With support from a National Science Foundation Major Research Instrumentation Award, Dr. Ryan Jensen and his colleagues at Indiana State University and the University of South Carolina will purchase a state of the art airborne hyperspectral remote sensing system to use in a large variety of scientific studies. Previous remote sensing research at the two institutions has relied heavily on broadband multispectral sensors that are often not capable of distinguishing very subtle changes in object reflectance. Hyperspectral sensors are able to record reflectance from very small bands in the electromagnetic spectrum and allow researchers to more accurately classify and model terrestrial characteristics.
Working with a team of geographers, geologists, ecologists, and archaeologists, Dr. Jensen and Co-PIs-S. Berta, J. Gatrell, J. Jensen, and P. Mausel-will supervise and administer the system in many studies that will help us to examine the physical and human environments and the interaction between them. This system will provide a large group of researchers with the capability to explore a variety of environmental and social issues. For example, it is anticipated that the sensor will be used in missions that study forest dynamics in the midwest, fire ecology in longleaf pine sandhills in the southeast, urban forestry dynamics in many cities throughout the United States, water quality dynamics and seagrass health in the Lower Rio Grande Valley, and in existing NASA funded research in the Amazon Basin. A key feature of the instrument is its ability to provide data at many different spatial scales - thus allowing the instrument to be used for a wide range of scientific investigations.
Data obtained with the sensor will be made available via a web page (wabashview.indstate.edu) in the spring of 2004. This page (similar to OhioView.org) will provide both raw and processed data to researchers, educators, and others who are interested in the data that we will acquire. The raw data could be used for scientific studies. The processed data, in the form of maps, classifications, etc, would enable educators to teach students the basics of remote sensing and provide real world examples of remote sensing products. WabashView will be maintained and supported by Indiana State University.
This project is important for several reasons. It will provide a first-class hyperspectral sensor for terrestrial ecosystem researchers at two universities who have already demonstrated their ability to conduct cutting-edge applied and theoretical remote sensing research. The sensor will also play a significant role in the training of future scientists-as well as K-13 teachers-by actively involving graduate and undergraduate students from Indiana State University and the University of South Carolina. The instrument will also allow students in the Aerospace technology program at Indiana State University to gain experience by flying real scientific missions. Likewise, the instrument will enable Indiana State University researchers to collaborate with other colleges and universities in the region vis-a-vis WabashView. Finally, the data will be made available via the Internet to a much larger audience that can use the data for further scientific investigation, public policy assessment, the preparation of education materials, or many other uses yet to be envisioned.
