Is space global disaster warning and monitoring now nearing reality?

It is now well established that the annual cost of natural disasters world-wide is in excess of $400 billion. Support of relief agencies and governments depends on the timely receipt of information on the scale and nature of these disasters, and much of this information comes from ground-based sources. It is also recognised, however, that significant input could be provided by space-based sensor systems, both for disaster warning as well as disaster monitoring. Recent major disasters have demonstrated that the scale of devastation cannot adequately be monitored from ground-based information sources alone. This paper addresses current developments in a study to provide a global space-based monitoring and information system, with the associated ability to provide advanced warning of many types of disaster. Also addressed are the latest developments in sensor technology (optical, IR, Radar) including a UK initiative in high resolution imaging from a microsatellite, the logistics and cost of such a system and the feasibility of using communications networks for providing the infrastructure for such a system.     

遥感数据在自然灾害救助中的应用

根据《自然灾害救助条例》的自然灾害救助业务需求,分析了卫星遥感和航空遥感在自然灾害救助中的应用能力,利用高分辨率“快鸟”（Quickbird）卫星、地球资源观测卫星一B（EROS—B）的光学数据、“地中海盆地观测小卫星”（COSMO—Skymed）星座的合成孔径雷达数据、航空及无人机的遥感数据,结合空间分析方法,对汶川地震和玉树地震后灾民安置点规划、房屋倒损评估、帐篷动态监测、灾后灾民安置及环境、房屋恢复重建进度等进行了研究,其相关产品为政府提供决策支持信息、制定科学合理的救灾措施发挥了重要作用。     

The socioeconomic benefits of Earth science and applications research: reducing the risks and costs of natural disasters in the USA

A wealth of satellite data has provided information on weather and climate phenomena for the past 40 years. Within this period, however, the heavy human and economic costs of natural disasters have increased considerably. Using hurricanes, droughts, floods and earthquakes which occurred in the USA as examples, this article describes how Earth science can be applied to such situations to predict or mitigate their effects. The economic value of providing such information is discussed, as are the issues that can affect how successful its provision will be.     

GEOWARN - a possible global lifesaver : International Space University

This is an abridged and edited version of the executive summary of a report produced by students at the 1993 summer session of the International Space University at Hunstville, AL. Intended as a contribution to the International Decade for Disaster Reduction, the report is a design proposal for a Global Emergency Observation and Warning (GEOWARN) system to address the growing impact of natural disasters on humans. Concentrating on warning and relief support, the system's designers emphasize its use in promoting cooperation among governments, international organizations and agencies.     

Magnifying our world: Why we must extend civilization to the Moon

Since the completion of its original prehistoric migration some 10 000 years ago, humankind has had nowhere else on Earth to go. The Space Age has produced the wherewithal for a new off-Earth human migration to restart, with the Moon as the clear initial destination. As insurance against cataclysmic and human-induced natural disasters, as a means of creating new commercial industrial–financial opportunities at a time of fundamental change in the global economy, and as a way for the USA to regain some international political influence, it should pursue Moon settlement vigorously and soon. However, the developing US space exploration program being designed by NASA for such an undertaking is too narrowly confined to the pursuit of natural-science objectives. There must be fundamental involvement of the private sector and of a much wider range of professionals and federal departments therein.     

Dream project: Applications of earth observations to disaster risk management

The field of disaster risk management is relatively new and takes a structured approach to managing uncertainty related to the threat of natural and man-made disasters. Disaster risk management consists primarily of risk assessment and the development of strategies to mitigate disaster risk. This paper will discuss how increasing both Earth observation data and information technology capabilities can contribute to disaster risk management, particularly in Belize. The paper presents the results and recommendations of a project conducted by an international and interdisciplinary team of experts at the 2009 session of the International Space University in NASA Ames Research Center (California, USA). The aim is to explore the combination of current, planned and potential space-aided, airborne, and ground-based Earth observation tools, the emergence of powerful new web-based and mobile data management tools, and how this combination can support and improve the emerging field of disaster risk management. The starting point of the project was the World Bank’s Comprehensive Approach to Probabilistic Risk Assessment (CAPRA) program, focused in Central America. This program was used as a test bed to analyze current space technologies used in risk management and develop new strategies and tools to be applied in other regions around the world.     

Satellite services for disaster management and security applications

Advantages of communications satellites are the inherent broadcast capability, high bandwidth, reliability and flexibility in network expansion. Small transportable terminals can be made operational very quickly. Recent developments in communications and computer technology allow to provide low-cost equipment, which is affordable even in developing countries. Communications satellites can also play an important role in case of emergencies or natural disasters. The combination of satellite communications and navigation can support new services for emergency teams.

At the Institute of Applied Systems Technology and the Institute of Communication Networks and Satellite Communications highly transportable terminals have been developed, both for star and mesh network topologies. A fully meshed VSAT system is used for symmetrical links. For other applications, which do not require high return link capacity an asymmetrical system is an efficient solution. It uses low-cost DVB technology for the forward link and satellite phones with data capability on the return link. Novel multicast protocols allow to use these asymmetrical links in an efficient way. The paper describes the different systems and their applications in disaster management and security applications. Emphasis is put on transfer of remote sensing images and voice over IP (VoIP) as well as videoconference services.     

高校综合防雷技术及解决方案研究

本文探讨了雷电灾害的原因及目前高校采用的主要防雷措施,详细分析了雷电防护的主要技术,最后以中国石油管道学院为例,探讨了高校综合防雷方案,把防雷技术理论应用到了实际工程中。     

Space exploration and human survival

I am sympathetic to the view that, given the likelihood of massive natural disasters, such as collisions between the Earth and large asteroids, we should engage in large-scale space exploration and colonization so as to hedge our bets against extinction. I will consider several criticisms of this view. For example, some philosophers may raise objections against the notion of long-term human survival as a value. How can we have obligations towards beings who have not even been conceived yet and thus cannot be properly said to have rights? On a different note, Wendell Berry argues that the abundance of resources in space will produce bad character, for good character requires the discipline of finitude. Others challenge the connection between space exploration and survival, for they fear that by entertaining the promise of new Earths in the heavens we are more likely to neglect our planet, thus leading to our downfall. Presumably, we should instead increase our efforts to restore and preserve the balance of nature. I will advance a variety of replies. For example, we do decide for posterity to a great extent. We may plant the trees from which “our” descendants will receive nourishment and shade, or we may destroy what could have given them a fighting chance against drought and famine. We have an obligation not to plant a bomb that will go off two years from now in a hospital nursery, and another to ensure that the buildup of chemicals in the hospital water tank will not reach critical mass and kill most of the newborns in ten years. The “balance of nature” involved in another objection is a myth that cannot be justified by natural history, whether astronomical or biological. Moreover, the inevitable changes in the environment, independent of asteroid impacts, will make the Earth uninhabitable in a few hundreds of millions and years. In addition, in order to act wisely we need an understanding of the Earth as a planet, and this requires the exploration of space.     

卫星对地观测技术在防灾救灾中的作用研究

充分利用各种对地观测技术,从信息化的角度支持防灾救灾行动,已被列入政府的重要工作内容。总结前一阶段的经验,从灾前、灾期、灾后的全过程系统地考虑如何充分发挥卫星对地观测技术的防灾救灾作用,是一个值得研究的问题。文章从防灾预案、灾期救援和灾后重建三个方面研究了卫星对地观测技术在防灾救灾全过程中发挥作用的技术途径。     

Remote sensing satellites, superpower relations and public diplomacy

This article examines the consequences for US-Soviet relations of the wide availability of commercial remote sensing images. Both SPOT and Landsat images have recently been used, by the Western media as well as the superpowers themselves, to comment publicly on arms control controversies and environmental disasters, notably Chernobyl. Looking to the future, several scenarios involving third-party intervention in treaty compliance disputes, supported by commercial imagery, are discussed: unpleasant consequences could conceivably follow, but experience to date indicates that outcomes are most likely to foster openness and stability between the superpowers.     

Issues in the implementation of the International Charter on Space and Major Disasters

The 2000 Disaster Charter initiated by the European Space Agency and the Centre National d’Etudes Spatiales is the first international mechanism to universally share remote sensing-derived information and knowledge for disaster management. It is an extensive international cooperative effort among space agencies to provide space-based assets to communities world-wide that are afflicted by disasters. After four years of operations, the Charter has successfully provided disaster relief to a number of afflicted states. Simultaneously, some deficiencies in its operational and legal provisions have been highlighted. The Charter can serve as a good case study to gain understanding of the current state and further challenges of Earth observations (EO). The purpose of this paper is to show what has been achieved through Charter operation, and to examine user requirements of EO, and what needs to be changed to serve them better.     

India's EO infrastructure for disaster reduction: Lessons and perspectives

India has established a ‘critical mass’ in terms of EO infrastructure for disaster management. Starting from IRS 1A in 1980s to the most recent CARTOSAT-2, India's EO series of satellites are moving away from the generic to thematic constellations. The series of RESOURCESAT, CARTOSAT, OCEANSAT and forthcoming Radar Imaging Satellite (RISAT) satellites exemplifies the thematic characters of the EO missions. These thematic constellations, characterized with multi-platform, multi-resolution and multi-parameter EO missions, are important assets for disaster reduction. In the more specific term, these constellations in conjunction with contemporary EO missions address the critical observational gaps in terms of capturing the catastrophic events, phenomena or their attributes on real/near real time basis with appropriate spatial and temporal attributes.Using conjunctively the data primarily emanating these thematic constellations and all weather radar data from aerial platform and also from RADARSAT as gap-fillers has been a part of India's EO strategy for disaster management. The infrastructure has been addressing the observational needs in disaster management. The high resolution imaging better than one-meter spatial resolution and also Digital Elevation Models (DEM) emanating from Cartosat series are providing valuable inputs to characterize geo-physical terrain vulnerability. Radar Imaging Satellite, with all weather capability missions, is being configured for disaster management. At present, the current Indian EO satellites cover the whole world every 40 h (with different resolutions and swaths), and the efforts are towards making it better than 24 h. The efforts are on to configure RESOURCESAT 3 with wider swath of 740 km with 23 m spatial resolution and also to have AWiFS type of capability at geo-platform to improve the observational frequencies for disaster monitoring.India's EO infrastructure has responded comprehensively to all the natural disasters the country has faced in the recent times. As a member of International Charter on Space and Major Disasters, India has also been instrumental in promoting the related UN initiatives viz., RESAP of UN ESCAP, SPIDER of UN OOSA, Sentinel Asia of JAXA initiative and also of GEOSS initiative. The paper intends to illustrate India's EO strategy for disaster reduction.     

环境减灾卫星高光谱数据在减灾中的应用研究

利用中国环境减灾-1A（HJ-1A）卫星高光谱数据开展减灾应用研究,可提高灾害预警监测能力,提高灾害预警监测精度,拓展国产星载高光谱数据应用的广度和深度。文章简要介绍了HJ-1A高光谱数据的主要特征,阐述了高光谱灾害监测的原理,初步开展了该数据在减灾领域中的应用研究,并展望了HJ-1A高光谱数据在区域土壤有机碳估算等其...     

一种适用于航天器某些故障诊断的知识获取方法

尽可能快地找出航天器在工作过程中出现的故障，采取补救措施，可减少或避免重大损失。故障诊断专家系统可帮助人们作出快速诊断，但它的诊断准确率主要取决于其知识的正确性。以往这些知识是靠领域专家给出的。本文根据航天器某些故障的特点，提出了一种处理连续变元示例的知识自动获取方法，用这种方法获取的诊断故障的规则，在实践中检验是正确的     

一种基于时间调制的弹性化SAR卫星系统

星载合成孔径雷达(SAR)系统能全天时、全天候观测,在地震、洪涝、台风等自然灾害监测中具有重要作用。双基、多基SAR卫星更具有极高的经济、科学、安全价值。然而,目前在轨的大型星载SAR卫星造价昂贵,且双基SAR卫星需数颗同等规模的卫星。双基SAR卫星系统存在星间同步链路,因此卫星可扩展性不强。提出了一种基于时间调制的低成本弹性化Ka波段调频连续波(FMCW)SAR小卫星星座系统。该系统基于一组独立、模块化的发射卫星和接收卫星。采用Ka FMCW SAR体制和时间调制天线(TMA)技术,可减轻接收星2/3以上的质量。该系统采用自主任务规划技术,具备多样化的工作模式,为单发多收、多发多收等应用需求提供了一种弹性化的解决方案。     

真实蜂巢的力学分析和航天载荷结构仿生设计

自然界的真实蜂巢与工业上常用的蜂窝三明治夹层结构存在构型上的差异。对比二者的差异并分别进行三维建模。然后利用有限元分析方法,对二者因结构差异而导致的力学性能的差异进行对比分析,得到两种结构在受到轴向力和径向力时其变形和内部应力分布的区别。通过对仿真结果的分析,揭示真实蜂巢在力学性能方面所具备的独特生物学智慧,且将真实蜂巢独特的力学性能特性应用到某些航天载荷的结构设计上,取得了良好的效果。     

环境减灾卫星国际服务模式探索与成效

环境与灾害监测预报小卫星星座是我国对地观测系统的重要组成部分。2008年9月6日,我国成功发射环境与灾害监测预报小卫星星座A、B两颗光学小卫星（简称“环境减灾-1A、1B卫星”）。环境减灾-1A、1B卫星成功发射以来,民政部国家减灾中心（民政部卫星减灾应用中心）积极组织开展卫星在轨测试、运行管理、减灾应用、用户服务与宣传推广等工作。目前,卫星运行状态良好,各项指标正常。一年来,在成功应对国内数十场新发灾害监测与评估,积极开展国内应用服务的同时,也积极探索国际服务模式,拓展为国外救灾工作提供灾害监测产品服务,并先后成功应对澳大利亚森林大火、加拿大火灾、中缅边境火灾、海地特大地震等灾害应急监测与评估工作,在国际上获得好评,展示了我国空间技术在减灾救灾工作中的良好应用,树立了我国和平利用空间技术的大国形象。     

不同尺度下相变材料熔化过程自然对流影响分析

为了解自然对流对固液相变传热的影响,采用有限容积法对重力条件下矩形腔内相变材料熔化过程进行了数值模拟。通过改变矩形腔的尺寸,分析了不同尺度对高温壁面平均Nu数(Nu数)及相变材料温度场、速度场的影响。结果表明:随着尺度增加,自然对流作用增强,Nu数逐步增大,液相区流动从稳定向周期振荡过渡,且流线越来越不规则。     

模拟舱内气体换热的热平衡方法

文章对航天器舱内存在静止气体与运动气体状态的热平衡试验进行了模化分析,着重分析了对自然对流换热运动气体密封舱在热平衡试验中的影响,提出减小或消除自然对流换热影响的试验方法和实施方案。