the axi-asymmetrical positions of the corresponding left and right cameras. We reduced this by adding a depth map that was obtained by assuming that the lunar surface was spherical. We confirmed that we could provide more acceptable views of the Moon by using the correction method.

Conversion Method From Moving Pictures Captured by High-Definition Television Camera on Kaguya (SELENE) Into Stereoscopic Images

We present a method of converting moving pictures captured by a single high-definition television camera mounted on the Japanese lunar orbiter Kaguya (Selenological and Engineering Explorer, SELENE) into stereoscopic images. As objects in the moving pictures look as if they are moving vertically, vertical disparity is caused by the time offset of the sequence. The vertical disparity is converted into horizontal disparity by rotating the images by 90 degs. We developed models of the capture and display systems, and geometrically and numerically derived convergence points of observers eyes. We confirmed that observers could perceive a stereoscopic effect with binocular parallax for the lunar surface at distances of several hundreds of kilometers.