102
February 2015
PHOTOGRAMMETRIC ENGINEERING & REMOTE SENSING
INDUSTRY
NEWS
To have your press release published in
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, contact Rae Kelley,
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ANNOUNCEMENTS
MDA’s Information Systems Group (MDA)
, announces a
strategic partnership with
PCI Geomatics (PCI)
a world-
leading developer of software and systems for remote sensing,
imagery processing, and photogrammetry. The partnership
introduces a solution that streamlines access to synthetic
aperture radar (SAR) imagery for Geomatica 2014 users.
A key benefit of this partnership provides Geomatica users
with direct access to MDA’s SAR experts who have decades
of expertise in radar remote sensing analysis. The solution
provides access to RADARSAT-2 order handling services
through both the PCI Geomatica website, and PCI Geomatica,
a state-of-the-art desktop software package for processing
Earth observation data that allows users to load satellite and
aerial imagery where advanced analysis can be performed.
SAR has all weather, any-time monitoring capabilities
that offer a number of unique benefits for Earth-surface and
feature observation. The RADARSAT-2 satellite has global
high-resolution surveillance capabilities that include a large
collection capacity and high accuracy. The satellite provides
frequent re-visit imaging options, and is supported by ground
receiving stations that provide near real-time information
delivery services. This versatility makes RADARSAT-2 a
reliable source of information in multi-faceted intelligence
surveillance and monitoring programs. MDA is a primary
source of geospatial solutions for the Oil and Gas, Defence and
Security, Disaster Management, Aviation, Natural Resources,
Agriculture, and Mining markets.
Through this partnership, PCI users can better leverage
MDA’s SAR expertise to unlock the potential of RADARSAT-2
to solve some unique customer challenges. With a more robust
suite of services, and with world-leading advanced geospatial
production and analysis capabilities, MDA and PCI are even
better positioned to meet customers’ needs. Find out more
about PCI Geomatics at
.
reader with no references. For the most part, the figures are
adequate and serve their purpose. Some of them are blurred
and contain illegible information (e.g. Fig. 12.7; page 211),
clearly the result of low resolution images (e.g. Fig 13.12; page
232) – possibly from screenshots. Some figures show acronyms
that are not referenced in the text or on the glossary (page 62;
Fig. 4.4 “MICAz mote+DAQ Board”).
This information-rich volume does accomplish its objective
in that it provides a thorough and in-depth exposition of key
research applications of geospatial technologies to the study
of complex processes affected and represented by climate
change. The chapters are organized in a sensible fashion, and
present the reader with novel, stimulating and intriguing
approaches to explore the multifaceted effects of climate change
on atmospheric and oceanic systems, solid earth, biomes, and
human populations. As a result, the processes analyzed cover a
wide range of geographies in multiple continents and countries.
Part I of the volume covers coral reefs (chapter 3), dust storm
events (chapter 2), coastal systems vulnerability (Chapters 5
and 6), and geohazards (chapters 4 and 7). Part II explores the
opportunities for the use of these techniques in decision making
in planning, adaptation and mitigation. Chapters 8 and 9 define
and explore the philosophical and epistemological implications
of complexity mapping in the face of catastrophic change and
resilience based on cartographic and spatial knowledge. Part
III of the book deals with the basics of positioning (chapter 14),
GIS (chapter 15); whole Earth temporal change data analysis
and watershed modeling workflows are explored in detail in
chapters 13 and 16. As entitled, Chapter 12 is misleading in that
it stems from off-shore oil exploration and prospecting geology,
while in reality it does provide good information on geodetic
surveying through the use of gravity. This is of relevance to
sea level changes. As it stands, chapter 17 deals with remote
sensing basics, but feels out of place and it is of little value when
contrasted with the type and depth of information contained in
previous chapters. Following a highly compressed exposition of
the fundamentals of remote sensing the chapter provides three
references; one is a textbook, while a second one is an on-line
remote sensing tutorial.
Based on the previous considerations, this book is of value to
researchers and scholars, mainly. The information presented is
from expert and authoritative sources; the foundational examples
offered are relevant and illustrative of specific applications of
geospatial technologies to monitoring, modeling and quantifying
the effects of climactic and meteorological changes. Although
not impossible, and in order to use the valuable portions of the
information conveyed in this volume for educational purposes, the
adventurous reader would have to expend some time and effort in
filtering out writing artifacts with the purpose of repackaging the
material. This point should not detract the reader from utilizing
this text as a highly valuable research and reference resource as
it provides a current, accurate and comprehensive snapshot of
the state-of-the-knowledge.
Book Review
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