You are on page 1of 3

OVERVIEW OF ASTER PROJECT IN EOS PROGRAM

H.Tsu
Geological Survey of Japan
1-1-3 Higashi, Tsukuba-city, Ibaraki 305

Anne B. Kahle
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology
183-501,4800 Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, California 91109

ABSTRACT

The Advanced SpacebomeThermal Emission and Reflection Table 1 ASTER baseline performance requirements
Radiometer (ASTER) is one of the research facility instrument

2
9P.t 1.1
of EOS-AMI, which is the fust polar-orbiting platform of EOS
(Earth Observing System) program.The ASTER instrument is
being built by hUTI (Ministry of International Trade and
Industry), Japan, based on the requirements of ASTER science
team. ASTER science team is an international team of Japa-
nese and American scientists.
Keywords-- EOS. ASTER.

INSTRUMENT DESCRIPTION Crass-Track Direction 232 km


b v Polntlnp Capabilitv

The fundamental c o n e of the ASTER [l], [2], [3] is to make thermal infrared regions, (2) surface q p e r a t u r e data with
quantitative spectral measurements of the reflected and emitted high spatial resolutions. (3) along track s t e m capability with
radiation from the Earth's surface in the atmospheric windows relatively high B/H ratio of 0.6.
0.5-2.5 pn and 8-12 pm, at spatial and spectral resolutions
appropriate to study the interactions among the geosphere, SCIENCE OBJECTIVES
hydrosphere, biosphere, cryosphere. and atmosphere.
ASTER instrument is currently built in order to meet the ASTER will make observations from the visible through the
scientific requirements of ASTER science team. It is a high thermal infrared spectral regions in order to study:
spatial resolution multispectral imaging radiometer with 14 Surface processes such as temperature, emissivity, and
bands, and consists of VNIR. SWIR. and TIR subsystems reflectivity:
(Table 1).The VNIR includes a separate, single-spectral-band Elements of the surface heat balance including radiative,
(0.76-0.86 pm) radiometer inclined backward at an angle of sensible, and latent heat fluxes as inputs to the models of
27.6' to the other sensors to provide a same-orbit stereoscopic the global energy and climate systems:
imaging capability. The swath width for all three subsystems is * Cloud characteristics, including morphology, temperature,
60 km .The ASTER instrument has a cross-track pointing optical thickness, and particle size.. to help understand their
role in global climate;
capability of f 8.55" for the SWIR and TIR subsystems, and f
24' for the VNIR subsystem. This gives cross-track observing - Glacier extent and velocities;
ranges on the ground of approximately f 136 km and f 343 km Sea ice'extent and albedo and the areas of open leads and
respectively, ensuring that any point on the globe is accessible meltponds;
at least once every 16 days for the SWIR and TIR, and once Patterns of vegetation, land use, and surface change;
Evapotranspiration and hydrology:
every five days for the VNIR.Characteristics of ASTER can
be summarized as: (1) wide spectral coverage from visible to - Geology and topography of land surface:

-117-

Authorized licensed use limited to: M Th Koelen. Downloaded on June 11, 2009 at 10:01 from IEEE Xplore. Restrictions apply.
Volcanoes, including eruption monitoring; and
- Coral reefs and coastal processes
Table 2 Summary of ASTER data products (preliminary)
ASTERS contribution to EOS sciences are summarized in Level Piadvcl name
Fig.1. 1A Rcbrmrrrcd DN and ancillary dam.
IBI Radiancc 11 S C ~ S D I .
1B2 Radiance 11 imim with bands %iihin and b c w c m
~rleimpcsro-registered
MISSION OPERATION AND DATA PROCESSING 2A1 Brighincrr icmpcrmrc a senior.
2A2 Apprrcnl and r h i w spw.lrrl emifrivily.
2A3 Appirrnl and rcliii\v r p m r a l r c k t a n r c .
281 Surlarr radiance.
Basic operation scenario for ASTER is under studying. Cur- 282 Surlirr brightneri ~ c m p e r a i u r c .
283 Surlars l c m p e r m r c .
rently, we have calegorized operation into four modes, (1) 284 sur1acc cminivi,y.
2BS Surla<< rcn<oancc.
emergency observation. (2) observation on requests for science 2CI Cloud paramclerr.
2 a S e a . 1 ~paramctcrr.
group, (3) regional multi-temporal monitoring, (4) global 2C3 SoillMineral indices.
3 Any k v e l I of 2 product mapped 10 a Itindiid
mapping for land. The order of operation priority is mode (I), canogrphic projcclion.
4AI Local digital ~ l ~ v i i i omodels.
n
(2). (3). and (4). The data obtained by the ASTER instrument 4A2 Thcrmrl change.
4A3 Thermal incitia.
will be processed using algorithms in order to derive data 4.44 Gcologic~lmspr.
4A3 Sail maps.
products. Current ASTER data processing flow is as follows; 4A6 Mineral maps.
4A7 EV~p,,~"lpidO".
ASTER data will be received at White Sands and level 0 data 4AS Lincammi m a p .
4A9 Clacirl velociiy maps.
will be produced. These data, in packet form, will be trans-
ferred to Japan. In Japan, level 1 data (radiometrically and
geometrically corrected) will be produced and these pro-
cessed data'will be sent to United States. Level 2 and higher development of the ASTER instrument. The development of
level data products (Table 2) will be produced using algo- ASTER instrument is carried out by NEC (Nippon Electric
rithms being developed by ASTER science team. Company), MELCO (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation), Fujitsu
Ltd., and Hitachi Ltd. under contracts with JAROS. ERSDAC
MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE is responsible for science management, mission operation, and
ground data processing.
ASTER management structure is shown in Fig. 2. ASTER ASTER science team is an intemational team of Japanese and
instrument is provided by MITI, Japan. The ASTER project is American scientists. Twelve working groups have been orga-
implemented through ERSDAC (Earth Resources Data Analy- nized within ASTER team. and are dealing with various as-
sis Center) and JAROS (Japan Resources Observation System pects of the ASTER instrument operation, development of
Organization), which are non-profit organizations under the
conuol of MITI. JAROS is responsible for the design and

- A SIdR S c i e n c e O b j e c t I v e s Les

L. ...................................
.........................................

Fig. 1 ASTERS contribution to global change research studies in the EOS program

-118-

Authorized licensed use limited to: M Th Koelen. Downloaded on June 11, 2009 at 10:01 from IEEE Xplore. Restrictions apply.
I I

Fig. 2 Management smcture of ASTER project

ground data system. and development of algorithms for data


reduction and analysis.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The authors wish to thank Space Industry Division of MlTI,


ERSDAC, JAROS for their support in the ASTER project.
Great thanks are due to the ASTER team members for their
fruitful discussions and activities in the ASTER project.

REFERENCES

[l] H. Fujisada and A. Ono, Preliminary design concept and


development targets of Japanese optical sensor for EOS-A,
Adv. in Space Res.,l2,1,323-326.
[2] A.B.Kahle. F.D.Palluconi, S.D.Fook, V.J.Realmuto. and
G.Bothwel1, The Advanced Spacebome Thermal Emission and
ReflectanceRadiometer (ASTER), International Journal of
Imaging Systems and Technology, Vo1.3, 144-156(1991)
[3] Y.Yamaguchi, H. Tsq and I. Sato. Japanese Mission of
JERS-1 and A S T E R R O ~SPIE,, V01.1490,324-334(1991).

- 119-

Authorized licensed use limited to: M Th Koelen. Downloaded on June 11, 2009 at 10:01 from IEEE Xplore. Restrictions apply.

You might also like