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The earth
powerful ever-changing a complex system of land water
atmosphere all
Interacting to provide man's basic needs and to create the restless patterns
We call our environment as long as man has lived on earth. He has sought to understand these patterns that he might survive
Exploration perception
understanding
Man's knowledge of this world and of himself has been a steady progression from the known into the unknown
Throughout history man of vision have always taken that one step beyond the boundaries of their knowledge and in looking back
Have gained insight into the workings of their world
When
Mankind's restless vision escaped even the boundaries of the earth itself
We added a new dimension to our knowledge for the first time. We were viewing the world as a whole
Vast expanses of the earth lay before us
Challenging our capacity to understand
During the flights of NASA's Gemini Apollo and Skylab programs this new perspective was recorded in thousands of photographs
The enormous amount of new information contained in these photographs amazed earth scientists all over the world
It was of special importance to those scientists
Involved in remote sensing the technique of using various sensing devices to detect the nature of distant objects
Our knowledge of earth took a giant step when the technologies of spaceflight and remote sensing were merged
Into a system for monitoring and inventorying the earth's resources from satellite
This remarkable satellite launched by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration is called Landsat
Landsat travels in a near-polar orbit at an altitude of 570 miles at this altitude
It travels around the world in approximately 100 minutes
On board the satellite is a sophisticated sensing and relay system powered by energy from the satellite's solar cells
Landsat carries two sensor systems each providing special information
The first sensor is a three-camera television system
The second sensor is a multispectral line scanning system
Together these sensors record the earth below in consecutive frames each frame covering a 115 by 115 mile-square
The satellite images a strip of these frames on each orbit
The rotation of the earth makes it possible for Landsat to fly over almost the entire earth every 18 days
The information imaged from Landsat is beamed to NASA ground-receiving stations in various parts of the country
The data from Landsat are encoded on a master magnetic tape
Each frame of Landsat imagery is an electronic reconstruction of the special characteristics of the earth below
Some information is more easily seen on these spectral images than on a regular satellite image
Some information is more easily seen on these spectral images than on a regular photograph
For instance this is an image of the San Francisco Bay area as recorded by the Landsat multispectral scanner
This area was recorded simultaneously in four different wavelengths
The green band reveals surface water and shallow water features
In this wavelength researchers can isolate water patterns sediment and shallow bottom features
The red band emphasizes the cultural and physical features of the earth's surface
Here cities, roads and cultivated land stand out
Two bands in the near infrared wavelength emphasize live vegetation such as crops and forests
Since infrared is not reflected by water, land and water boundaries are clearly defined in this band
These images used alone with color enhancement or in combinations called composites
Provide researchers with valuable insight into the earth sciences
But Landsat does more than give a detailed look at earth
Equally important is the ability of Landsat to give repeated coverage of the same frame
This permits researchers to study the changes that take place in earth systems
Month by month, season by season, year by year
We now have a view from space
For the first time, we can monitor the earth's changing patterns
But information alone is not enough
The tremendous potential of remote sensing technology challenges us to make full use of our new knowledge
To meet the challenge of using this new knowledge to better manage the natural resources of this country
The United States Department of the Interior established the EROS program
EROS, Earth Resources Observation Systems
Is a program dedicated to the efficient use of remote sensing data
EROS is managed by the United States Geological Survey as a part of the Department of Interior's program of monitoring our nation's resources
Image data from NASA's Landsat, Skylab and aircraft programs
And the Department of the Interior's Aerial Surveys are sent to the EROS data center near Sioux Falls, South Dakota
This modern facility is located near the geographic center of the United States and is largely free of radio interference
Thus making it an ideal location for the reception of data from satellites
Here, under carefully controlled conditions, remote sensing data are received and cataloged
Millions of frames of aerial and satellite imagery are stored here
And detailed information about each frame is logged into the main computer database
From all over the country and around the world, requests for remote sensing data are received at the EROS data center
By mail, by phone and by personal visit
Requests come from government agencies, business, the academic community and the general public
The processing of data requests begins at the control desk of the user's services section where all inquiries are recorded
Simple requests requiring a minimum of research are processed through the center's worldwide reference system
More complex requests are analyzed and researched using the computer to ascertain the availability of required data
Users are informed of the available data and their orders are entered for processing
The required imagery is taken from the data bank to the center's modern photo lab where images are reproduced, inspected and shipped to the user
But distributing data to a waiting world is but one of the jobs of EROS
Vitally important is the use of these data
Scientists and technicians working closely with data users in many fields are constantly improving ways of applying these data for the benefit of mankind
Newly developed systems like this digital image analysis equipment are revolutionizing remote sensing technology
This equipment uses computer-compatible magnetic tape of Landsat data and video displays instead of traditional photo processes
Using this equipment, researchers have rapid access to the programmed imagery which can be manipulated to yield highly detailed information
The close cooperation between EROS and the data users is symbolized by the training programs held regularly at the EROS data center
Here, researchers from around the world come to South Dakota to learn how to best use remote sensing data in their specialized fields
The thrust of EROS is to provide resources and environmental data to all who have a need for it, wherever they may be
To aid researchers, EROS has established applications assistance facilities in various parts of the country
These facilities, like this one in Mississippi, provide a nationwide computer link-up to assist local researchers with a quick response from the main computer at the EROS data center
We have many demands to make of the Earth. Energy. Food. Raw materials. These must be provided in ever-increasing quantities in future years
At the same time, we face the obligation of maintaining an unspoiled environment
To meet these demands, people working in the Earth sciences will use imagery from the EROS data center to help manage our natural resources
Geologists have one of the longest histories of use of remote sensing data in the preparation of maps, engineering site analysis, and mineral exploration
Geologists of the United States Geological Survey have found Landsat imagery useful in preparing a lineation map of the United States
This map contributes to our understanding of geologic structural patterns, and someday may be helpful in the search for extractable minerals
Landsat imagery is also at work in Ohio, where state scientists monitor surface mining projects and reclamation efforts
Agricultural experts see large potential in studying the vegetation of our planet with Landsat imagery
Using imagery from the near-infrared spectrum, agronomists can monitor, and hopefully in the future predict, the harvest yields of our farmlands and accurately inventory farmland usage patterns
Foresters working today for tomorrow's timber harvests are using Landsat imagery to grow more productive forests
Timber experts can make gross classifications of the types of trees in individual forests, study the effects of timber harvesting methods, such as clear cutting, and monitor areas of forest fire damage and regrowth in remote regions of the country
Remote sensing is having an impact in the science of mapmaking
Cartographers are using Landsat imagery to map remote regions quickly and at a fraction of the cost of surface surveying
Landsat imagery is being used experimentally to inventory existing land use patterns and to monitor change
Computerized land use inventorying systems using digitized imagery aid researchers with detailed land use information
The Metropolitan Council of Governments in Washington, D.C., for one, is using aerial photographs to study and evaluate growth patterns
Scientists who study the changing patterns of our water resources find remote sensing data invaluable
Due to the ability of Landsat imagery to monitor change over a period of time, hydrologists can more accurately monitor and predict our nation's surface water levels
For instance, in the fragile environment of the Florida Everglades, a unique device is being used to automatically measure the water level
It's a data collection platform, a battery-operated monitoring device which beams information directly to Landsat
This information, together with Landsat imagery, helps water managers provide sufficient water to the Everglades to maintain this area in its present state
Satellite data could play an important role in future hydrologic studies of snow and ice measurement, flood monitoring programs, pollution studies, and many other efforts to more fully understand the patterns of our water resources
The far-ranging applications of remote sensing are still in the initial stages of development
The future is a bright one, for as mankind faces new challenges in a changing world, we will need new responses to meet these challenges
And only by continually expanding the frontiers of our knowledge will we get a proper perspective of our place on Earth
This, then, is the role of the men and women of the EROS program, providing a view of our Earth that we might more clearly understand our environment
Thank you for watching!