Exploring the influence of various factors on microwave radiation image simulation for Moon-based Earth observation

Earth observation technologies are important for obtaining geospatial information on the Earth’s surface and are used widely in many disciplines,such as resource surveying,environmental monitoring,and evolutionary studies.However,it is a challenge for existing Earth observation platforms to acquire this type of data rapidly on a global scale due to limitations in orbital altitude and field of view;thus development of an advanced platform for Earth observation is desirable.As a natural satellite of the Earth,placement of various sensors on the Moon could possibly facilitate comprehensive,continuous,and longterm observations of the Earth.This is a relatively new concept and the study is still at the preliminary stage with no actual Moon-based Earth observation data available at this time.To understand the characteristics of Moon-based microwave radiation,several physical factors that potentially influence microwave radiation imaging,e.g.,time zone correction,relative movement of the Earth-Moon,atmospheric radiative transfer,and the effect of the ionosphere,were examined.Based on comprehensive analysis of these factors,the Moon-based microwave brightness temperature images were simulated using spaceborne temperature data.The results show that time zone correction ensures that the simulation images may be obtained at Coordinated Universal Time(UTC)and that the relative movement of the Earth-Moon affects the positions of the nadir and Moon-based imaging.The effect of the atmosphere on Moon-based observation is dependent on various parameters,such as atmospheric pressure,temperature,humidity,water vapor,carbon dioxide,oxygen,the viewing zenith angle and microwave frequency.These factors have an effect on atmospheric transmittance and propagation of upward and downward radiation.When microwaves propagate through the ionosphere,the attenuation is related to frequency and viewing zenith angle.Based on initial studies,the simulation results suggest Moon-based microwave radiation imaging is realistic and viable.

The angular characteristics of Moon-based Earth observations

The Moon,Earth’s only natural satellite,is a potential new platform for Earth observation.Moreover,with the wide applicability of the angular information from remote sensing data,it has been attracting increasingly more attention.Accordingly,this study focuses on the angular characteristics of Moon-based Earth observations.Using ephemeris DE430 and Earth orientation parameters,the position and attitude of the Sun,Earth,and Moon were obtained and their coordinates normalized to a single framework using coordinate transformations between the related reference systems.Then,an angular geometric model of Moon-based Earth observations was constructed,and the corresponding angular algorithms were presented.The results revealed the angular range and distribution characteristics of Moon-based Earth observations.For every point on the surface of the Earth,the view and solar zenith angles all vary widely,which decreases with increasing latitude.The view and solar zenith angles all vary widely with the largest range of values in the equatorial and polar regions and a smaller range of values in mid-latitudes.Furthermore,the range of solar angles of Moon-based Earth observations is the same as that of alltime solar angles,indicating the potential for monitoring and understanding large-scale geoscientific phenomena using Moon-based Earth observations.

Moon-based Earth observation:scientific concept and potential applications

Although Earth’s surface parameters obtained from satellite data have become more and more precise,it is still difficult to guarantee temporal consistency and spatial continuity for large-scale geoscience phenomena.Developing new Earth observation platforms is a feasible way to improve the consistency and continuity of such data.As the planet’s only natural satellite,the Moon has special advantages as a platform for observing Earth,including long lifetime,whole disk view,tectonic stability and unique perspective.After presenting the observation geometry constructed by using the ephemeris,this paper mainly discusses the characteristics of a lunar platform and the proper Moon-based sensors,as well as the scientific objectives of Moon-based Earth observation.Solid Earth dynamics,the energy budget of Earth,Earth’s environmental elements and the Earth-space environment are four potential applications analysed in this paper.

Simulation of Moon-based Earth observation optical image processing methods for global change study

Global change affected by multiple factors,the consequences of which continue to be far-reaching,has the characteristics of large spatial scale and long-time scale.The demand for Earth observation technology has been increasing for large-scale simultaneoiis observations and stable global observation over the long-term.A Moon-based observation platform,which uses sensors on the nearside lunar surface,is considered a reasonable solution.However,owing to a lack of appropriate processing methods for optical sensor data,global change study using this platform is not sufficient.This paper proposes two optical sensor imaging processing methods for the Moon-based platform:area imaging processing method(AIPM)and global imaging processing method(GIPM),primarily considering global change characteristics,optical sensor performance,and motion law of the Moon-based platform.First,the study proposes a simulation theory which includes the construction of a Moon-Sun elevation angle model and a global image mosaicking method.Then,coverage images of both image processing methods are simulated,and their features are quantitatively analyzed.Finally,potential applications are discussed.Results show that AEPM,whose coverage is mainly affected by lunar revolution,is approximately between 0%and 50%with a period of 29.5 days,which can help the study of large-scale instant change phenomena.GIPM,whose coverage is affected by Earth revolution,is conducive to the study of long term global-scale phenomena because of its sustained stable observation from 67°N-67°S on the Earth.AIPM and GIPM have great advantages in Earth observation of tripolar regions.The existence of top of the atmosphere(TOA)albedo balance line is verified from the GIPM perspective.These two imaging methods play a significant role in linking observations acquired from the Moon-based platform to Earth large-scale geoscience phenomena,and thus lay a foundation for using this platform to capture global environmental changes and new discoveries.

Error analysis of exterior orientation elements on geolocation for a Moon-based Earth observation optical sensor

The Moon is a potential new platform for Earth observation.The advantages of its large-scale observational scope,long temporal duration,and multi-layer detecting of the Earth will undoubtedly advance our understanding of the Earth system.To carry out the observations from a Moon-based optical sensor,the geolocation error caused by exterior orientation elements need to be investigated.This paper analyses the error effects of exterior orientation elements on geolocation for an optical sensor.To estimate the error,we present a geometric image model and utilise some parameters to measure the image offsets.Through a large number of numerical simulations,the results demonstrate that the image offsets are not obvious influenced by the distance and observation angle at mid-high latitude of the Moon and have linear correlation with the increasing errors of the exterior orientation elements.Further,the relationship between the spatial resolution and errors of exterior orientation elements are revealed.Finally,the error characteristics for Moon-based Earth observation are discussed.It is expected that the conclusion drawn in this paper could support the study of a Moon-based Earth observation optical sensor.

Monitoring Wildfires in Thailand: A Case Study of the ECSTAR-TeroSpace’s Earth Observation Project

The primary objective of this paper is to present a comprehensive case study on monitoring wildfires in Nakhon Nayok, Thailand, utilizing Earth observation platforms. This initiative project has been undertaken by the Excellence Center of Space Technology and Research (ECSTAR), in partnership with its spin-off startup, TeroSpace. The study aims to provide an in-depth analysis of the wildfire incidents in the region, utilizing advanced technologies such as satellite imagery and data analytics, and to identify ways to improve future wildfire management. In particular, the paper focuses on the wildfires including thermal area comparison that ravaged the land in Nakhon Nayok Province in central Thailand from March to April 18th, 2023. To conduct this study, the ECSTAR-TeroSpace analytic team utilized satellite images from Earth observation platforms: MODIS and Sentinel-2A. By presenting this case study, this paper contributes to the broader understanding of how to monitor and manage wildfires in a changing climate. The findings of this study underscore the importance of proactive and collaborative efforts in mitigating the negative impacts of wildfires in Nakhon Nayok and other regions in Thailand.

Progress of Earth Observation in China

China is expanding and sharing its capacity for Earth observation by developing sensors,platforms,and launch capabilities in tandem with growing lunar and deep space exploration.China is considering the Moon as a viable Earth observation platform to provide high-quality,planetary-scale data.The platform would produce consistent spatiotemporal data because of its long operational life and the geological stability of the Moon.China is also quickly improving its capabilities in processing and transforming Earth observation data into useful and practical information.Programs such as the Big Earth Data Science Engineering Program(CASEarth)provide opportunities to integrate data and develop“Big Earth Data”platforms to add value to data through analysis and integration.Such programs can offer products and services independently and in collaboration with international partners for data-driven decision support and policy development.With the rapid digital transformation of societies,and consequently increasing demand for big data and associated products,Digital Earth and the Digital Belt and Road Program(DBAR)allow Chinese experts to collaborate with international partners to integrate valuable Earth observation data in regional and global sustainable development.

Earth observation big data for climate change research

Earth observation technology has provided highly useful information in global climate change research over the past few decades and greatly promoted its development,especially through providing biological,physical,and chemical parameters on a global scale.Earth observation data has the 4V features(volume,variety,veracity,and velocity) of big data that are suitable for climate change research.Moreover,the large amount of data available from scientific satellites plays an important role.This study reviews the advances of climate change studies based on Earth observation big data and provides examples of case studies that utilize Earth observation big data in climate change research,such as synchronous satelliteeaerialeground observation experiments,which provide extremely large and abundant datasets; Earth observational sensitive factors(e.g.,glaciers,lakes,vegetation,radiation,and urbanization); and global environmental change information and simulation systems.With the era of global environment change dawning,Earth observation big data will underpin the Future Earth program with a huge volume of various types of data and will play an important role in academia and decisionmaking.Inevitably,Earth observation big data will encounter opportunities and challenges brought about by global climate change.

2012–2014 China's Earth Observation and Earth Science Development

Human beings are now facing global and regional sustainable development challenges.In China, Earth observation data play a fundamental role in Earth system science research. The support given by Earth observation data is required by many studies, including those on Earth's limited natural resources, the rapid development of economic and social needs, global change, extreme events, food security, water resources, sustainable economic and urban development, and emergency response. Application operation systems in many ministries and departments in China have entered a stage of sustainable development, and the State Key Project of High-Resolution Earth Observation Systems has been progressing since 2006. Earth observation technology in China has entered a period of rapid development.

Concept Design,Modeling and Station-keeping Attitude Control of an Earth Observation Platform

The stratosphere airship provides a unique and promising platform for earth observation. Researches on the project design and control scheme for earth observation platforms are still rarely documented. Nonlinear dynamics, model uncertainties, and external disturbances contribute to the difficulty in maneuvering the stratosphere airship. A key technical challenge for the earth observation platform is station keeping, or the ability to remain fixed over a geo-location. This paper investigates the conceptual design, modeling and station-keeping attitude control of the near-space earth observation platform. A conceptual design of the earth observation platform is presented. The dynamics model of the platform is derived from the Newton-Euler formulation, and the station-keeping control system of the platform is formulated. The station-keeping attitude control approach for the platform is proposed. The multi-input multi-output nonlinear control system is decoupled into three single-input single-output linear subsystems via feedback linearization, the attitude controller design is carried out on the new linear systems using terminal sliding mode control, and the global stability of the closed-loop system is proven by using the Lyapunov theorem. The performance of the designed control system is simulated by using the variable step Runge-Kutta integrator. Simulation results show that the control system tracks the commanded attitude with an error of zero, which verify the effectiveness and robustness of the designed control system in the presence of parametric uncertainties. The near-space earth observation platform has several advantages over satellites, such as high resolution, fast to deploy, and convenient to retrieve, and the proposed control scheme provides an effective approach for station-keeping attitude control of the earth observation platform.

Improved algorithms to plan missions for agile earth observation satellites

This study concentrates of the new generation of the agile （AEOS）. AEOS is a key study object on management problems earth observation satellite in many countries because of its many advantages over non-agile satellites. Hence, the mission planning and scheduling of AEOS is a popular research problem. This research investigates AEOS characteristics and establishes a mission planning model based on the working principle and constraints of AEOS as per analysis. To solve the scheduling issue of AEOS, several improved algorithms are developed. Simulation results suggest that these algorithms are effective.

Progress of Earth Observation in China

Sustainability is the current theme of global development, and for China, it is not only an opportunity but also a challenge. In 2016, the Paris Agreement on climate change was adopted, addressing the need to limit the rise of global temperatures. The United Nations(UN) has set Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs) to transform our world in terms of closely linking human well-being, economic prosperity, and healthy environments. Sustainable development requires the support of spatial information and objective evaluation,and the capability of macroscopic, rapid, accurate Earth observation techniques plays an important role in sustainable development. Recently, Earth observation technologies are developing rapidly in China, where scientists are building coordinated, comprehensive and sustainable Earth observation systems for global monitoring programs. Recent efforts include the Digital Belt and Road Program(DBAR) and comparative studies of the "three poles". This and other researches will provide powerful support for solving problems such as global change and environmental degradation.

Applying the Distributed Hydrological Model for Tropical Monsoon Basins by Using Earth Observation Data (Case Studies: Kone and Ba River Basins)

Due to the limitation of data sources, the application of Distributed Hydrological Models (DHMs) using earth observation data to research water resources is necessary. In this study, the BTOPMC (Block-wise use of TOPMODEL) model was applied for 2 basins in the tropical monsoon region. This is the first time that the land cover map of the CCI (Climate Change Initiative Land Cover Team) was prepared for input data instead of IGBP (International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme) land cover map as proposed in the demo version of the BTOPMC model. The calibration and validation results showed that the Nash-Sutcliffe coefficients for daily stream discharge were 77.5% and 68.7% at Cung Son station (Ba basin). The Nash-Sutcliffe coefficients for daily stream discharge were 79.4% and 69.0% at Binh Tuong station (Kone basin), respectively. Because of a stop in measuring the discharge at Binh Tuong station in 2007, this model was applied to simulate discharge during the period of 2008-2015. Furthermore, the effect of land cover on discharge at Cung Son station was considered. The annual discharge in 2010 at Cung Son decreased 8 m3/s in the comparison between two scenarios (land cover of 2000 and 2010). According to this result, it is possible to propose a wide application range of the DHMs model to the tropical monsoon river basins using earth observation data.

Conspiracy Determines World War III with Reference to Several Windows’ Channel in Connection with Earth Observation Satellite

Thermonuclear reaction exerts its influence of X-emission to produce several windows’ channel in the presence of an oscillator under electrical relay circuit with a decisive importance to a radiofrequency Earth observation satellite. Indian Television Network (National Channel) has introduced a radiofrequency accelerator to produce X-emission at resonance with an activation of artificial human environment under relay analogy in the presence of an Earth observation satellite. Thermonuclear reaction communicates several windows’ channel via Earth observation satellite. Star Television network communicates an artificial human environment under the influence of a relay circuit with different pulse code units of human brain with an active influence of an artificial sensation to generate the loss of humanity around the world.

The Potential of Earth Observation Based Indicators to Assess the State of Urban Environment: An Application for the Urban Agglomeration of Athens

Earth observation (EO) provides the opportunity for periodic and spatially detailed assessment of the state of the environment in urban areas. In this study, the potential of EO based indicators (EI) to assess the state of environment in the urban agglomeration of Athens (UAA) is examined. EO based indicators as used in the study, include land surface temperature, land use, land cover and aerosols distribution. The indicators are also related to the household density and population density, as extracted from census data, for the same area. Indicators are applied at the municipal scale and are also used to estimate an aggregate environmental indicator (AEI), at municipal scale, by integrating all indicators mentioned above in a GIS environment. It is found that the urban agglomeration of Athens is practically “dichotomized”, by being divided in a western and eastern area, with considerably different environmental conditions. Results are considered important for focused interventions supporting environmental urban planning, whereas they represent the high potential of EO based indicators to monitor and assess the state of the urban environment.

Progress of 2014-2016 China's Earth Observation and Earth Science

The support given by Earth observation data and Earth system science play an increasingly important role in global change,regional sustainable development,extreme events,and the development of social and economic needs.This field is also moving towards systematization,platforms,and standardized development.In December 2015,nearly 200 parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change agreed in Paris to make arrangements for global action in response to climate change by 2020.China jointly issued a climate change adaptation strategy for cities in 2016 and then elevated national action to respond to climate change.China's Earth Observation and Earth Science development is facing new challenges as it supports the national civil space infrastructure and high-resolution Earth observation system.

Earth Observation Technologies for Sustainable Development

The multi-platform,multi-band and multi-mode Earth Observation(EO) system has been established in China in recent years.The advanced technologies are playing more and more important role for sustainable development in whole country.This paper introduces the results and achievements of EO monitoring for agriculture,EO surveying for land resources,EO monitoring for ecological environment,EO support for national surveying and national e-government,natural disaster monitoring and emergency response.It points out that the EO technologies could contribute more to the country,including in the field of global change in the coming decade.

Earth Observations in China and the World: History and Development in 50 Years

Remote sensing, which came into being at the first International Symposium on Remote Sensing of Environment (ISRSE) 50 years ago, has enabled people to obtain objecive and realistic spatial and temporal information through the application of Earth observation technologies and analyze and understand the macro-level changes of the Earth system from a spaial view. The technology of Earth observaion from space has incomparable advantages in the study of the Earth. This aricle introduces the 50-year development of Earth observaion in the world and the 30-year development of Earth observaion in China and reflects on the building of China's Earth observaion system.

China's Observation Network For Earth's Crust Movement Now Operational

An observation network focusing on earthquakes wascompleted one year aheadof schedule and put into operationrecently. According to scientists, this135-million-yuan (U.S.$16.3million) project could also be usedfor geodetic surveying, ionosphereand sea-level observations,